UlasanAnime.com – The author begins by explaining their hotel’s paid wireless internet, which they chose not to use, preventing them from posting mid-convention updates. This also meant they couldn’t set up internet sharing with their laptop.
The core of the article focuses on Anime Central 2014 (ACEN 2014), which the author describes as a “WUGCON” for them, even though they aren’t an extreme fan of Wake Up, Girls! (WUG). This sentiment stems from having missed WUG events earlier in the year after a trip to Japan, creating a desire to attend when WUG was announced for ACEN.
The author highlights their role in connecting the US and Japanese WUG fans, with significant help from 7thwraith and Paranda. They also credit a WUG hoodie maker for facilitating easy access to well-made hoodies, which served as a recognizable marker for the group. This visual cue even led to interactions with Crunchyroll staff who noticed the group’s shared hoodies and English conversations. The hoodies also helped Japanese WUG fans identify fellow enthusiasts.
Approximately 8-10 people wore WUG hoodies, and the author even cosplayed as Ota Kuniyoshi, acknowledging the slight discrepancies in their glasses and hair compared to the character.
Due to these social connections and the WUG focus, the author admits to missing out on most of Angela’s programming, including two panels and a press session, which they regret.
They express hope that their enthusiastic cheering at Angela’s concert compensated for their absence from other events. The concert itself was a highlight, featuring a four-piece live band setup with Katsu playing guitar, which the author found impressive. They believe Angela seemed to enjoy their performance.
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ACEN is characterized as a typical mid-west convention, with attendees described as young, uninhibited, and perhaps not always the most responsible, though good-natured. The author notes their energetic nature, regretting not attending Hardcore Synergy on Friday due to lack of sleep.
The convention’s scheduling allowed the author to sleep in on Saturday, which was beneficial after the demanding Angela concert, which took a significant toll due to the previous night’s limited sleep.
The author humorously reflects on their own lack of wisdom, blogging at 1:45 AM while needing to work the next day.
The article includes a mention of loot acquired, noting that items from their “P circle” (which became WUGner USA for the occasion), such as the aforementioned hoodie and WUG bromides, are not pictured.
Regarding Angela’s future performances, the author reassures readers that they will perform at Anime Expo (AX) and advises patience.
The group took the Japanese WUG fans to Fogo de Chão, a restaurant ideal for large groups. The staff at the Rosemont location were particularly accommodating, allowing a last-minute addition of seven people to the reservation and moving their table to a larger one. The author regrets not tipping more, noting that the Japanese WUG fans enjoyed a substantial amount of meat.
The author anticipates sharing many more pictures from ACEN and WUG on Jtor once they recover from the realization of having another convention in less than four days. They also acknowledge potentially missing interesting details that could be shared later, particularly concerning the Japanese WUG fans.
