Anime kids do the Hub

By adamg - 3/24/08 - 7:53 pm

Joe Driscoll photographed some of the anime fans in town for this past weekend's anime conference at the Hynes (such as the folks above).

Bostonist also took photos and reports on the cognitive dissonance of living cartoon characters wandering around the Prudential Center mall.

Buzz this

Comments

Yeah, I'm going to be that guy

By mariav - 3/24/08 - 8:51 pm

Technically, those folks in the photo are from a video game. Yep, I'm a geek.

Kingdom Hearts, right? My

By Miss M (not verified) - 3/24/08 - 9:41 pm

Kingdom Hearts, right? My hubby loves that game.

Indeed, Kingdom Hearts II to

By mariav - 3/24/08 - 9:46 pm

Indeed, Kingdom Hearts II to be exact. They're representing the villain group called "Organization XIII."

I didn't have a score card

By SwirlyGrrl - 3/25/08 - 10:18 am

So who were the 4-5 guys in camo fatigues, masks, and fake assault rifles with the day-glo foam punctutation marks sproinging out of their heads?

Sounds like they were from a different video game--question marks over the head means you have outstanding business with a non-playable character (e.g. a quest to complete). But "guys in camo" can describe any number of video games so I can't help pin it down further than that.

Keep in mind there are thousands and thousands of people at these things, and you get geek cred by dressing up as something really obscure. Folks are all too happy to tell you about what they're supposed to be, so next time AB rolls around, feel free to just ask.

MGS

By stephencaldwell - 3/25/08 - 1:05 pm

I think they might have been the faceless enemies in the Metal Gear Solid games. They have an exclamation mark over their head when they are alerted to your character's presence.

Thanks!

By SwirlyGrrl - 3/25/08 - 2:07 pm

I knew somebody might have a clue (?)

People were warning them about riding the T like that.

I thought I saw even

By Dave - 3/24/08 - 10:06 pm

I thought I saw even dorkier-looking than usual people around Copley Sq. on Saturday, but I thought I was just getting old.

As an anime fan ...

By OneMansOpinion - 3/24/08 - 10:45 pm

... I often wonder if the many people who write and animate the series imagined that fat white nerds would dress up as their creations and wander around in public to be scoffed at by other nerds posing as bloggers?

A personal confession - I never dressed up, but I did go to a few Anime cons in the mid 90s before every asiaphile and freak starting flocking to them - I hadn't been to one since 97 but seeing these photos reminds me of why I stopped going...I grew up. ;)

wait

By sushiesque (not verified) - 3/25/08 - 7:16 am

who's scoffing?

White people shouldn't cosplay

By Kaz - 3/24/08 - 11:21 pm

I've always liked this analysis someone did last May.

I don't get it

By Gareth - 3/25/08 - 4:45 am

I think they look great.

They're all pretty, they have neat hair and matching costumes. What's not to like?

Well, if it isn't the answer to a question no one asked!

By OneMansOpinion - 3/25/08 - 8:05 am

Here's the reason why - the photos you saw posted are the exception, here is the rule:

http://catsonmars.com/otaku/cosplay/shame_dec03.php

Look upon it, and weep!

Well if it isn't another irrelevant whine

By Gareth - 3/25/08 - 8:24 am

So these pictures have what to do with Boston, the Anime convention in Copley, or the price of tea in China?

Oh, yeah, that's right. Nothing.

I think it was supposed to

By stephencaldwell - 3/25/08 - 8:33 am

I think it was supposed to be a statement on the status of American cosplay in general. Some people get it right (see above) while others Fail epically.

The slippery slope argument?

By Gareth - 3/25/08 - 8:50 am

So OMO is saying that these lovely young women shouldn't cosplay because it might encourage "fat white nerds" to do the same? That cosplay is a slippery slope inevitably leading to blinding hideousness? OOOkay... Someone is really digging to justify his eagerness to criticize the behavior and appearance others.

I say don't throw out the ~~babes~~ baby with the bathwater.

The only person digging here

By stephencaldwell - 3/25/08 - 9:09 am

The only person digging here is you.

As a former avid Anime Fan.

By OneMansOpinion - 3/25/08 - 6:38 pm

Trying going to some cons, the hot ones are in the minority. Then again, I'm not the pedophile that some of the fans are...actually I think the term now is lolicon - lolita complex.

So What?

By SwirlyGrrl - 3/25/08 - 10:39 am

I thought the corpulent Asian male Sailor Moon eating Pizzaria Regina slices was really funny!

See

By Gareth - 3/25/08 - 10:43 am

Making fun of people for being fat or geeky proves one's superiority because it takes great insight and intelligence.

I'm guessing

By Kaz - 3/25/08 - 1:22 pm

I think Gareth is a closet LARPer. If you make fun of the American cosplay kids, then you're only a "Lightning Bolt!" away from laughing at his hobby too. I keed, I keed.

Here, maybe this geek hierarchy will help you keep score at home.

unabridged geek hierarchy from brunching shuttlecocks

By sushiesque (not verified) - 3/25/08 - 7:11 pm

www.brunching.com/images/geekchartbig.gif

Who's making fun?

By SwirlyGrrl - 3/25/08 - 2:10 pm

I thought it took serious cajones to cosplay like that.

Big box drums?

By Gareth - 3/25/08 - 2:38 pm

Cajon

Who's making fun is OMO with the hee-hawing about fat white nerds.

If I don't stick up for fat white nerds, who will?
Kaz is too busy with his novel. ("May I stroke your fur, Kaz?" Kirk chittered.)

fat white nerds?

By Anonymous (not verified) - 3/25/08 - 9:53 pm

I think she specifically said "Asian" guy.

Blows off your and Kaz's stereotypes.

Hrm...

By OneMansOpinion - 3/25/08 - 6:43 pm

...put that guy on a DDR diet!

Plenty of local pics

By Kaz - 3/25/08 - 1:28 pm

All of local reasons for why white people shouldn't cosplay in this flickr stream

Heehee!

By OneMansOpinion - 3/25/08 - 6:42 pm

I applaud you, my dear! If you check out the link I provided before, there are lots of hysterical photos from cosplay over the years. I only wish I had a few pictures of bloggers with their Vulcan ears to top it off. ;)

Yes I went to cons in the early 90s, no I never dressed up; but I may have a Star Trek uniform top somewhere...

Volunteer Anime Disneyland

By SwirlyGrrl - 3/25/08 - 10:15 am

My kids were pointing out the characters everywhere in the Pru food court. I had no clue, but they did.