Anime Expo & LB Comic Con 2015: Sailor Venus Cosplay

Anime Expo & Long Beach Comic Con 2015: Sailor Venus Cosplay

Anime Expo and Long Beach Comic Con were so much fun this year! For both cons I cosplayed as Sailor Venus and it was one of my most well-received cosplays so far.


So many people complimented me on the detail and accuracy of my costume, it was almost overwhelming. Although the attention from Sailor Moon and anime fans was a lot of fun, what really made my day (and almost brought tears to my eyes!) were the little girls who came up to me, jumping up and down as though I were a Disney Princess.*

As for the cons themselves, they were each very different!

Anime Expo:

• Super crowded. It was almost impossible to walk at times! 
• Photographers had a more difficult time taking photos.
• It was frustrating to see vendor booths because of the crowds.
• Very anime / Japan lifestyle oriented, as one would expect.
• Very commercial, but not as commercial as San Diego Comic Con.

Long Beach Comic Con:

•  Not crowded, but still busy. 
• The booth aisles were spread out so it was always easy to walk through and see things.
• There was a special Cosplay Corner with some of my favorite cosplayers featuring their work, including Vampy Bit Me. 
• Not nearly as commercial as other major cons, with more emphasis on indie work.
• Small-scale, with diverse panels and discussions but not nearly as many as other cons.

Between the two, I liked Long Beach much better. It felt great to be able to take my time and see everything without feeling crowded or rushed. It was also nice to have photographers take photos without needing to shove people aside to do it. There was a nice, friendly vibe to Long Beach that I really enjoyed. Double thumbs up!

Gaijin Girl Abroad: Useful Japanase Travel Phrases and Everyday Expressions

Gaijin Girl Abroad: Useful Japanese Travel Phrases and Everyday Expressions

My two-week trip to Japan turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life, and during those 14 days traveling abroad I was grateful I had taken some Japanese language courses.

Here you will find a list of some of the most important words and phrases to know when traveling in Japan. Without exaggeration, I used most of these phrases several times a day. 

1. Sumimasen

Meaning: Excuse me / Pardon

Pronounced: Sue-mee-mah-sen

This is more than just “Excuse me” in the traditional sense. Using this word before nearly any interaction is a polite buffer between you and the person you are trying to interact with. Use it before asking a question, when you need to pass by someone, when you are leaving, and when you are apologizing. 

2. _______.... doko desu ka? 

Meaning: ________.... where is it?

Pronounced: …doh-ko-des-kah? 

Even if you all you can do is point to a map, this will immediately communicate your need to find the location of something. If you don’t have a map, say the place or item you are trying to find and follow with “doko desu ka?” Even if you can only say the word slowly in English, there is a chance that you will be understood. 

3. Toire wa… doko desu ka? 

Meaning: Where is the bathroom? (Literally: The bathroom… where is it?)

Pronounced: Toy-leh-wa… doh-ko-des-kah?

This is similar to the previous expression, and kind of self-explanatory. It's how you say “Where is the bathroom?” in Japanese.

More examples below in the section called, “Set Words and Phrases”.

3. Tasukarimasu (kudasai) 

Meaning: I need help (please) / Help me (please)

Pronounced: Tas-kah-ri-mas (koo-dah-sa-ee)

As with everything else so far, this is best paired with “Sumimasen”. If you are lost, don’t know which train to take, or simply need help, this is the phrase to start out with. Even if you can’t say anything further in Japanese, your listener will understand that you need assistance and hopefully find someone who can help… or who can speak English.

Which leads me to our next phrase:

4. Eigo o hanashimasu ka? 

Meaning: Do you speak English?

Pronounced: Eh-ee-go-oh-ha-na-shi-mas-kah?

Another self-explanatory one. In my experience, if you ask this, either the person will begin speaking English, or begin looking for someone who can. 

Set words and expressions:

Hai Yes

Pronounced: ha-ee

Iie No

Pronounced: ee-eh

Onegaishimasu May I please have

Pronounced: oh-neh-ga-ee-shi-mas

*Note: You can use this in restaurants or in stores, even if you don’t know how to pronounce the item you want. By simply pointing to the menu or item and saying “onegaishimasu” you will effectively and politely communicate your request.

Kudasai: please

Pronounced: Koo-dah-sah-ee

*Note: If you are requesting something, “onegaishimasu” is the correct word to use.

Arigatou gozaimasu Thank you

Pronounced: ah-lee-gah-tow goh-za-ee-mas

Douzo Please take this / I offer you this / After you

Pronounced: doh-zo

Toire wa… doko desu ka? Where is the bathroom?

Pronounced: Toy-leh-wa… doh-ko-des-kah?

Densha eki wa… doko desu ka? Where is the train station?

Pronounced: den-sha-eh-kee-wa… doh-koh-des-kah?

Iriguchi wa… doko desu ka? Where is the entrance?

Pronounced: Ee-li-goo-chi-wa…doh-ko-des-ka?

Deguchi wa… doko desu ka? Where is the exit?

Pronounced: deh-goo-chi-wa… doh-ko-des-ka?

Are there specific words, phrases, or expressions in Japanese that you would like to know how to say and pronounce? Let me know! If I don’t know the answer, I will ask one of my Japanese friends. Best of luck in your travels.

My First Post...

Hi, I'm Diana! *waves* So... the first post on a fresh new blog. How to begin? I think I'll tell you a little about myself, my ideas for this website, and see how it goes from there.

*'.\("^・^")/*

I'm a writer, non-fiction by day and fiction by nights, weekends, and anytime I can manage it, which isn't as often as I'd like. My first book, Timespell, can be found on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and its sequel is set to be out in the *coughcough* foreseeable future. Hopefully soon!




When I'm not writing, I have other interests that range from gaming and superheroes to anime and Japanese fandoming. In 2013 I went to my first comic convention, Comikaze, and fell in love with cosplaying. In 2014 I went to Japan and fell in love with all things Japanese. I've been a lifelong Star Wars, Final Fantasy, and Zelda geek. I adore World of Warcraft and a few other MMOs. On the otaku front, my older favorites are Sailor Moon, Robotech, Kimagure Orange Road, and Inuyasha. More recent stuff I love includes... a lot. Attack on Titan, Noragami, Madoka Magica, Parasyte, and most anything Ghibli.

All of those things melting together somehow equals this blog! Like most nerds, I enjoy nerding out about the things I love, and like most writers, I like to write. I want a place to put all these things that I love.

So that about wraps it up. I'll probably share costumes and outfits I like, cool geeky stuff I wish I could afford (or end up splurging on), and whatever other things I come up with. Thanks for reading!

じゃね！

大アニメ

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