The hall was packed Saturday at Otakon, the line forming three hours beforehand and stretching around and back. Only the careful attentions of staffers kept it from devouring itself like an ouroboros of human bodies. Gear in hand, I sat in the press section and chatted with the official photographers while we waited for the seats to fill.

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Part 1 is here.

Kikuko Inoue is a famous seiyuu associated with many popular anime. Her past performances include Belldandy of Aa Megami-Sama, Kasume Tendou in Ranma 1/2, Rune Venus in El-Hazard, Kazami Mizuho in Onegai Teacher, Lust in Fullmetal Alchemist, Miria in Claymore, Grace O’Connor in Macross Frontier, Akane in Higurashi, and Cecile in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. She answered questions at Otakon.

Inoue was also accompanied by Hidenori Matsubara, the character designer of Ah! My Goddess, the show Inoue is best known for.

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Kikuko Inoue is a famous seiyuu associated with many popular anime. Her past performances include Belldandy of Aa Megami-Sama, Kasume Tendou in Ranma 1/2, Rune Venus in El-Hazard, Kazami Mizuho in Onegai Teacher, Lust in Fullmetal Alchemist, Miria in Claymore, Grace O’Connor in Macross Frontier, Akane in Higurashi, and Cecile in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. She answered questions at Otakon.

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Notes:

According to an Otakon staffer who declined to name himself, lines will be long today.  Fewer people than expected got their prereg badges on Day 0.

I got a clip of Sonicwhammy and Koushi plugging Anime Press Your Luck, their panel on Saturday.

There is a lot of Bleach cosplay this year, if Day 0 is any indication.

Follow along at http://twitter.com/moritheil for breaking Otakon news.

Behold the wanderings of the mysterious moritheil!

Main Events

Friday, July 17, 2009

11 AM Yutaka Yamamoto

1:30 PM Kikuko Inoue

6:30 PM Dinner at the Inner Harbor Pizza Uno (2 blocks from the con) – you’re all invited to meet me!

7:30 PM  MELL concert

Saturday, July 18, 2009

10AM Funimation Panel

11AM Masao Maruyama

3:30 PM Kanon Wakeshima Concert

Sunday, July 19, 2009

To Be Determined

This is a rough outline; you’ll find out where I was in the missing time when I file my report.  I typically don’t plan out anything at a convention, unless there’s a panel I must be at.

I look forward to meeting you all there!

VAMPS, the new project of HYDE and K.A.Z., had previously advertised a show at SONAR the day before Otakon. “Going to Otakon? Come early!” their ads urged. While at the time this struck several Anime Diet staff members as a clever bit of juxtaposition involving a shared demographic, we had yet to truly appreciate the lengths to which VAMPS would go to secure an American fanbase. Now Otakon has released more guest news, and VAMPS is putting in an appearance there as well.

Jim Vowles, Otakon’s head of Guests, Industry, and Press Relations,  commented, “I guess we must have made a good impression on HYDE a few years ago.  We’re delighted and flattered that they changed plans to
meet the fans.” HYDE previously appeared with L’Arc~en~Ciel at Otakon 2004.

As previously announced, Anime Diet will be covering Otakon 2009.  VAMPS will be at Otakon on Friday afternoon, with exact times and locations to be announced when their schedule is finalized.

In the early days of Anime Diet, our illustrious founder Mike covered every Otakon personally. With a heavy con load this year, it has fallen to newer writers to step up and cover Otakon 2009!

It may seem a little early to be speaking of this July con, but some folks have been preparing since last August! I leave you with these classic words, “The flag has been planted, and world domination will surely follow! Look forward to our coverage.”