Day 1: I am Noizi Ito's first autograph outside Japan! Plus Sakura-con Crossplay, Cosplay, the Masque Ball, Wheelchair Dancing, and more.

Day one has arrived and is over, with only two costume changes, gosh it sure is hard to go from party to event here in the life of a socialite. Day one started with a signing by the renowned and famous artist Noizi Ito doing her first ever signing outside of Japan. And I was going to be there! I was ill the night before but rose for hair braiding, and all to be in costume at the time. I was wearing the purple mini, micro skirt in black with tulle and ribbons, corset, thigh highs and ribbons in my braided hair.
Linda had dressed as a Pirate Queen with her corset bustier and her dagger necklace and knee high buckle boots while Cheryl was in her corset (yes, Cheryl in a corset!)with a filmy t-shirt with skulls I had bought her from Hot Topic.
As Ito was young (and pretty) she did not travel much out of Japan and had an interpreter. I was the first person to get an autograph and an illustration in her first signing out of Japan. She signed on of her doujinshi art books (and made a ‘eek’ of pleasure to see it as it would need to be imported from Japan, and then we talked fragrances which is her hobby before I moved on – another signing tomorrow which I hope to attend).

Cheryl had said that any con, anywhere always had a storm trooper and before long I saw one. I took the picture of him (and Leia) before moving on behind a guy talking about ‘I could totally thrive in a Star Wars universe you know….” Good for him, as I would be in the metal bikini and with Jabba licking me before long (not a great universe for women).

We headed to the exhibit hall where between people watching and meeting vendor friends from both online and previous years, we did our share of people watching. Here is Michelle from Pita-Ten, she was here with her dad and into the cosplay!
The basic rule is a) don’t be a jerk and b) Be who you want to be. So everyone was, from a guy covered in steam-punk devices to the two mimes here.
On our way over we had seen the first pods of killer whales with young coming back to the Island in the annual migration. It was pretty cool that since I don’t get out much, I got to see the killer whales return with the young to the Strait. I hope I see some on the way back.

There is a higher instance of Crossplay, and two panels on it including one at midnight for adults called, “Crossplay – where’s the TUCK?” which involves more graphic descriptions and transformations of females to males and males to females. More males were crossplaying this year (though the con is still 60-70% female) with about 1 in 10 in costume or higher playing with gender or playing the opposite gender, as this cos/crossplayer is doing here.
After sadly losing all our money to, um, get these odd paper things which are full of pictures (some vendors recognized me and gave me a deal, what can I say? I said yes…..too much!). We headed home for a quick nap before changing for the masquerade grand ball, with the science fiction theme: the eternal waltz. The music was grand, with swelling themes from Anime and Phantom of the Opera. Cheryl was dapper in her tux and suspenders, while Linda was in her black queen dress and I changed into a black dress with a lace shrug.

Dancing was fun, and with the 1, 2, 3 ..1, 2, 3 we soon found a way to make wheelchair dancing possible, my being out dancing for the first time in a LONG time, with Linda as my center I could twirl the room and then spin into a centre. It WAS grand.

There were all sorts of couples from (to be seen next blog) the guy from Halo in costume, some gay couples with a maid outfit and braid to die for, and this gender bending couple, a Lolita and her suave crossplay partner.
When I had come back to change and was wheeling in, one guy stopped me and asked, “What is going on? Why are there so many scantily clad women around?” I thought he should just shut up and enjoy it but told him about Sakura con. In the elevator to our van one woman wanted to know what was going on as she said, “This morning I rode down in the elevator with PIRATES!” Then asked later if they planned it to coincide with the full moon, I said no. I explained some of the activities and she sounded very interested and said she would try to come next year.

After the masque ball Cheryl and I went to Lesbian and Gay Speed Dating, which was, like most speed dating a mixed bag. I can’t say much but when the person across from me told me they went to comic-con and I looked blank they went, “Comic-Con, Leonard Nimoy went to sign!” (Spock), and then raised her top to show me his signature.

I looked and there was his name in a marker, I blurted out, “My GOD, how long has it been since you washed?”

She revealed that she had gone straight from the signing to a tattoo parlor to have the signature part of her FOREVER! Okay, I like that artist Ito, but I don’t need a body tattoo of her bunny drawing.

We ran into an Angel on the way out, not from Angel Sanctuary but from D.N. Angel, with a VERY impressive wing span (how does she get into cars?). Cool.

On to day two where I hope to get dressed in a Kimono with professional help, see some martial arts, go back to the exhibit hall (I talked to Nene Thomas’ sister and husband about Victoria and Wales), and have maybe a vendor who wants to be part of the postcard project. Plus, some very nice corsets (if you have that $185 for the custom made ones). See, lots to see, and after that, it is my first j-rock concert! With the HMV #1 and Tower Record number 2 group: Dazzle (which lists that they do both lilting and heavy metal, so will be interesting). After that, I have to decide if I am going to see the ‘Ninja versus Pirates fight’ – I have no idea what it is, but it sounds interesting. Onward!