but I already feel like an "old-timer" because of how long and how much time I've spent ... ^_^
Old-timer? What does that make *me* and Guy??!?!??!???
Guy (the KumoriCon AMV coordinator, btw) went to his first convention in 1980...
Well, just to make EveofAbyss feel like a spry and callow youth, my first con was in 1978 - a couple of highlights were panels of SFX guys from ILM explaining how they created the effects in 'Star Wars,' (IV) which had just released the previous year. (May?) That and one of them had brought bloopers on 70mm film, carpet-taped together. This was perfect, because about every 3 - 5 scenes the tape would break, and the pause while the projectionist dug the baked and shriveled bits out of the projector allowed the rest of us to finish laughing. It went on for three hours, and my abdominals were SORE for about 2 days.
Anime characters from SF series were also welcome at SF cons, and two people of tall and lanky physique dressed up as Derek Wildstar and Starsha. Including the poofy moon-boots. Someone had also made a 3-ft model of the space cruiser Yamato, all scratch-built, for the art show.
Next bit of anime I can recall on the horizon of the past was watching 'Lensman' (released in sub about 1980,) at the first NJAC (Not Just Another Con.) One guy in the audience was flying on acid and his 'friends' made sure he watched CLOSE to the screen.
Runa and I met at NJAC of a later year. The big thing then was Bubblegum Crisis and the original Gundam, which hadn't yet turned 10 years old. Some gamers had also cobbled together a paper-sheet type RPG based on Gundam, Battletech & Robotech. You filled in circles as your armor got damaged. Once all the circles were full then that limb or weapon was 'out.' One cheater decided to invent 'repairs in the field' by using a DISAPPEARING INK PEN. In about 20 minutes he'd have 50% of his hit points back.
Four years later she and I were living IN JAPAN and watching 'Lodoss War' which we rented on VHS tapes. But EVERYTHING there came in 'raw!' (like, really?)
- G