How do I be older fan?

[HatakeGirlX]

7....

7...6 year olds... lol j/k j/k ^^

I know I have been preaching but its just I have been treated like a child so often which drives me crazy since I was raised around nothing but adult friends who treated me as an equal.
So when your so used to be spoken to and not judged by age it catches me so off guard when outside of my typical enviroment the whole world is full of people who talk down to me or call me an "obnoxious" kid as you all have stated.

In my mind I think at a con we should all at least try to drop what society thinks of adults and children hanging out and just have fun. Do what you think is right, and if you dont have any dark intentions in a glomp cirlce, then dont sweat it.
Not once have a looked at an adult at a con who was surrounded by kids and think, wow that dude is a creeper. lol thats all I am trying to say ^^

[XFD]

7....

7...6 year olds... lol j/k j/k ^^

Is it sad I was hoping for a Count joke here?

I know I have been preaching but its just I have been treated like a child so often which drives me crazy since I was raised around nothing but adult friends who treated me as an equal.
So when your so used to be spoken to and not judged by age it catches me so off guard when outside of my typical enviroment the whole world is full of people who talk down to me or call me an "obnoxious" kid as you all have stated.

In my mind I think at a con we should all at least try to drop what society thinks of adults and children hanging out and just have fun. Do what you think is right, and if you dont have any dark intentions in a glomp cirlce, then dont sweat it.
Not once have a looked at an adult at a con who was surrounded by kids and think, wow that dude is a creeper. lol thats all I am trying to say ^^

Well then hang out with a few of us during the con.

[HatakeGirlX]

Well, if ya see a Kurenai wandering around please say hello to me ;P

[Kumi-chan]

I was not trying to state that people should run and scream and in the halls and get in peoples way, I mean being loud and having fun yet holding back enough for it to be fun yet not over the top.

You took what I was saying and made me sound like I was trying to get everyone to be too loud and too over the top.

I think you've missed the point of what we're trying to say. It's not whether or not you're intending to get other people to be rowdy. It's that the person who is being loud is disrupting my con experience. And an unfortunate side effect of one person (regardless of age) acting in a rowdy manner is that other people will join in, because they'll think, "Oh, that's the kind of behavior that's acceptable in this situation".

I am simply trying to express that I think the adults who have a problem with being around us youngsters and as Verdant Hero states "Avoid youngsters like the plauge" need to stop and give people a chance.
Walk up, take some pictures with people no matter the age and just talk and go play in the glomp circle and just show your love of the Otaku spirit through being a kid again ^^

I'm more likely to give someone a chance if they'd stop screaming and running around. If that's what they're doing, I'll probably dismiss them as immature. Sorry, but that's what that kind of behavior says about them. And it's kind of embarrassing for the people who share their hobby but are behaving more reasonably.
I spend the majority of my time at conventions socializing with others regardless of age, taking pictures, posing for them, and talking about shows I like. Glomps (the non-running variety, which I like to call "hugs"; Big Chris is the only one I know who can handle the tackle variety) are something I reserve for my friends. I enjoy my love of anime and the surrounding culture as myself, the person I am on a daily basis. I just talk more about my interests when I'm surrounded by people who share them.

[verdant hero]

so... middle ground between hatakegirlx and xfd

i think both of you would agree that with age aside, there are still differeing and variable types of congoers... some like the quiet discussion of fansubs and releases like xfd mentioned, just a hunch, but typicly these people have the reserve to enjoy a conversation on their fandom with someone who shares the same intrest.

on the opposite side of the coin, you have the fans who LIVE their fandom. this is the difference of largo and piro from megatokyo... for example... the danger here comes in the offensiveness of putting down one side or another. especialy since most of the more exuberant peps have the ability to be very mature as hatakegirlx has made valiant attemps to explain...

heres what im noticing here... just about every person on this thread who gives off that younger vibe is defending themselves saying that the convention is one of the few times where they can really cut loose. then on the other hand you have the obviously older people doing a bit of verbal 'fist shaking' with things amounting to 'you're not old enough to get it yet'. and while that goes a ways for some issues, i think most just dont want to 'get it' yet. they dont feel that is what the con is for...

this is one of the things that make conventions intresting, to put it in taoist terms, its like putting "fire and water into the same caldron" the magic of the convention is that a balance is reached... the fire is not extinguished and the water does'nt evaporate.

well maybe you dont see it as such magic as i do, perhaps one might think that such differing people just simply avoid each other... but watching people i notice most dont 'differ' as much as they 'vary' with this i mean to point out the fact that opposites atract when aplied to magnents and often times people too...

one of the magic things i like to see hapen at cons is a person blooming forth with the things they normal keep hidden from the people around them everyday. watching a girl who seems a bookworm, change into a social butterfly who neither knows how or why the change occured but is finding that the very thing she thought too strange to share with people can make her into the coolest person ever in the eyes of those around her... i call that validation, its something like acceptance and having such makes you relax at a very deep level, a level that can actualy change your life, if you let it...

protip for anyone intrested in taoism or buddhism: this validation process is the very thing neccesary for cultivating enlightenment. the difference is that in the end you you wont have/need anyone to validate you. you must validate and come to accept yourself. then go from there...

so lets tie this back into the topic eh? (i should try to avoid going on philosophy rants on an anime forum)

with people who 'differ' and those who 'vary' in such close quarters it seems neccessary that for everyone to have a good time everyone should attempt to come to an ethical balance. one that doesnt comprimise the conventions rules, and still leaves people able to enjoy themselves in which ever respect they choose...

figuring this out i think would require maturity from all in some form, can it be done?

[HatakeGirlX]

I have full hope that if everyone who has looked at this thread (since a lot have) have all shown intelect enough to at least atempt to find their balance in this situation and with all of these people doing so, others in the con will follow suite :3

[verdant hero]

< is on the same wavelength as hatakegirlX

[Kumi-chan]

Are we done with that topic? Because I'm getting grouchy and tired of arguing discussing things rationally, and I'd like to know when and where we're planning on holding the meetup.

(Spelling, plz. And no more super-long posts. It's too muggy to stay focused long enough to read them right now.)

[dshwshr55]

Opposites or not, I think certain groups of people will be attracted to the same people, even if they are older. I agree with the statement that age doesn't matter.

"How do I be older fan?"

Older generically means 20+, but that's not the true meaning OR question of the topic. The question is about the term "fan". You can't tell ANYONE what an "older fan" is because everyone has their OWN opinion about being an anime fan.
I'm a fan of the anime style of drawing, but I've watched less than a dozen all the way through. I don't cosplay either, but I still study the practice of anime constantly. I've won multiple art contests throughout Kcon and Sak. That dedication is my version of being a fan. (http://dshwshr55.deviantart.com by the way ~_^)
Acting out a cosplay might seem silly and even immature to an older crowd, leaving the little kids to do it, but there are 20+ fans that still love cosplaying, too. These older fans are still nevertheless fans of anime, and they ultimately show other older fans what fandom truely is.
Alternatively, many older fans of anime prefer talking about anime in their day and how kids today just eat up the next big thing. They're the real fans in their own eyes because they've seen a range of shows and have experience, rather than the tunnel vision of cartoon network.

The second point relates back to the thread title. "How do I be older fan?"

It doesn't specify a fan of anime. "Anime conventions" have become "anime/game conventions", and a fantasy/sci-fi genre is also merging now. I'm more a fan of video games than anime, and even art. These fans, like myself, enter the tournaments after years of practicing and they show what a dominant fan of gaming really is. Go have a talk with dancingtofu, enough said.
Still, the "older fans" of gaming are in the TTRPG room playing old school D&D and other dice rollers. Now THEY can spot younger distractions like cosplayers with a 6th sense (that's a very generic assumption, of course.)

So whether you cosplay and glomp or just like to buy manga and anime, whether you're a die hard tournament competitor or casual gamer, any of those can be considered a "fan". Can you ask someone how to be an "older fan"? Sure, but everyone will have a different view and answer for it.

Heh, it's long, but not super-long, so I'm safe. Hopefully this will be the last post on this subject.

[verdant hero]

Are we done with that topic? Because I'm getting grouchy and tired of arguing discussing things rationally, and I'd like to know when and where we're planning on holding the meetup.

(Spelling, plz. And no more super-long posts. It's too muggy to stay focused long enough to read them right now.)

okay im sorry my spelling sucks! japanese is my native language... so i kind of have to flip everything around and english is just a poorly made language anyways...

heh heh, well i had fun, it was kinda intresting seeing what people thought on this. hopefully nobody took this too personaly. its not really a personal issue, its very... what is that word... hypothetical? yeah, thats it. a lot of people just potentialy fall into one side or the other, and neither side is really able to be right or wrong 100% so its kinda funny to see people struggle for an absolute sollution to a hypothetical problem with tons of variables.

i mean really i was just trying to kill time while playing my final fantasy tactics, and perhaps get to know some people. lol.

*hands kumi-chan a popsicle*

[Kumi-chan]

*pounces on popsicle*

It's not just you. The internet's full of crappy spellers, many of whom claim English as their first language. Me, I've always been a bookworm and a nerd, so I do my best to write correctly even in text messages. Poor spelling and grammar irritate me, but I try to avoid mentioning it most of the time. Usually because people get defensive and respond, "its the internet, spelling doesn't count!" My opinion: yes it does. It always does.

Chatspeak's a bad habit to get into because it reinforces poor writing. If English isn't your native tongue, then you're got an excuse of course. I can't write or read Japanese very well; minimal recognition skills, really, though I understand a bit more of the spoken language. Same thing with Chinese, Spanish, French...I only know a little bit, usually what I've picked up through reading novels or watching tv. I know some Mandarin from studying it in high school, but mostly what I got out of that was greater ease recognizing certain kanji characters. I wholly respect bilingualism, and the fact that you're as fluent as you are is pretty amazing.

I don't take anything on the internet personally. ^^ The discussion just seemed to be going off on its own tangent, and I really am curious about the meetup during the con. I want to hang out with other people of legal drinking age and trade "back in my day" stories in person. Maybe meet with folks who got into anime on the same series I did. Talk to anyone else who appreciates how awesome series like Maison Ikkoku and DNA^2 were.

[HatakeGirlX]

My spelling has been terrible in these posts because I was simply trying to get my point across and when typing on things like this I tend to type faster when I do not bother with double checking spelling and typos ^^

[XFD]

I'm leaning towards Applebee's. Standfords has been bought out and their new menu is awful. Applebee's will also offer a wider variety of eats.

[Kumi-chan]

I like Applebee's.

[Radien]

Despite my one novel-length post, I've been having a hard time keeping up with the length of the responses since I made that post. However, I heard word of a con meetup, and my ears perked up, even without the benefit of latex elf ears. ^^

I would much like to join in. Perhaps we can have equally interesting discussions, without the "you write a book, then I will" format.

I'm not sure whether I will drink, but it's a possibility. In the middle of the con, I try to avoid alcohol as it tends to wipe me out (or at least make me sleepy) when my goal is to stay awake and well-rested.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

So what if English is your native language and you think spelling *does* matter...but you're just really bad at it? It took me till I was 25 to learn how to spell "business" and I still can't spell "resteraunt" (see what I mean?).

Anyway, when is this supposed meetup anyway? I think I missed something.

[EveofAbyss]

Well, the whole point of this thread originally was for mature/over 21 anime fans to get together, I think. Or it quickly became about that, and then reverted back to mature/immature age differentiations and discussions. Anyway, I don't know if a time has been picked yet, but depending on if it is before or after con, I may attend. I'd like the change in company.

[melchizedek]

I'm down with getting together during the con one night and hitting a bar with some fellow 21+ cosplayers... sense con is downtown though I'd suggest a local place close to the con.

[reppy]

While we're at it, lets all goto a strip club in cosplay!






Just kidding.





I think it might be cool to have an over 21 hangout, or over 18. I don't drink at all though, so if you all were hitting up a bar I'd probably have to decline. ^_^

[EveofAbyss]

While we're at it, lets all goto a strip club in cosplay!






Just kidding.





I think it might be cool to have an over 21 hangout, or over 18. I don't drink at all though, so if you all were hitting up a bar I'd probably have to decline. ^_^

lol, I think under those circumstances we'd get more attention than the people that worked there. 

[verdant hero]

So what if English is your native language and you think spelling *does* matter...but you're just really bad at it? It took me till I was 25 to learn how to spell "business" and I still can't spell "resteraunt" (see what I mean?).

Anyway, when is this supposed meetup anyway? I think I missed something.

i was saying that japanese is my native language... i started learning both at the same time, japanese is way easier than english... that and i tend to spell english words with japanese syntax... probably not the right word to use there... but for example id' spell things like restorant... well, just like that.

lets share a popsicle *pops one of the double sticked ones apart and hands over half*

but a more mature meeting could be possible... i dont know my way around downtown vancouver/portland/...or whatever place we're going to be... but i figure we should think of a landmark in the convention, pick one, and a time to meet (maybe like 8 or 9pm? at the fountain? if theres a fountain, idk) then we should go snag a bite, if intrest is still high we could hit a bar or head to a hotel room... i happen to know someone whos keeping an oldschool open door policy

While we're at it, lets all goto a strip club in cosplay!
Just kidding.
I think it might be cool to have an over 21 hangout, or over 18. I don't drink at all though, so if you all were hitting up a bar I'd probably have to decline. ^_^

hey, thats what i'd say about strip clubs (the whole having to decline thing) their so... eeww. at least at a bar theres a point in talking to people. although it would make a pretty awesome photoshoot...

but yeah, lets get a ball and make it roll. anyone agree with meeting at 8 or 9pm? does anyone know if that conflicts with any major events?

oh and reppy! or anyone else, would you be willing to take some pictures? it'd be cool to have some photos to remember this night by.

[XFD]

The idea for the meet would be a late get together. It would depend on what time Applebee's closes.

We started doing a roll call but every time it comes up it gets derailed.

[melchizedek]

The applebees near where I work closes at midnight, however that one is downtown so they might have longer hours.

[Kimiski]

I find maturity more in people than in ages. Some people know what is exceptable in public and how to act and what not, like I was when I was 16. My teachers always thought I was a senior every year cause "you don't act young" lol they would tell me.

"Exceptable in public" is kind of a relative term. YOU might see a bunch of cosplayers cosplaying when there's no con, which might be acceptable (spelled correctly) in your eyes, but I see another group of people that look just as funny as those workers at Hot Dog On A Stick in the mall. Difference is the people in the bright, stripey beanies act reasonable.
And for the sake of arguement, a glomp circle isn't exactly in the "you don't act young" category. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm just a little anti-social.

k...

[DancingTofu]

Go to Ground Kontrol; they sponsor us and close to minors (under 21) at 5pm now.  They're also a fairly clean, friendly place with plenty to do.

[melchizedek]

Ground Kontrol isn't really walking distance from the con though.

[XFD]

Ground Kontrol isn't really walking distance from the con though.

Bingo.

Maybe a meet isn't such a good idea afterall.

[verdant hero]

Ground Kontrol isn't really walking distance from the con though.

Bingo.

Maybe a meet isn't such a good idea afterall.

*uppercuts XFD post into the atmosphere*

no, it is a good idea, that why we'll just find something else instead of giving up!

so, what else is near the con? surely theres bars, but i dont feel any specific need to go somewhere and be enertained, im willing to bet we could have an awesome time just out in the adjacent park. we are the enertainment for each other.

[melchizedek]

There are plenty of bars and other places we can check out.  It is a holiday weekend so some places might be closed.  I'm willing to meet up that includes some nice drinks with the rest of the older fans

No need to scratch idea.

[Radien]

Screw it, I'm here for role call! I don't care where we go; if we have a big enough group then it doesn't really matter where it goes from there!

Don't anyone dare say a meetup is a "bad idea." If you don't think it'll be fun, don't go. You don't have to discourage everybody else.

In fact, I like the idea of a bunch of meandering adults with no set plan or purpose. We did that last year after the dance, and it was the most fun I had that evening.

[DancingTofu]

Ground Kontrol is in fareless square.  5-6 minutes max time (get off at Old Town Chinatown westbound), 8-15 minutes walking (just walk west on Couch).  It shouldn't be a problem unless you're planning on being out late. (like, after 1am and before 5am)

[dshwshr55]

I've met people down there before who wouldn't walk 5 blocks if their life depended on it. I walk more than an hour to get to work, so that doesn't look like too far a stroll.

[laurifer]

Well if it's in Fareless square I may hit it up sometime, considering I'll be at PSU. Woot!

[DancingTofu]

Dude, GK's right on the other side of the tracks from PSU lol.  You wouldn't even have a chance to go one stop before you'd need to get off.

I'm actually considering going to PSU largely because of this ideal location it has.

[laurifer]

Fair enough. I may have to go with buddies sometime

[verdant hero]

okay guys, short on time here. so let see a count of how many people are intrested in doing this. lurkers nao is the time to speak up, i'd like to count you guys in too.

also lets put it to a vote: 21+ or 18+? i think i know the answer, but con is in how many days? so i wanna get things moving!

----8/15/08 edit

i'd just like to announce this for anyone still posting about being 21+

this thread is hijacked and is now about planning something to do for the 21+ during the evening @ kumori con, and or somewhere in the area!

[TanisNikana]

Being my age, I try to keep to myself, raising concerns with the younger con-goers, but everyone says I'm paranoid, knock it off, we love you Tanis, stuff like that.

[melchizedek]

MCMENAMINS ON BROADWAY is one of the food places tom has pointed out for us,  I looked it up and it is open until 1am I do believe it is 21+ after 10pm though but I'm a big fan of their house wines and craft brews.

[verdant hero]

MCMENAMINS ON BROADWAY is one of the food places tom has pointed out for us,  I looked it up and it is open until 1am I do believe it is 21+ after 10pm though but I'm a big fan of their house wines and craft brews.

tom, for a second i checked to make sure i wasnt on myspace. lol.

i think i've heard of this place, is it walking distance from the con? i figure a good food and drink place will do as long as we can simply walk there, carpooling would suck especially if we had to make 2 trips.

but it sounds like this place will do, we should do something fun outside first, build up a bit of an apitite first, then head over there. from there we can plot other things...

[melchizedek]

It's 0.55 miles from the con according to mapquest, if we want to include people under 21 then we should have the meetup before 10pm

As for the day, I'd suggest sunday because likely friday and saturday are going to be busy with the normal locals, unless we want to go when they are busy for shock value (I'm planing on cosplaying the whole con)

[XFD]

Provided you cut through Lloyd Center, it probably isn't even that far.

[Radien]

That's so friggin' close! I vote we do it.

McMenamin's has good food and liquor, and some pretty tasty dessert drinks in particular. It's not "cheap" per se, but hey, its prices are comparable for a pub. You won't find much better after 11pm.

[verdant hero]

closeness is prefered! incase one needs to leave suddenly, or we stay out late (1am to 5 am. lol @tofu) i'd like to still beable to get back to the con on foot.

[kagekara]

Okay so I've been here trolling...browsing the forums for a bit now, and I've come to notice that the vast majority of fans here are under 18, many of them are under 16... So, how is it being an older anime fan?  Does it change things all that much?  Does it ever make it kinda hard/awkward at meetups or anything?

There are plenty of anime fans of all ages, perhaps not indulging in forums. I may be the oldest female anime freak/collector at KCon. I have never felt uncomfortable and I have as much fun as anyone else. But then, age has never meant anything to me; it was a shock when other people started to notice I was the older one. If the gathering's about anime, we're cool. I even get into animated anime discussions with any age on the bus. I also worked with anime clubs on two campuses last year, and we showed tons of fine anime. I attend four different clubs in the area from time to time!

Meetups, if they are really social gatherings seeking dates, may be more problematic. I'm into making stuff happen that promotes people's awareness of how awesome and wide-ranging anime really is... Share the love!

[Architechnik]

I feel like an old fogey occasionally, but I don't act like it in the least.  I was the anime club pres a couple years back at the community college and most of the people there were four years younger.  The good side was that I was able to organize things, while the youngens had no clue what to do... the club disbanded when I transferred.

Still up for the roll call on the old folks night out?  I'm up for a drink or two... which night were you guys thinking about?

[Kumi-chan]

Haven't been to McMenamin's in years (wasn't overly impressed with the location they had near my house), but I'm up for it.
I'm also interested in what day, and how many people will be cosplaying. Also how many of those cosplayers might be doing classic series cosplay, early '90s and further back.

[verdant hero]

i'm still really interested in the date and time!
so lets pick one!

also i figure its safe to say the following:

time: TBA
day: TBA
where: McMenamin's (address needed)
who: the geezers lol
what: - i guess thats the fun part!!

so what do people think of say Saturday at midnight? too late? to... early? or would a different day be better?

[melchizedek]

That could work, do we want to meet perhaps in park and go together or just meet at location?

[Architechnik]

I guess it depends on what's going on at the con at that time... lemme check the schedules and see if there is anything that I might want to see 

Ok.... I thought I saw that they had a preliminary schedule of events in PDF, but now I can't find it

[nikkiolie]

Ok at the begining of this topic I stated that hanging out with younger con goers isn't that bad.....I change my mind. Some of the younger kids are a lot of fun and very mature, however, some aren't and hard to deal with. I have planed a bunch of meetups and sometime I wish I could do a privet thread just for some people to read and not others.