Goh: Oh, it was Utsuru on Saturday.
Ash: And Sunday too!
Me: Yup. Many, many years ago, this convention was held on the two days of a weekend, Saturday and Sunday, before JCD changed it to just one day. It seems they wanted to go back to their roots and do it just like then.
Ash: But the title is a bit different too this time.
Pikachu: Chu pika pika. ["That's true."]
Me: It seems they also wanted to highlight dance groups as the primary content for this edition.
Goh: I see that. I got the schedule for both days and there were a few of those. Did you see them?
Ash: A few - some on Sunday and a little bit of what I could see on Saturday.
Goh: By the way, how did you manage to get in on that day?
Ash: I didn't. I just hung around outside.
Me: That was my directive, by the way. It was in part to keep spending low - and of course, there was Community Day on that day.
Ash: Right. I saw a bit in the morning and after Community Day when I went back.
Goh: It does make sense to not go in when you only spend just a little time on that day.
Ash: But on Sunday I was there the whole time.
Goh: OK, then, that's worth paying.
Me: Sure enough, to support the organizers and all.
Goh: Well, we know that there are community booths and food stands as usual - so how were they?
Ash: I tried food from a stand I've never tried, and it was great! The rest were just the usual helpings. Oh, and I met friends of our friend all over the community booths.
Me: They're a diverse lot - not necessarily involved in Pokémon, but they have been at one point or another.
Goh: What were the highlights of this weekend? There had to be something special.
Ash: Yeah! I found the communities were judging each other and trying to win votes from people who came.
Goh: A competition! I'd love to know the results.
Ash: The winners were two communities with a couple of our friend's friends in it.
Goh: Nice! Talking about competitions, there must have been a character parade.
Ash: Of course, and I was in it.
Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["Like always."]
Me: I have to interject and say that I could have you be registered early on for that, but I had other things to worry about. And a couple of the requirements for that were big.
Ash: No worries - I could get in then and there.
Me: Luckily.
Ash: But I didn't win. Four judges and only four prizes for so many characters.
Goh: I saw that coming.
Ash: And it all was like last year too.
Goh: Let's move on - how about other entertainment, besides the obvious?
Ash: Some of the communities had performances or showed off things. And there were a couple of bands too, and the karaoke group on both days.
Goh: So, the usual stuff.
Me: I actually considered having you try to register as a performer or a guest character... but then those had even bigger requirements.
Goh: Than for the character parade?
Me: Indeed. That would have been more than the usual.
Goh: We've been talking about the usual stuff... but maybe there were unusual stuff too.
Ash: There were. One of the characters in the character parade almost passed out after leaving the stage. He was a masked one.
Goh: Oh no! Hopefully he's OK.
Ash: I think he was, after everything ended.
Pikachu: Pi pika... ["Only hope so..."]
Me: Well, this could be a lesson for others, even me.
Ash: And then when I went to meet a friend, something happened on the way, and I got confused about it. Really sorry about that!
Goh: OK, that's really unusual.
Ash: I couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.
Me: I'll just have to think about it some more - but we don't have to say much more. It's mine to deal with now.
Goh: Hmm, let's just wrap it up, then. So, a lot of the usual with a bit of the unusual.
Me: It seems they realized the theming.
Goh: Which would be...
Me: "The (most) usual convention in the usual place."
Ash: I want to say I disagree a bit with that - even with what we went through.
Me: You know, I think you have a point. It's never the usual with us covering it - and then there were the additional Pokémon aspects like Community Day on the first day.
Goh: Haha, so we're unusual people too?
Ash: What do you think?
Pikachu: Pi? ["Thoughts?"]
Me: I guess it all depends on the (un)usual points of view that the convention brings along, as with this year.
One year ago: The Pole Position of Adventures Abound
Two years ago: Tournament: Raid Group Open Great League
Three years ago: You Made Me a...
Four years ago: Let's Play and Pokémon
Five years ago: Pokémon and Music Games, Revisited
Six years ago: (Late and Great) Local Ex-Raid, 9/3/2018
Seven years ago: Bandai Pokémon XY Swing - Pikachu
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