SiliCon 2005 took place at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose, California on October 7 - 9. Traveling Valentine (that's Tom and I) only went for Saturday Ocotber 8th. The visit to SiliCon was mainly a follow to AniMagic 2005. Tom and I were gathering interviews for our senior project titled, Infatuation and Infusion: Asian Popular Culture in American Mainstream. Though SiliCon has a science fiction theme, the anime / manga medium is very much welcomed. 

The original idea was to cosplay (or costuming) as Karen and Aoki from X/1999 Volume 18 - you know, just something simple and normal. Tom and I went as the main couple from His and Her Circumstances (Kare Kano). This was completely impromptu because I forgot my Karen Kasumi at my Carson home. So, Tom was Arima and I was Yukino. 

The Double Tree Hotel in San Jose was also the same location as Bay Con. My impression of the hotel is that it was very nice and quaint, simple for for cosplay photoshoots. Tom and I arrived at the scene at 11:30AM just as the doll gathering was starting up. I brought my R&D Susie, Lien. Okay, not quite BJD, but she still has ball joints (and made in Asia!).  There was this lady who showed up and was appalled by the price of our dollfies because they cost more than her car. So, she told us that she'll make one for cheaper out of cloth. 

Tom and I wandered around the tiny convention. Even the dealer's room was tiny! I didn't really buy anything from the dealer's room, nothing of my interest. Tom and I conducted the bulk of our interviews right before lunch. Karisu talked about the origins of Asian ball jointed dolls, cosplay, and why the Double Tree has a sushi bar (the geeks demanded it!). Lunch was at the hotel restaurant. The food was all right, just like any other overpriced hotel food. 

Karisu and family went around to wander. Robert and Hitori joined us at the restaurant for some silly chit chat. Being out of it, I spotted Planet of the Apes costumers. Very nonchalantly, I said, "Hey hey! It's the monkeys!" Robert hollered the costumes over to the restaurant about my remark. Ooh...was I lectured by them...but it was all in good fun. Like I said, I've never been to a real science fiction con, I didn't know what to expect! 

Tom and I went over to the What is Cosplay panel hoping to get more insight for our senior project. No one really showed up! Dany and I joked that we should make it a Cosplay Gossip panel since there was very few of us there. However, Dany and Karisu did an entertaining sketch for our project on obsessed fangirls and cosplay. 

For the most part, Tom and I wandered around the convention grounds. Pikmin Link was also pretty bored, so we followed this monster costumer who kept giving hugs to people to find out their true identity. Tom and I left SiliCon at about 6PM. There really wasn't much else to do. We did find it amusing that there was an even for the Vietnamese Airforce Association going on. Tom tried to see if he can get in using his Vietnamese charm, but no luck.

However, it was very nice seeing friends again! Pikmin, Robert, their parents, Luck, Rem, Holly, Hitori, Karisu, Richard, Chibiko, Rei, Dany, Bart Boy, and Neo Dave! Though there were very few of us there, but we made the best out of a slow going, but easy going con. Of course, thanks to Tom for the ride and the weekend!

Pictures are copyright by Victoria Erica October 2005. If I took your picture, feel free to use it on your site or cosplay gallery. If you want me to remove something, kindly email me. While you're here, do sign the guestbook. Please let us know what you think of Traveling's new layout. This site was brought to you by the font Lansbury.