Convention Report | reirei18

Otakuthon 2015 Review

Posted on August 12, 2015August 12, 2015 by reirei18

where: Palais des congrès de Montréal
when: August 7-9, 2015

It’s my first time in Montreal outside the airport. I’ve been a Canadian citizen for many years now but this is the first time I felt like I’m in a foreign country… LOL. Main language is french and people talk to me in french naturally. I studied Japanese, knows a little Korean and some Thai but I’m in Canada and did not study french. Shame.. :(

Anyways.. the convention.. I dunno. I’m stuck in my artist table in the artist alley as usual and it felt average. I’m not sure if it was worth paying for the premium artist table because we’re just beside the regular artist alley. In the end it’s all about the location of your table and the art gallery…. it was just quietly sitting in the very dark corner. None of my buyers knew about the art gallery thing. I get the same “woah” “kyah” “omg” expressions from people and I somewhat felt bad for not telling them I have exclusive mounted posters in the art gallery for auction because they are already eager to buy the regular/silk posters which are more expensive than the minimum bidding price in the art gallery. I took my pieces down earlier after realizing the gallery is not worth it but anyways… sales in my table were stable. My spot was good enough.. if there’s people, a bunch more will come but if there’s none, there’s none at all. There are some idle moments as in no one’s walking in front of us or it’s just an event hour.. but I’m probably not attracting enough customers because my pipe display was too big to be in a baggage and my cubes were too heavy so I only brought a few. But thanks to my neighbors who had a really huge and tall display, some people walked towards me too.. lol. Nevertheless, I am surprised to have sold out a bunch of pins, bookmarks and prints regardless of my raised price tags (nothing is worth a dollar now – just tried and it works). Someone have said that if they like it, they’ll buy it regardless of the price..and if it’s expensive, they’ll ask for a deal. Nobody asked for a deal, I impulsively offered just because I think they’ll buy more if I offered a deal.. and so they did. I get that “Oh, ok” a lot when I told them it’s 2 for $5 and so on.. and then they take a lot of their time again to choose which one to get. I just noticed they have troubles choosing what. People tell me they want to buy all….. then buy all! LOL…….. hahaha overall, it was a good business! People are nice and friendly.. I just wish I can understand french so I know what they’re talking about while choosing which item and their thoughts about the pics.. oh well~ I also got a few “keep the change” tips from this con.. haha… Merci beaucoup!

This girl, I dunno her name but she’s one of my rich buyers in that con. Thank you for being rich and generous! She bought a Sailor Moon silk poster set plus that last stock of the Sailor Konoha silk poster. It’s hard to order silk posters now and they’re quite expensive to order too so that’ll be the last of that image and she has it now~ *remembrance* ^_^

I saw a few non-cosplaying attendants or I just didn’t see that many since most of my buyers are dressed as some character… there’s a bunch of cool cosplayers as usual!

Check the other pics in my facebook page: www.facebook.com/reirei18

Old friends from Toronto… Me with Sam and Ron.

It’s been more than 2 years since I last saw them! They haven’t changed or rather changed for good but I grew fat so they kinda inspire me to go back to the old me cosplaying and attending more cons outside~

Last day in Montreal we went to the Basilique church in Notre Dame. As expected, the mass is in french haha. I already took pics before I saw the no pics sign.. sorry. =P

And then flew back to Winnipeg… so tired and my feet hurts from all the walking even before the con started. Really really bad idea to explore and do stuff before con starts…. but thank God I was able to managed during the con with my sore feet and tired legs. Also thanks to the nightly salonpas strips.. lol.

But yes… even after arriving in Winnipeg, I’m still tired so.. I’ll be resting a little more then back to work…………. for now, back to sleep~

River City Expo 2015 Review

Posted on June 21, 2015 by reirei18

where: Viscount Gort Hotel near Polo Park, Winnipeg
when: June 21, 2015

Just a 1 day con and it was during Father’s Day and Manitoba Marathon. The con is from 10am-5pm but people started coming around lunch time. It felt like there’s only 4-5 hours sales time. I saw familiar faces and repeat customers (thank you thank you for always trying to buy everything!! lol..) but majority who bought from me are new to my stuff… and probably why I did well despite the not-so-good day was because I’m the only anime booth?……in a comic and toy expo.. lol.. why not? I tried and sort or earned my hotel fare for Otakuthon on August.. but anyways, the admission today was free but there’s not so many people…. because it’s just a not-so-good-day so I guess those who knew about this con went there to buy some cheaper stuff than normal. The table beside me was selling everything in 50% off! Well, it’s fan appreciation day so I kinda gave away some free stickers too.. haha.

The night before the con, I was doing some last minute mounting and counting of the left overs to sell.. lol.

And because it’s a fan appreciation day and I kinda honored that, I sold bookmarks/postcards/pins for a $1 each.

And did I mention I was there since 7am to setup my table? Yeah.. I finished my setup after an hour or so and ate breakfast then started scribbling. I ended up finishing 2 pieces today just because there’s just too many idle moments so might as well draw.

I’ll get them ready for Otakuthon.. I’ll be working on the others while monitoring some game management jobs and a game design project that I recently accepted. Details about that project next time~ for now, rest and sleep.

Once again, thank you Winnipeg buyers. This’ll be the last con for this year in Winnipeg but I’ll be back next year or the year after for newer artworks!

Next convention: Otakuthon – August 7-9, 2015 @ Palais des congrès de Montréal

FanExpo Regina 2015 Review

Posted on April 28, 2015April 28, 2015 by reirei18

where: Canada Centre Building at Evraz Place, Regina
when: April 25-26, 2015

Just 2 days of smiling whole day and selling prints and posters but I think I did pretty well on the sales – what more if it was the normal 3 day fanexpo, right? :D

my artist alley table setup and me on the last day before closing down.

I keep changing my display… lol… I lost my old one and had to buy a new one… I will keep my stuff in my room so I don’t forget where I put them in the house.. but pictures are the same. The Sailor Moon heads set is still an eye catcher and the 2 kimono girls always get the pointing fingers too so they will always be in the front.

Anyway.. the convention isn’t that busy. I am in front of the celebrity autograph area and I kinda feel bad for them too because the whole convention is supposed to be 16 hours in total (10am-7pm + 10am-5pm) but people start coming around lunch time and leave early for dinner. It felt like it’s just 10 hours of total interaction with people or less.

But I am surprised that my sales are better than my previous con in Winnipeg (because Winnipegers probably bought almost all of my stuff and I only have a few new stuff during my 4 years of straight cons in Winnipeg – so no Winnipeg cons this year for me.) New audience, new buyers but I still get that “I saw this on deviantart”, “I have this in my favorites”, etc…. thank you~ particularly to those who just didn’t comment and praised my works but also bought stuff most especially to the 3 people who bought a complete set of the Sailor Moon heads in silk. I, myself, find it so hard to spend that much for a set of posters so I really appreciate these buyers~ <3

Anyway….. cosplayers.. there’s not really that many.. but some more are posted in my facebook page. I’ll take lots of pics on the next con.. >_<

^ that moment when I was just taking a stolen shot and “she” saw me and came to my table then posed in front of me hahaha… :P

That’s about it for this convention in Regina.. except from the very dusty venue like literally green brown black dust filled my table easily, it’s a so-so convention.. not too many anime fans probably, majority of the cosplayers are from sci-fi, comics and film and no booth sells anime cosplay! I wanted to buy a cosplay for the next con but I guess I’ll just buy online or create my own… I saw a team rocket cosplayer but he was too far to take a pic so I just drew the idea in a tissue and thought I can do this too~ anybody else wanna do this with me? It’s simple and easy enough hahaha..

but I really wanted to cosplay Mikasa from Attack on Titans so we’ll see~~~

So yeah, that’s it.. my cheeks still hurt from smiling “waikiki” lol but it was worth the effort especially since I saved a lot on the traveling expenses. Long drive from Winnipeg to Regina thanks to bro Andrew and sis Iris for the company and many many thanks to our homestay sponsor sis Aubrey and family for the sweet room and foods especially the boodle fight night with other CFC~

See you again in other conventions! Next convention to be announced..

follow me on my facebook page for more updates: https://www.facebook.com/reirei18

Conventions 2014

Posted on July 17, 2014September 8, 2014 by reirei18

Starting with a hi hello how are you? I’m fine thank you. I’ve been really busy with game development, art contributions and management for 2 online games. Both of them are now up and functioning well so all that’s left is managing them. (See Games)

Alright convention blog… Just to sum it up, I only attended local conventions this year due to a super busy schedule so here’s a short blog of the ones I attended this year.

Ai-kon (July 11-13, 2014) – my 4th year here. Quite disappointed that my spot was on the far corner facing back and there weren’t that many people this year too. Only saw a few cosplayers and not so many good ones but good to see the same faces buying some of my other stuff. Thank you Winnipeg~ ^o^ Also shouts to friends from out of town who came to my table showing me the pins they got from me 2-3yrs ago.. some of which I don’t sell anymore so I’m really happy that they still have it. ^__^

Comic & Toy Expo (April 13, 2014) – Just a 1 day convention but it’s worth it. It’s a comic con with only 2 anime artist hahaha. Exposure matters in this kind of small con. An opportunity came actually but it was a miss on my part for not getting the contact info of that company who wanted to hire me for an animation film! Couldn’t follow up since their company name was something I’m not familiar of and that person was in a rush, just took my card so nothing I can do there but wait… but nothing happened. I’ll definitely grab the next opportunity next time even if it means taking their time. LOL.

Wonderland Anime Festival (March 1-2, 2014) – 2 days convention hosted by C4. Their first year hosting anime convention with guests from Sailor Moon voice actors! Originally, I just paid for an autograph from Linda Ballantyne but she suddenly asked me to take a pic with my signed bookmark she’s holding here. Ah, she was really sweet when she came to my table pointing at that bookmark. Glad I got a chance to give it to her before the con was over coz I totally blanked out when she came to my table and missed my chance to offer her a bookmark or even a poster. >v<

Toy & Comic Expo (September 7, 2014) Just a single day con and it went by too fast! Some idle moments but this day was more on talking to local commissioners and kids….. I dunno why but there’s about 4 different group of kids went by my table to chitchat.. lol… just adorable kids talking about Sailor Moon and their toys hahahahaha……. this made me think.. do they know me? They talk like we’ve been talking a lot in the phone or at school…. or maybe they saw me in previous convention and I’m just getting old I forgot about them.. >__< Anyways.. quite a successful con… And the artist area is so spacious my table was 8ft long and behind me was completely bare.. lots of free space to roam around and for my stuff but I’m organize under the table as always.

PS: Thanks to my mom and dad for helping me setup my table.. ^o^

Convention preparations… are always stressful! LOL.. but they’re worth it. (*´◡`)

^ these pins are the new products on my table and they sell with a smile. ( ⌒∇⌒ )

That’s all for now but I’ll keep updating. (more updates in my facebook page)

Check my Stores and Commissions or see you in other conventions! ( *゜▽゜*)ノ

Winnipeg Comic and Toy Expo 2012

Posted on March 9, 2012August 12, 2015 by reirei18

where: Canad Inns Polo Park, Winnipeg

when: March 3-4, 2012

my first con this year.. it was small and cheap but sales went well.. i was the only anime artist in the place….. >v<! that really made me feel out of place coz everyone’s selling comic stuff and not much related to anime.. duh…. it’s a comic and toy expo… OTL but it was worth going since the point is to make some profit.. now i can buy my roundtrip to toronto for anime north.. heheh…. @v@

I was planning to make my set up like in c4 with the cages on the side for my posters but i was busy fixing up my applications to game companies so i was not able to prepare for this con.. i cant find the cages i used before so i just used the stands…. it was an easy set up.. and luckily the table was good enough without a table cloth coz i didnt expect that a hotel venue wont provide clothes for tables.. XD anyways.. the only downside with this set up is that i wasnt able to display all my posters… i had way too many images for posters.. >v< but some of them are out of stock anyways and at least the table was big enough to have space for the stands.. i got a huge stand behind me displaying bigger posters.. it was useful and im happy to sell some old huge posters coz of that.. *^^*

i wasnt able to take lots of pics coz there’s not that many people.. but here are some pics in my facebook album

Something unexpected happen in this con.. I guess im used to people taking my pics but a guy came to me asking for a couple shots.. he then emailed me with the pics saying my pic was in the monday’s Winnipeg Free Press.. (where? in the news paper!) >v<

the business cards and the spider man sticker are the loots i got from this con.. XD there’s only a few artist and i got the cards of some of them too..

Thanks again to Trevor Hagan for sending the pics..~<3 Here’s a clear shot of the featured image..

and an extra shot of what i was working there..

special thanks to Paolo and Janine for manning the table with me.. and to James for buying the newspaper.. lol.. =P

eeh… what else to report….. there’s a lot of antique toys and super sale manga from $4 each or 3 for $10.. nothing much caught my interest other than the sailor v manga.. but i didnt want to buy an on-going series so i’ll wait til the box set is available.. =P

overall, it was pretty much a successful con for me.. i didnt spend anything on my merch.. everything was just the left overs so the profit was great so now i can re-order stocks and print new images and a plane ticket for the next con.. @v@

next con: anime north..! im excited i got the full table but will probably share to a friend who’s in the waiting list.. unless they get lucky, i can occupy the whole table.. :>