Anime Central 2012, Day One: Follow Freeman

In the weeks leading up to my first convention, I got progressively more psyched. In the back of my head, however, niggling questions lingered. Anime isn't my thing; I'm decently off financially, but not amazingly; and it's almost impossible for anything to measure up to the years of built-up hype I have for PAX. Would a whole weekend in Rosemont, hotel and travel prove worth it?

That all vanished when I saw Gordon Freeman.

The significance of this moment has almost nothing to do with the event itself; yes, I'm a big Half-Life 2 fan, and yes, it's a rad Freeman cosplay, but neither of those things surprised me. I was stunned by how happy I was to see him, how ready to be transported out of my daily routine and into a place of nerdy communion.

Ultimately, that instant hit on two perfect metaphors: like Half-Life 2, Anime Central 2012 would prove to be awesome, but it would be nothing like what I expected. And I enjoyed it most when I forgot my carefully planned schedule, ignored the dwindling contents of my wallet, checked my expectations and let myself be free. I needed to follow inner Freeman.

Of course, meeting Gordon wasn't literally my first stop at ACen. It followed driving around the convention center area four times trying to decide if a cement mixer was really blocking the only parking garage - it was, although I discovered Saturday it has multiple entrances - waiting in the registration line with Tim, my Friday buddy and cameraman for Freeman and several other cosplays, and staring at a map to find my most-anticipated event of the weekend: an honest-to-God wedding with costumes lifted directly out of Assassin's Creed.

While Tim and I waited for the nuptials to commence - the guidebook app for iPhone listed the wedding beginning at 10, while the program guide accurately said the ceremony began at 11, the first of many scheduling snafus over the weekend - we set over/unders for the number of five particular cosplays we would see that day. Take your best guess, then highlight to see how many we counted.

4.5 Knights 5

9.5 Master Chiefs 7

14.5 Cloud Strifes 7

32.5 Assassins 18

49.5 Pikachus 51

At 11, the waiting paid off handsomely. We clapped, hollered and got a little misty as a man and a woman joined in holy matrimony flanked by their friends and family in the pointed, flowing robes of the assassin.





Given how long he'd waited, I couldn't even blame Tim for inadvertently photo-bombing these lovely courtesans while refilling his water bottle.

Who's that random guy next to the water cooler ruining sexy lady time?

After the wedding we returned to the Exhibit Hall, where we found more cosplayers waiting. The most elaborate costumes were still a day away, but for originality the hardcore Friday crowd could not be beat.

Megan was the first person I showed the photo of this sweet Yu-Gi-Oh card cosplay.

Who knew there would be a human being at ACen?

Around noon we returned to the Hyatt to find the friend who convinced me to attend ACen, the inimitable Forsuk. Tim and I weren't enamored of his panel of choice, "Samurai Dan Presents the History of Sharp, Shiny, Pointy Things," so we retired to the nearby arcade and watched some seriously good Dance Dance Revolution players. Afterward we met up with Forsuk, compared plans and agreed he and Tim would later meet in the video game freeplay room for the Super Smash Bros. Jackass bout of the century. (I kid. Mostly.)

Tim and I returned to the hall to buy things - I picked a glass with a Half-Life logo on it from 8bit Classics, and he two replica Nintendo 64 controllers from VideoGamesNewYork - and of course saw more cosplay.

Team Fortress 2

Megan: "I hope I am still nerdy when I'm old."

At the Hyatt we randomly ran into Kelley, who with her boyfriend Eric cosplayed Kiki's Delivery Service.

All together, now: "Awwwwwww"

The four of us waited in line for a Video Game Orchestra concert for an interminably long half hour, during which Tim and I found comfort in each other's warm embrace, before we found out it had been delayed by from 2 to 4:30. ACen scheduling screw-up number two.

What, no "Awwwwwww"?

Upon reuniting with Forsuk, we decided it was time for gaming. Forsuk and I weren't thrilled with the selection, so we left Tim behind playing Super Smash Bros. 64 for 90 minutes while we checked out the hall. We also ran into John, a classmate of mine in at least two University of Illinois English classes who I didn't recognize because he lost so much weight. If you're reading this, John, good on you, and I'm sorry we didn't meet again in Rosemont.

Of course, there was more cosplay:

For the life of me, I cannot identify either of these costumes.

I accuse you of half-assing your L cosplay!

After Forsuk and I tried and failed to line up in time for a 5 p.m. Murder Mystery at the Hyatt, we rejoined Tim to share a pepperoni stuffed crust pizza at Giordano's. As we were walking back to the convention center, Forsuk split, and Tim and I received a call from our good buddy Jack, off work and ready for ACen.  

Because he arrived just after 7, Jack had to wait until Saturday to see the hall, but he did see a bit of cosplay at the Hyatt on our way to the tabletop gaming area.

Edward Scissorhands

There we played Wits and Wagers - a totally awesome, addictive game, just as the Totally Rad Show warned me - with another con-goer who only identified himself by his cosplay, Neku. From what? Couldn't tell you. Such is the magic of ACen.

Halfway through our second game, we paused just long enough for me to freak out and get a picture with the best cosplay of the day.

Me and Marty McFly. I can now die happy.

After Forsuk rejoined us just long enough to explain that he hurt his knee, lead us to the DoubleTree and shout for a Dr. House cosplayer to give him his cane, Jack, Tim and I attended our final event of the day: Scott Pilgrim Vs. Anime Central, in which a lonely panelist whose friends bailed on him led an illuminating discussion of the manga, movie and video game. He also interviewed several Scott and Ramona cosplayers.

Around 12:30 we three ACen warriors retired to my room at the DoubleTree - not the one in Rosemont, the one in Schaumburg that's 20 minutes away and half the cost during the convention - to grab a few precious hours of sleep. While Tim would depart Saturday morning to see Florence and the Machine in Wisconsin that evening, Jack and I were just getting started in Rosemont.

Continued in Anime Central 2012, Day Two: Rad Bromance