Otakon is an event that can't be easily be described in words. All right, I'm lying — it's an anime convention: a gathering where fans of Japanese animation gather to exchange ideas and views. But it's nearly impossible to describe the actual "soul" of the event — the special something that makes that three-day stretch so magical to fans from across the country.

This year, I was fortunate enough to attend Otakon as a member of the press. With a golden ticket to the anime enthusiast's Mecca, I was the proverbial kid in a candy store. While I couldn't make it to absolutely everything I wanted to see (a guy's gotta eat and sleep at some point), I have to say that the trip was worth the ten-hour drive, and the numb ass I endured on the way.

I would like to use the confines of this space to give my thoughts on a couple of events that particularly stuck out in my mind.