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Background
I found this event while randomly scrolling through Instagram! I had just heard about volunteering being the best way to get into conventions from Pete Capella's lovely autograph booth assistant and saw that their volunteer apps were open, so I decided to be a first-time-volunteer! It's been my goal to get out more, honestly, and I figured this was the best way to do it!
And holy shit, it was the best experience of my life!
Activities
Launch Party
The first event of the weekend was actually on Friday: The Anime Riverside Launch Party. I wanted to go cause I've never actually been to a launch party before? Let alone a PARTY party ykwim? So I got dressed in my usual, drove out to Riverside and started my journey to The Mission Inn Hotel!!
I ended up getting suuuper distracted by Downtown Riverside, specifically the Mission Galleria Antique Shoppe. Like we showed up at maybe 7:30-ish and we didnt even get through the first floor of trinkets before we had to leave since we were late for the party! ππ I really did not want to leave. But we made it to the Launch Party at around 8:30 since it was only a walk down the street.
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I was worried I would have to ask around for the Launch Party location but thankfully they had signs at the front pointing you along the way!
I got my first ever convention ribbon at the entrance table! It said "PARTY NINJA" in green holographic and it was so amazing to have learned about ribbon culture!
Admittedly, I was concerned about the fact that I didn't get carded despite the fact that it was an 18+ event serving alcohol and I look incredibly young. Very wild ._.
Anyway!
The party itself was honestly kind of disappointing. Maybe because I didn't have friends to go with, but the dancefloor was not welcoming. I tried to talk to multiple different people but since they were all in their friend circles they shut me out. I was really hoping to meet people and dance!
I also didn't know most of the music and the remixes were really odd. The beat drops just kinda lacked any oomph. I figured they'd be playing like YAOSOBI, Ado, CreepyNuts even Vocaloid, but nope. None of them. So I just kinda stood at my table for the next hour.
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They had some trivia rounds that weren't particularly interesting. Go-Go Dancers. Usual party stuff, I assume. Idk this was my first party lol.
They weren't picking out anybody from the back during trivia so I felt like I had no chance, being as tiny as I was. I went back to my table. After a while this middle-aged man comes up in front of my table staring at the dance floor with a black duffel bag full of money. I was creeped out by his blank stare and rigid posture so I ended up leaving the party altogether after that... Turns out it was just a Walter White cosplayer LMFAOOO
Miku Stage Performance
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The first thing that happened on the center stage was a Miku cosplayer performance! She sung and danced and I personally think she did really well! ദΰ΅ΰ΄¦ΰ΄Ώ ( α΅ α α΅ ) I was clapping for her and dancing along! I think for the first performance of the convention, they popped off and made it known what exactly the whole event was about!
I unfortunately didn't get to watch any other scheduled shows since I was volunteering and trying to look at everything possible ΰ§(ΰΉβ’Μαβ’Μ)ΰ« There were so many things to look at!
I forgot to mention this, but prior to the event, I was in the Anime Riverside Staff Discord Server. I read a message asking if anyone wanted to do karaoke and join up as a group in a group chat on Instagram. I wanted to meet new people, so I said sure!
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I ended up meeting my first friend of the group: Goose! He was dressed as Luigi for the con and his girlfriend Chrissy was dressed as Rosalina! They were super adorable!
Throughout the day we met up with others from the group: Mia, Zuly, Dott, Momo, Ace, Ethan, Andrea, Steven, Justin and another Justin!
These people ended up becoming my closest friends in less than 24 hours, so I will probably mention them a lot here lol. I thought I was going to spend the convention wandering alone, volunteer, then just head straight home after 6:45 PM. I didn't end up going home until like 1 AM LMFAO
Mini Arcade
The first place we (me, Goose, Chrissy and Zuly) ended up at was the free mini arcade inside one of the convention's small rooms. They had a lot of retro games, a Big Punch machine and even a DDR machine! I'm not really much of a gamer myself, so I mostly watched the others mess with things. It was fun! Some of the machines were out out of order though, unfortunately.
Professional Photos
One of the coolest things they had was a professional photo room! The line wasn't too long and they honestly moved it pretty fast.
Afterparty
Rizz Up the Blowup Doll Competition
Four Empires Quests
Car Show Display
Extra Photos
