Rebranding

UPDATE: New logo provided by Heather Jones. Thanks!

As you can probably tell by my glorious new logo up there featuring me and Sonny Strait, I'm rebranding things. Nothing much is going to change, but I felt like I needed a name that really captured what it is that I, well, DO. The Jeff Bulger Show was always a temporary name until I could come up with something I liked, and frankly, I DO like conventions, so I feel like it's a fitting name. I'm going to be covering more conventions after the holiday break, with BBC Fest, Anime Salt Lake, OTK Gaming Fest, and FurIdaho.

Until then, Happy Holidays and have a great end of the world tomorrow!

-Jeff

Tomodachi Fest 2012 Feature - Day 3: Wrapping Up & Looking Forward

Wrapping Up & Moving Forward

Finally...

The sickness delayed, semester finals inhibited, and laziness obstructed final part of my Tomo Review is here! Sorry again for the wait, everyone, but I believe it will have been worth the wait. Just ask those Asian fellows up there. See how happy they look to be featured on my blog? You should be happy that they're happy that I'm happy! Anyways, let's get into Day 3.

:3

The third day of Tomodachi Fest wasn't quite as event laden as the previous two, so I spent a good amount of time examining the various booths and shops set up in Artist's Alley and the Dealers' Room. There was still quite a large amount of guests at the conference center well into the third day, many of which were taking advantage of "end of convention" deals being offered by the vendors.

Hangin' out in the dealers' room.

There were still quite a lot of items on display, which is pretty common for a convention's last day. Most dealers tend to overstock (and this goes for every convention I've been to) and end up taking the majority of their wares home with them. I always feel kind of sad when I start to see the vendors leaving, because it means that con is almost over. And alas, it in fact was.

Fine Young Deviants: fielding questions in their inimitable style.
Featured (from left to right): Gabby, Odinn, Einar, and Leif.

"Tomodachi Fest 2012 -with the Fine Young Deviants!"
Courtesy AmuGabbyGirl

I poked my head in to catch some of the comedy stylings of the Fine Young Deviants, a local comedy troupe that frequents many of the local conventions in the area. The Deviants are comprised of the Celusta brothers, Odinn, Einar, and Leif as well as my friend AmuGabbyGirl. Their comedy style is full of wonderful deadpan snarkiness and surrealistic humor, and I do recommend visiting one of their panels if possible. Check out the video above to see what I mean.

Next up was Newton Ewell; artist extraordinaire and (unbeknownst to me at the time) quite the anime historian. He was presenting his "Ancient Anime" panel, a showcase of anime from days gone by.

Newton schools us on old school, old cool anime.

Ewell started with some of the classics including Astro Boy, Star Blazers and Macross. I can't remember every anime shown, but I can definitely say that it was a very nice trip down memory lane. I grew up as a huge Robotech fan, and eventually found and fell in love with the original Macross. Without going into too much detail, Robotech is an American interpretation/retelling of the original Macross story with additions from other series along the way. Another way to put it would be that Robotech is to Power Rangers as Macross is to Super Sentai; different translations, completely different stories, but the same footage.

The master addresses his audience.

Go, Go, Astro Boy!

Ewell had a certain air of respect about him. As soon as I met him and shook his hand I just felt like I was dealing with a professional with knowledge far beyond my years. Without gushing too much, I think I may have developed a bit of a man crush.  Whether drawing or discussing "ancient anime", I could listen to the man talk about pretty much anything! I definitely hope Mr. Ewell returns to Tomodachi Fest next year, although rumor has it he may be at Anime Oasis earlier in 2013 as well.

Another treat for me on Day 3 was getting to see a tattoo being done, something I have only seen once before, but never at an anime convention.

Prepping her canvas.

Erykane Art did several tattoos for attendees at the convention and my friend Elizabeth was nice enough to let me sit in and watch the entire tattoo process.

Before tattooing, tracing of the original picture is done.

After tracing the artwork (in this case, the fire symbol from Bioshock: Infinite), the artist is ready to get started.

Inking the arm.

After a few minutes, which I'm sure felt much longer for my friend Elizabeth, the tattoo was done and looking good.

Putting on the finishing touches.

The final product!

I'm considering getting my first tattoo from Erykane at Anime Oasis, or maybe even before. Finding a good tattoo artist is really difficult, particularly one that is decently priced.

Another tattoo done by Erykane:
Surfin' Pikachu

As the day wound down, closing ceremonies approached. I would usually attend closing ceremonies, but I wanted to get home and start sleeping off my con plague as soon as possible. I'm told they went off well and that there was some great energy.

So finally, after all is said and done, what did I think about Tomodachi Fest? See below for details.

(And remember, this is just my personal experience, so don't throw adulation, love, and praise or hate, spite, and rage at anyone but me)

The Good: 

• Good panels.
• Artist's Alley and the Dealers' Room were both easy to navigate.
• Pretty good atmosphere.
• Had no trouble getting my comped badge.
• The staff didn't come off as overbearing.
• Started strong, lots of good energy on the first day.
• Staff interacted with my professional and were able to field my questions.
• Lot's of good events on the first two days.
• I didn't encounter anyone with con funk!

The Bad:

• The video game room was basically a carbon copy of Anime Oasis's. To see my thoughts on that, you can check out that article here. For those who can't be bothered, it needs console games; gaming rooms are pit stops for media folks to relax in their down time.
• Day 3 didn't feel like it had enough going on. I know the convention ended around 7:15 p.m. but I feel more could have happened.
• I don't know if the hotel would have allowed this, but it would have been nice to have something set up in the main conference center lobby outside of the main events room. It just felt like it was missing something, and that hurt the atmosphere.

The Ugly:

• The Batsu Games. Don't get me wrong, I loved them, but wow was some of that hard to watch.

Overall, I'd give Tomodachi Fest V an A-. Everything went smoothly, I experienced no drama, and (despite getting sick) I had a really good time. 

I can definitely recommend Tomodachi Fest and will be returning for Tomodachi Fest 6 next year, October 4-6 2013.

What: Tomodachi Fest
When: November 23 - 25, 2012
Where: Boise Hotel & Conference Center
Official Website: TomodachiFest.com
Official Facebook: http://goo.gl/FteB1

Tomodachi Fest 2012 Feature - Day 2: Swimsuit Contests, Panels, and Con Plague

Swimsuit Contests, Panels, and Con Plague

Arrrrrrr!

I apologize for the delays I had recently in writing the last two parts of this article. With school winding down that means one thing; finals and portfolio revisions. At any rate, forget all of that nonsense and stare at those way cool pirates up there. ARRRRRR!

I don't know what the hell is happening either.

The start of Day 2 was a rough one for your favorite convention covering journalist. As soon as I woke up I could tell that I was sick. Stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing. This was going to be a long day...

I rolled out of bed around noon made my way to main events where I found my dear old friend Adam MC'ing "Cosplay Chess", a game where cosplayers take on the roles of living chess pieces. It's kind of like that scene at the end of the first Harry Potter but with less ginger maiming.

Fancy lolita lady being fancy.

The game progressed at a riveting, lighting fast pace (read: I think my beard may have grown a tad during this time) until finally a winner was declared. I can't tell you who that winner was, however, as I honestly don't know if Adam nor his opponent knew themselves. In any case, it seemed like the chess pieces had fun participating, and that makes it a successful event in my book.

We all just pawn in game of Andrew Hussie.

Later on, once again in main events, Chris Rager & Chris Cason conducted a Q&A panel together. The two brought out a good showing and convention attendees posed a lot of the typical questions: "What made you get into voice acting? What was your favorite role? Can you say something in (character)'s voice?" 

Chris Cason (left) and Chris Rager (right) answering questions.

I don't blame people for asking these questions, but I always feel a little bad for the voice actors that have to answer the same questions over and over. To their credit, neither one of them seemed annoyed by questions that I know for a fact they have been asked before, which is a show of professionalism on their part.

Oh you!

The panel went over really well, and these guys definitely seemed like veterans when it came to answering questions. The two also went in depth about some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of voice acting and the industry in general. Some of the highlights included:

• Chris Cason pointed out that in the world of voice acting, for every role they get there are probably 4 or more that they don't get.
• Rewrites mean more work, but also additional work and paydays, so they're not necessarily a bad thing.
• They believe that society has changed and therefore anime is less censored/restricted today because of that.
• The CW has very strict censorship rules.
• Shin-Chan, despite rumors to the contrary, is written out beforehand and not ad-libbed.
• TV networks (Cartoon Network, CW, Nicktoons, etc.) often dictate changes to a show rather than the studio itself.

Chris Rager's Holy Roman Empire impression will haunt my dreams forever.

• Chris Rager has had a successful comedy career in Dallas.
• Rager should NOT ever play Holy Roman Empire from Hetalia. My ears have heard the evidence to support this claim.
• Rager's mother told him that he should "stop playing games and watching cartoons because it won't get him anywhere".
• Cason was a big fan of Starblazers and Robotech growing up.
• Cason enjoyed Team Four Star's series "DBZ Abridged" and most DBZ voice actors do, too.
• Rager is a part of a comedy troupe called "Section 8 Comedy". The group edited together an episode of Scooby Doo that he described as funny but definitely "not for kids".
• Directors are akin to "seeing eye dogs" who "help guide actors through the dark" and find their best takes.

After the panel wound down, the main events room would be transformed into the center stage for the cosplay contest. I decided to do something different than I usually do at conventions, and instead of covering the actual cosplay contest proper I wanted to get some behind the scenes shots of the contestants before they made their way on stage to be judged by the masses.

Last minute adjustments.

Facing judgment!

Aww right!

Talking shop. Cosplay shop.

Several convention goers showed up to take part in the contest. Winners were determined by both the staff of the convention and the attendees themselves, with separate prizes being given out to 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place winners.

Cease your adorableness immediately!

End of the line.

The cosplay contest was followed by yet another contest; this time of the swimsuit kind. Once again, resident MC and all around nice guy Adam was around to host the event in the pool side area. To wrap up my Day 2 coverage, I present to you a few shots I managed to snag from the competition:

For the full gallery of Day 2 photos, click here!

COMING SOON: Day 3 - Wrapping Up & Looking Forward

What: Tomodachi Fest
When: November 23 - 25, 2012
Where: Boise Hotel & Conference Center
Official Website: TomodachiFest.com
Official Facebook: http://goo.gl/FteB1

Tomodachi Fest 2012 Feature - Day 1: Hello Tomo!

Welcome, friends!

Ah Tomodachi Fest... The Boise Hotel & Conference Center recently played host to the fifth iteration of Tomodachi Fest, a convention that its official website describes as "[an] annual anime convention that focuses on all aspects of anime, manga, cinema, gaming, and Japanese and Asian pop culture!"

I, being the arts & entertainment journalist that I am, just had to make my way to my first Tomodachi Fest. I had previously covered Anime Oasis, Fandemonium, and FurIdaho right here on this very blog, but had never had the chance to venture to Tomodachi Fest. This year I wanted to change that.

Attendees register for the convention.

I was lucky enough to attend Tomodachi Fest 5 and take in the sights and sounds of con. Every convention story has a beginning, and mine, like most people's, starts at convention registration. I arrived at the Conference Center around noon on the 23, Tomo's first official day open, and proceeded to the registration desk in the main lobby of the Conference Center. I picked up my complimentary badge, checked into my hotel room, and was on my way. It's always nice when I can just pick up my badge and get underway without a lot of hassle, and Tomo's staff was very expedient in taking care of that for me.

Official bio photo for Adam? I think so.

I was sharing my room with radio DJ, convention MC, and buddy of mine Adam Britson, who had more Tomo experience than I. So while he was busy being the master of ceremonies for the convention, I had plenty of time to wander around, take photos, interview and generally pester the convention goers.

Colorful Cosplay: John from Homestuck!

My first real stop at the convention (ie, an event of some type) was opening ceremonies, a staple of conventions where all of the heady muckety-mucks of the convention bid us enter the main event area of the convention, sit down, and be informed about what the convention is all about. This year, as mentioned above, my good friend Adam would be playing MC for the convention, which means doing things like introducing guests, holding a microphone, and impersonating Michael Cera.

Chris Cason (left) and Chris Rager (right) answer fan questions.

Tomo, like any respectable anime convention, had its share of guests. Voice actors Chris Rager and Chris Cason of Dragon Ball Z fame were in attendance this year. Rager had previously attended the convention last year, while Cason had never even been to the gem state until the convention. Other guests included artist Newton Ewell, famous for his artwork for roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Realmspace.

Tanglwyst de Holloway gives advice on getting published.

The V.I.P. guest of the year was author Tanglwyst de Holloway (aka Tonya Adolfson). Tangl has authored two books, Thine Enemy's Eyes and An Unpolished Gem, and has over 20 years of costuming/cosplay experience.

Chris Rager admires his work as Tomo's proud mascot Miu observes in the background.

Tomo attendees wait for con to officially begin.

All of the aforementioned guests were introduced with quite the fanfare from the crowd. In addition to event information and panel times and locations, there was a flash mob of Gangnam Style dancers that invaded just before ceremonies concluded. The ceremony was pretty high energy overall and I didn't feel like it dragged on too long or went too short, which is definitely something to be praised; inform your audience, entertain them, then let them loose.

Tomo style!

After closing ceremonies ended and the attendees disbursed, I made my rounds; taking pictures, asking questions, and getting to know some of the other attendees at the convention. I had already been to the Boise Hotel for my inaugural blog entry about FurIdaho, so I knew the lay of the land fairly well, which made for a much smoother journey this time.

Attendees peruse the various works on display in Artist's Alley.

As with any anime, sci-fi, or fantasy convention there were cosplayers; lots and lots of cosplayers. Naturally, I used my journalistic prowess to coax them into posing for a few pictures. And by journalistic prowess I mean approaching the subject in question, pointing at my camera, and sheepishly asking "Picture?". It really is a fool proof system. Completely.

In brightest day, in blackest night...

Very, as the kids say these days, kawaii desu.

Cobra!

(Click here for the full gallery of Day 1 pictures)

And of course, no convention worth its weight in pocky would be complete without my old nemesis: the Dealers' Room.

The Dealer's Room: Calm before the storm.

Now let me explain something, I have absolutely no hard feelings towards the dealers, the room, the merchandise -- NOTHING -- at any convention, ever. My only problem is, and I say this with a bit of shame, that I almost never buy anything. It's not that I'm broke all the time or that I don't see anything I like. For me, itt all comes down to the fact that I'm trying to get as many pictures and interviews as humanly possible, making business transactions a difficult prospect. Having said all that, I saw some pretty awesome stuff in "the room of making deals", and as a way to atone for my non-purchasing ways, I will display some of my favorites.

Aaaaadventure Time!

I tried to cram as many dolls into this shot as humanly possible.

Cats, bears, and pillow ladies!

Next year I vow to take the time to spend a little bit of cash in the Dealers' Room and Artist's Alley as well (will get to that in the next part). In any event, the biggest highlight of day one for me wasn't anything for sale or on display.

The highlight of my first evening at Tomodachi Fest came when I heard there was an event taking place where participants had to endure torturous, embarrassing, and possibly hilarious consequences in front of a live audience; the Batsu Games.

Chris Rager prepares his unfortunate victim.

The Batsu Games, which I believe translates to "Torture Games" from Japanese, is a game where two teams (one headed by Chris Cason, the other by Chris Rager) "compete" by drawing cards and seeing who has to suffer the unfortunate consequences that the card entails. Sometimes, the card will give the player a free pass and they will be spared, but most of the time at least one person has to suffer some unfortunate "torture", which is usually more comcical than painful. Such punishments included seeing contestants brushing with wasabi, having clothespins attached to their face, a battery to their tongue, a free lipstick makeover session (pictured above and below), and many more.

Adam watches as the makeover begins.

A satisfied customer.

Clothespins to the face.

Onion goggles.

Brushing with wasabi.

Despite the "torturous" nature of the event, which I believe the competitors had to sign a waiver for, it was all in good fun and it was entertaining for the audience which is the most important thing. I'm not sure if I would ever participate in the event, but its definitely something I plan on attending every year that I cover Tomo.

"Yes! Cry mortals!"

After the Batsu Games my day winded down and I returned to the hotel room for some rest. I hate having to go to sleep at conventions because I always feels like I'm going to miss something, but let me give some free advice for any future convention goers: SLEEP. Set an alarm if you have to so you don't miss anything, but for the love of whatever deity you may or may not believe in, SLEEP. Remember the old 6-2-1 rule: 6 hours of sleep, 2 real meals (i.e. not a candy bar and a soda), and at least 1 shower a day. Trust me; you'll have a much better convention experience.

COMING SOON: Day 2 - Swimsuit Contests, Panels, and Con Plague

What: Tomodachi Fest
When: November 23 - 25, 2012
Where: Boise Hotel & Conference Center
Official Website: TomodachiFest.com
Official Facebook: http://goo.gl/FteB1