Looking at the schedule, it seemed there were several events we wanted to attend. Though Jared already went around the convention on Friday, it was my turn to explore the general premises. I started the day off by picking up my press badge and heading to check in for masquerade. Masquerade check in was fairly painless and simple. In the same room, there was also a cosplay repair station that patched up any wardrobe blemishes. They also had a plethora of safety pins for all fastening needs.

I ran into a group of “Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” cosplayers who noticed me in my cosplay. They talked about how there was not a Haruhi gathering listed on the program and wanted to make one up on the spot by gathering as many Haruhi cosplayers on Saturday. While I entertained the idea, I would not have mind a simple group photo from where we were, but I really did not feel like hunting for other cosplayers.

I checked out the dealer’s hall. For a small second year convention, it was a pretty good size. The dealer’s hall was also combined with the artist alley. Most of the dealers had manga of every genre and period clothing. While I did not buy anything in the dealer’s hall, I had a good time just looking around. The artist alley always has something unique. I commissioned an artist that I typically see at Fanime to do a custom convention badge of myself dressed up as Haruhi Suzumiya.

While Anime Conji is considered a small convention, it is definitely a nice hang out con. The hotel is very beautiful and evokes architecture and scenery from the Victorian era. Outdoor places have gazebos, fountains, statues, etc perfect for any classic Lolita snaps. Deb made mention that the Pavilion room on the upper level is perfect for a “Kuroshitsuji” photoshoot.

I did more exploring on Saturday afternoon. The Pavilion room had Anime Music Jeopardy in which chocolate was given out if you were able to guess the anime opening song. On the other side of the Pavilion, there was a long line for the Mochi Maid Café. I had no idea they were letting people in by the hour. I just wanted to relax and enjoy a savory treat. During the same time, the Lolita Tea Party was also taking place. I decided to check that out, but like the Mochi Maid Café, they were seating by the hour. Both the Mochi Maid Café and the Lolita Tea Party did not allow open seating or drop ins, rather, patrons need to pick an hour they wanted to go to. Sadly, I wanted to do the Lolita Tea Party, but they ran out of food by the time it was the 3PM block.

After figuring out where the other panel rooms were, we went to the “Everything in Your Childhood that was Awesome” panel. As a veteran anime conventioneer, it was nice to discuss shows like “Robotech” and “Dirty Pair.” The content of the panel is very self explanatory as it was about childhood nostalgia in the 80s and 90s. I also checked out the Street Fighter High panel that showed clips from the infamous web series with additional commentary from cast members.

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