conventions

O.G. Founder: The Old Guard Needs A New Castle!

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So…let me talk to ya!

This is not a post bashing modern anime fans; nor is it a post bashing the community, the industry, or conventions. This is however my thoughts and opinions on how I feel as a 30-year veteran of anime. I’m a member of the ‘Old Guard Anime Fandom’ (O.G.A.F.), and I’m from an era where access to the medium was not as widespread as it is today. I come from an era where it costs $150 to buy 24 VHS tapes of the first and second seasons of Ocean Dub Dragon Ball Z. I come from an era where Yaoi Paddles roamed the halls of convention centers, and people shouting outdated memes were the norm. Lately, I feel like myself and many other fans of the O.G.A.F., have felt the brunt of the shift in the atmosphere.

Many of us know it as ‘The Great Shift’.

I couldn’t find my usual picture…

Since this shift, a lot of things have changed in the anime community, as well as the industry and the convention scene. Many conventions have become more industry-driven as opposed to fan-driven. The con Runners want to appeal to a wider audience; a.k.a. A more ‘Family-Friendly’ audience, which caused many core members of said conventions to pull out and not attend them. Not only that, but this shift has drawn the attention of a group of individuals, who do NOT have the anime community’s best interest at heart. In fact they DON’T EVEN LIKE anime, but pull up to mock others who do, just for the sake of clicks and giggles!

Okay, I’m not bashing ALL modern fans, but I’m calling out the ones who are contributing to this behavior. For the rest of us who just wanna enjoy being an anime/gaming nerd, it sucks having to deal with petty incidents like this. I come from an era where if you had a disagreement about something in a show, you talked about it and in many cases, agreed to disagree. Afterwards you dapped it up and moved on. NOW IN 2026, if you have that SAME disagreement with modern fans, you’re getting DEATH THREATS in your DM’s!

The older I get, the less I wanna even be around any of this…

This is what its like to have an opposing opinion (hot take) in 2026!

POC Cosplayers, I feel ya! Do NOT even get me started on how some modern fans, treat Black Anime Fans as well as Black Cosplayers. I say this, because I’ve had a few shots come my way, and I only do partial cosplay. I can go on and on about the many incidents that have happened in the community whenever black anime fans are involved. Honestly, its tiresome!

Maybe that’s just it. As a member of the O.G.A.F. We NEED a NEW castle! A NEW space to call home that is created BY US, FOR US! No minors, No clout chasers, and NO PDFs! It’s time we have a space for Old Guard Fans, in fact its time we have conventions for members of the O.G.A.F.! I know some are gonna say that it feels like I’m alienating New Gen Fans, but ya’ll got enough conventions and spaces to go to. We need a place where ‘Oldtakus’ and ‘Unctakus’ can crash, watch old school anime, and party! The way it used to be…

I’m working on a few things in regards to that with several friends (a.k.a. a NEW Convention for OLD Guard Anime Fans), and if you feel that the Old Guard needs a New Castle, then follow us on the blog and social media platforms! Also follow Yours Truly on IG (as Avidd Minddset), to see where the next DJ & Cosplay Afterparties will be.

I hope things get better within this space, but I’m not holding my breath. So Old Guard Fans, lets put our resources together, and make something for us that we can enjoy!

Old Guard Founder!

Out!

The Top Ten Things We Miss About Cons!

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Let’s be honest; 2020 has been the most stressful and exhausting year that we as humanity has ever endured! From COVID-19 to racial injustice we’ve been hit with gut punch after gut punch and have been asking ourselves the question; ‘when will it end?!’ With mass gatherings being a super spreader for the virus, we’ve had no choice but to shut em’ down all together – except for the percentage of the U.S. population that’s hasn’t gotten the memo yet! (Don’t even get me started!)

One of the greatest mass gatherings that we’ve ever been a part of, are anime conventions. Many of us remember the last con we’ve been to before COVID hit, and now about roughly 80% of the anime community is going through con withdraw; including us! With con season as dead as dust all we can do is put our hopes and dreams into next year when we get the vaccine. We’ve been going to cons for over ten years, and there are ten things about them that we miss and wish to see again next year and beyond. So from us to you, here are our Top Ten things we miss about cons!

10. The Deadpool Invasion

Since 2010 we’ve been going to our former home convention known as Otakon, and every year we would see an army of at least 20 Deadpool cosplayers in various outfits; such as Luffy from One Piece, one in a business suit, and one that was president. Every year they’d do wacky stuff and if you’re lucky, you might have been able to spot a Deadpool conga line. What we wouldn’t give to see the merc with a mouth again…

We miss you buddy! T.T

9. Hallway Line Dancing

Anime conventions are like a three-day party, and when there’s a party, there’s music! If you’re convention vets like us then we’re pretty sure you’ve seen them; about 50-to-100 cosplayers doing the “Cupid Shuffle” or “Wobble”. We’ve even joined in on the fun as well, so if you ever go to a con and see line dancing in the hallway, jump in!

8. The DBZ Abridged Ghost Nappa / Vegeta Guy

There’s always one guy at a convention who does this, and it’s freakin’ hilarious when he does it! He’s been going to our con for over five years, but I’m pretty sure you guys might have your own version of this guy. Though we don’t know his full name, we’ve just dubbed him the ‘DBZA Ghost Nappa / Vegeta Guy’.

7. The Lines before going into Panels

When it comes to panels at anime conventions you always wanna plan ahead! That means leaving one panel 45 minutes early to be the first one in line for the next one. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve gotten lucky enough to get to many of the panels that we wanted to see by doing this, so once cons are back up and running again, this will feel like nostalgia!

6. The Dealer’s Room

This is where it all goes down; the merch, the posters, the OST’s! It’s all right here! We’re crying just thinking about it! (*sniffle*) I’m 100% sure when cons come back, none of us are going to take this room for granted! EVER!

5. The Raves

Back in 2008 we went to our first one during Otakon, and it was LIT! Some of us miss these and some of us won’t, but once cons come back you’d better bet your sweet waifu that there will be a party!

We’re gonna party hard after this is over! Believe it!!

4. The Pokemon Nerd March Down The Hallway

On the last day of the con, you’ll see about 200-300 Pokemon fans march down the hallway chanting the opening theme to the very first season! We all know it. We all have heard it. We just miss seeing it! T.T

3. The Autograph Line

Next to the Dealer’s Room, the autograph line is where you go after you get your merch! We’ve been fortunate enough to get all of the things we wanted signed by the people that we admire the most; the VA’s! Which brings us to Number 2…

2. The VA’s

These men and women with extraordinary voices are one of the major reasons why we love going to conventions! They’ve been a part of your childhood/adult life for a long time, and plus many of them are down-to-earth just like you and me. Once cons come back we can’t wait to meet these awesome people again!

Can’t wait to see you when this is all over!

1. The COSPLAYERS!!

They’re the BIGGEST reason why we go to cons, and their what we miss the most about cons! Seeing all of the awesome cosplayers is the bread and butter of our existence as an anime blog (plus the VA’s too). We miss these awesome people most of all, because you guys helped us to make the blog what it is today. We’d be nothing without each and every one of you, so to that we say Thank You!!

You guys have made the blog awesome!!

We’re all waiting for the day where we can step into hotel or convention lobbies and experience these things again, and rest assured once we get the vaccine, we will return to the fun times that we’ve had! If there are some things that you miss about cons, let us know in the comments section. Until next post, stay safe and stay united! ๐Ÿ˜‰