CHARACON
The convention for anime characters (tm) Welcomes you to its 4th year!
OFFICICAL PROGRAM
FRIDAY
4:00-5:00 pm: Opening ceremony. Master of ceremonies Gendo Ikari will open the convention formally. Announcements and last-minute changes to this program explained.
6:00 pm: Dealer's room opens. Merchandise from over 100 series- including cels, CD's, embarassingly bad plushies, overpriced posters, wallscrolls, bandannas, and toys! Everything participants need to buy up all humiliating pictures/representations of themselves being humilated before the others get to it.
7:00 Panel discussion: Being the Depressed Character. Panel participants Zelgadiss Graywords of Slayers, Ryoga Hibiki of Ranma 1/2, Shinji Ikari of Evangelion, and Kiyone from Tenchi Muyo! discuss avoiding comic relief, the connection between depression and coffee-drinking, dealing with the inevitable over-happy sidekick or love interest when s/he comes, and other topics.
7:30 Video Room showing "The Best Humiliating Moments of Slayers".
8:00 Special Presentation: So, You Want to be a Magical Girl? Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon tells all about holding out for your right to a nude transformation sequence, the correct number of sidekicks to have, and DiC.
9:00: Karyoke machine turned on.
SATURDAY
8:00 am: The Anime Character Fashion Show. Prizes given out for best and worst taste, best mecha (note: Evangelion characters not allowed to enter this year after last year's roof-breaking fiasco), and other categories. Hair will be judged seperately.
8:30: Panel discussion: Life as a Priest in Anime. Panelists include Slayers Akahoshi Rezo and Xelloss, Fushigi Yuugi's Chichiri, and Zagato from Magic Knights Rayearth. Discussion topics will include funky staffs, enormous shoulder pads and bizzare hair as trademarks, irresistablity to women, the need to keep one's eyes closed all of the time, and other important issues.
8:30: Panel discussion: Life as a Miko/Priestess in Anime. The flipside of the priest panel, miko Ameria Wil Tesla Saillune, Sylphiel Nels Rahda, Filia Ul Copt of Slayers, Rei Hino of Sailormoon, and that girl from Phantom Quest Corp will discuss the importance of being a lunatic, why so many of anime's miko are in Slayers, and what to do when fanfic writers abuse you.
9:00: Viewer's room showing "The Best of Fushigi Yuugi's Love Scenes" in order to remove the audience for cleaning (of the room).
10:00: Panel Discussion: Homicidal Women in Anime. Lina Inverse from Slayers, Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo!, Xi'an Pu/Shampoo from Ranma 1/2, and Asuka from Evangelion will try not to get on each other's nerves and blow up the place. Hopefully there will also be topics.
11:00: Special Presentation: Help! We're All Megumi/Help! We're all Hikaru! Lina Inverse from Slayers, Nuku Nuku, girl-Ranma, Rei Anayami from Evangelion, Canal from Lost Universe, and roughly thirty other women played by Megumi Hayashabara join Zelgadiss from Slayers, Heero from Gundam, Tamahome from Fushigi Yuugi, Lyle from Ruin Explorers, Rail from Lost Universe, Fiole from the Sailor Moon R movie, and roughly thirty other men played by Hikaru Midorikawa onstage for the first time.
11:30: Viewer's room showing "Rezo's Hair: When Character Designers Are Stoned".
NOON: Panel Discussion: Men Who Dress as Women And The Other Way Around. Nuriko from Fushigi Yuugi, Sailor Uranus, a couple of Slayers NEXT characters and Genma Saotome from Ranma 1/2 discuss what to wear, when to dress as a member of the opposite sex and when to quit, and hair care tips.
1:00 pm: In Springfield Park, Gourry from Slayers and Kenshin of Ruroni Kenshin finally face off. Two characters who never lose a sword fight.
2:00: Estimated time of arrival in the dealer's room for those who were last in line at 8:00 Friday.
3:00: Viewer's room showing "Ryoko and Aeka on The Jerry Springer Show".
4:00: Last panel discussion: Being a Bad Guy in the 90's. Open to all antagonistic characters except for those who converted. Topics to be discussed include the difference between evil and misguided bad guys, the patented bad guy laugh and ability to make one's mouth half of one's entire face, and how to die in style.
4:30: Question-and-answer session. Ask Xelloss anything you want to know. Be prepared for the answer always being the same.
5:00: Masquerade sceduled to start.
6:00: Convention staff stall for the benefit of audience, who begin to throw objects.
7:00: Masquerade starts (new time adjusted for anticipated technical difficulties)
7:30: End of Masquerade. Cosplay contest begins.
8:00 Convention Dance! This is your chance to kick up your heels and boogie to "Cruel Angel's Thesis". NOTE: The line to dance with Xelloss, Zelgadiss, Kenshin, Ryoga and other more desired characters begins outside the ballroom doors at seven.
SUNDAY
9:00 am: Closing ceremony. Please come back next year!