How to describe Neko-con in a single phrase.  Small, close nit, family environment, loving detail, majority on time, greatest con I have been to since Otakon 97.
Yes, it is true, a small convention can be the perfect dose of reality to help bring back that occasionally wavering interest in the world of animé.  When you get the
feeling that everyone is there for the better interest of the whole group, which can be a lost feeling at the larger cons when you begin to get lost in the shuffle (i.e.
Otakon 99' R.E.A.L. Anime was denied press access because we were not a large enough publication)  I never could have expected much when I arrived, I had not
been to the hotel since Katsucon 3 (incidentally the convention that truly got me hooked on animé) and so I had figured that the convention would not have much to
offer, but I was sourly mistaken.

DAY 1:

    The morning of the convention began simply enough, Jimmy Sokol, Justin Musterman, Cheryl Suska, and myself pilled into Justin's Jeep and drove north to Loyola
campus because Justin insisted on going to class that morning.  No big deal, the remainder of the small traveling group simply meandered over to the nearby
McDonalds (though Jimmy wanted Ihop) and several hash browns,  a cheese danish, some orange drink, a bit of airy conversation with a gentle old lady and we were
on our way.  Kudos to Justin, the man has got a Ph.D. in rush hour traffic driving, and though at times it seemed like he would kill us all, he got us on the road safe
(though the sound that the jeep gave suddenly at the first gas stop made us think that the engine would fall out of the vehicle as we drove)  One thing to keep in mind,
three and a half hours in a Jeep, in which you feel a pencil if you run over it, is not my idea of fun.  The last leg of the drive was hastened by the three males in the
vehicle having a severe need for a bathroom.  Once arriving in Virginia Beach the fun truly began.  As we crused down the highway we all noticed that we had passed
the hotel, and though I thought we should have turned around, Justin insisted that we simply follow the directions to a T.  So we kept on going, and eventually ended
up a trailer park in front of a trailer that had the same numerical address as the Holiday Inn that Neko-con R was in.  Most interesting because we used the online
map system that the Neko-con web site recommended as the 'best directions we have seen.'
    Finally we arrive, and for once check-in is smooth and no hassle.  No broken doors or beds (Otakon 98), no damage fees that don't exists (Otakon 97), no
broken elevators or escalators (Katsucon 3 & 4), and no strange and angry arguments over idiotic things (Katsucon 5 & Otakon 99)  For once this convention was
my first that seemed to be going off with out a hitch.  I had not pre registered because I had expected a press badge to be waiting for me and so I would not have to.
Ah, but tradition is so lovely that they had to stick with it.  Yes, there was no badge (much like Otakon 99, or the infamous lost registration at Otakon 97 & 98)  and
so I had to shell out $40 dollars for a three day pass (although < thank you much > Kevin Dodgion partially reimbursed me for the badge)  Slightly more upsetting
was that we had to wait until day two to get the press badges and that the convention staff did not reimburse us either, but it is no big deal because we had a great
deal of fun.  It did not take long to get situated, Justin and I wasted no time throwing our stuff in the room and choosing our bed, then we raced down to the con
simply to look for my good friend < you may have heard of him > Tristan MacAvery (Gendo Ikari in Evangelion, and Director of Dark Warrior, Those Who Hunt
Elves eps. 1-4, etc.)
    This was the easiest part of the convention because opening ceremonies we going on around 3 o'clock (didn't I say that it was on time < unlike Katsucon 5 and
there eight hour delay >)  Regrouping with Tristan and introducing him to my friends felt amazingly refreshing, considering he was the only reason why I had gone to
the convention.  Converging in his room we discussed things and brought each other to speed on our lives, and then he made me a hooker.  He had been talking
about making me a hooker for some time, and finally he did by giving me a latch hook set that is amazingly fun and relaxing.  It was this time that we had left the hotel
for a wonderful dinner and more conversation that is truly only for those that were there (simply because it was a moment I would like to keep for myself)  Returning
to the hotel we ducked down to the Voice Actors Workshop, in which none of us knew what was going on, not good since Tristan was on the panel.  However the
workshop was a great success and I must say that I was impressed with the fans that had the guts to get up and participate.  The panel was to show fans what it was
like to audition for a screen role.  By standing at a podium and reading from scripts fans got first hand experience at what the guests go through nearly every day.  The
two best (and I never would have expected the second) were Kevin Dodgion with his deep rich evil voice and Justin Musterman with his hysterical idiotic voice and
the devilishly evil child voice.  Maybe there is a career in there somewhere.
    After all was said and done we retired back into Tristans room for an impromptu party, in which it was supposed to only be a tarot reading and then to fraternize
with the con goers.  Neko-Con staff, and those that attended the convention, we apologize for having holed Tristan up but it was so much fun.  Though what went on
in the party was mostly for us, I will say that the enjoyment of hearing a conversation at the wrong time can bring about the greatest of laughs, and silences.  Sometime
around 2 am I simply had to go to bed, especially after getting my reading, and not really liking the truth of it.  Slinking up the stairs I crawled into bed (shortly after
kicking out my other roommates, whom were meeting us at the convention, Sean 'Peach' Carter, his girlfriend Charisse, and her friend Lisa, out of my bed < only
Sean and Charisse were in the bed at the time though >)  It took forever for sleep to come, and anyone whom has stayed in a hotel with friends can attest to the fact
that you just don't want to sleep right away, everything is to darned funny.  Finally sleep did come though, and the next days events were things that I was glad to have
gotten sleep for.

DAY 2:

    Waking at 8 am is hell when you had gone to sleep at 2 am that night, but I pulled it off and, though in a half sleep stunned stupor, made my way to 7-Eleven for an
ATM withdrawal.  Arriving back at the hotel after such a hum-drum moment I crawled under Justin's Jeep to see what was wrong, and though I found nothing, I did
manage to get a bit more sleep unexpectedly.  After a hearty breakfast in which I treated Justin and Sean to a meal, and we discussed the days plans, we headed
back to the con for the first event of the day, Tristan Mac Avery's panel, "Directors Cut."  The panel was partially made up on the spot until the projector showed up,
but still informative.  Detailing each step around how the director changes the original translation only because it would make no sense to the audience and that the
director would prefer to open the show to a wider group of viewers than the small and loyal otaku.  "Widening the audience that watches gives access to more
shows," said Tristan, which is true, and as much as we otaku may not like newbies, it is fun to mold them to our likening.  Showing snippets of shows that Tristan had
worked on, first in the Japanese format with subtitles and then in the finished dubbed product he shined a new light onto the world of dubbing (though I still won't buy
ADV dubs because of what they did to Tristan)  After the panel Tristan had a signing to go to (which was more of a sit and watch the fans go to Lisa and Rachel) so
my small group wandered off.  Investigating the dealers room for the first time we found several interesting things that even I had not seen at many conventions
before.  My prized possession from the convention, a deck of 'You're Under Arrest,' cards that I found on the last day.  As an after thought we wandered into the art
room, I once again wished I had entered into the auctions like I have done in the past, but since I broke my hand over the winter (long story in its self) I had not
drawn anything.  The art room did show several promising artists as always, some of the most beautiful being those of original character design.  In typical fashion
House Of Anime entered their prize winning resin kits that are always a special treat to gaze on and you should thank you lucky stars that people with such talent
exist.  Again we bumped into Tristan, this time by accident and so we chose to slide out and head up to the room for some Cup o' Noodles soup and take a few
convention photos (to much hassle to put on the site till I get a digital camera but they are great shots I tell you)
    Returning down to the convention floor we snuck into the voice actors panel fashionably late as always and watched fans discuss with the guests, asking much the
same questions that I had heard over and over throughout the years.  Although it is always interesting to listen, it has begun to grow a tad repetitive and so not quite as
interesting (simply a way to meet up with the voice actors)  Following this we agreed to met up again at the infamous VAS party that you can never talk about.  From
the panel we then decided to catch the Slayers Gorgeous movie, richly entertaining even if you don't like Naga and all the stories she is involved in.  The movie
describes their random journey through a town with a feuding family.  After this came the main attraction, through an agreement I had with myself that I finally would
see some of Micheal Brady's work, the Crusher Joe movie.  This movie was a great dub, a bit odd when you got to know Micheal before you saw the movie, but
once you forgot about his voice and just watched the movie it really jumped out and grabbed you.  The movie was also loaded with the greatest weapon any animé
fan could hope for, quotable lines.  Most of which seemed to be purposely laced with sexual innuendo's, though placed innocently enough into the dialog, such as,
"You want me to whip it out, huh?"  All in all the lines simply added to the enjoyment of the film, and convinced me that I got to go find a copy for my personal
library.  The final event of that day, simply another great VAS party, though nowhere near the equivalent of the Katsucon 5 party, it was still a classic that I would
rather keep it a secret.  Let us just say that Kat was the 'life' of the party once again.

Day 3:

    This is the average day of winding down.  Nothing truly exciting happens on the final day, you say good bye to those friends you love and won't see for ages until
the next convention.  Missing a few that you wish you could get in touch with but just did not have the time.  Of those, I missed out on saying good bye to were
Micheal Brady, I am sorry about that, and (though I doubt she remembers me from a hole in the wall except for the 'Dragon Slave' incident at Otakon 98') Lisa
Ortiz.  Ducking through the dealers room one last time we were ready to depart.  Leaving what turned out to be the greatest little con I have attended since my first
convention, Katsucon 3, and a good second to best overall (that goes to Otakon 97' because of the Ipongi Bang concert).  The years have flown by since then, and
many things have happened, but as long as they still have conventions to celebrate the love for animé then they will always have me as a fan.

Otaku forever,
Lee Hambly