Lack of convention badges

[Geek King]

Ok
Oh, hey, if you do end up setting up for Meryl, let me know and I'll see if I can actually get around to doing Millie.

The hard part on that's going to be the gun. I want to make it collapsable so that I can actually carry it under the coat. That's going to be a trick and a half...

^-.-^

Hmm...how about several of those colapsable Star Wars light-sabres carefully painted gunmetal-grey? Lop off the round tips and you have gun barrels for the piece.

[Andara Bledin]

The problem is that it needs to be collapsible sideways, but not so much lengthwise. I've got ideas, but nothing solid since I've never really had a good look at the way her gun looks.

Oh, but I'd definitely have "rounds" in the barrels.... *snicker*

^-.-^

[Skrae]

I love cosplay but I have to admit that I'm completely baffled by all the paranoia prop rules at the smaller conventions.

A few cons back east changed the rules that all props had to be made out of cardboard and less than 3 feet long. This meant ALOT of people didn't have staffs, and two of the people I did Yuna staff commissions on were PISSED, as was I.

The logic is better safe than sorry. I don't like em much either, but NDK is pretty lax on their prop rules, you can have steel so long as it has no blade. Someone this year did Kenshin Himura and actually had a steel reverse blade katana. Once you get your weapon peace bonded (proof of peace bond is a zip tie around the weapon, NDK is the only con I've attended to date, so I don't know other con policies), you've signed a verbal contract not to use your weapon for ill intent, accident occasionally happen which is why we can't have actual blades or anything.

Onto the cardboard thing, wtf?

[Kogarashi]

The two cons I've been to where I've actually paid attention to the prop rules (Anime Expo 2003/4 and AnimeBoston 2007), the rule was that you had to have the weapon "peace bonded" with security. That basically means getting it checked out and then a colorful zip tie put on it to indicate that security's okay with your prop, just like Skrae said NDK does it. I like that method because that means even the guy dressed as Pyramid Head could lug around his giant cleaver without any problems, and that thing was clearly not made from cardboard.

[Imogene]

I've got ideas, but nothing solid since I've never really had a good look at the way her gun looks.

It's really just a gatling gun that she can hold on to, with a leather strap that goes up over her shoulder. There's not a whole lot to it, from what I remember. I just got my Trigun manga back from St. Louis, so, I'll double check them when they're unpacked.

[repsac]

Gods. I feel old now. I remember when Anime Weekend Atlanta was a group of anime fans camped out in a Holiday Inn watching badly subtitled or dubbed flicks for three days straight.

[Hon'ya-chan]

Gah... what is up with all the Naruto cosplayers the past few years. I mean, enough is enough!

Manga guy here hates the Naruto cosplayers. Especially the incident with those "Sexy no Jutsu" Cosplayers.

According to him, he was walking around in a Stig cosplay (whatever the hell that is; the guy is into obscure stuff like Kikaida and other assorted Sentai stuff) and of all the Sexy jutsu cosplay he saw (And "officially," Naruto and Konohamaru have done them in the anime and manga) were hideous. Skanky hideous.

[Wenchie]

Manga guy here hates the Naruto cosplayers. Especially the incident with those "Sexy no Jutsu" Cosplayers.

According to him, he was walking around in a Stig cosplay (whatever the hell that is; the guy is into obscure stuff like Kikaida and other assorted Sentai stuff) and of all the Sexy jutsu cosplay he saw (And "officially," Naruto and Konohamaru have done them in the anime and manga) were hideous. Skanky hideous.

Yeah... I haven't seen a good Sexy no Juutsu yet. Just people that shouldn't be attempting to wear outfits that cover that little. *shudder*

I'm sorry... I'm happy for them that they have enough self-esteem to wear something like that, but don't wear it unless you have the body for it! I do NOT need to see that much nasty flesh!

[Hon'ya-chan]

Yeah... I haven't seen a good Sexy no Juutsu yet. Just people that shouldn't be attempting to wear outfits that cover that little. *shudder*

Not to mention peoples "Interpretations" of characters that didn't have them.

[napoleana]

Skimming here, 'cuz I haven't checked this thread in a few days.

I love cosplay but I have to admit that I'm completely baffled by all the paranoia prop rules at the smaller conventions.

A few cons back east changed the rules that all props had to be made out of cardboard and less than 3 feet long.

I wish I could share that with some of our cosplayers. We have the "everything has to be checked by security to be peace-tied or orange-tipped" rule. You can have live steel if it's peace-tied. You cannot have operable airsoft, ammunition, or nerf weapons, and even if it is inorperable it has to be approved by security.

First of all, the only reason we allow live steel is because we have dealers who sell them. I understand wanting authentic cosplay, but since you can't unsheath it, I can't for the life of me understand why these people won't get wood replicas or something. I mean swords cost hella money, and if you set something down for a second at a con, it's freaking gone. I would never bring something valuable to a con just to say, "Yeah, this sword you can't see? It's totally real. If I so much as showed you half an inch, I'd get kicked out. Yay!"

Second, people cannot understand why we won't allow inoperable guns that LOOK operable. Um, maybe because that's scary? Maybe because it's the best way to ensure some backwards redneck doesn't shoot one of our congoers for being weird?

And OMG the nerf-weapon complaints. Our congoers cannot understand that a) yes, nerf weapons can put out an eye, b) it's f-ing annoying to be shot by one, and c) as if they can't find enough ways to be disruptive and a pain in the butt without foam discs, tubes, and balls flying everywhere.

Still, I can't imagine any con lasting that long with a weapons policy as strict as the one you mentioned. I mean cardboard? Better off banning weapons altogether.

Manga guy here hates the Naruto cosplayers. Especially the incident with those "Sexy no Jutsu" Cosplayers.

According to him, he was walking around in a Stig cosplay (whatever the hell that is; the guy is into obscure stuff like Kikaida and other assorted Sentai stuff) and of all the Sexy jutsu cosplay he saw (And "officially," Naruto and Konohamaru have done them in the anime and manga) were hideous. Skanky hideous.

At least most of the ones I've seen do have the body for it. But at least 3/4 of them are just cheap cosplay. They'll go around in an orange sports bra and black short-shorts and do their hair up in poby-tails and call themselves "sexy no jutsu." That's half-assed cosplay. I LOATHE half-assed cosplay. I can't afford tailored costumes myself, but that's why I do fashion-cosplay or characters like Nana Oosaki (where I can get everything I need off the clearance rack at HotTopic).

They are as bad the "Gothic [Naruto character]". My god, just dress how you normally dress, and stop insulting your "beloved" manga/anime character. It's hideous and unoriginal.

Now, I will say, I've once seen a picture of girls who sewed sexy no jutsu outfits that had cotton stuffing as the clouds and looked authentic while also being modest. However, last year, our cloud-version "sexies" were two underdeveloped, "eat a f-ing sandwhich" type skinny girls who could not possibly be older than 14, going around in nude bras and panties with cardboard clouds pinned on them. You could see EVERYTHING. One of our security guys had to tell them to go back to their room and change because "this is a family event."

I totally think we should have a rule that says if you come dressed like a skank, we're going to call your mother.

*Note: Sorry for being ranty. Both these things are kind of issues with me.

[Dreamstalker]

The twit once attempted to do a "Gothic Kenshin". Her great idea was basically the Grim Reaper with a katana...she wanted to use live steel, on a college campus where owning a sword could get you kicked out. A wood sword that looked real from about ten feet wasn't good enough (of course, I was the one who was supposed to procure and keep said steel; of course, I said no way--you want it, you get it).

A prop board I hang out on a lot is Proptopia. Its original and main purpose was/is for Ghostbusters props, but there are a lot of really knowledgeable friendly folks over there.

[Imogene]

(where I can get everything I need off the clearance rack at HotTopic)

When I worked at Chesterfield, the Good AM would randomly start suggesting I go buy a pair of Hot Topic's Full Metal Alchemist sneakers.
"Uh, why?"
"Don't you like that one?"
"Yes, kind of, however, not enough to go buy crap-tastic sneakers for it..."
This was at the time that only six of the FMA DVDs were out.

[napoleana]

Hot Topic's Full Metal Alchemist sneakers.

Back when goth companies were competing with DIY punks who were basically on the same level as today's good cosplay seemstresses/seemsters (sp?), they used to be good quality. Now so called punks and goths are mostly young brats with unearned money that throw the word "poser" at anyone who doesn't pay $90 for dammaged pants. Ugh. So now of course, said $90 dammaged pants company is not gonna try as hard anymore, and while the price is going up, the merch is falling apart faster and faster.

Which is why when I buy at HT it's ALWAYS off the clearance rack.

But back on the subject of anime (still OT for the thread), the FMA thing is way out of hand, and the same thing is going on with the Naruto crap. I may like these anime, but I'd rather buy the anime and manga than pay way too much to put the symbols on everything I own.

And THEN the dorks where it with their cospay. >.< I'm sorry, but the snake-cross thing is ONLY on Ed's jacket. The village symbols are almost entirely exclusive to the forehead protectors. It is not on arm bands, it is not on necklaces, it is not on t-shirts, shoes, shoe laces, make up, contacts, rings, cellphone charms, etc. Gaara does NOT have the Sand-village symbol on everything he owns anymore than Clark Kent has the Superman symbol painted on his cellphone. And Gaara sure as hell does not have Leaf-village stuff. Grrrrr...

[protege]

Damn...and I thought *railfans* were bad at conventions

One thing we always stress at our conventions, is that you *must* have one of the society badges on when touring rail facilities. This includes railroad shops, museums, and just about everything else we're doing. That way, we can keep track of who is supposed to be there. Anyone who doesn't have a badge, doesn't get in.

From personal experience, the badge sometimes does open a few doors. After our 2004 convention ended in Altoona, I got to visit Horseshoe Curve for free on the last day. (If you've never been there, it's freaking awesome--lots of trains to see and/or photograph!) I had a pass that ran from Thursday until Saturday night. But, since I wanted to go Sunday (couldn't get enough Amtrak and Norfolk Southern, I guess), I was going to have to pay for it. I simply asked if my pass was still good, and said that if it wasn't, I'd pay anyway. It was well worth it, trust me.

After I said that, the girl behind the desk looked around (apparently for her boss), and said, "Aw, go on up!" and wouldn't let me pay for it! I spent the entire afternoon up there, and at Gallitzin later. (That's another cool place--you can watch the trains come out of the tunnels...and can usually 'chase' them to the Curve, or vice versa.

That wasn't the only time--some of the society guys were allowed into one of the switch towers, and got to watch the operators at work. Lucky bastards

[Rapscallion]

At least most of the ones I've seen do have the body for it. But at least 3/4 of them are just cheap cosplay. They'll go around in an orange sports bra and black short-shorts and do their hair up in poby-tails and call themselves "sexy no jutsu." That's half-assed cosplay.

I must warn you that photos of such cosplayers could come close to breaking our no pornography rule. I do, however, accept such submissions via email

Rapscallion