Day 2, Anime Boston. this time Beth joined us. Erin rushed in to see the Anime Music Awards, in which people cut up anime, add music and make their own cinematic event. Beth and I didn't really do much, walked round, drank coffee, and watched people. it's a funny invasion as it occurs in the hotel and the mall as well as the conference centre. in real life, that is. mother may not know that some of these costumes are being worn publicly. the rules slide too. seeing guys without shirts at the food court is sort of edgy in its way. and a couple going barefoot. one more or less bikini-clad female wore nose cone bra. and much weaponry was lugged about. that part makes me leery. not to go all sociological. these ridiculous weapons of vanquishment seem to fulfill something not wholly integrated or read critically. but I'm an old fart so take these statements with that in mind. from a practical standpoint, I'd not want to carry a weapon, even the smaller ones, around with me all day. as you can see from the few pictures I took, people were willing to go lengths for a great effect, comfort and practicality be damned. that royal personage below, that meant some self-sacrifice, I wot. saw him and his train thru out the con, highly visible and centre of attentiony. I did ask one person if I could take a picture. she had just posed for someone and I asked her to maintain it. attitude + attitude. surely all practice their poses before a mirror. the best picture I didn't get to take was of an angel taking the escalator down. I got bumped by the wings of another angel, which were being carried by a maternal unit. a presumably younger child sported an enormous cartoonish head of some character. the anonymity I think allowed the child to flourish (when I say child, I'm guessing 12 or so, judging only by height). waving to people and interacting without speaking. this character ran over to another anonymous one, the 2nd one being what looked to be an asparagus stalk, and using broad gestures communicated a little improv skit. I also saw a guy in character see someone in another group dressed as a character from the same anime from which he came. he loudly and dramatically confronted her about how she ruined his life and a number of other plot points. one of her friends said, the romance would never have worked, she's a lesbian. at which she kicked at him violently, almost to make me think offended. so you see the social context of this. the worst part of it all was the game room. endlessly churning loud music, and the embrace of testosterone. to my uncritical eye the games all look the same, flashing and jumping and exploding. my god, we've taken basic hunter/gatherer instincts, removed them from the football field and placed them in comfy chairs. there was cosplay ballroom dancing on view. funny to see all these characters, with their weapons, in courtly pairs. I guess I should just leave it at that. I got several manga, including Romeo and Juliet. updated to modern Tokyo, yakuza and all that. Erin performs in the very play tonight, part of our homeschool cooperative's production. Tybalt is a role that Erin savours because 1) swordplay; 2) few lines; 3)deathscene. the image of Tybalt in the manga presents this slender shirtless modern samurai with tattoo on his shoulder. and so it goes.