Anime Boston

(Text copied from last years thread, with a minor change.)

It's been going 7 years now so I'm guessing the majority have gotten used to it and thus, there may not be as many questions/reactions from passerby but if any of you cosplayers (or normal clothed fans) had any funny or interesting experiences with the blissfully ignorant public(and I mean that in a nice way!) feel free to share them here.

I had a quick and funny one while I was eating lunch today, directly outside of the mall food court. A tourist family or group of friends, not entirely sure, were standing a foot away from me. I was sitting on a bench and they were talking about where they were going to go next.

Three of them went somewhere, leaving a middle-aged woman (Mom?) behind. Right at that moment, a uh....zombie girl in a casual dress walked by. She had some pretty gory fake wounds on her, including a big one on the back of her left shoulder. The woman turned and watched her for a good 15 seconds. I began smiling. She turned back around, saw me and said:

"Ya gotta admit, that's kinda kooky!"

I laughed and said that was true, but it's a lot of fun. She agreed with a "whatever floats your boat" and said "age probably has something to do with it", before leaving.

There were a couple of Japanese business men who randomly happened upon that same area, but a couple of cosplayers srated a small dance party, and the the business men were pointing at them and speaking in rapid japanese. While I only caught about 10 words or so, the terms otaku and baka were definitely used.

A man stopped me near Copley on my way over and said "I have to ask. I've seen all these people in outfits like yours and I was wondering where you're all going."
I explained that I was on my way to an anime convention, and he asked what anime was. I had to figure out how to explain it. XD

I was with my friend who was cosplaying Misa from Death Note, which included a hefty amount of torn fishnets and whatnot. Many are probably familiar with Misa's gothic-lolita style.

We're walking down on the way to the Prudential's food court, and this 40-50 year old woman approaching us starts almost snarling. As she passes by without us giving her a second glance, she mutters, "Slut..."

We died laughing.

On Friday, I was with my friend who was cosplaying Spain from Hetalia, and I was cosplaying Len Kagamine.

We stayed at the Hilton across the street, and when we got on the elevator, this lady pulled her bag closer to her, looked at us, and inched towards the door. XD

I missed it, but apparently there was a woman who covered her son's eyes as me and my friend walked by as Scarlet Witch and Polaris from X-Men on Friday.

And on Saturday, there was a man in the parking garage who tried to avoid walking too close to me and actually got hit in the head by the gate as it came down. It was horrible but we couldn't stop laughing.

A couple of Japanese tourists in the food court acted very composed until a group of One Piece cosplayers walk by then they they got all excited and giggly.

-

On Saturday while we were walking to the Prudential Center, a man asked me what was going on. I told him, in complete seriousness, that it was a family reunion. Sad thing is, he totally didn't question it. He said "Ahhh...ok" and seemed to believe it.

We stayed at the Buckminster
and so we had to walk awhile to get back, and Sat night around like 11 we were walking back and these group of older kids like early twenties looked at us and were laughing then when I looked up, just as they passed the guy closest to me yelled BAAAH atme and I jumped so badly, and they all made fun of me ;_;

On Saturday, maybe an hour after the Masquarade my group kinda went their separate ways. Half went home and half stayed to hang around for a bit more. So the four of us (Me, our Maka, Shinigami and a friend from school who met up with us) went to the food court to see if anything was still open since we were all kinda thirsty. So we hung around there for a while then Maka and friend from school went to the dance to meet up with someone they knew so me and our Shinigami just kinda stayed for a bit longer and chilled. When we left we stopped to chat with a group of cosplayers. As we started to leave after that a group of I think college students stopped us and asked if we were willing to let them interview us for some school thing. It was odd trying to explain the epicness that is an anime convention to someone who has no clue about it XD

When we were leaving the con today and entered the dorms a group of people were like 'What's going on with y--oh it's an Easter thing, isn't it?' and just left

Yeah, it's definitely an Easter thing since we're hedgehogs

Aside from that one I was told another person said 'Why do they have to dress like that?' in the food court when we passed by a line.

I did get a few friendly people who asked and seemed very interested

In the parking garage some lady asked me what was going on and she didn't know what anime was, and I tried to explain it to her, and in the elevator of the hotel some drunk guy asked if I was Hitler :/
Oh and when I was eating lunch I was by a window and right outside there were a ton of Batman people and my mom tried to explain the concept of conventions to this random couple who asked us.

My favorite would have to be the woman who asked me "Is there a party going on?" I guess that's one word for it XD

We boarded the T dressed in full Soviet regalia, the looks we got were hilarious. My friend was also dressed as the Postman from Zelda and that got a remark from one poor bystander,

"Is that boy from India?"

Ah, it was a good laugh.

Today, as my friends and I were buying some Monster from a vendor out in the mall, I was approached by a woman around her late thirties and asked, "why are you all dressed that way?". She smiled when I told her that it was an Anime convention, but when she turned around to walk away, she muttered some words that ought not to be uttered – something involving “idiots” and “freaks”. :/

overall, better than last year. least nobody asked if we were part of a cult this time XD A lot of people stopped me and/or my friends because they were curious and were genuinely interested in it.

I was, however, much amused by the group of british high school students that were in Boston on field trip that goggled at my friend and I as we walked from our hotel to the Hynes on Saturday XD

That and whenever I went back with my friends to their hotel room we walked through the Saks.

HA. HAHAHA XDDD

I noticed that there were a lot of bystanders trying to sneak pictures of con-goers in the mall area. And today (Sunday, for future readers), when me and my friend were walking around from the front of the Hynes to the Sheraton entrance, a trolley or tour bus stopped at the lights at an intersection and I swear I heard the guide person say, "See these people in costumes..." but we were walking really fast so I didn't hear the rest.

I was cosplaying the saix with the giant claymore and while outside for the kh photoshoot i was stopped by an irish couple who asked what we were doing dressing up. After i explained they laughed and asked if i would take a pic with the wife for her facebook

A couple people in the mall asked us for a group picture- we were all from different video games and were a little confused until we realized they had no idea what was going on and just wanted to put a picture of us and them on their facebook accounts.

I was walking home Sunday afternoon, looking like a very disheveled hooker in my PVC Yuukako costume with Lots of red eye shadow and Re lipstick and a Cop stopped me and eluded to if I was a hooker or not and I had to explain to him it was a costume.

Me (a BLU TF2 Sniper) and my friend (a BLU Engie) went though most of the con picking out spys. It was great fun. To the point we proclaimed anyone in a suit as being a Spy. A concierge at the hotel, wearing a suit, was identified at a spy. "SPY!"
The man paused and looked at us for a few moments before saying, "I'm Sorry?"
My friend didnt notice the nametag.

Male crossplaying = "O_o WTF?!?!?!"

Oh, how fun it is.

Haha, similar stuff happened to my friend. She was Jill Valentine from Resident Evil and as we were walking to registration on Saturday past the street, some guy in a car honked at us, though I think he was honking at her. Then we were waiting on the street corner for our friends to show up and while on the curb, this pedestrian who walked by did a double take. So many must've thought she was a pros LOL

In our group there was also an Allen Walker, some guy on the street looked at her really suspiciously haha.

OMG LOL not really a pedestrian reaction but at like 9 pm on Saturday (all of this happened on Saturday) Jill went to a Resident Evil shoot. Me, my Allen and Kanda were just sitting off the side. Kanda climbs up on this big pot planter thing outside infront of the naked statue guy and I was pretending to climb up at, as we're taking the pic this cop comes up and goes "HEY! You guys gotta get down. This isn't Russia." LMAO. We were all like, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

While waiting in line at the food court, a middle eastern woman and her children was looking to get dinner. She changes her mind but her kids wanted to eat, she told them "I don't want to get in line with these people".

[quote=Yukito Kunisaki]Male crossplaying = "O_o WTF?!?!?!"

Oh, how fun it is.[/quote]

... What're you talking about? The Engie and the Sniper are both guys, we're both guys.

[quote=Moose][quote=Yukito Kunisaki]Male crossplaying = "O_o WTF?!?!?!"

Oh, how fun it is.[/quote]

... What're you talking about? The Engie and the Sniper are both guys, we're both guys.[/quote]

I don't think he was replying to you personally, he just clicked reply to make his post about his experience.

Ah yes the Male Mistys... They haunt my dreams.

My friend and I were walking to California Pizza Kitchen in Costume. I wouldn't say out costumes were to revealing, but they did show a little bit of skin. A woman was walking by us, with her child, and actually covered her child's eyes, and gave us dirty looks.

I don't see what the big deal was, if she brought the kid to a pool or beach, the bathing suits some people wear would be way skimpier...

Oh well, it was funny.

[quote=Knave][quote=Moose][quote=Yukito Kunisaki]Male crossplaying = "O_o WTF?!?!?!"

Oh, how fun it is.[/quote]

... What're you talking about? The Engie and the Sniper are both guys, we're both guys.[/quote]

I don't think he was replying to you personally, he just clicked reply to make his post about his experience. [/quote]

Yes, this. Sorry Moose. I am one that will quote directly if I was talking to you. Sucks that you HAVE TO respond to someone the way the AB boards do it.

On Thursday I had worn a JSK (with petticoat underneath of course) and a sweater to badge pickup. We went to Shaws after and a woman there really liked my outfit and asked were I got it. I told her I bought the JSK online from a site called bodyline. I like to think I may have introduced a random person who was grocery shopping to the wonderful world of lolita fashion (of which I am still a bit of a newbie) and if so that would have been rather spiffy.

When I was in my Xianghua cosplay I ended up with more random mall people taking pictures of me on their cell phones than actual con goers with cameras.
Well at least someone appreciated the time and effort I put into sewing and fabric painting even if they had no clue what I was dressed up for...*sigh*

Actually one of the guys working at Teavana guessed who I was cosplaying. He thought I was doing her 3rd outfit from Soul Calibur 2 (he didn't play three), but he still guessed the right character and became officially awesome in my book!

When people asked me what we were dressed up for or what was going on I simple said that it was a Japanese animation and pop culture convention. That ended up being a clear enough explanation for most of them.

One guy asked what we were cosplaying for and I was like kudos for knowing terminology. Turns out his son had explained what cosplay was to him earlier that week when PAX was in town. I let him know that you could register for AB at con so he might have ended up taking his kid for a day since his son seemed interested.

One of my friends who cosplays actually works in one of the stores in the Prudential Mall so his coworkers had highly amusing reactions when they saw him in costume.

On Saturday I wore lolita and our way back from the lolita gathering a couple of tourists and others said we looked lovely and took our pictures as well.

Little kids stared at me and my friends a lot both around the convention center and on the T. They were so wide eyed and adorable. I just kept smiling.

Overall the reactions seemed either simply curious or positive. It could be that I didn't notice any of the negative reactions I was getting though.

Friday afternoon in the Prudential Center food court. JMagic was making a DVD deal with one of the female cosplayers with a blonde wig and blue jacket (I have no clue what she was cosplaying as) and behind us was a mormon family who was watching us like we were making a drug deal.

I kept looking over in character with a menacing scowl and they were literally packing up and leaving because whatever we were doing was scaring the bejebus out of them haha.

First guy helped me get on the right train (asked if I was going to a pirate bar, whatever that is (I just said a convention for Japanese entertainment, short and simple xD)) and a woman helped me get to the convention center.

Guy on the train going home acted weird about it, though. He asked if I came from a play which I said no & I explained it the same way but, before I got off the train he asked if I spoke Japanese (which I said no) then asked me to translate something that sounded like "Mohgoh Gonpei". He said that meant goodbye but I was just like "?_?"

Over the course of the con I got asked by at least 5 people what was going on.

Some lady that was at the mall had randomly come up to me and asked what was with all the costumes and if it was some kinda convention.

Well at least she got the convention part right'

Then Saturday night while me and some friends were walking to Comictopia to get some pocky some old guy stoped us and asked how the con was going'
Apperantly he knew what it was.

Then this lady that led us in thr RIGHT direction to Comictopia asked what was going on as well.

I think we were stopped at lest 3 time on the way there asked what was going on
So by the time we actully got to Comictopia it was closed D;

Then Saturday night some kid came up to me and asked where the room to buy Anime Stuff was, I think he ment the dealers room so I directed them there.

And then Sunday as We were waiting for our ride an old couple asked what was going on as well as complemnting my Hamtaro costume.

I also had a totle of 7 little kids between the ages of 3-7 follow me around (in my hamster costume)

Some 5 year old and his brother would have followed us al the way to the store if their parents didnt grab them

I had a long train ride to Haynes so I got a bunch of weird looks. I was cosplaying Ezio. I was asked by a man what I was, and since I didn't want to go into a big story, I just told him I work at a renascence themed restaurant. To which he responded "Do you have to play one of those weird looking guitar things?" I said yes to keep the lie going.

I was walking around with a friend of mine who was cosplaying Anbu Sakura, and an Itachi I'd met. A few people asked us what was going on, and we ended up replying in complete unison that it was an anime- Japanese Animation Convention. XD then we laughed, again in complete unison which made us laugh even more. The lady was kinda like Uhhhh *walks away*

I was told by an 'outsider' that I should do birthday parties.

Me and my friends were standing in the Prudential hall chatting on Sunday afternoon and this family with two small children walked by. Well, the girl, who looked about 4 or 5 was so busy staring at us that she tripped and fell on her face.

Her mother helped her up and I asked if she was okay, which she was. That was one of our more extreme reactions.

We also had an elderly lady stop us and talk with us about the costumes and anime for about 10 or 15 minutes. She seemed to be really interested in it. It was awesome. XD

I was walking around the mall with my friend and my friend's mom on Sunday morning, looking for the parking garage so we could put all our stuff in our car...we got lost and stopped to ask a mall cop guy for directions. he explained how to get there and we thanked him and started to walk away, but a couple seconds later he said "hey, wait a second", pointed at me (in my Neku cosplay), and asked "is that The World Ends With You?"

my friend and I were like "O____O YESSSSS!" and he was like "all riiiiiight! " and I walked away feeling pretty darn awesome.

also a girl on one of our hotel's escalators asked me if I was Sasuke from (as she said it) "Nah-roo-toe". xD

I was in the food terrace in my Master Chief armor, and a father with his 2 sons (couldn't have been no older than 5 and 7)Took one look at me and their jaws dropped. Both of them walked up to me a did a fist pound. That made the day worth it!

I had a good number of people asking me what I was dressed up for. Including someone who said "Is this for Good Friday?" Yes =_= Costumes are common on good friday.

One of the cooler reactions I had was a group of Asian Girls who were not part of the convention asking if they could take a picture with me in the middle of the mall because they recognized Sesshomaru and love him. Win :thumbup:

My sister and I spent a while outside the Christian Science building taking some pictures of our costumes, and people kept covertly snapping cell phone pictures of us xD We probably had five or six people come up and ask us what was going on, one woman was like "Oh you did a great job, you look like you're out of one of those Japanese movies! ...Oh, I guess that's the point..." We also had one guy take some pictures who had a roommate who was super into anime, so he had a vague idea of what was going on.

And then walking back, the driver of one of the duck tours went "See! I told you I wasn't making this up! Everybody wave!" and all the passengers waved at us xD Made my day.

I don't think I've ever once gotten a negative reaction for cosplay, actually, now that I think about it.

My Naruto group (4th Hokage, Gaara, Temari, Anko) were on our way to the Boston Public Library for a photoshoot with our two photographer friends, and as we left the Prudential mall area, a HUGE group of Japanese tourists, all girls, walked right by us. The ones in the front of the line screamed (in unison) "ANKO!!!" and then the ones next in line screamed "GAARA!!!" and it was then pretty much chaos.

We spent about 10 minutes outside the Pru trapped by Japanese girl tourists who all wanted to get their photos with us. Some of them were so excited they seemed they were going to faint with happiness. Apparently they were huge Gaara fans.

Photo proof: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katie_made ... 488898468/

Also, we were asked by one girl on the steps of the BPL to take a photo with her little brother's Flat Stanley project. Then another group of tourists walked by and one of them recognized that we were from Naruto - rather sheepishly. I think he was embarassed to admit in front of his girlfriend/wife that he watched Naruto.

On Sunday, as I was headed to the food court, there was a little girl behind me telling her parents that "I wanna take a picture with the bunny!" The "bunny" was a full orange fox mascot costume (Possibly a Naruto cosplay? I wasn't familiar with the character) She kept pointing at this costumed individual, continuously raising her voice, and finally getting very angry, crossed her arms, stomped her feet, whined a lot, the whole thing.

So, Mr./Ms. Orange Fox Thing, whoever you are, whatever show you're from, let it be known that a small child very badly wanted a picture with you...and also thought you were a bunny =P

He was the Kyuubi (Nine tailed fox) from Naruto, and he was awesome.

It would be awesome to find that guy.

I have a few.

While in female!America on Friday, I was walking back to the Midtown to change into Canada for a panel, and on my way towards the hotel some guy was walking by with a friend and he was like "whooo go America!" .. so I took that as a compliment. ;D Although a bit creepy.

The next time was when my friends and I walked down to Burger King for dinner on Saturday night and there was a guy standing behind me (again in fem!America) who asked me what was going on and was very polite and cool about it when I explained it and he seemed genuinely interested. idk.

Last one I really remember was while I was in Canada and I was sitting around in the mall for a bit waiting for someone to come meet with me, and some little girl that was with her mother was so infatuated by my large stuffed bear. It was so cute. XDD

Ahh, maybe that's who played patty-cake with me, anyway, there was a girl on Sunday I believe, who had on a pink corset, bunny ears, a tattoo on her right back shoulder, white fishnets, and white fluffy panties, she was going to the food court with her group and some really old man watched her pass by and said very loudy "What the hell is that?!" and then continued to walk.

Some businessman was walking towards the elevator in the garage on Friday morning at the same time as myself and my sister (cowboy America and Train Heartnet, respectively). He took one look at us without saying anything, then another, and then finally asked, "Are you going to that convention thing?"

I was glad he knew about it, but it seemed odd the way he asked, as if he was expecting us to say no. XD I don't usually go to the mall dressed as a cowboy, mister.