Minamicon XI (2005) - also known as the con Marc missed but Tiggs went to.

11th - 13th March, 2005, Novotel Hotel, Southampton, UK.
Report and photos by: Andy Kitching (Tiggs Panther)

Well that was a long weekend. I've been back down in Southampton at this year's Minami Anime Convention. As usual fun was had, stuff was bought, and even some anime was watched. Although not a great deal in my case, I think I went to one showing. After you've been to a fair few cons you find that there are many shows you've already seen, but many people you've not talked to for ages. So you tend to spend much time in the bar, the Dealer's Room, the Games Room, or nipping out into town.

Friday

After a two-lane-wide low-loader delayed my 2pm arrival to 3pm (being stuck behind that on the 2-lane A34 for over an hour and a half was a real bastard...) I managed to get signed in. Many many ninjas seemed to be out in force. Not only were there many Naruto cosplayers, but many people (myself included) were sporting forehead-protectors and other such insignia of Konoha and the other Hidden Villages. Many cosplayers (and crossplayers) were in attendance, some of whom sported wigs which made identification rather difficult. Well it did until Blue Jackal shouted my name across the bar, and I realised who she actually was.

I managed to catch up on many familiar faces. Some from YATA, some from previous Minamicons, and some from my old Uni. Some previous attendees were absent this year, but I also managed to meet some new ones - granted ones who were hanging around with people I already knew. There were quite a few Yellow Badges (under-16 Con members) present this year, which reflects pretty well on how much anime is started to become known.

Mark and i did manage to catch the first episode of Girls Bravo: Second Season, but both decided we wanted to see the first season first before seeing any more.

The Opening Ceremony was pretty good. It was preceded by half an hour of buffet, which was good. =^.^=
The usual Committee Choice section followed, with members of the Con Committee giving their choice of shows along with the accompanying opening animation sequence. Sadly Bleach wasn't featured, so I couldn't sing along to Asterisk - but I get the feeling no-one else would really have appreciated my attempts. ^^;;

After that was a performance sections. Some (brave) people singing JPop and game themes, and one duo who did a Parapara section that went on too sodding long. Then followed the Anime Disco. I took a break from that until anyone I knew actually got to the dance floor area. Eventually some showed up, so I bounded about like an idiot, enjoying myself in time to the music. Of course FLCL's Little Busters and Naruto's Haruka Kanata totally wrecked my throat. I also managed to kill my toe.

Eventually we headed back to Mark's. The Con being in Southampton on him living just outside Portsmouth mean we usually save on hotel fees. Does mean we have to leave before being too tired to move.

Saturday

Well got back to the hotel just a little after the first show I'd intended to watch. So I hung around in the bar instead. :D
Actually I spent the next several hours just pottering around, chatting, oh and heading straight to the Dealers Room to spend too much money. :)
One table was selling forehead protectors. So in addition to my black Konoha headband I now have a blue Konoha band and a blue Mist band.

There was a JPop/JRock taster event that I did turn up to. It looked really good, although technical difficulties kinda put me off sticking around. However the program booklet listed everything they were showing anyway. Plus they did say that some official releases are going to be appearing in the UK soon. So I'm looking forward to that.

Next up was... not going into the video rooms. :D
One of the usual Con drawbacks about cosplay is that floor costumes aren't really allowed weapons. So if you're not in the Masquerade you're stuffed. This year, however, had a floor-costume photo room. So a few of us congregated in there to take pictures. Oh, and one or two started a game of "Bat the Navi-on-a-Stick". Yes Zelda-fans, that Navi. Two Chiis, several Ninjas and assorted other costumes later my Memory Stick was starting to look a little full.

Oh, and I had disastrous attempts on Pop 'n Music and Beatmania up in the Games Room.

There was a Sake Tasting event, but I had to give that a miss. I had a headache, and was pretty certain that adding alcohol wouldn't have been a good thing. Annoying though, as I really wanted to try the sake.

Prior to the Masquerade many people in their official costumes started to congregate. The first round of photo-ops ensued. The competition itself was pretty good. One group came as characters from "The Three Muskehounds" - one for all you '80s cartoon fans out there. Plus some groups did actual skits - featuring Tales of Symphonia, Excel Saga, Naruto (incorporating clever use of props for Chidori and Kawarimi) and one group with a mixture of Hellsing and Witch Hunter Robin with a little Ozzy Osbourne thrown in to the mix. Oh, and the same guy who was one half of the Parapara duo from Friday did a routine as part of his costume. It went on a little long. Again.
Actually I was rather amused then the sound guys faded the sound out and you could tell the guy wasn't ready to finish.

I did catch a bit of the auction. Two "life-size" hand-puppets of Midori from Midori no Hibi were popular. As were one item that could only be described as "Gundoms".

After that was the Anime Karaoke. That one always seems to pull in quite the crowd. Some classics were performed, as were some JPop tunes.

Sunday

Ummmmmm.... still didn't watch anything. I was going to watch a few things, but there was a trip to Shakeaway (a lush milkshake place I've missed since moving) that clashed. I did visit the Cosplay Cafe first though. Got a nice slice of cake, and the waitresses are all in costume. It's a concept blatantly nicked from Azumanga Daioh - right down to also selling plushies.

Basically the final day ended up being even more chatting, and a final couple of sweeps of the Dealers Room. Not really much eventful to write about.

Roundup

It was fun. I enjoy going, I had a great time, and I've already signed up for Minamicon 12.