Not a Day Without Pokémon: Cosplay: Akazora Fest 2024

Ash: Hey, Akazora Fest is back!

Me: Indeed. Looks like Japan Culture Daisuki is going to make this an annual thing along with its other conventions.

Goh: Well, I guess we can expect a lot of the same things from last year.

Me: Sure... with some other differences. Let me start by saying that this year it's only a single day - today.

Goh: Maybe you know the reason for that?

Me: I'm told that the mall - the usual one for many conventions, festivals, and such - is starting to apply restrictions on its covered parking lot. So we may not see them as often, moreover for a weekend.

Ash: Except for two weeks ago!

Me: Except for that, sure. Anyway, let's have Ash tell us more about how the space was like.

Ash: Well, it really was like last year, with the two stages and the community and food spaces. But... it seemed like they were trying to squeeze in people with all the barriers.

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["It looked cramped."]

Goh: Why, that does seem strange for a festival that's supposed to be open.

Me: It must have been like that all day long.

Ash: In the morning it wasn't too crowded. But I'm sure that was what happened in the afternoon when I left the place for a bit like you told me to.

Goh: Oh? What happened?

Ash: It's for a regular special task for us.

Me: It's also (part of) the reason why I sent Ash with the Kalos outfit - but more on that tomorrow.

Goh: So that means you must have missed some of the entertainment. I have the schedule, let's see here... I think based on our previous talks, it was mostly dance groups and bands, even all day.

Me: So, not much to worry about. We can catch most of those another time.

Goh: Then there were eating competitions...

Me: Not for us, really.

Goh: ...and the character parade.

Me: That would be for us, but circumstances don't allow in more ways than one.

Ash: I think I know what you're talking about!

Pikachu: Pi, pika chu. ["I have an idea."]

Me: Yeah, but it's been "beaten to death" already, so let's not discuss it.

Goh: By the way, this is "Akazora Fest" - for Ara Akazora, right? Was she there?

Ash: I didn't see her.

Me: I think Nekonoi Katsu - the one who sends her, the character - is busy with other things. I didn't hear from her officially about anything related to this.

Goh: I see. Well, what about communities?

Ash: A tile game community from outside the area dropped in, and my friend's friends and I helped them get set up.

Goh: Tile game, huh.

Me: It's more of my thing than Ash's - something I like to do outside of Pokémon - but it's not a primary thing like Pokémon is. All the same, we had to "play host" for them.

Ash: And I played for you a little - I won once or twice.

Pikachu: Pi pika! ["Pretty good!"]

Ash: For all this, we also got in for free.

Goh: That's a nice perk, and a neat thing to do for them.

Me: Indeed it is.

Ash: I also had a short Pokémon battle with cards at a card game community - and I won too!

Goh: Wow! That must have been nice.

Ash: Yeah, I did make a couple of mistakes at the start, but it turned out all right.

Goh: Great!

Me: Any other communities besides those?

Ash: I sang at the karaoke booth and got to look at the merchandise but didn't buy anything.

Me: Buying isn't "in our cards" anyhow at the moment, so that's fine.