Youmacon 2018 | Page 1 | Midwest Conventions | Guild Forums

smithers456

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Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:02 am

It's that time of year again!!

Youmacon 2018 is fast approaching. This time it runs from Thur Nov 1st to Sun Nov 4th and it's at both the Renaissance Center and Cobo Hall in Downtown Detroit, Michigan.

http://www.youmacon.com

I plan on going to Youmacon on Sat Nov 3rd. I'm going to Cosplay Syaoran from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles again and I will be taking with me my life sized Mokona Plushie. My avatar is currently dressed as Syaoran.

One of the Main Guests this year is Cherami Leigh who has done the voices for Lucy on Fairy Tail, Patty on Soul Eater, Asuna on Sword Art Online, and Sailor Venus on the Sailor Moon series new English Dub.

If you plan on going to Youmacon this year please reply to this thread and let us know.

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 3:22 am

Youmacon 2018 Preparation:

I tested out my camera today and it's fine, So I'm set. Perhaps we could see Shougi Chess again and the Masquerade. I have one voice actress in mind to meet this year. It's the lady who does the Voice of Sailor Venus, Lucy from Fairy Tail, Asuna from Sword Art Online, and others. I got out my Sailor Venus transformation wand. I hope to have the voice actress sign it's box and my first season Sailor Moon Booklet. Since I have taken photos of Sailor Venus Cosplayers before I have no problem getting these autographs. Sometimes as we found out the Voice Actors / Actresses have things that you could buy and perhaps have them sign. Other than that the Autographs are free.

I'm posting here a copy of the talk that Nena Sakura and I had recently about my Avatar's Gender change.

Nena Sakura is the Captain of the Anime Help Guild. As an Affiliated Guild we work together at times to improve things in our Guilds. I can't do that as well as I would like with tragedies like what happened to hundreds of girls in my State of Michigan.

"Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars would not approve of the World as it is today"
---Chante / Ron, Guild Captain---

Greetings Fellow Guild Members,

I take things very serious as your Captain. Below is a disclaimer indicating why my avi is now female. If you have any questions or concerns please send a message to Vice Captain Kaya. She could be this Guild's new Captain. Yes this Guild has two Female Vice Captains.

With my Avi Gender change I'm not doing it in order to fool young girls. What the change is about is doing Cosplay Outfits on Gaia Online. I have an idea in mind for a future contest or prize based on this change. Having either an outfit making contest based on your avi or a prize. My current Avi is actually an outfit that I bought and then added to. In other words a Cosplay Outfit. That's one of the things that this Guild is about.

Based on what happened here in my State, Michigan with the girls in Gymnastics I'm a big fan of the Olympics and of decency. I don't have kids but I do have an 18 year old niece. I'm hoping that she can finally join this Guild.

Chante / Ron
Smithers456 - Guild Captain

LoL hello Chante/Ron, been a while sorry i have not been on lightly, IRL problems and ER this / super busy this entire year...entire year... as for the Female switch go for it

Nena I'm here for you and the Guild too if needed. I hope that you are doing better. As for what is going on I don't need to know since that's private. I got an interesting reaction when I posted and changed my avi's gender. I suddenly got a new Guild Member who wants to be the new Guild Greeter. Kaya is Ok with it. I'm letting you know because if things work out I will have her work with you. 2019 can be a great year for our Guild's with more interaction between them.

Btw I want to post your list of Music of the week Halloween edition 2018 on my Guild. Also a disclaimer which in these times I have to do. With my Avi Gender change I'm not doing it in order to fool young girls. That is not me. What the change is about is doing Cosplay Outfits on Gaia Online. I have an idea in mind for a future contest or prize based on this experiment. Having either an outfit making contest based on your avi or a prize. I have been looking at avi outfits in detail as Gaian's have been making and selling them. My current Avi is actually an outfit that I bought and then added to. In other words a Cosplay Outfit. That's one of the things that my Guild is about.

I would like to hear what you think about that. Also I'm going to post the above as a disclaimer. Based on what happened here in Michigan with the girls in Gymnastics again I say that is not me. Also I'm a big fan of the Olympics and of decency so what happened scared me as much as it scared others. I don't have kids but I do have an 18 year old niece. I don't want anything to happen to her. I'm hoping that she can finally join my Guild. Miranda is my Personal Pokemon expert!!

Take Care,
Chante / Ron

PS - What do you think of Mage Catalina. I think she goes well with my Mami Companion. I have the other Madoka Magica Companions as well. Madoka Kamane herself has shown up frequently.

I hope that what I posted above does well to have female members at ease. This Guild and website is PG-13, something that I hold dear to me.

My favorite Anime series is the Sailor Moon series. Usagi uses Love and Friendship when she finds the other scouts. Above I indicate that both her and my favorite Scout Mars would not approve of the World as it is today.

Sailor Moon has helped save this world a few times in it's series. So enjoy Cosplaying and yes beware of Cosplay Photographers some are bad and some are good.

I'm a Semi Professional Cosplay Photographer. I have a page on Facebook that has my work on it and a Deviant Art page that shows even more photos.

As Youmacon 2018 arrives in a couple of weeks I don't want one my joys of the conventions to go away due to fear of having a guy taking photos of young women. As a rule I do not ever take photos of kids in a Cosplay Outfit younger than 16 years old.

Btw as I'm writing this I'm crying for all the young ladies that were hurt here in Michigan.

Smithers456 Semi Professional Photographer
Chante / Ron - Guild Captain

Just so everyone knows the name Chante is French and if you check out the Anime RPG Sub Forum in this Guild you will discover that Chante is actually a fairy. Yes I have a Fairy figure at home that I based the character on.

Take Care and have fun at Your conventions Around the World. I will still be here, Please check out my Gaia Online Profile for more info of what I think of in real life .... and as Sailor Moon says:

I'm the Pretty Guardian of Love and Justice in a Sailor Suit! Sailor Moon has Arrived!!
In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"
---Sailor Moon, Manga Vol 1, 2011 English Version, Act 2---

Btw my 55th Halloween Birthday is coming up. Please be kind.

smithers456

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smithers456

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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:17 am

Youmacon 2018 Preparation Continued:

A Talk with my 18 year old Niece:

My niece use to be in dance classes for a number of years. She knows that I take photos of Cosplayers and that It's one of my joys of the convention. Then I asked if she understands what happened in East Lansing at Michigan State with the hundreds of girls whose lives and dreams were tampered with.

She lets me know that what the doctor did was wrong and that he should be punished for all of the inappropriate touching that he did.

Then I ask her what she thinks of me taking photos of young Women who are Cosplaying at the convention. She doesn't understand what I'm asking. I explain to her that since I'm going to be 55 years old that some young and I say wise women, teens, and girls might shy away from an older guy like me taking a photo of them.

Being a Cosplayer myself I help put ALL other cosplayers at ease by letting them know that I'm only out their to have fun at the convention like they are and that I'm a fellow Cosplayer. Then I ask her to see it from their perspective then she understands. My niece is biased because she knows that I'm a good guy her Uncle.

That still leaves my question unanswered. I could shy away myself and take any Cosplayer photos or do things as usual but this time with a lot more caution.

As I think about how the events of earlier this year plays out at Conventions I hope that all cosplayers and convention goers are safe this year. All my years of Cosplay Photography come into play this year. I will be more mindful of how the other person reacts to me wanting to take a photo of them. This applies to everyone that I take a photo of.

So I ask my niece if she trusts me and she says of course Uncle Ron.

Mind you the above is how I imagine how the talk with my niece might go. At this point in the Youmacon 2018 preparation I decide to still take Cosplayer photos but I have to talk to me niece in real life to see what she thinks of my avatars gender change and me taking Cosplayer photos.

My brother who is 7 years younger than me like my niece is going to the convention with me. So I need to ask him the same questions that I asked my niece. What does he think about my Avi change and taking photos of young cosplayers. It doesn't take him long to know and tell me that safety comes first and that I have to be mindful of how other people think of having their photo being taken. He trusts me as well but I'm his brother. My brother has been in my shadow for the last 9 Youmacon conventions. He has seen what I do and the hard work that goes into doing Cosplay Photos and Photo shoots. He knows because in my shadow he most of the time waits patiently for me to take photos of people.

The lesson to be taken from all of this is that safety comes first. People ask me why I go to a convention in Downtown Detroit. I let them know that I was born in Detroit and that Downtown Detroit is special to me and always brings back memories of going to the Fireworks on both sides of the Detroit River especially one year where we camped out on our Canadian friends side of the River and watch the Fireworks their.

Safety for me is first as well. I need to be mindful of my surroundings at all times. With people out their hurting others for a reason or even no reason I need to be careful. I know Downtown Detroit by heart but if I go to New York city or say Seattle Washington convention I wouldn't feel as safe. Know where everything is and do careful planning.

So I wonder what Mothers, Fathers, young Women and Men think about everything that I posted above. I hope that they see what I see is that I'm not one of those guys who wants to hurt others. I'm Catholic and it goes against my belief system to be mean others for any reason.

Something for everyone to think about . . .