NDK 2023: Day 2

Day 2 started super early for us. On the way we had grabbed Jack in the Box for breakfast and we were able to still get parking in their main lot. I also checked in to see if there was any updates on if I would be able to do any interviews and there were still no updates. I would end up losing a lot of time on this because of having to miss panels and even hanging out with friends while the con tried to figure out the interviews. For those that don't know the relationship between cons and the press is that they do depend on each other. For cons, the press helps them with free marketing. Outlets like mine gets their name, images, videos, and the like out there on the internet to try and help get the word about the con out to more people. For the media outlet it gives them more material to attract views and followers. Without this material outlets can't get viewers. So when I finally got the email from NDK's press team that all guests had canceled all interviews my heart dropped. Not only did this impact my personal time I had given up, but it also meant that something had really gone wrong with the con for all of the guests to say no. I don't know what happened, but it had to be big and the impact I know was felt by many. I was super frustrated when I read the email and I went to the hotel's little coffee shop to get something sweet. If you follow my food blog you know that I have had to make adjustments to my eating because of health reasons, and yes I am a stress eater. So about half way through the lack luster red velvet brownie I realized that I was just super stressed and needed to actually leave the con for both my mental and physical health. Below will be the few things I did cover, but I cut day 2 super short and when I left I wasn't even sure if I would return for day 3. 

An amusing Hello Kitty Samurai cross over cosplay. 

Panels

Intro to Ball Jointed Dolls

Panel Description: 

A more- in-depth panel on care, stringing, eye changing and very basic info on painting.

Notes: 

-you can now 3D print dolls instead of paying high prices for the imported ones.
-For some reason cats like chewing the fingers and hands off even though there is no specific reasons as to why cats are attracted to the resin.
-do not use hot glue to place eyes. Use putty.
-She demonstrated how to string a doll. She recommended recording yourself  taking the doll apart so you don't forget how it goes back together. You can find stringing tutorials on YouTube. Also the Denver Doll Emporium does not offer restring services if you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself. You would need to find someone in the doll community to help you.
-She also brought in a book, How to Rock at BJD Face-Up by Jesslyn Carver, that she recommended for people who want to try to learn how to do their own face makeup.

Overall: 

This panel was good if you are new to the topic of BJD, Ball Jointed Dolls. For all others it was too low level and could have just been lumped in with the part one panel since it was still just very superficial of its coverage of the topic. It was ok if you fit into that category or if you are think about buying your first doll. At the same time now that you can print them, I would recommend finding a friend with a 3D printer and making your first one that way. 3D printed objects are only expensive if you are buying them already made. If you print them yourself the materials for even a SD doll would be less then $10. 

Cute and Creepy Characters From Japan

Panel Description: 

Japan has mascot characters for almost everything, from cities and food to warning signs. Some are adorable, while others are downright creepy. How did these mascots come to be? What do they teach us about culture, aesthetics, marketing, and how information is presented? Please come discuss your favorite mascots and meet unique characters that are big in Japan.

Notes:

-Many characters will look at you to build a relationship with you (befriend you). 
-Characters are used to teach children things.
-John Oliver did a few shows on Japanese mascots and even had fun trying to make his own for different things.

Overall:

Another great panel by Dr. Freeman. Some of these mascots she has talked about in her other panels for different reasons, but it was kind of fun for her to put a whole bunch of them together and she even had some that I had not heard of before. I would highly recommend this panel for anyone who is interested in Japanese culture. Mascots hold a more complex place in Japanese culture then they do here in the US and these complexities help to show how the Japanese think and even educate each other.

Kimono Show

This year the kimono show was in the basement and out of the way, so because of this it was easy to miss. They also had panels going on in that room that were not listed on the main schedule or in the program. 

This is a great little exhibit that they have for those interested in traditional Japanese dress. They had volunteers in there that could help answer questions about not only the pieces, but also how different aspects of the dress fit into Japanese culture.

Also in this room was a display of bootleg items that had been collected over time to show people what to look for. Some of them were really good looking like actual products while others were so cheaply made that it wasn't hard to tell they were fakes. On Saturday night they even had a panel about bootlegs, but I did not make it to that panel even though I was super interested in how they were going to address the topic. I have somewhat covered this topic on both our YouTube and TikTok to help people know some of the things to look out for. The Japanese are much more on top of going after bootleggers then other fandoms.

This was an inflatable Torii Gate that they had up, there were actually a few of them.

Top Picture From: https://ndkdenver.org/