ACen Adventures | Your ACen Adventures

Here is where you can submit any experience you had at the convention, big or small! Tell us what you did, how you enjoyed it, or how some guy kept stalking you because he had a cat girl fetish and how you got so creeped out by him you choked him to death with your tail and now your wanted for murder! Also if you so wish, you may send us a few pictures we will post up along with it. Nudity and violence prefered! So type it up and send it here!

2003 | 2004 | 2005 |2006

Enziru - Submitted April 19, 2005

2004: My first time able to go and spend the night without any adult supervision. Let's see, my friend on staff had asked me to go to prom with him which would have been saturday night... now no way in hell was I getting my hair done while I could be at acen, so I got it done right after school on friday. I was worried about an up-do getting screwed up, so I just had them straighten it. This was a mistake on my part. Cause I met up with the Li/Knuckles cosplayer, Mike early that year... and we hit it off quite well.

That friday night was one of the best nights of my life. I was the estrogen bomb in a group of guys, and we stayed up until we were absolutely out of it. Mike had brought a wheelchair that one of his neighbors no longer used and carted me around in it. It was absolutely amusing that most of the people actually believed I was wheelchair bound and gave me special treatment... haha ^^;

They'd taken the piano away that year, which I was really bummed about, but I signed the petition that they had going, then headed off to the holiday in, where some friends of Mike were staying and played their piano.

By the way, the Holiday inn piano (which is now a crowne plaza I think) Sucks. The holiday inn also had a Buffy convention going on (I like Buffy) but there seemed to be a lot of hostility between the two cons, at least from the people I talked to. We outnumbered them by a vast amount, so it was ok I guess ^^

Saturday night came about, and my prom date was a bit pissy that my hair had gotten screwed up... but you know what? I didn't really care ^^ So I changed into my prom dress in the Acen bathroom and left for the night... this is where I made big mistake number two. Mike wanted to hold onto my car keys cause he was storing stuff in my car...

...My (father's) car was a 96 Lexus LS 400... and a car, period... so I was a bit suspicious, and while Mike did not go joyriding as I'd feared, he passed the keys off to a friend of mine at the end of the evening, who he wasn't aware WASN'T coming back on Sunday and already left by the time I got back late that night.

So I was flipping out with worry.

Also, the people we were bumming a room off of had already gone to bed, and we felt kind of bad bugging them since we weren't paying, So we decided to find an alternative place to sleep. My prom Date was supposed to get me a room with a friend of his, but it never happened, even though he made a big noise about me getting rest if I was going to drive the next day (I hoped I was going to drive the next day)

We met up with a guy there who owned a van though and ended up crashing there. He had the thing pretty well equipped for sleeping, though he assured us that no one had ever had sex in the back- though he welcomed us to christen it for him... o.O

The next day, while we were walking through the dealer room, my life savior, a friend of mine gave me the keys to my car ehh... I shouldn't have handed them off in the first place, even knowing everything would work out ok. Anyway, phew...

This was my year of being a cheapskate. I spent only about 50$ and only half of that was on merch, the other half was spent treating a few fellow otakus and my new boyfriend to McDonalds. Yay!

Roxy Valentine - Submitted March 28, 2005

It was my first convention period and it was great. The first night looked grim, since I came straight from work and didn't get paid! I came just in time to not get my badge since it was too late. However, my friends and I met up with one of the main party room owners and we got a bit tipsy and watched an assload of anime.

Second day, got my badge, but my boyfriend made me semi-run since it turned out I cut 50+ people. One of the guards told me to just walk up and get it but he realized what he had me do and told me to get out of there. I saw a ton of cosplayers I knew, met some new people and had a blast buying random things, playing games, and meeting duelists playing Yu-Gi-Oh!

Later on that night, I missed the Masquerade but managed to make it to the other events like the Soap Bubble and danced with many people, including this creepy guy who asked me out....I said no. He looked about 30. Then, my friends and I hit a few room parties and once again, I watched various anime and got very drunk.

The last day....hungover, since I ate a ton of salsa, I got sick, but got better, played Yu-Gi-Oh!, more games, bought some more stuff, and went home. Good times. Can't wait til the next time!

Oh yeah, first timers, be prepared! Go buy massive amounts of Pocky, ramen, bring a George Forman Grill and a cooler of quick to cook food! It'll save you time, money, and agony! Also, bring your own water and other drinks too!

-Roxy

animestarangel - Submitted August 13, 2004

I'm very thankful for my friend Jenn. If not for her, I would have never gone to Anime Central this year. It was my very first year. I had been wanting to go for three years, and I finally had my chance. We traveled from Iowa after I got off work the Thursday and made our way from Des Moines to Chicago. The ride was long, but definately worth it. We arrived at the main hotel a little early, and couldn't claim our room just yet, so I changed into my Integra Hellsing costume in the lobby restroom. (The bathrooms were really nice :3) I wondered around looking for somethin to amuse myself, and perhaps people that I knew from other cons I had attended. As for everyone, registraion was a nightmare and not worth mentioning. I ended up running into my friends Boone and Zach (Stripper Vash) and spent a good deal of time with them. After running around, and finally getting my stuff into my room, I took a small nap. Yay for naps!! When Chrissy arrived (The Masquerede director), we finished our wings for our Lilith and Morrigan costumes and headed downstairs. While she went and got her badge, I just kinda stood there and looked cute O-o Or tried to. Now... I must say... I was made to do Lilith because of my lack of breastisis. So... yeah. Anywho... we first ran into Chris (EurobeatKing) And of course he wanted pictures O-o So Chrissy pushed my on the ground and we took fanservice photos. A little bit later... we took more fanservice photos. It was funny. We got a story from one guy who was on the fourth floor waiting for the elevators so he could take pictures and ended up taking them from up there. The elevators did suck. Most of my friends couldn't believe that was me xD!!! Anywho... I laughed most of the time. I thought it was funny. A swarm of 5 million bajillion guys were around us taking photos. You'd laugh too... Later I did the karaoke... and it sucked. Then bedtime!!! Yay... I suck at story telling...

Saturday!!!!! Saturday morning Deanne and I squeezed into our Christmas Chii costumes and made our way downstairs. We went to the dealers room and looked around there a lot. I bought a tiny Sephiroth :3 I forgot to mention! Chris is his name... hehehehe. Everytime I saw him. I glomped him. It was sooo much fun. <3 Sephy. Anywho... I ended walking down with Deanne to McDonald's. One guy (He was in the passenger seat) was looking at us from his car, his woman, who was on the phone, saw him staring at us and slaped him in the face. xD!!! It was great. Anyway... I got tired of lugging the 50 million pound plushie around, so............. I gave it to someone to put in the room. MASQUEREDE TIME!!!! I didn't have a key to the room, so I had to wait for someone, and I was already late. I had to throw my costume on,with no time to fix the wig... it was so flat ; ; It made me sad... anyway... When i got there, they hadn't called my number yet, so I was safe. And who was I? DUN DUHN DUN!!!! EDWARD!! The Masquerede was so much fun. I ended taking away Best of Show Individual. Scott McNeil was a hoot. He was all like: I didn't know who you were... but you were like a rubber band! Everytime you went to do something I was all like WAIT! Then I was like... she knows what she is doing... He was great. I ended up getting the wrong award at first. It was so cute though. It had a picture of Ed on it! Then they gave me the right prize bag... I still wanted to old trophy. ; ; It came ith two DVD box sets of anime, an anime CD, lanyards, devil rubber duckies, Sailor bubba Bobble Head. Shirts. It was great! It was my second award for Ed. ^^ The first was Best Recreation of a character. I love that costume. Anywho... After the masq, I took a bunch of pictures and then ran to the lobby. SOME GUY TOLD ME TO PUT SHOES ON!!!! ; ; I changed back into my Integra Hellsing costume. I ended up running into this guy who had been obsessing over me the whole con... at least me as Integra, and he was holding up a sign that said: Have you seen the Integra from Friday night? O-o Friday... he dropped to his knees and began worshipping me. Then I kissed him on the cheek and he feinted. It was interesting. Anywho... I got to meet Adella from cosplay.com too!!! She's such and awesome person. Her and Kyle. I was talking to them in the downstairs lobby, and saw Sephiroth... not wearing my glasses.... I ran right into the door ><; It was soooo embarassing. Adella fell on the floor laughing after giving me a hug. I was scared I was bleeding from somewhere and couldn't see it. ><; Anywho...

Sunday: Sunday I was all normal and stuff. we headed back to Des Moines that afternoon. ACen is the best con I've ever been to!

Pshycogurl - Submitted August 1, 2004

This was my first year going to ACEN, and I was going with a friend, my boyfriend, and my family. Due to my brother's attendance record we weren't supposed to leave for Anime Central until after school...but this meant we would miss the concert and I kind of wanted to see it (it's a three hour drive there). So, since I had semi-good attendance, I left early with my boyfriend. Not only was there a horrible storm on the way up, but construction and Chicago traffic had us stuck for hours. It was five before the traffic cleared even a little, and I'd missed the concert. As if this wasn't bad enough our directions only mentioned one exit instead of the two we needed, so we got lost and didn't get there until after 7. Everyone else had already checked in and were wondering where we were. It was kind of fun in its own right, though. :P

Davion816 - Submitted July 29, 2004

I got to ask Fred Gallagher a question also i took a lot of pictures of half-naked women. Most of whom seemed very happy and or sad. Then.....................i saw an assload of people in a group orgry i mean rave.

Hotsru-Chan - Submitted July 23, 2004

To TeenWolf72~ I know that guy you are posing with. His name is Josh and we attend college together and anime club. I was the one who told him and gave him info about ACen! Go ME! XD Now on the the meat and potatoes of the crazy adventures! The Vash that does the crazy Matrix-bend-legs (pic 263) thing is my friend Adam. He's such a riot, always tring to have a better cotume than the Stripper Vash. The Cloud in pic 279 is my friend Jason. Little tidbit of info, his metal shoulder pad was a salad bowl! The black guy from Kingdom Hearts 2 is my friend Jonathan. Chris-sy-Sephy-rothy~ the mystery of the two girls that sucked on your nipples will now be solved! The girl on the right is my friend Jacinta and one of her friends on the left. Cinti is an AMAZING artist! AND on Saturday night there was this girl that came up to you and called you daddy and then asked for a kiss and then taped it right? Well I know her too. That's my friend Bekki that I've know since we were 12. She LOVE S Sephiroth and after she taped her encounter, all of us in the room got to watch it on TV. Several times. Actually that was my own fault because I had the wire to aquire that because I wanted to watch my Scott McNeil panel. >> To the one of you that was Wolfwood, I concede glory of the large Cross Punisher goodness. Yours kicks the ass outta mine. How the hell did you make it SO GOOD?? Let me in on the secret. I hearts you! <3<3 But I would bet you weren't the female cleavage happy Wolfwood so I win on that. XD One last note pic 388 was slightly off on the description. Yes it was Inuyasha group, but MORE! It was the Trigun/Inuyasha group versus the Neko's (cats) of ACen. It was me (as the only Wolfwood with large Cross Punisher included), my ex Jake as a Vash and a female Vash with one Kagome and about 4 Inuyashas. There were more neko's than us so I guess we lost. boo. Here's for all you happy yuri (girl on girl) fans- I (female Wolfwood) posed for a yuri picture with the female Vash. It wasn't really yuri since we both dressed up as guys but we are both girls. I don't know what to call it... *is confused*

TeenWolf72 - Submitted July 20, 2004

I meet someone with the same name as me. First, when signing in, they gave me his name tag. Second, we met and took the picture you see here. It wasn't until later that night when me and his friend, who was Waluigi, said he was on gaia. I told him I was too and showed him my name tag. He then laughed calling the other kid over, and we were shocked laughing our heads off. Twilight Zone anyone?

KekoKitty - Submitted June 24, 2004

oh oh oh, ok...
katie and i were late on friday and didn't know how to register and got scared so we hid in the womens bathroom and called ping who was then mad cuz we pulled him out of anime hell. so then he went back and katie and i went to the room and the next morning we registered in the long line and saw jt. then we walked around for awhile did fun stuff, watched movies. yeah, katie's brother pounced on me alot, and then jim was talking about how he walked like a fat lady, oh we picked up bruce... lets see, what else... awesomeness stuffers and then we went home with a buncha awesome stuff that my parents looked at me weird about.

Nekokikichan - Submitted June 6, 2004

This was my 4th year at ACen, my 3rd year cosplaying. I took a year off last year but came back in full force as Dita from Chobits. (Photo #171 is of my boyfriend and myself as Dita and Zima from Chobits.) It was great fun, as always, with lots of laugh and ending up in debt by the end of the weekend but its all good!

The only downside was that no one really seemed to recognize who my boyfriend and I were, even if they had seen Chobits. Quite odd if you ask me. People pay more attention :P Everyone else great work on the costumes, and lets have tons of fun next year okay?

LupaKitty - Submitted May 31, 2004

I happened to hang out with the people who insulted megaman on friday, although I wasn't there to see it. My cousins best friend was the one who happened to do the insulting. I thought it was pretty funny to see his picture on the net.

zbrundage - Submitted May 23, 2004

well, being my first year there, i just have to say that it was fricken awesome. there was so much to do, too much actually, as i couldnt do everything that i wanted. the masqurade was incredibly funny, the music videos were really well done, and most importantly, the chicks were hot! the costumes were really good, i'll have to cosplay next year. one of the coolest costumes i saw one was a tall guy, dressed as nabeshin ::runs from a masamune wielding matt brown::