MOCHI > The Scrapbook > Convention Memories > Anime Iowa > 1999

Catherine, one of the cosplayers who we met at AI 1998, organized an early dinner "date" with other cosplayers who would be at the masquerade -- as well as a Japanese graduate student who was at the University of Iowa. During the course of the meal, we discovered that Catherine and Toasted Mochi had narrowly missed each other while in Japan!

It turns out that they both went to Japan on the same program: JCMU (Japan Center for Michigan Universities or Michigan shiritsu daigaku nihon centsa. Catherine went on a summer program, which ended shortly before Toasted Mochi's arrival for a two semester program. Both of them stayed in Hikone, home to the beautiful castle of Hikone-jo.

When we got back, there was a flurry of costume preparation and a few last minute practice runs. This time, we would be fielding two entries: Vampire Princess Miyu and Larva in one entry and Milfey-Yui (in Haz Knight armor) in another. Sugar Bomb would play handler to both entries.

The Green Room (the waiting room) was carved out of one of the video rooms. This meant that you had some room to stretch, etc. before going on stage. The really wonderful thing about this room is that it had several large mirrors. Hurray for last minute checks!

The group of contestants was a bit larger than it was a few years ago. There were some familiar faces and a fair number of people who seemed to be first-time cosplayers. You can imagine our surprise when we saw another cosplayer as Miyu!

Each year, while the judges are sequestered in their rooms, the M.C. auctions off the opportunity to smack the pinata "mascot" of the convention. This year, it was Pikachu. (To comply with the "No Cruely to Cute Things Unless You Want a Mallet Smacked Into Your Face By Daifkuku Mochi" policy of these web pages, you won't find any pictures of the carnage that happened after Pikachu was auctioned. However, if you happen to see the pictures at the bottom of AnimeIowa 1999 Cosplay, we won't tell if you won't!)

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