MechaCon X Program Guide - 2014 by MechaCon Anime Convention

MECHACON August 1-3, 2014 • New Orleans, Lousiana

Welcome to our tenth annual MechaCon! MechaCon is very proud to be one of the largest and longest-running anime conventions on the Gulf Coast, and we are excited to have you joining us as we celebrate our 10th birthday! We’ve got lots in store for you this year, so stock up on Pocky and Ramune, and get ready to have the time of your life! This year, fans of all kinds will be able to find something to celebrate their personal fandoms. You’ll get the chance to meet the cast and voice director for Teen Titans and Teen Titans GO! This is the first time the cast will appear together in public in ten years! You’ll also have the opportunity to meet the actors who voiced Asuka & Shinji from Neon Genesis Evangelion, celebrate 20 years of Disney’s Gargoyles with its creator, and much more. Sailor Moon fans won’t want to miss this year’s MechaCon Red Carpet Affair: “Moonlight Rendezvous” featuring cosplay guests Twin Fools and Nova! Don’t forget to visit our Dealers Room to satisfy all of your anime merchandise needs, and peruse all of the art booths, fan club tables, and industry tables in Fandom Central. Check out the electronic gaming room, where you can find a new Video Gaming Cosplay Contest brought to you by Cosplay World on Saturday night, along with a weekend packed with games and tournaments brought to you by SuperCon 2K Series! If table-top gaming is your thing, you won’t want to miss the finale of Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies, an epic 6-part saga, occurring annually which began at MechaCon 5 in 2009! If something more hands-on suits you, you can participate in interactive combat using foam weapons, courtesy of Sleeping Samurai. All weekend long you can also drop by the new MechaMaid Clubhouse and take a break, unwind, and watch a show, or enjoy a snack. If that’s not enough, you won’t want to miss our official MechaCon Cosplay Competition, hosted by Queen ~D~. A $1,000 cash prize is on the line, and we’ve added a new Children’s Division! After that, you can stick around for an epic concert by cosplay band Eien Strife featuring opening act, Suzaku 7. Keep that energy going late into the night with the MechaCon House Party featuring DJ Wildfire and friends, who have a few surprises in store for you. Sunday at MechaCon, you can watch giant human chess pieces battle it out in a game of Cosplay Chess. Then, last, but certainly not least, check out our MechaCon Charity Auction benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Be sure to save some money to bid generously on some of the unique, one-of-a-kind items that you can only get there! It’s for a great cause, and we hope you’ll help us break our record from 2013 of raising over $10,000! We are so grateful to all of you who have spent the last 10 years helping us to make MechaCon what it is today. We hope that you’ll join us for many more! We would not have made it here without your awesome support and continued patronage. Here’s to the future!

– Team MechaCon 1

A WORD FROM THE SENNIN “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”

– Tony Robbins

Ten years ago, while working out in a small gym in Lafayette, Louisiana, we made a decision that would forever alter our personal destinies. The result of many long conversations about how we could make it happen, we firmly decided to go for it and create our own anime convention. On October 2, 2004, we founded Sennin Productions, L.L.C. and MechaCon was born. While the convention weekend itself didn’t occur until August 26-28, 2005, the journey from concept to reality was a rocky one. Yet, we persevered and prevailed. In the ten years since, we’ve experienced a lot of highs and lows. Thankfully, the highs outweigh the lows. We’ve experienced tremendous growth in that time. In fact, we originally didn’t think we would be making the move from Lafayette to New Orleans until this year. But, because you guys are so awesome, that timetable had to be moved up by nearly five years, necessitating the move way back in 2010. As we prepared for our 10th annual event, we found it hard to believe that we’ve been at this for so long. It seems like only yesterday that we walked into the Hilton Lafayette for the first time, to see the few hundred of you who helped us make that first event a success, even in the face of unlikely odds and a hurricane bearing-down on us. In those ten years, we’ve watched many of those first attendees grow from children to adults, some of whom now attend MechaCon with children of their own. Some of those other attendees have come and gone as members of MechaCon’s staff, while others still stayed on for the long haul. In the end, all became part of the MechaCon family... and we love you all. Now, having firmly established ourselves in New Orleans, we finally come to the end of the first part of our journey. What then, does the future hold for MechaCon? Shhh... spoilers. :-)

– Jon Russo & Peter Bares Sennin Productions, LLC

Original versions of MechaCon’s official mascots, Zee & Jett 2

Circa 2004

CONNECT WITH US

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@MechaCon

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@mechacon.nola

Hilton New Orleans Riverside – 2nd Floor

Hilton New Orleans Riverside – 1st Floor

CONVENTION FLOORS

Hilton New Orleans Riverside â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3rd Floor

FOOTNOTES Organizer’s Plea

Please be on your best behavior and respect hotel property. We ask that you treat the Hilton New Orleans Riverside as your home away from home. If you deface hotel property in any way, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Attendees of some other Anime Conventions in the past have been less than respectful to the convention facilities and hotel, and this type of behavior has given Anime Conventions a bad name. Please do your part to help change that stigma and show that anime conventions can be classy, too. The continued success of this convention is crucial to whether or not there will be future MechaCons. We sincerely appreciate you doing your part to help ensure that the hotel, convention facilities and your fellow attendees are treated with the utmost respect!

A MechaCon Tradition

Team MechaCon is excited to welcome back Harmony Gold and the ROBOTECH Convention Tour to our 2014 convention. Since 2006, MechaCon has proudly included the ROBOTECH Convention Tour as part of our standard programming. Though, it occurs to us that some of our younger attendees may have no idea what this classic anime space opera is all about, so... in a nutshell... ROBOTECH is a sweeping science-fiction anime epic of humans defending their homeworld against alien domination. The saga is told through the eyes of characters caught up in a series of wars that erupts when a mysterious spacecraft crash-lands on Earth at the turn of the millennium. The secrets of alien knowledge aboard this vessel were unlocked, leading to the development of “Robotechnology” and the creation of a vast arsenal of robotic “mecha” to defend the Earth against the alien threats that would eventually strike to lay claim to the mysterious power source known as “protoculture.” And now you know! So, go check it out already!!

MAIN SCHEDULE (Panel schedule located on page 34.) On Thursday, July 31, MechaCon’s convention pre-registration packet pick-up will open at 6pm and remain open until 9pm. At-door registrations will NOT be taken on Thursday. Aside from Registration, convention floor remains closed.

Friday, July 1st

The following is the schedule for Friday’s convention areas and events. At-door registrations will be taken at 11:30 a.m.

9:00am - Registration Pre-reg Packet

Pick-up opens (1st Floor)

11:30am - At-door Registration opens (1st Floor)

1:00pm - Convention Areas open (1st & 2nd Floor)

The iDOLM@STER

Secondary Events (1st Floor)

MechaMaid Clubhouse opens (3rd Floor)

to all attendees

2:00pm - GoldPass Guided Tour Main Events (1st Floor)

4:00pm - Eien Strife Acoustic Show Presented by Eien Strife

Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

5:30pm - Seating begins for

Opening Ceremonies & Formal/Semi-formal Dinner and Browncoat Brass Show

Main Events (1st Floor) (reserved seating only)

Presented by Brett Hart

7:00pm - Dealers Room closes (1st Floor)

Browncoat Brass Show begins

1:30pm - Dealers Room opens (1st Floor)

Main Events (1st Floor) (reserved seating only)

Dealers Room opens (1st Floor) to GoldPass registrants only

6:00pm - Opening Ceremonies

Main Events (1st Floor) (reserved seating only)

8:00pm - Registration desk closes (1st Floor) GoldPass Meet-n-Greet with Guests Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

9:00pm - MechaCon Red Carpet Affair: Moonlight Rendezvous

Main Events (1st Floor)

MechaMaid Clubhouse closes (3rd Floor)

10:00pm - What Happens at the Con,

Stays at the Con...?

Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

Presented by Spike Spencer

11:00pm - Cards Against Humanity

VIP Game 18+

Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

Presented by Brandon Delcambre

12:00am - MechaCon Red Carpet Affair closes

Panel Rooms close (1st Floor)

12:30am - Welcome to Cosplay

Burlesque 18+

Presented by Brett Hart with Queen ~D~

Main Events (1st Floor)

2:00am - Cosplay Burlesque closes

Saturday, August 2nd

The following is the schedule for Saturday’s convention areas and events. At-door registrations will be taken at 9 am.

9:00am - Registration Desk opens (1st Floor)

MechaMaid Clubhouse opens (3rd Floor)

10:00am - Dealers Room opens (1st Floor) to GoldPass registrants only Signing Room opens

Secondary Events (1st Floor)

10:30am - Dealers Room opens (1st Floor) to all attendees 11:00am -

Y E A R S 8

Table Reading

w/ Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch & Andrea Romano

Main Events (1st Floor)

1:00pm - Cosplay Participants Meeting Main Events (1st Floor)

2:30pm - Seating begins for Cosplay Main Events (1st Floor)

3:00pm - Cosplay Competition Main Events (1st Floor)

6:00pm - Signing Room closes Secondary Events (1st Floor)

7:00pm - Dealers Room closes (1st Floor) Cosplay Chess Participants Meeting Oaklawn Room (3rdFloor)

Cosplay World Video Game Cosplay Contest

Electronic Gaming Room (2ndFloor)

8:00pm - Registration Desk closes (1st Floor) The Minds Behind

Presented by Travis Farrar & Robby Musso

Panel Room 3 (1st Floor)

8:30pm - Eien Strife Concert Main Events (1st Floor)

MechaMaid Clubhouse closes (3rd Floor)

11:00pm - MechaCon House Party Main Events (1st Floor) 3:00am - MechaCon House Party closes

Sunday, August 3rd

The following is the schedule for Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convention areas and events. At-door registrations will be taken at 9 am.

9:00am - Registration desk opens (1st Floor) MechaMaid Clubhouse opens (3rd Floor)

10:00am - Dealers room opens (1st Floor) to GoldPass registrants only

Signing Room opens

Seating begins for Cosplay Chess

Secondary Events (1st Floor)

Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

10:30am - Dealers room opens (1st Floor) to all attendees Cosplay Chess Tertiary Events (1st Floor) 11:00am -

Q&A

w/ Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch & Andrea Romano

Main Events (1st Floor)

1:00pm - MechaCon Charity Auction benefitting St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital

Main Events (1st Floor)

Tertiary Events (1st Floor)

3:45pm - MechaMaid Clubhouse closes (3rd Floor) 5:00pm - All convention areas close

GUESTS OF HONOR ATTENTION – Autograph/Photo Notification

Any fees a guest may charge for his/her autograph is solely at the guests’ discretion, with the guests ultimately deciding what those charges will be. In most cases, photographs/prints of the guests are available for purchase at the guests’ tables. You may bring your own items to get signed, but please be aware the guest may ask for a signing fee. Most guests have little to no objections to having their photos taken, but please ask for the guest’s permission before proceeding. If a guest charges for a photo to be taken of them, please respect that guest’s practice. There are opportunities available for professional photos with certain guests for established fees. These fees do not necessarily include an autograph, but this is also at the guests’ discretion. For professional photo-op rates, please check with the photography area located to the rear of the Signing Room.

Greg Cipes

GREG CIPES has been dubbed the Crowned Prince of the Voiceover world and was discovered by 8 time Emmy Award winning voice Director Andrea Romano who cast Greg in his first cartoon role announcing “Greg has begun this ridiculously huge voice-over career.” His animation roles have made him known universally in such immortal characterizations as Beast Boy in the Warner Brothers/Cartoon Network’s TEEN TITANS and TEEN TITANS GO!, Kevin Levin in BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE, Chiro in Disney’s SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPER FORCE GO, Danny Rand/Iron Fist in Disney’s ULTIMATE SPIDERMAN, Caleb in Disney’s W.I.T.C.H., Atlas in ASTRO BOY, the unforgettable lion cub, Ryan in Disney’s feature film THE WILD and recurring roles in Cartoon Network’s STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS and Disney’s FISH HOOKS and KICK BUTTOWSKI. Greg is now the voice of his childhood idol Michelangelo in Nickelodeon’s new global hit series TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.

Scott Menville

Born and raised in Los Angeles, SCOTT MENVILLE began his professional acting career at the young age of eleven and he’s been working steadily ever since. Among his numerous animated series regular roles Scott can be heard as Robin in TEEN TITANS and TEEN TITANS GO!, as Sneezy in Disney’s THE 7D, and as two regular characters the upcoming animated series ANGRY LITTLE ASIAN GIRL. Scott is also currently voicing recurring roles as Crankshaw & Dr. Blip in the animated series TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, as Jimmy Jones & Chrono Spanner in BEN 10: OMNIVERSE, and as band geek Bucky in RANDY CUNNINGHAM: 9th GRADE NINJA. Other notable characters include Kevin French in the cult classic animated series MISSION HILL, Shaggy in SHAGGY AND SCOOBY DOO GET A CLUE, Mat-Ti in CAPTAIN PLANET, Jonny in JONNY QUEST, and Metamorpho in BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Some of Scott’s animated feature film credits include performances in PARANORMAN, BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT, A TURTLE’S TALE, and a brief role in DESPICABLE ME. Anime fans may also know Scott from voicing Black, one of the two leads in the English version of the acclaimed Japanese anime feature TEKKON KINKREET. Scott has also been credited in voicing numerous video games, most notably as Lloyd in TALES OF SYMPHONIA, Marlton in CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II, and Egon in STARCRAFT II: WINGS OF LIBERTY. In front of the camera Scott has appeared in film, television, and commercials. Notable television appearances have included roles on THE MENTALIST, FRANKLIN & BASH, NUMB3RS, ER, THE WONDER YEARS, and FULL HOUSE.

Khary Payton

Winner of Best Actor at the IFS Film Festival and Best Actor at the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival for his performance as Michael Forrest in the independent Sci-Fi feature, THE LAST PUSH, KHARY PAYTON can also be heard as numerous characters in the world of cartoons and games. According to fans, Khary has become synonymous with one of DC’s hottest heroes Cyborg, having voiced the character in numerous series, films and games including Cartoon Network’s TEEN TITANS and its current incarnation TEEN TITANS, GO! Khary started his career starring in the features DRACULA 2: THE ASCENSION and HELLRAISER: HELLWORLD for Dimension. He then moved on to lighter, comedic fare with C. Jay Cox’s LATTER DAYS, the comedy NATIONAL LAMPOON’S THE LEGEND OF AWESOMEST MAXIMUS and festival favorite PING PONG PLAYA, from Academy Award winning Director Jessica Yu. Khary has numerous pilots and guest star roles for NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS and USA under his belt, including CRIMINAL MINDS, FAIRLY LEGAL and BODY OF PROOF to comedies such as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER and I’M IN THE BAND.

Tara Strong

TARA STRONG began her professional acting career at the age of thirteen, performing in Toronto’s Yiddish Theater. She booked several TV and film roles and her first animated series, voicing the title role of HELLO KITTY. By the age of sixteen, she had a lead in a sit-com, and voiced more than twenty animated series, as well as several musical theater and TV and film roles. She moved to Los Angeles in 1994, and worked on PARTY OF FIVE, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S SENIOR TRIP, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH, and several other guest roles. She has enjoyed a very successful voice over career, including characters Bubbles in THE POWER PUFF GIRLS, Timmy Turner in THE FAIRLY ODD PARENTS, Dil Pickles in RUGRATS, Raven in TEEN TITANS, Truffles in CHOWDER, Toot in DRAWN TOGETHER, Ben in BEN 10, Melody in the sequel to THE LITTLE MERMAID, as well as voices in TRANSFORMERS: ANIMATED, BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, PRINCESS MONONOKE, and many more. She was nominated for an Emmy for her role in JAKERS. She can currently be seen on camera as the teacher, Miss Collins, on Nickelodeon’s hit show, BIG TIME RUSH. Tara is extremely excited to step into the fabulous shoes of Harley Quinn in the hit game ARKHAM CITY and is also excited about her role as Twilight Sparkle on the hit show, MY LITTLE PONY, as well as the new movie DELHI SAFARI.

Hynden Walch

HYNDEN WALCH is delighted to be part of the awesome team known as the TEEN TITANS, where she gives voice to Starfire, Blackfire, Argent, Madame Rouge, and various other people, animals, and things. Hynden also plays Princess Bubblegum on Cartoon Network’s ADVENTURE TIME. In 2013, Hynden was nominated for BTVA’s Voice Actress of the Year. She’s Harley Quinn in THE BATMAN, Summer in Disney Junior’s HENRY HUGGLEMONSTER, Platinum and Tin on METAL MEN, pixies Lockette and Amore in Nickelodeon’s W.I.N.X. CLUB, Amy in IGPX: IMMORTAL GRAND PRIX, Viridi in KID ICARUS, Elsie the cat in STANLEY, and Penny Sanchez in the Frederator classic, CHALKZONE. Listen for Hynden in TOM SAWYER (Becky Thatcher), GENERATOR REX (Breach), DOC MCSTUFFINS (Bubble Monkey), BACK TO THE SEA (Tiny Fish), JUSTICE LEAGUE FLASHPOINT PARADOX (Yoyo), SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO! (Velina), BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (Platinum), CATSCRATCH (Katilda), JUSTICE LEAGUE (Ace), THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H II (Jenny McBride), LUCKY STAR (Yutaka), THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA (Emiri Kimidori), GURREN LAGANN (Nia), DEAD OR ALIVE EXTREME 2 (Hitomi), SUPER HERO SQUAD SHOW (Jean Grey), SCOOBY DOO MYSTERY INCORPORATED (Alice May/Obliteratrix), BROKEN AGE (Ch’t and M’gie), BIG TOP SCOOBY (Lena), Disney’s TANGLED, JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR, BATMAN:GOTHAM KNIGHT, KARAS: THE PROPHESY, CODENAME KIDS NEXT DOOR, POUND PUPPIES, THUNDER CATS, FINAL FANTASY XIII, CRASH TEAM RACING and many more — including some really cool stuff she’s not allowed to talk about yet.

GUESTS OF HONOR Tiffany Grant

One of MechaCon’s very first guests back in 2005, TIFFANY GRANT is excited to return to MechaCon at its new home in New Orleans! Best known as the English voice of Asuka in NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Tiffany was the first anime voice actor hired in Texas [Feb. 1994]. She has now voiced characters in 1200+ TV episodes, OVAs & movies including AZUMANGA DAIOH (Kaorin), CHRONO CRUSADE (Satella), BLUE SEED (Kome), GOLDEN BOY (Madame President), FMP? FUMOFFU (Bonta-kun), GODANNAR (Shizuru), FULL METAL ALCHEMIST (Marta), MABURAHO (Kuriko), ONE PIECE (Nojiko), THE WALLFLOWER (Auntie), INFINITE STRATOS (Laura) and TSUBASA RESERVOIR CHRONICLES (Ashura). Video game credits: UNLIMITED SAGA, DEUS EX II: INVISIBLE WAR. Recent projects include BIG BAD MAMA-SAN, LITTLE BUSTERS and EVANGELION 3.33. Ms. Grant has adapted English dubbing scripts for 200+ TV episodes such as ANGELIC LAYER, HELLO KITTY’S ANIMATION THEATER, TEARS TO TIARA, AH! MY GODDESS 2, THE WALLFLOWER and the live-action Korean film JUNGLE JUICE. She also penned English subtitles for projects including MIYUKI CHAN IN WONDERLAND and the live-action TOKYO – THE LAST MEGALOPOLIS.

Spike Spencer

SPIKE SPENCER has voiced hundreds of episodes of Anime including such notable titles as NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, BLEACH, VAMPIRE KNIGHT, DURARARA!, BATTLE ANGEL, SUIKODEN, ORPHEN, SPRIGGAN, NADESICO, MAR, PRETEAR, BUSO RENKIN, GUNDAM, CODE GEASS 2, and KEKKAISHI. His video game credits include BIOSHOCK:INFINITE, SAINTS ROW 3, WORLD OF WARCRAFT, TALES OF VESPERIA, BLAZBLUE, DYNASTY and SAMURAI WARRIORS, STEAMBOT CHRONICLES, STAR OCEAN 2, LUNAR: SILVER STAR HARMONY, and many others. Spike has also lent his voice to numerous radio and TV commercials. An accomplished actor, he has worked with such notable stars as Tommy Lee Jones, Sandra Bullock, Frank Langella, Tia Carrere, and Scott Glenn and has been on set with many other stars. Spike is also an author, including “How to Be A Frickin Genius Voice Actor, Step One” and “What Happens At The Con, Stays At The Con?” Spike is currently in production on the TV pilot for his “Don’t Kill Your Date (And Other Cooking Tips)” dating/cooking show (based on his panel from the Con circuit) and writing the companion book. Spike is also a screenwriter with several projects in various stages. Spike is soon to begin production on his first feature film that he scripted, DWINDLE DOWN. Spike is also an avid sailor, cook, traveler, and enjoys a good bit of dancing from time to time.

INDUSTRY GUESTS Jonathan Klein - New Generation Pictures

JONATHAN KLEIN is the Vice-President and co-owner of New Generation Pictures, Inc. His company produces the English language versions of some of the most popular anime and video games in the U.S. and Japan, including such popular anime as; HELLSING & HELLSING ULTIMATE, GUN X SWORD, KAMICHU, R.O.D THE TV, IKKI TOUSEN, NIEA UNDER 7, 3X3 EYES and many other titles. In addition, he has been the director of the English language versions of such anime titles as ERGO-PROXY, HAIBANE RENMEI, TEXHNOLYZE, MELODY OF OBLIVION and PARANOIA AGENT. Jonathan is also the co-founder of Anime Charity Auctions, an organization dedicated to help raise money for worthwhile charitable causes. Anime Charity Auctions donates rare and unusual autographed items from anime and video games to be auctioned off for non-profit charities sponsored by various anime & science fiction conventions.

INDUSTRY GUESTS Andrea Romano

Have you watched any animation on television in the last thirty years? Of course you have. And whether you realize it or not, you’ve watched Andrea Romano’s work. A winner of eight Daytime Emmy Awards (yes, eight), a Peabody Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from State University of NY, Andrea Romano’s amazing career has brought us some of our most beloved state-side animation to date. ALL of her work is recognizable, but some of her more well-known casting and voice directing work consists of pretty much anything from the various DC ANIMATED UNIVERSE television series and direct-to-video features. She’s worked on THE BOONDOCKS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, KUNG FU PANDA, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER & THE LEGEND OF KORRA, REBOOT, LAND BEFORE TIME 2, 3, 4 & 5, and Disney’s DUCK TALES, RESCUE RANGERS & WINNIE THE POOH. But that just scratches the surface! She’s also done casting and voice direction on STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS: ANIMANIACS, PINKY, ELMYRA AND THE BRAIN, FREAKAZOID, PINKY & THE BRAIN, and TINY TOON ADVENTURES. Currently working on the PUSS IN BOOTS and TURBO: FAST television series for Dreamworks Animation, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES for Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros.’ direct-to-video releases BATMAN AND SON and INVASION: ATLANTIS, Andrea remains committed to bringing you quality entertainment. In the realm of video games, she has worked on titles such as WORLD OF WARCRAFT, DIABLO, STARCRAFT, and DESCENT, along with various DC Comics properties, ANIMANIACS and TINY TOONS titles.

Greg Weisman - Writer/Director/Producer

GREG WEISMAN has been a storyteller all his life, working at Walt Disney Television Animation from 1989 through 1996 where he rose through the ranks to become Director of Series Development for the division, working on such diverse properties as DARKWING DUCK, GUMMI BEARS, TALESPIN, BONKERS, RAW TOONAGE, DUCK TALES THE MOVIE, ALADDIN THE SERIES and THE MIGHTY DUCKS, among others. In 1991, Greg and his team created and developed a new series for Disney: GARGOYLES. Greg left his position as an executive to become the Supervising Producer and Supervising Story Editor of the first 66 episodes of that series. In 1996, Greg left Disney for DreamWorks, after which he became a full-time Freelance Writer, Story Editor, Producer, Voice Director and Voice Actor. He has written scripts for MEN IN BLACK, DISNEY’S HERCULES, BIG GUY & RUSTY THE BOY ROBOT, BUZZ LIGHTYEAR OF STAR COMMAND, THE MUMMY, KIM POSSIBLE, THE BATMAN, ALIEN RACERS, BEN TEN, BIONICLE: MASK OF LIGHT, LEGION OF SUPER HEROES, BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, RESCUEBOTS, KAIJUDO, BEWARE THE BATMAN, TRANSFORMERS PRIME and OCTONAUTS among others. He has written and story edited for ROUGHNECKS: THE STARSHIP TROOPERS CHRONICLES, and he produced, wrote and story edited on both MAX STEEL and W.I.T.C.H. He has also voice directed the original DVD Movie, ATLANTIS: MILO’S RETURN and the English dub of the Japanese anime video series 3×3 EYES. More recently, Greg wrote the new GARGOYLES and GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS comic books for SLG Publishing plus an issue of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN for Marvel Comics, all while producing, writing, story editing and voice acting for Sony’s THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN. He then moved over to Warner Bros., where he wrote the GREEN ARROW direct-to-DVD short for DC SHOWCASE and produced, story edited, wrote and voice acted on the new Warner Bros./DC Comics/Cartoon Network series, YOUNG JUSTICE, as well as co-writing the companion YOUNG JUSTICE monthly comic book for DC. Greg is now an Executive Producer on STAR WARS REBELS for Lucasfilm and Disney.

Steve Yun - Harmony Gold

While still a young college student and part-time hacker in 1998, STEVE YUN got his first job at an anime company as a digital animator. It was a dream come true for any fan who grew up on ROBOTECH and MACROSS to be working somewhere in the anime industry. After slaving away through 80-hour work weeks and one really bad 100-hour work week (where he started hallucinating from being awake too long), Steve called it quits and went back to Riverside where he got his B.A. in Creative Writing. Stay in school, kids! Fresh out of college and eager to work in the anime industry again, Steve joined Harmony Gold to build the Robotech.com website, and has since co-produced and associate-produced several other projects as well, including the MACROSS restoration, the ROBOTECH:BATTLECRY video game, the ROBOTECH: INVASION video game, ROBOTECH REMASTERED and ROBOTECH: THE SHADOW CHRONICLES. Steve has also been featured in an anime documentary called GEEKS, which he has still not had a chance to see.

COSPLAY GUESTS Queen ~D~

The enigmatic and always fabulous Queen ~D~ makes his dramatic return to MechaCon! He has been extremely busy this year, traveling to and being welcomed as a guest at many conventions across the South. But, despite his travels and amazing adventures, he is excited to be back at his home state con to see all his friends! A renowned cosplay personality, Queen ~D~ has been emceeing cosplay competitions, dating games, and other events at various conventions for over five years now. With a total of ten years of cosplay experience under his belt and a few awards he’s managed to snag along the way, Queen ~D~ has come a long way over the years, managing to touch hearts all over the southern convention circuit and attracting an ever-growing army of fans (the D-Vahs). Among the cosplay talents he likes to share through panels and workshops are makeup artistry, presentation, and even basic wig styling! He’s always willing to talk to other cosplayers and help them along in their cosplay careers! Queen ~D~ returns as the official emcee of MechaCon’s 10th Annual Cosplay Competition, so be sure to attend this year to experience what promises to be an amazing show! He is also currently working on his web series ‘THE D-LIST,’ which can be found exclusively at cosplayworld.com!

Rufflebutt

Known as RUFFLEBUTT (previously AnimeAngel), Jessie is a 14-year veteran of the diverse and colorful cosplay community. An accomplished and award-winning seamstress in her own right, she has served as a cosplay model for some of the biggest companies in the Anime and gaming industry, including Machinima, Ubisoft, Aniplex, Funimation, Bandai, NIS America and others. For conventions, she has judged numerous Masquerades, coordinated competitions of all kinds and hosted many panels. Jessie has also had the honor of judging the 2012 Eurocosplay Championship finals in London. She has been featured in an episode of SUBCULTURES as well as videos by Machinima and Nerdist. She also volunteers her time for the Combat Radio’s Breakfast with Santa charity. Early in 2014, she was featured in a full page spread of Airbrush Action with a body painting project coordinated by Webble. When not working on her latest costume creation, Jessie’s passion is photography, with her work being published in various online and print publications including Newsweek. She is currently a seamstress and designer for Sypher Arts studios.

Twinfools & Nova

TWINFOOLS and NOVA are members of the Canadian cosplay group Fighting Dreamers Production (FDP for short). Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, they have been cosplaying from a range of different genres: anime, manga, video games, comics, film, and cartoons for the past 6 years since the group’s inception. Twinfools and Nova are well known for their cosplay work on deviantART and for their group’s YouTube channel which has over 100,000 subscribers and provides viewers with series shows, cosplay skits, CMV’s, convention happenings, and tutorials. FDP is a non-profit group and has organized a number of charity events through their cosplay work such as: Pray for Japan (benefiting earthquake and tsunami victims) and Aang for a Cure (benefiting cancer patients). As cosplayers, Twinfools and Nova emphasize inclusivity and try to raise accessibility of cosplay through panels and performances which they have been invited to host at cons across Canada, the UK, Scandanavia and Australia. Twinfools and Nova are honoured to be attending MechaCon X, their first American guest appearance!

Cosplay Judges

MechaCon’s Cosplay Judges panel is comprised of judges who have proven their expertise in their respective fields through accomplishments and awards. Among these fields are Cosplay Skit Production, Cosplay Craftsmanship, Seamstressing, Photography, Visual FX and Makeup FX. In addition to Rufflebutt, Twinfools and Nova, our 2014 guest judges include Kitty Hebert - Professional Seamstress.

Kitty Hebert

FEATURED ARTISTS Amelie Belcher

AMELIE “AMI-CHAN” BELCHER was born in Baton-Bloody-Boring-Rouge, Louisiana where the combination of chemical plant fumes and river water did major damage to her fragile little mind at an early age. By all accounts, she started drawing at the age of five (when she figured out that the pencil goes on the paper and not up your nose) and didn’t stop drawing until she ran out of paper... twenty years later. Amelie taught high school art for four years, but lost interest in teaching when it started cutting into her drinking time. She now travels the country selling her award-winning art, doing one-of-a-kind commissions for con-goers, giving the best damn panels on earth, and being paid tribute to by her army of fans known as the “Ami Army” in the form of Pocky and manga. Known as “the angriest chick on the net,” she is the creator of the popular web comic “The Real Life Adventures of Amelie” at Cordeval.com which is read by desperately bored people all around the world.

Kelli Sarre

2013 MechaCon Art Contest Winner KELLI SARRÉ (K3LL-3) is a college student and casual artist from the rural suburbs of South Louisiana. She has been an anime fan from a tender age and has been a faithful MechaCon attendee since year one. K3LL-3 has been drawing from her early youth and has been involved in online artist communities for ten years. Her style is influenced by 90s anime and manga to salute the epoch in which she was raised. Kelli is currently attending University to study English Composition. Other than studying, drawing and reading how-to books, she spends dreadfully long hours as a shopkeeper NPC at a big-box retailer. She enjoys networking and exchanging feedback with other visual arts hobbyists in order to improve her craft and help others improve theirs. Feel free to connect with K3LL-3 and the Sake-Zone on deviantart.com!

Robby Musso

ROBBY MUSSO is a native New Orleanian artist with a lifelong passion for comics, toys, animation, and giant robots. He is best known for his work on popular comic titles such as TRANSFORMERS and SPEED RACER for IDW Publishing and Fun Publications. In addition to drawing comics and sequential art, he has also worked officially with Hasbro Toys, providing pre-production art for several of their flagship toylines including Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Star Wars. Robby’s enthusiasm for the mech/robot genre has also been the inspiration for many of his personal, original fan creations, most notably his own TRANSFORMERS fan character “Rex”, as well as the SPEED RACERinspired variable racing machines “Mech-5” and the “Cyber-Star”. MechaCon is fortunate to have Robby join us as our official convention artist for the past five years. In fact, MechaCon’s own G.E.A.R.E. mech was conceived, designed and brought to life by Robby! For more information, please visit Robby Musso on Facebook and also on deviantArt as username “REX-203”.

MUSICAL GUESTS Eien Strife

EIEN STRIFE is coming to MechaCon and this time they have leveled up their show once again. Since the group’s forming in 2011, the four heroes of the cosplay adventure rock band have been touring conventions all over the United States while putting on a brand new concert every time! It’s hard to explain everything that you will experience when you attend an Eien Strife concert. With high energy songs, catchy dance breakdowns, hilarious 8-bit animations, and crowd interactions like never before seen, there is something for everyone at an Eien Strife show. Since the release of their full length album “FULL SPEED AHEAD”, the performers have sold thousands of copies at their shows and have recently recorded a new single with the well-known voice actor and musician, Todd Haberkorn. Not only will their performance at MechaCon X be full of surprises and excitement, but it will also be the official release weekend of their first ever DVD! Get ready for the adventure!

Suzaku 7

Making their first MechaCon appearance as the opening act for Eien Strife, The Suzaku 7 were formed in 2011 shortly after the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011. Founded by Dreux “Tasuki” Blalock as an attempt to raise money for the people who lost their homes and livelihood in the devastation, it was also a way to give back to the same people who once gave so much money to help rebuild HIS home city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, The Suzaku 7 have played at such conventions as CyphaCon, Contraflow, BayouCon, and CoastCon, as well as had the honor of opening for such legendary bands as The Slants and Mugen Hoso. Consisitng of the riveting vocals of Megan Geeck , the screeching guitars of Thomas DeVille , complimenting keyboards and trumpets of Joshua Stearns, a rhythm section comprised of Rafiq Mandal on drums and Dreux Blalock on bass, The Suzaku 7 truly bring the music of the cultures they so admire to life here in the United States!

Browncoat Brass

Bringing their particular flavor of entertainment to this year’s MechaCon Opening Ceremonies Dinner is BROWNCOATBRASS.They were initially developed by “Doc” Ryan Hildebrand as a concept band for local musicians for the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus (IKOC) carnival parade. Work on organization and practices began in the summer of 2013. The concept took off quickly, and response was overwhelming. Warm-up performances were done in coordination with Chewbacchus at various events, including the 2013/2014 den opening party and in-convention parading during Wizard World ComicCon in early 2014. Joining the band at the end of 2013 was Stephen Montalvo, now co-captain and music arranger for the group. The IKOC parade was a resounding success, with over 30 participants in the band, as well as a number of support staff. After the Chewbacchus parade, it was decided that the band would continue onward. For the 2014-2015 performance schedule, the band’s theme is “One Group of Space Cowboys Salutes Another: The Browncoat Brass Tips Their Hats to Cowboy Bebop”, focusing on brass band interpretations of pieces such as the Seatbelts’ Tank! which is the opening theme of the wildly-popular COWBOY BEBOP anime series.

DANCING

MechaCon Red Carpet Affair

The MechaCon Red Carpet When: Friday August 1, 2014 at 9:00pm Affair will close at midnight. Where: MechaCon’s Main Events Room Who can attend: Any registered MechaCon attendee Theme: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Attire: Formal/Semi-Formal Cosplay-Optional (Dress Code is Enforced) The MechaCon Red Carpet Affair is something along the lines of the kind of event Hollywood celebrities might find themselves attending after the Oscars. So, pull out your best evening gown or suit and get ready to experience MechaCon’s own fancy-pants dance like only MechaCon can bring you! And yes, cosplay formal is still welcome!

Mon Negros Productions

Ladies and gentlemen, the boys of MNP (MON NEGROS PRODUCTIONS) are proud to return to MechaCon for another amazing weekend of music, dance and all around merry making. The infamous Antonius Black and Evanuel Day bring their unique fusion of Asian Pop Music and Club Beats to the biggest and best anime convention in Louisiana! If this is your first time attending a MechaCon Red Carpet Affair or you’re a multi-year veteran of the scene, they will make sure you have a grand time! Come enjoy them at the Formal as well as all weekend on the con floor getting into all sorts of shenanigans! MNP IS LOVE!

MechaCon House Party

When: Saturday at 11:00 pm Where: MechaCon’s Main Events Room Who can attend: Any registered MechaCon attendee Attire: Something comfortable and breathable

The MechaCon House Party will close at the DJ’s discretion.

The MechaCon House Party returns with MechaCon’s own DJ Wildfire! Once again, DJ Wildfire will be on stage spinning your favorite dance mixes. So head on down to Main Events and get ready to dance ‘til you drop as MechaCon’s DJ Wildfire keeps the beats rolling through the night and on into the morning, along with contest winners Kthulu Prime and Chris Ryo.

DJ Wildfire (Resident DJ)

MechaCon’s very own resident DJ is back!. Having been a part of MechaCon since the very beginning, and having survived a tour in Iraq, MechaCon has seen him transform from a wet-behind-the-ears DJ to a seasoned performer. Over the past few years, he has upped his performance across the Gulf Coast, from Florida, all the way to his home state of Louisiana. In addition to DJing, DJ Wildfire is also an aspiring producer, and hopes to release an album in the future.

INTERACTIVE COMBAT SLEEPING SAMURAI is all about bringing Interactive Entertainment to conventions by way of hand made foam weapons, created to simulate actual weapons with as much historical accuracy as possible and crafted entirely by the staff of Sleeping Samurai. Whether you are looking for a foam Katana or a foam Hammer, you should find what you need in their wide array of weapons. Custom orders are always welcome! Sleeping Samurai has brought their expertise in the field of Interactive Entertainment to dozens of shows across the U.S. since being established in 2007. Not only do they offer you the chance to participate in the foam battles themselves but they also hold instructional and historical panels, choreographed fight routine panels, training sessions and much more. Foam weapons, parasols, hand fans, necklaces, prayer stones and sensual oils are just a few of the items you’ll find at their booth in MechaCon’s Dealer’s Room. Panel #1 • Friday 7:00pm • In the Sleeping Samurai exhibition area

Stance & Strike Training (Beginner)

Come join us for this basic course in how to hold, stand and strike with a Katana (foam versions will be provided). This Beginner course is a great way for people of all ages to learn the basics of Katana use.

Panel #2 • Saturday 11:00am • In the Sleeping Samurai exhibition area

Stance & Strike Training (Intermediate)

Come join us for this intermediate course in how to stand, move and strike with a Katana (foam versions will be provided). This Intermediate course is a great way for people of all ages to learn a more advanced way of using a Katana.

Panel #3 • Sunday 11:00am • In the Sleeping Samurai exhibition area

Prove your worth! (Advanced)

We hope you join us for our third and final training course in how to stand, move and strike with a Katana (foam Katana required). This training course is only for those who joined us for the beginner and intermediate classes. If you did not have the chance to join us for the other classes, don’t worry because we would still love to have you come watch and learn all you can! For more information, please visit us in the Sleeping Samurai Battle Room.

ELECTRONIC GAMING What would an anime convention be without the hottest in electronic gaming, both the latest and greatest as well as old school? Operating all day and all night, our electronic gaming room doesn’t fail to deliver! This year, we’re proud to announce your electronic gaming needs will once again be fulfilled by our friends from

The SuperCon 2K Series is the place to be for all gamers to explore all the aspects of the video gaming industry and beyond. This series travels to Anime, Sci-Fi and Comic Book Conventions across the nation providing a home for gamers to meet other gamers, make new friends, play casual games and to learn about the gaming industry. Whether you’re a casual or hardcore gamer we’ve got you covered. There are multiple game set-ups, giveaways, tournaments and cool prizes to be won!! For all gamers, the SuperCon 2K Series can be seen at variety of conventions and events that have some tie-in or cross-over into the video game industry. Don’t miss the opportunity, fun, memories, networking, prizes, education, bragging rights, and/or the chance to be named the most proven player in the nation!

GUEST AUTOGRAPHS

FANDOM CENTRAL Artists Alley

101 – Kevin Chen 102 – Middle Earth Apartment 103 – Rusty Bee Productions 104 – Pleasantly Strange 105 – Robby Musso MechaCon Guest Artist 106 – Kelli Sarre MechaCon Guest Artist 107 – Vicki & Logan Viverito 108 – MintyMix 201 – So Many Pigeons 202 – Kevin Yan 203 – Sorbet Jungle 204 – Bandi Studios 205 – Dreamgear Studios 206 – Carlos Vega & Robin Ford 207 – ForensicFoxCrafts & Art by Ara 208 – Supernae’s Dots 301 – Marcotte Studios 302 – Jayson Garcia 303 – Chantilly LLC 304 – Jonquel Norwood 305 – Kittiye’s Kreations 306 – Flower Power 307 – Meagan Tanner 308 – Bleu Moon Studio 401 – Decalzilla 402 – Regine Skrydon

Convention Alley C01 – BayouCon C02 – CoastCon C03 – Anime South

403 – T-Box Design Group 404 – Fairy Surreal 405 – Cosplay Geekery 406 – Apple Pudding 407 – Jeanne Larson 408 – Reve Lullaby 501 – Amelie Belcher MechaCon Guest Artist 502 – Erinne Lester & Katherine Walker 503 – ShinigamiArt 504 – Otakuz with a Z 505 – Gremware 506 – AniPirates 507 – Duct Tape Awesomeness 508 – Christa Stewart 509 – Ratty Creations 510 – Three Geeks Studios 511 – Jinny Liang 512 – Nattosoup 601 – Heidi Black 602 – Erin Kennedy & Matthew Leblanc 603 – Rockin’ Robin 604 – Carly Ricci 605 – Abydos Trading Post 606 – Christopher Paulsen 607 – Chuck Porcheron 608 – Offbeat and Whimsical 701 – Alice Infinity Designs

C04 – Crescent City Comic-Con C05 – DerpyCon South C06 – Geekonomicon

FanTables

F01 – Bast Alpha Garrison of the 501st Legion F02 – Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S F03 – Louisiana Steampunks F04 – SWLA Browncoats F05 – NOLA Lolitas F06 – Louisiana D20 Girls F07 – Mind’s Eye Society

Industry Alley IA1 – Antarctic Press IA2 – Eien Strife

IA3 – Queen D IA4 – The Green Inferno Movie

702 – Gwyneth Arts LIVE! 703 – Sew-It-All Creations 704 – chaoticHARMONY 705 – Doomsplosion 706 – Mad Mac 707 – Emily Flores 708 – ARTabstraction 801 – Santhria’s Shards & Meemeekoe’s Kittyart 802 – Nerdy Pop Couture 803 – Christina Entwisle & Megan Hourcade 804 – Art by Johnny Segura 805 – Shadow Ware Productions 806 – xdplushie 807 – zzyzzyy 808 – RetroGameCrafts 809 – Radtastical 810 – Syppah’s Cute Creations 811 – Velcro: The Ninja Cat 812 – Sugar Shock Creations 813 – Ashlyn Larmeu & Wendy Luscy 814 – Madgeination Crafts 815 – Miooo 816 – Nate Smith & Courtney Ogburn 817 – Chaos Kawaii 818 – Inner Goddess Soap Co.

C07 – CyphaCon C08 – CONtraflow

F08 – Dagobah Base Rebel Legion IA8 – Louisiana Ghostbusters IA7 – Steampunk New Orleans IA6 – Mandalorian Mercs IA5 – USS New Orleans C09 – NOLA Library Anime C10 – Krewe du Who

Cosplay & Staff Tables S1 – Official MechaCon Cosplay Registration S2 – Official Artist Alley Info / Scavenger Hunt S3 – LA Cosplayers Hall Cosplay Registration

Art by

KELLI SARRE

2013 MechaCon Art Contest Winning Entry

by KELLI SARRE

DEALERS ROOM 1st Floor – Salon B-D

Vendors listed with a next to their listings are members of the U.F.S. MechaCon Preferred Vendor Partner Program. Participating vendors will give a 10% discount upon presentation of a 2014 GoldPass badge and a 5% discount upon presentation of a 2014 SilverPass badge.

D01 – House of Anime

D14 – Realms Anime

D27 – Pix Posters

D02 – Fundraising Guru

D15 – Tee Turtle

D28 – Loyal K.N.G.

D03 – Anime Secrets

D16 – Octane Toys

D29 – Cordy’s Corner

D04 – Anime Palace

D17 – Punk’d Works

D30 – IT Cosplay

D05 – Imagine That

D18 – Bowen Dragon 1

D31 – Anime Pop

D06 – Sleeping Samurai

D19 – House of Anime

D32 – Anime Stuff Store

D07 – White Lightning

D20 – Game Play Wear

D33 – Gaijin USA

D08 – Pawstar

D21 – Kaiju Katanas

D34 – Animax

D09 – Toys Logic

D22 – Holy Cow Anime

D35 – Best Anime Shop

D10 – Discotek Media

D23 – Steam Naherin

D36 – Collector’s Universe

D11 – 168 Dragon Trading

D24 – Sew Geek

D37 – Tasty Peach

D12 – Exotic Lenses

D25 – Digital Discs

D38 – Impressive Inks

D13 – Aardvark Tees

D26 – LaDeDas

D39 – Anime Pavilion

CHARITY AUCTION A Worthy Cause

MechaCon is proud to announce our 2014 Charity Auction will once again benefit

We are fortunate to have returning as our celebrity auctioneer, none other than JONATHAN KLEIN. Mr. Klein is the Vice-President and co-owner of New Generation Pictures, Inc., based in Beverly Hills. His company produces the English language versions of some of the most popular anime and video games in the United States and Japan. For more information on Mr. Klein, please see his bio in the Guests section at the front of this book. In addition to Jonathan’s work in Anime & Video games he is the co-founder of Anime Charity Auctions, an organization dedicated to helping raise money for worthwhile charitable causes. Anime Charity Auctions donates rare and unusual autographed items from anime and video games to be auctioned off at various anime & science fiction conventions. All the proceeds raised from the auction are donated to the not-for-profit charity that the convention sponsors. MechaCon is extremely proud to be graced this year with such donations. Our Charity Auction items are on display at the Convention Information desk outside of the Artists Alley on the 2nd floor. Stop by and check out all the great items up for auction.

In 2013, we were humbled by your generosity as our Charity Auction raised over $10,000 for St. Jude!

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in 1962 in Memphis, TN and was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world. How does this relate to you in Louisiana? On average, St. Jude treats over 750 patients from Louisiana each year. Louisiana is the state with the third highest number of patients treated at St. Jude. Did you know that the daily operating cost for St. Jude is $1.8 million? Since the hospital opened in 1962, they have never experienced a short fall in operating costs which are primarily funded by public contributions. The greatest part about our work at St. Jude is:

No family ever pays St. Jude for anything. Most importantly, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital freely shares research and treatment information and has often been described as “a hospital without walls.” The St. Jude Domestic Affiliate Program’s mission is to extend care and benefits to more children; increase the number of children on St. Jude protocols; and to provide clinical, academic and financial support to our affiliates. A special thank you to The Domestic Affiliate Program is a network of pediatric hematologyoncology clinics, hospitals and universities united to extend the mission of St. Jude. The physicians and staff at these sites work in collaboration with the staff of St. Jude to deliver protocol-related care to pediatric hematology and oncology patients. There are six affiliates nationwide, two of which for their generous are located in Louisiana. Our Baton Rouge & Shreveport affiliates offer donations to treatment to children locally and are a vital part of our mission. When you our Charity Auction. support St. Jude, you are supporting children in this great State. 28

INDUSTRY SUPPORT MechaCon extends its heartfelt thanks to the following donors of prizes and general swag for our event. It is with the support of these companies that we are able to continue providing you, the attendees, with such a great annual event!

ATTENDEE CONDUCT MechaCon Rules of Conduct (An Overview) These Activities are NOT Allowed at MechaCon: • Loitering in the halls – DEFINITELY NO sleeping in the halls • Engaging in disruptive behavior that disturbs the public or staff • Making a threat of physical or verbal harassment to a member or members of the public or MechaCon staff • Any act that could result in substantial risk or harm to any persons or property • Sexual misconduct such as, but not limited to indecent exposure, offensive touching, or any form of sexual harassment • The selling of any merchandise out of the hotel rooms, hallways or outside the hotel under any circumstance. We value our dealers and artists, and merchandise is only to be sold, in any form, within the DEALERS room or the ARTISTS ALLEY • Engaging in any activity prohibited by Louisiana and/or City of New Orleans law • Brandishing any weapon that has not been PEACE BONDED. This includes removing a sword from its casing, or swinging a weapon around. All registered or unregistered weapons need to follow the laws of New Orleans ordinances • Distribution of any form of literature without the written permission by the MechaCon organizers MechaCon reserves the right to enforce these rules, and anyone violating them will be asked to leave and their convention badge will be revoked. There will be absolutely no refunds given in the case of any revocation of a paid convention badge due to breaking the convention rules, no matter the reason for the infraction. If the person or persons being asked to leave the convention resist being escorted off the premises by MechaCon personnel, local police will be called in to remove the person or persons from the hotel and/or adjoining areas.

Hate Symbols are NOT Allowed at MechaCon Recently, a disturbing trend has developed in the anime fandom that we felt the need to address. Due to the popularity of several anime, manga and J-pop artists using symbols and uniforms from Nazi Germany, there have been some cosplayers at other conventions who seem to think that openly wearing swastikas and other hate symbols is ‘cool’. There have even been instances of groups at other conventions performing Nazi salutes. The Staff of MechaCon shares the sorrow of literally millions of Jewish, Polish, Gay, Gypsy and other families who lost children, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives to the evil of the Nazi regime and has the utmost respect for the men and women of our armed forces, who have put their lives on the line to ensure the freedom and civil liberties upon which this country was founded. We WILL NOT, under any circumstances, allow the symbols of these atrocities, or hate symbols of any kind, to be worn or displayed at MechaCon. We reserve the right to ask you to remove any such symbol, or to remove you from the convention floor should you refuse to do so. We do not dispute your right under the First Amendment to express your views by wearing a swastika out in public; MechaCon, however, is a private event, to which we welcome members of every race, creed, religion and orientation. We want everyone to feel comfortable at our event, and these symbols are offensive to many and outright insulting to some, and as such are in direct opposition to the spirit of community and family that MechaCon has tried to engender in our attendees. Any symbol that can be characterized as a hate symbol should not be worn at MechaCon. This includes the swastika. We realize that the swastika originated as a Buddhist symbol and was adopted by Nazi Germany. This does not change the fact that, after years of use as a representation of the Nazi’s attempt at ethnic cleansing by the murder of millions, the swastika is known the world over as a symbol of hatred. It has, unfortunately, taken on a new meaning, and has fallen out of use by most Buddhists. Further, it is absurd to suggest that it is being used for its original Buddhist symbolism while attaching it to a Nazi uniform or other WWII period costume. Other unacceptable symbols are the “SS” thunderbolts, the noose, “HFFH” symbols, and any other symbol that is widely accepted as a symbol of oppression, hatred or violence towards a specific group of people. Again, we want everyone to feel comfortable at MechaCon and have an enjoyable experience. MechaCon is not the proper venue for political or moral debate, and we reserve the right to remove anyone participating in conduct that may be offensive to our staff, guests or other attendees. Please be aware of and courteous towards the feelings of your fellow con-goers. Just because something is not offensive to you, doesn’t mean it is not offensive and hurtful to others. We appreciate your help in keeping MechaCon a peaceful, fun environment.

Introducing...

The Clubhouse is a new MechaCon Attraction making its debut this year. Tucked away in a hidden corner of the 3rd floor lies a room to come to and take a load off from all of your daily convention adventures. The clubhouse is a family-friendly home away from home with your very own dedicated team of maid and hosts eagerly awaiting your arrival! Packed with fun games, food, and of course special performances by your very own maids and hosts, the Clubhouse provides a new experience for each and every guest. So come visit us! You must be a registered MechaCon Attendee to participate, however, this is a pay-at-the-door attraction. All tickets must be purchased at the Clubhouse door (please refer to the official MechaCon map on page 5 for its location).

Ticket Sales:

Each show runs approx. 1 hr. Tickets guarantee you entry into the clubhouse, unlimited game play during the show time, performance, at-table service and interaction with maids and hosts. Food is sold separately. General Admission (Good for 1 show): $8 All day pass (Good for all shows during the day, excluding Tea Party): $26 All Weekend Pass (Good for all shows, excluding Tea Party): $40 If you are a GoldPass attendee, you receive one complimentary general admission to any show of your choosing (excluding Tea Party). Please arrive 10 minutes prior to show time seating with your MechaCon X GoldPass badge.

Hours:

Friday 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. • Satuday 9:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. • Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Fresh from the lab, our lovely maids and hosts are the latest models in artificial intelligence technology. Often confused with “real humans,” these top of the line models are here to serve and entertain while all at the same time “learning what it truly means to be human.” It’s up to you to teach and show them! Each sparked with their own peculiar behavior, they are sure to create an experience you won’t soon forget! Please visit our official MechaCon app and click on their names to learn more about them!

VIDEO ROOM Friday, August 1st

1:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies Episode VI Opening Crawl

1:05pm - Lupin the Third: Bye Bye, Lady Liberty

Discotek Media • 13+

2:45pm - Dragon Ball: Commander Red Saga

Episodes #58-62 • FUNimation • TV-Y

5:00pm - Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Episodes #1-4 • Sentai Filmworks • TV-14

6:45pm - Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Blood Prison Viz • TV-14 8:45pm - Accel World Episodes #1-4 • Viz • TV-MA 10:30pm - Space Adventure Cobra Episodes #1-3 • Right Stuf • TV-MA

Saturday, August 2nd 12:00am - Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! Episodes #1-4 • NIS America • TV-MA 1:45am - Blessing of the Campanella Episodes #1-4 • Right Stuf • TV-MA 3:30am - Yuyushiki

6:15am - Lupin the Third: Green Vs Red Discotek Media • Ages 13+

8:00am - Robotech: Shadow Chronicles Harmony Gold • TV-PG

9:45am - The Princess and the Pilot Episodes #1-4 • NIS America • TV-14

11:30am - Tiger & Bunny The Movie: The Beginning

Episodes #1-6 • Sentai Filmworks • TV-14

Viz • TV-14

1:15pm - Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance FUNimation • TV-14

3:15pm - Persona 4: The Animation

Episodes #1-3 • Sentai Filmworks • TV-14

4:45pm - Snafu

Episodes #1-4 • Sentai Filmworks • TV-14

6:30pm - One Piece: Strong World FUNimation • TV-14

8:30pm - Sailor Moon (2014 Dub)

9:30pm - Attack on Titan

Episodes #1-7 • FUNimation • TV-MA

Sunday, August 3rd 12:30am - Sengoku Collection

Episodes #1-5 • Right Stuf • TV-MA

2:45am - Flowers of Evil

Episodes #1-4 • Sentai Filmworks • TV-MA

4:45am - Ground Control to Psycoelectric Girl Episodes #1-4 • NIS America • 13+

6:30am - Ranma 1/2

Episodes #1-4 • Viz • 13+

8:15am - Kimba the White Lion

Episodes #1-5 • Right Stuf • All Ages

10:30am - Occult Academy

Episodes #1-4 • NIS America • 13+

12:15pm - Bleach

Episodes #292-295 • Viz • TV-14

2:00pm - Space Pirate Captain Harlock Episodes #29-35 • Discotek Meia • 13+

Ratings

Anime covers all sides of the entertainment audience, so the anime rating system was created. In a lot of ways, this is the most successful of all rating systems, as it not only gives a recommended age, but also lists the content in the film and parental guidance warning. TV-Y7: Ages 7 and up. TV-PG: Sometimes contains a little violence. 13+: Contains a little mild language and violence. TV-14: Used often in darker anime dealing with catastrophe and violence, as well as crime or murder. 15+: Comedy anime with this rating sometimes has excessive fan-service, which includes scantily clad beautiful women or men. TV-MA: Unlike 18+, this anime has sex, in the soft-core type, but generally it’s the excessive violence and language that gives the MA rating. 18+: This category is reserved for Hentai and films with graphic sex.

Episodes #1-2 • Viz • TV-PG

PANEL SCHEDULE Friday, August 1st 3:00pm - Ultimate Hellsing Ultimate Panel Presented by Jonathan Klein • Panel Room 1

Gothic & Lolita Fashion 101

Competing in the World Cosplay Summit

Presented by NOLA Lolitas 11:00pm - • Panel Room 2

Presented by Cute Classy Chaos • Panel Room 3

4:00pm -

Voice Directing for TV Animation, Anime and Videogames

10:00am - Hetalia World Conference: Ask A Nation Presented by April Cherie

Exploring the Dream Bubble

Presented by Vivian Street • Panel Room 3

Presented by The Awesome Geeks • Panel Room 3

12:00pm - Dealing with Cosplay Hate and Drama Presented by Twinfools and Nova

• Secondary Events

Con Etiquette: A General Survival Guide

Presented by Aaron Carter • Panel Room 1

Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. • Panel Room 2

Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn • Panel Room 3

Corsets and Bustles and Bodices OH MY!

Materials and Techniques: Watercolors

7:00pm - Anime is a 15 Letter Word Presented by Mason Maldonado • Panel Room 1

Strike A Pose!

Star Trek: Animated!

Presented by Dues Ex Whichama • Panel Room 2 Presented by Capt. Randolph Allen • Panel Room 3

8:00pm - Straw Hat Pirates Q&A

Presented by Kymberly Greeting • Panel Room 1

Nerd Music 101

Presented by Brendan Faust • Panel Room 3

9:00pm - Voice Acting vs. Stage Acting/On-Camera Acting Presented by Tiffany Grant

• Panel Room 2

The Awesome Geeks’ Awesome Panel

Presented by Twinfools and Nova • Panel Room 3

• Panel Room 1

Cosplay Wigs

11:00am - Time Travel RPGs Presented by Jonathan Thompson

6:00pm - The iDOLM@STER Presented by Brett Hart

Presented by Brandon Delcambre • Secondary Events

Saturday, August 2nd

Presented by Eien Strife • Tertiary Events

5:00pm - Mahjong 101 Presented by Caitlyn Hirch & Robin Mortensen

• Panel Room 1

Cards Against Humanity VIP Game (18+)

Eien Strife Acoustic Show

Presented by Jonathan Klein, Andrea Romano, and Greg Weisman • Panel Room 1

10:00pm - What Happens at the Con, Stays at the Con...? Presented by Spike Spencer • Tertiary Events Anime Cat Fight Presented by Steve Yun

• Panel Room 1

Materials and Techniques: Art Markers Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn • Panel Room 3

PK Dick: A Fan Intro

Presented by Tim Hornsby • Panel Room 3

• Panel Room 1

Steampowered Props

Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. • Panel Room 2

MLP Fandom Panel

Presented by Grace Sarre • Panel Room 3

1:00pm - The Perfect Harmony Presented by Dana Morrison

• Panel Room 1

Fairy Tail Q&A With Lucy,

Presented by Anna Johnson • Panel Room 2

Gajeel, and Levy!

How NOT to Draw

Presented by Amelie Belcher • Panel Room 3

2:00pm - State of the Animation Industry Presented by Jonathan Klein, Greg Weisman,

& Steve Yun • Panel Room 1

3:00pm - Neon Genesis Evangelion Presented by Spike Spencer and Tiffany Grant

• Panel Room 1

Alternate Historical Gaming Presented by Jonathan Thompson • Panel Room 2

House Party and DJ AMA Presented by DJ Wildfire • Panel Room 3

4:00pm - The Marvel Comics Videogames Panel

Presented by Jonathan Klein • Panel Room 1

Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. • Panel Room 2

I, Steampunk

4:00pm -

Robotech Industry Panel Presented by Steve Yun • Panel Room 3

5:00pm - Gargoyles 20th Anniversary Presented by Greg Weisman

• Panel Room 1

Wheatly Interprets It All: A Portal 2 Experiment Presented by Scott Carrol • Panel Room 3

10:00am - Eien Strife Retro Gaming Challenge!!! Presented by Eien Strife

6:00pm - Adapting Scripts for English Dubs Presented by Tiffany Grant

Attack on Titan - Human Curiosity Outside the Wall

Keeping it Real with MNP

• Panel Room 1

Presented by Jessica Rhodes • Panel Room 2

Presented by Mon Negros Productions • Panel Room 3

7:00pm - Improv: Being Anyone But Yourself! Presented by Scott J. Carrol

• Panel Room 1

Intro to MLP

Presented by Brendan Faust • Panel Room 2

Cosplay Sociology

Presented by Pink Pariah • Panel Room 3

8:00pm - How to Wear Skimpy Costumes While Still Being Modest Presented by Rufflebutt

• Panel Room 1

Meet the Minds Behind G.E.A.R.E.

Presented by Robby Musso and Travis Farrar • Panel Room 3

9:00pm - Giant Robot Rumble Presented by Steve Yun

• Panel Room 1

The Homestuck Dating Game

Artist Alley: Everything You Ever Need to Know About Tabling (and Then Some)!

Presented by Vivian Street • Panel Room 2

Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn • Panel Room 3

10:00pm - Don’t Kill Your Date (and Other Cooking Tips) Presented by Spike Spencer

• Panel Room 1

12:00am - TMI with Queen ~D~ (18+) Presented by Queen ~D~

• Panel Room 1

• Panel Room 3

11:00am - Black Butler Q&A on Teaching About English Tea Presented by Jared Statham • Panel Room 2

Robotech Free-For-All Presented by Steve Yun • Panel Room 3

12:00pm - Rain of the Ghosts Presented by Greg Weisman

• Panel Room 1

When Did the Bullied Become the Bullies?

Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. • Panel Room 2

D List FAQ

Presented by Queen ~D~ • Panel Room 3

1:00pm - Fighting Dreamers Productions General Q&A Presented by Twinfools & Nova

• Panel Room 1

Goggles, Corsets, and Top Hats. Oh my! Presented by Jenna Pilley • Panel Room 2

Shut Up and Cosplay! Presented by Rufflebutt • Panel Room 3

2:00pm - Young Justice Presented by Greg Weisman

• Panel Room 1

Attack on Titan Q&A Presented by Myah Hall • Panel Room 2

Doctor Who Cosplay

Presented by Nicholas Foreman • Panel Room 3

3:00pm - History of Cosplay Presented by Brendan Faust

• Panel Room 3

How to be a Frickin’ Genius Voice Actor

Presented by Spike Spencer • Panel Room 1

Don’t forget to download our official MechaCon App!

Sunday, August 3rd 10:00am - Spectacular Spider-Man Presented by Greg Weisman • Panel Room 1 Dance Workshop with Shining Generation Idol Project Presented by Brett Hart

• Panel Room 2

PANELS & PRESENTATIONS Informative panels have always been and continue to be in high demand at anime events around the world. MechaCon has gathered a variety of panels on many different subjects for attendees to experience and enjoy!

Adapting Scripts for English Dubs

“Hey! Why’d they change that?!” Come find out, straight from a source! Also find out what it takes to adapt a translation into a script used for dubbing, straight from Scriptwriter/Voice Actor Tiffany Grant! Presented by Tiffany Grant

Alternate Historical Gaming

How do you game in a historical game? What makes a game historical vs. alt. historical? Come find out in this panel detailing gaming in both real and alternate histories and the games they represent. Presented by Jonathan Thompson

Anime Cat Fight

Instead of a nice romantic candlelit dinner, would you rather spend your night arguing about which imaginary girl would win in a fight? Then Harmony Gold’s Steve Yun has the event for you as a team of panelists debate and maybe get into fisticuffs themselves to find out who would win! Presented by Steve Yun

Anime is a 15 Letter Word

Did SAO beat out the competition of 2012? Was SNK the titan of 2013? Do you think Kill La Kill destroyed the competition of 2014 so far? Come join our open discussion as we hit anime head to head, discussing the reasons why we love or hate them. Presented by Mason Maldonado

Artist Alley: Everything You Ever Need to Know About Tabling (and Then Some)!

Interested in having a table in artist alley? Already a veteran of the AA and want to share your experiences? Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn, with 25 years of artist alley experience between them, invite artists and crafters of all levels to join them as they cover everything from the basics and starting out, to types of shows, to online marketing, and everything in between. They will then open the floor to questions and sharing. Come learn from their mistakes and successes and kickstart your own artist alley adventure. Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn

This is a panel with the purpose in mind to allow people both new and seasoned to cons to come in and ask questions about how to strike up conversations with people, and not appear offputting or strange. This is a panel for all, it is an open forum and a place where questions can be asked without judgment. Presented by Aaron Carter

Corsets and Bustles and Bodices OH MY!

The ladies of the Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. take to the stage to share clues to things you never knew you didn’t know. Amongst the topics are how to properly lace a corset, how to make and wear a bustle with ease and in general to answer all those more intricate questions on ladies costuming and its intricacies. Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S.

Cosplay Sociology

Awesome panel filled with seasoned cosplayers! We get underneath the skin of the cosplay scene and talk about what makes most cosplayers tick. PG-13+ and come with an open mind! Presented by Pink Pariah

Cosplay Wigs

This panel from Cosplay guests Twinfools and Nova walks you through wig styling, from purchasing a base to advanced styling techniques such as using wire. Presented by Twinfools & Nova

D List FAQ

Ever wanted to ask D why he hates his staff? Come to the Q&A for Queen D’s wildly unpopular show “The D-List” and ask him and the cast anything. Be sure to watch the show first so you get an idea. Or don’t. It’s fine. Presented by Queen ~D~

Dance Workshop with Shining Generation Idol Project

Come learn K-Pop and J-Pop dances with the members of the Louisiana based cosplay dance group, Shining Generation Idol Project! Come out and have a fun time dancing! Presented by Brett Hart

Attack on Titan Q&A

Dealing with Cosplay Hate and Drama

Attack on Titan: Human Curiosity Outside the Wall

Doctor Who Cosplay

Come and sit in on a conversation about one of the biggest animes in recent memory! Questions are welcome, and the more people ask, the better the topics get! Don’t let that wall stop you, Titan lovers! Presented by Mya Hall

This panel will specifically cater to the Attack on Titan, or Shingeki no Kyojin, fandom. A collection of everyone’s dearly loved (and perhaps despised) characters will be present and strictly in character in order to answer any questions presented and to interact with each other and the fans. “Nothing can supress a human’s curiosity” ~Eren Jaegar Presented by Jessica Rhodes

Black Butler Q&A: About English Tea

Come and talk to your favorite Black Butler characters as they discuss everything you may want to know about brewing and serving their favorite teas! Presented by Jared Cox

Competing in the World Cosplay Summit

Come join us as we talk about the World Cosplay Summit! We’ll cover the basics of what the Summit is, how to get involved, and talk about our experiences getting to the USA Finals. Presented by Cute Classy Chaos

Con Etiquette: A General Survival Guide

Twinfools and Nova go in depth about how to deal with people who might hate cosplay or criticize you for it (from inside and outside of the cosplay community). We will talk about how to deal with issues such as unsupportive parents, critical friends, internet hate and trolling and how to deal with cosplaying in public. Presented by Twinfools & Nova The Doctor Who fandom has exploded in our country. Come and get tips on reproducing some of your favorite costumes from the show! Presented with PowerPoint, this panel will feature visual examples to help you with creating your own costume. Presented by Nicholas Foreman

Don’t Kill Your Date (and Other Cooking Tips)

MEN! How do you get a great woman? LADIES! What do you want to tell your men? Let your Dating Sage, Spike help you out. For years, Spike has been speaking about dating, relationships, and “being a man,” through the mediums of cooking, travel, fun, and adventure! Come enjoy Spike’s humorous stories chock full of recipes, silliness, and sexy adventures. Presented by Spike Spencer

Eien Strife Acoustic Show

Come and join Eien Strife as they tone it down (just a litte) for an acoustic performance. This will be just a taste of what they will have for the full concert! Presented by Eien Strife

Eien Strife Retro Gaming Challenge

Eien Strife invites you to play some old-school games, but with a little twist. You will have a chance to win a prize if you can defeat the challenge as you play in front of the audience. To find out if you are up to the task, join Eien Strife’s unique video game panel. Presented by Eien Strife

Exploring the Dream Bubble

Suddenly 25 of the characters you most know, love, and maybe even came to hate are transported into a special magic dream bubble. It’s up to you to figure out how the trolls and humans will spend their time there. Just remember that the almighty and Toblerone munching Hussie is here too, watching over and even appearing in a dark cave from time to time. Presented by Vivian Street

Fairy Tail Q&A w/ Lucy, Gajeel, and Levy! This is the chance for you to ask whatever you want! Lucy Heartfilia, Levy McGarden, and Gajeel Redfox will answer all your candid questions! Presented by Anna Johnson & Friends

Fighting Dreamers Productions General Q&A

Cosplay Guests Twinfools and Nova of FDP field any questions or comments you might have. Whether you want to talk about cosplay, conventions, relationships, or more! Anything goes! Presented by Twinfools & Nova

GargoyleS:20th Anniversary

With 2014 being the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Gargoyles, this is a perfect opportunity to relive the greatness of Gargoyles with its creator, Greg Weisman! Greg will discuss his creation, how he feels 20 years later, and answer fan questions. Presented by Greg Weisman

Giant Robot Rumble

Remember when you were in elementary school and you argued with your friends about whether Voltron or Optimus Prime would win in a fight? Well, prepare for the ultimate in nerdy panels: Harmony Gold’s Steve Yun hosts a tournament where panelists and attendees argue and vote over which robots would win in a fight. Sixteen robots will enter the arena, but only one will emerge as the victor! Presented by Steve Yun

Goggles, Corsets, and Top Hats. Oh my! Steampunk - that extravagant genre of Victorian Sci-fi! But need it always be Victorian? Or costly? The members of BRASS and LASP are proud to answer such questions and more! Presented by Jenna Pilley

House Party and DJ AMA

Do you have questions about how to produce amazing music and don’t know where to start? Want to know what kind of planning goes into the MechaCon House Party? Maybe you would like to know what your DJs do for fun when they’re not blowing your mind with their beats. Here’s your chance to ask DJ Wildfire, Kthulu Prime and Chris Ryo all your burning questions. Presented by DJ Wildfire

How NOT to Draw

Come join MechaCon favorite, Amelie Belcher, as she demonstrates a lot of the biggest mistakes that most budding artists make, along with a large dose of southern charm! Presented by Amelie Belcher

How to be a Frickin’ Genius Voice Actor

Spike will share his knowledge of the VO world with you. Learn how the voice actors do that Voodoo that they do so well. Spike will help you understand how your voice is an instrument and how to fine tune it so that you too might become a Frickin Genius voice actor one day. Presented by Spike Spencer

How to Wear Skimpy Costumes while Still Being Modest This panel discusses how to make skimpier costumes less skimpy than they appear. It will also discuss the “Cosplay is not Consent” movement and how to handle unwanted situations. Presented by Rufflebutt

I, Steampunk

The who, what, when, where, why, and how of Steampunk. We’ll talk about who started the movement, what it means, when it started to gain traction, where to look for more information, why we all got involved and how you can get involved. Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S.

Improv: Being Anyone But Yourself!

Love shows like Who’s Line Is It Anyway? Enjoy Improv games? Interested in the nuances of pretending to be someone you’re not? Then join actors Scott and Dereck as they lead a night of classic games; with suggestions, comments, and volunteers from you, the audience! Presented by Scott Carroll

Intro to MLP

Have you ever wondered just why My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has captivated so many people? Ever thought, “Who are those cute ponies on his tee shirt?” Join Rendo as he explains the basics of MLP and talks about the fandom and the show itself! Presented by Brendan Faust

Keeping it Real with MNP

We will be presenting one of Japan’s cutest and most elegant fashions- Lolita! The NOLA Lolitas will be covering the basics and history of the fashion to help you get started on becoming a lolita. Q&A session will follow our presentation. Presented by NOLA Lolitas

This is THE panel you need to be at if your quest is to gain straight knowledge from a couple of dudes who have been around the block a few times. Money? They’ve lost it. Love? That’s cool, too. It’s the advice and discussion panel you never knew you had to be at! Antonius Black and Evanuel Day share stories from the grip with hopes of passing on life lessons to the masses. Presented by Mon Negros Productions

Hetalia World Conference: Ask A Nation

Mahjong 101

History of Cosplay

Materials and Techniques: Art Markers

Gothic & Lolita Fashion 101

Come and meet some of your favorite characters from Hetalia and ask them what they think about various topics. In this panel, guests can ask questions and panelists will answer as their character. Presented by April Cherie Have you ever wondered just when people started to dress as their favorite characters at group gatherings? Join Rendo as he brings you back in time to history’s first cosplayers and talks about how it has evolved over the years. Presented by Brendan Faust

This panel is about the basics of Mahjong and how to play it. We will also go over the differences of Chinese, Japanese, and American Mahjong. Presented by Caitlin Hirsch Master artist Becca Hillburn has reviewed over twenty different brands of markers on her website (nattosoup. blogspot.com), including the favorite Copic marker and many of its competitors. She will be joined by Heidi Black to teach you many techniques and tricks they have picked up over the last 15 years, and revealing affordable alternatives and giving live demos. Materials will be provided for some experimentation of your own! Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn (Continued)

PANELS & PRESENTATIONS (Continued from previous page)

Materials and Techniques: Watercolors Interested in learning the secrets of watercolor? Master artists Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn will explore the many materials used in water coloring and teach you basic techniques as well as their favorite tricks. They will also bring some materials for live demos and for you to try. Presented by Heidi Black and Becca Hillburn

Meet the Minds Behind

After years of planning, the story of our mascots is finally being told! Meet two of the people responsible for bringing Jett and Zee’s story to life! Travis will talk about all of the work that went into completing the first three chapters of the story and what is still to come, while Robby talks about and shares some new concept art. Presented by Travis Farrar and Robby Musso

Spectacular Spider-Man

Greg Weisman talks about the 2008 series involving everyone’s favorite Wall-Crawler, The Spectacular Spider-Man. Spidey is still one of America’s favorite super-heros, and this series is considered one of the best adaptations of the character. So come and hear about it from Supervising Producer, Story Editor, Writer and Voice Actor Greg Weisman. Presented by Greg Weisman

Star Trek: Animated!

This panel is all about Star Trek: The Animated Series! Not many people know this actually exists and can be streamed from services like Netflix. Come and find out more as we share our love for a little known piece of Star Trek history! Presented by Capt. Randolph Allen

State of the Animation Industry

Friendship is Magic! Come discuss your favorite My Little Pony topics and enjoy MLP karaoke! Presented by Grace Sarre

Industry insiders Jonathan Klien, Greg Weisman, and Steve Yun get together to answer questions about the current state of the anime industry. Where are we now? Where are we going? Come and get your answers! Presented by Jonathan Klein, Greg Weisman & Steve Yun

Neon Genesis Evangelion Q&A

Steam-powered Props

Nerd Music 101

Straw Hat Pirates Q&A

MLP Fandom

Join the everyone’s favorite Eva pilot duo as they talk about one of the biggest anime ever. Tiffany Grant (Asuka) and Spike Spencer (Shinji) reminisce about their time as these iconic characters, and then answer some of your burning questions. Presented by Tiffany Grant & Spike Spencer Have you ever wanted to hear music that catered to your inner nerdiness? Are you already a nerdcore fan but want to know the history of the genre? Join Rendo as he brings you back to the 70s and forward to discover the roots of nerdcore and talk about the hot nerd musicians of today. Presented by Brendan Faust

PK Dick: A Fan Intro

This is a fan introduction to the works of Sci-Fi writer Philip K Dick, with a cursory look at his works in short stories, novels, movies, and comics. It will consist of a Power Point presentation covering the general themes of his works with examples from his written or visual library. This panel aims to introduce a new generation of fans to P.K. Dick, typically a favorite of older sci-fi fans. Presented by Tim Hornsby

Rain of the Ghosts

Industry Guest Greg Weisman will read from and discuss his recent horror-fantasy-myth-based novels Rain of the Ghosts and Spirits of Ash and Foam. Come and hear the creator of Gargoyles talk about his latest projects! Presented by Greg Weisman

Free-For-All

Did you miss the first Robotech panel? Do you still have questions about the past, present or future of Robotech? Here is your chance as Harmony Gold’s Steve Yun opens the floor to whatever questions you’ve got! Presented by Steve Yun

Industry Panel

Gadgets, inventions and whatchamacallits. Props, basic costuming and more will be covered in this discussion. This, like all G.E.A.R.S. panels, will be a rousing mixture of performance, information and Q&A. Presented by The Adventurers League of G.E.A.R.S. While searching for One Piece, the Straw Hats stopped into MechaCon, looking for supplies. But, while looking, they got caught up in a Q&A panel! Now’s your chance! Ask them all your burning questions! But be warned, there’s a catch...guess you’ll have to come find out what it is! Presented by Kymberly Geeting

Strike A Pose!

Join the cosplay group Dues Ex Whichama as we call armies of geeks up to perform the wackiest and most oddball poses in anime and gaming alongside us! It is not a competition, and we don’t care if you’re in cosplay or not, so come on down and strike a pose! Presented by Dues Ex Whichama

The Awesome Geeks’ Awesome Panel

Awesome Geeks is an “all things geeky” community stationed out in New Orleans, Louisiana; however, we gladly welcome anyone from around the world. Our biggest interest is bringing everything geek together, and inspiring people to embrace their inner nerd. We will be focusing our discussion on anime and manga, both old and new, so drop in if you feel like sharing your favorite moments. There will be fun, trivia, prizes and more awesomeness! Presented by The Awesome Geeks

The Homestuck Dating Game

Come watch or be a part of the biggest dating game in all of Alternia. Take your pick from the most available characters of Homestuck there for the offering. From the sweet and lovable Nepeta Lejion to the hotty notty Cronus Ampora, there is a chance to see all of them. Presented by Vivian Street

Join Harmony Gold’s Steve Yun as he showcases all the latest The iDOLM@STER sented by Brett Hart ~D~ productions, including the live live action andfeaturing animated Robotech andcome dancing his panel. Keep mind that is not Academy! a strip show, so don’t come expecting one,Singing and only if youperformances are over 18! from the video game and actionin movie andthis Robotech anime This “The panel iDOLM@STER.” includes gamesasand lesque is aPresented Victorian review traditionally will combineThis both panel modern and vintage some of your all-t by Steve Yun done in risqué attire to entertain an audience. dances the audience can also interact with. elcome to Cosplay Burlesque Presented by Brett Hart Shut up and Cosplay! Open discussion about what you can do to support the cosplay sented by ~D~ The Marvel Comics Videogames Panel community. wasting time andwant energy beingyour angry ry he will tell. Definitely Stop not something you’d to take kidsand to. jealKlein, localization and voice onmay be the cra that energyEver to better own of work, helpinggone others and EverJonathan er had a badous. conUse experience? heardyour a story a cosplay wrong? leave a con wondering ‘wtf’?producer WELL ~D~ has, and director his stories several Marvel video game projects talks about his past work helping the overall community! sD: Con Horror Stories and gives you the inside scoop on some upcoming projects. Presented by Rufflebutt There may even be some chances to win prizes related to the sented by Brandon Delcambre projects he’s working on. nt of heart. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! HAHAHA! Presented Jonathan Klein rds Against Humanity is only one of the latest independent games to find popularity on the by internet. Now we will unleash it upon our attendees! With the help

ards Against Humanity VIP Game 38 nly attendees age 18 and over are allowed in the following panels. I.D.s will be checked. If you do not have a legal I.D., you will not

8+ Panels

The Perfect Harmony

Dana Morrison and her team have been developing a three segment animated film and graphic novel by the name of The Perfect Harmony: A Story of a Wishing Star. This summer we are wrapping up production of the graphic novel along with a few scenes from the animated film. Presented by Dana Morrison

There are a lot of fans of the Emmy Award winning series, so come and listen to Greg Weisman (series Co-Creator, Producer, Story Editor, Writer and Voice of Lucas Carr) and Khary Payton (Voice of Aqualad, Black Manta, Black Lightning and Brick), as they talk about Young Justice. Questions will be taken, so come and ask away!! Presented by Greg Weisman & Khary Payton

The Ultimate Hellsing Ultimate Panel

18+ Panels

Come celebrate the release of Hellsing Ultimate OVA Volumes 1-8 (now available on DVD and Blue Ray from Funimation), and the upcoming release of episodes 9&10, with the English language producer, Jonathan Klein. Jonathan has 13 years worth of stories and anecdotes from working on the Hellsing franchise, all the way back to the original Hellsing TV series in 2001. Answer Trivia questions about Hellsing to win great prizes. And if we’re lucky, maybe Jonathan might have some information on the final 2 OVA releases. Presented by Jonathan Klein

Time Travel RPGs

Ever wanted to play an RPG where time travel is involved, but just don’t know how? What makes Timemaster different from Dr. Who? What can be done about know-it-all players in a time travel campaign, and how do you keep them from getting stale and mundane? Come sit and talk with our expert panelist to find out all of this and more. Presented by Jonathan Thompson

Voice Acting vs. Stage Acting/On-Camera Acting

Tiffany Grant goes into detail about the differences between what it takes to voice act versus acting live on stage, including what it takes to accomplish each and what kind of preparation is involved. Presented by Tiffany Grant

(Only attendees age 18 and over are allowed in the following panels. I.D.s will be checked. If you do not have a legal I.D., you will not be permitted to enter.)

Cards Against Humanity VIP Game

Once again, MechaCon presents a hilarious game of Cards Against Humanity, played by select staff members, and maybe even a guest or two. Not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. Presented by Brandon Delcambre

TMI with Queen ~D~

Join the newly crowned Queen ~D~ for his annual gossip fest also known as TMI. Join the queen as he shares with you the stories of his life, including some retellings of fan favorites. Full of love laughter and lots of ridiculousness this is sure to leave you doubled over. 18+! Presented by Queen ~D~ & Brett Hart

Welcome to Cosplay Burlesque

Burlesque is a Victorian review traditionally done in risqué attire to entertain an audience. Your favorite crossplayers, Brett and Queen ~D~, will combine both modern and vintage as some of your all-time favorite anime characters bring the art of burlesque back to life. If you are looking for some beautiful dancing that will leave you on the edge of your seat, come to this panel. Keep in mind that this is not a strip show, so don’t come expecting one, and only come if you are over 18! Presented by Queen ~D~

Voice Directing for TV Animation, Anime and Videogames

MechaCon’s guest directors get together to discuss their jobs, the differences between domestic and foreign voice directing, and how those all are different from video game voice directing. Presented by Jonathan Klein, Andrea Romano, & Greg Weisman

What Happens at the Con, Stays at the Con...?

Spike’s raucous take on what happens behind the scenes in the industry and at the conventions. From after parties to kidnappings and porn stars to bottled up human gases; Spike will keep you laughing while he reads from his book full of hilarious versions of what really happens at the Con. Presented by Spike Spencer

Wheatly Interprets It All: A Portal 2 Experiment

What happens when the dumbest robot ever created is asked to talk about anime and video games? Join Derek and Scott as they become Wheatly from Portal 2 and ask you for your favorite shows and games to interperet in the wackiest ways possible! time favorite anime characters bring the art of burlesque back to life. If you are looking for some beautiful dancing that will leave you on the edge of your seat, co Presented by Scott Carrol

When Did the Bullied Become the Bullies? aziest things you’ve ever hear in your entire life. Join D~ in a panel that will leave you bent over out of laughter. Complete with a Q&A that lets you decide wh

A discussion of the ‘nerd’ and ‘geek’ communities ‘eating their own’ as it were, and the pitfalls therein. Included will be personal reflections from the presenters as well as a question and answer session. Presented The Adventurers of G.E.A.R.S. p of some of our willing (orbygullible) guests, we willLeague present horrible fun for horrible people! Only 18+ will be allowed, and definitely not for the easily offended be permitted to enter.)

TABLE-TOP GAMING SCHEDULE Friday, August 1st

Saturday, August 2nd

Gaming Room 1

1:00pm - Go and Shogi DEMOS

4:00pm - Free Play 6:00pm - Go & Shogi

DEMOS 10:00pm - Free Play

Gaming Room 2

1:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies RPG A - SESSION #1

4:00pm - Star Wars: Lagniappe RPG EDGE OF EMPIRE - SESSION #1

6:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies MINIATURES A – SESSION #1

8:00pm - Vampire: Dark Ages RPG – SESSION #1 11:00pm - Magic: the Gathering CONSPIRACY DRAFT TOURNAMENT

Gaming Room 3

1:00pm - Warhammer 40k MINIATURES DEMO

3:00pm - Evolution

BOARD GAME

5:00pm - Munchkin CARD GAME

7:00pm - Munchkin Quest BOARD GAME

8:00pm - King of Tokyo

BOARD GAME TOURNAMENT

Gaming Room 4

1:00pm - Gloom

CARD GAME

3:00pm - Betrayal At The House On The Hill BOARD GAME

Pathfinder Card Game CARD GAME

7:00pm - Pathfinder RPG

PONYFINDER-TOWER OF MISERY

10:00pm - Are You a Werewolf?

CARD GAME

Gaming Room 5

RPG B - SESSION #1

4:00pm - Iron Kingdoms RPG

THE BLACKHEART CHRONICLES PART 2: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE-SESSION #1

RPG B - SESSION #3

8:00pm - Shadowrun

THE SILVER AGE – SESSION #2

12:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Yu-Gi-Oh!

SEALED DECK TOURNAMENT

My Little PonyCollectible Card Game CONSTRUCTED DECK TOURNAMENT

3:00pm - Yu-Gi-Oh!

CONSTRUCTED DECK TOURNAMENT

6:00pm - Magic the Gathering

CONSTRUCTED DECK TOURNAMENT

Gaming Room 4 12:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Cardfight Vanguard

10:00pm - Chez Geek CARD GAME (18+)

THE SILVER AGE – SESSION #1

MINIATURES B – SESSION #2

5:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies

Gaming Room 3

8:00pm - Shadowrun

DEMOS

4:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies

3:00am - Free Play 10:00am - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies RPG A - SESSION #2 1:00pm - Star Wars: Lagniappe RPG EDGE OF EMPIRE - SESSION #2 4:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies MINIATURES A – SESSION #2 5:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies RPG A - SESSION #3 8:00pm - Vampire: Dark Ages RPG – SESSION #2 11:00pm - Ninja Burger CARD GAME

MINIATURES B – SESSION #1

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE-SESSION #2

3:00pm - Go & Shogi

Gaming Room 2

7:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies

1:00pm - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies

12:00am - Zombies!!! BOARD GAME 2:00am - Free Play 11:00am - Go DEMOS 12:00pm - Fresco BOARD GAME 1:00pm - Iron Kingdoms RPG THE BLACKHEART CHRONICLES PART 2:

CCG TOURNAMENT

1:00pm - Evolution

BOARD GAME

3:00pm - Yu-Gi-Oh!

CONSTRUCTED DECK TOURNAMENT

10:00pm - Are You a Werewolf?

CARD GAME

Gaming Room 5

12:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies RPG B - SESSION #2 1:00pm - Firefly: The Game

BOARD GAME

3:00pm - Yu-Gi-Oh!

CONSTRUCTED DECK TOURNAMENT

Pokemon

CCG TOURNAMENT

8:00pm - Castellan

BOARD GAME

9:00pm - Gaslight Victorian Fantasy RPG (Savage Worlds Deluxe) FROM FARGO TO THE FAIR

Sunday, August 3rd Gaming Room 1

12:00am - Humans!!!

BOARD GAME

2:00am - Free Play 11:00am - Evolution

BOARD GAME

5:00pm - Gaming Room 1 closes

Gaming Room 2 12:00am - Free Play 10:00am - Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies

MINIATURES - SESSION #3 (THE MAIN EVENT)

12:00pm - Star Wars: Lagniappe RPG EDGE OF EMPIRE - SESSION #3

3:00pm - Illuminati

CARD GAME

4:00pm - Give me the Brain! CARD GAME

5:00pm - Gaming Room 2 closes

Gaming Room 3

1:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Magic the Gathering

SEALED DECK TOURNAMENT

1:00pm - Smash Up

CARD GAME TOURNAMENT

5:00pm - Gaming Room 3 closes

Gaming Room 4 1:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Doctor Who Adventures in Time and Space RPG

BOARD GAME

12:00pm - Go DEMO 1:00pm - Firefly: The Game

CAT’S EYE

1:00pm - Lords of Waterdeep BOARD GAME

Bang!

CARD GAME

5:00pm - Gaming Room 4 closes

Gaming Room 5

12:00am - Room Closes until 10am 10:00am - Iron Kingdoms RPG

THE BLACKHEART CHRONICLES PART 2: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE-SESSION #3

1:00pm - Pandemic

BOARD GAME

3:00pm - Eurorails

BOARD GAME

5:00pm - Gaming Room 5 closes

TABLE-TOP GAMING This year, MechaCon’s Tabletop Gaming department once again brings you an amazing line up of games! Be it trading card games, role-playing games, miniatures games or board games, we’ve got you covered! Come learn a new game such as the soon to be released Evolution, or play an old familiar favorite such as Ninja Burger! And our epic, unique Star Wars Meta Scenario, The Sith Prophecies reaches an epic conclusion, one six years in the making! This year’s tabletop gaming lineup includes, (but is not limited to):

Customizable/Trading Card Games

As always, MechaCon will give you the chance to test that new deck you just assembled, and utterly trounce all comers in many different TCG tournaments. (The sealed deck tournaments will be handled by the wonderful folks from +1 Gaming).

Cardfight Vanguard

From Bushiroad (Tournament judged by Dreaux Blalock) Cardfight!! On a planet much like the Earth called “Cray,” you battle your opponent with the help of your units. Cardfighters become Vanguards, and lead their units towards victory!

Magic - The Gathering

From Wizards of the Coast (Sealed and Constructed Deck Tournaments judged by Eric De Las Casas, Conspiracy Draft Judged by Dominique Ducote) The Magic: The Gathering game, created by Richard Garfield, established the Trading Card Game category in 1993. Today, it continues to offer a fan base of more than 6 million players the opportunity to play both socially and competitively through leagues, tournaments and in-store events. MTG is the world’s best trading card game, and we support it with our best efforts.

My Little Pony CCG

From Enterplay The game revolves around Problem cards, which give points to the players who successfully overcome them. Players assign their Friend cards and Mane Character cards to these Problems to help confront them. When a player meets a Problem’s requirements, that player is said to confront that Problem and scores a point. The first player to score 15 points wins.

Pokémon TCG

From Nintendo In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, players build decks around their favorite Pokémon and then play against each other, sending their Pokémon into battle to prove who the best Pokémon Trainer is.

Yu-Gi-Oh!

From Konami (Tournaments judged by Ontario Durgan & Hoang Hoang) In this game, two players duel each other using a variety of Monster, Spell, and Trap Cards to defeat their opponent’s monsters and be the first to drop the other’s Life Points to 0.

Non-Trading Card Games

This year, we’ve got a stunning assortment of card games, including the return of crowd favorites Are You A Werewolf?, and Munchkin! But the lineup doesn’t stop there!

Are You A Werewolf?

From Looney Labs (Presented by Jeremy and Josh Gremillion) A mind game for 8-15 players, in which a vengeful group of villagers must figure out who among them is secretly a werewolf (before it’s too late...) Each “night” the werewolves eat a villager, and each “day” the surviving villagers attempt to rid the town of werewolves by lynching one of their own.

Bang!

From dv Giochi (Presented by Jeremy and Josh Gremillion) In the Wild West, the Outlaws hunt the Sheriff, the Sheriff hunts the Outlaws, and the Renegade plots in secret, ready to join one side or the other. Before long, bullets start to fly! Which gunmen are Deputies, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Sheriff? And which are the merciless Outlaws, looking to gun him down? The world’s best-selling Wild West card game is back in a new, richer format. Easier to learn and play than ever before!

Chez Geek

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) Beer. Nookie. Roommates. It’s another Friday night at Chez Geek. Set up house with your friends – for as long as you can stand them. Get a job – they’re all bad. Spend money and your precious spare time to accumulate Slack points. Drink cheap booze, hang out at the cafe, and play with the cats. Do unto your roomies before they do unto you. What other game gives you points for sleeping? Just remember, when your roommate and his S.O. keep you up all night: You can’t throw them out. They live here. (Note, due to the mature themes covered by this game, only attendees 18+ will be allowed to play)

Give Me the Brain!

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) In Give Me the Brain by James Ernest (Lord of the Fries), all the players are zombies, shuffling and moaning through their horrible jobs. Whoever gets rid of all his jobs first will win. Every turn, you can do a couple of things . . . and, if you’re sneaky, you can also push a job or two onto the other players. The catch? Some jobs actually require a brain . . . and there’s only one in the whole restaurant . . . and the zombies keep dropping it.

Gloom

From Atlas Games (Presented by Jamie Frank) In the Gloom card game, you assume control of the fate of an eccentric family of misfits and misanthropes. The goal of the game is sad, but simple: you want your characters to suffer the greatest tragedies possible before passing on to the welldeserved respite of death. You’ll play horrible mishaps like Pursued by Poodles or Mocked by Midgets on your own characters to lower their Self-Worth scores, while trying to cheer your opponents’ characters with marriages and other happy occasions that pile on positive points. The player with the lowest total Family Value wins.

Illuminati

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) They’re all around us. Secret conspiracies are everywhere, and where can you find the only truth? Certainly not in the game of Illuminati. Fnord. The object of Illuminati is to take control of the world. Two to six players compete to take control of groups ranging from the FBI and CIA to the Dentists, increasing their wealth and power for further takeovers, until one rules supreme. Every player has different victory conditions! No ploy is too devious, no stratagem too low, as you scheme your way to victory.

Munchkin

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch and Steven Rosenthal) Go down in the dungeon. Kill everything you meet. Backstab your friends and steal their stuff. Grab the treasure and run. Admit it. You love it. This award-winning card game, designed by Steve Jackson, captures the essence of the dungeon experience... with none of that stupid roleplaying stuff. You and your friends compete to kill monsters and grab magic items. And what magic items! Don the Horny Helmet and the Boots of ButtKicking. Wield the Staff of Napalm... or maybe the Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment. Start by slaughtering the Potted Plant and the Drooling Slime, and work your way up to the Plutonium Dragon... And it’s illustrated by John Kovalic! Fast-playing and silly, Munchkin can reduce any roleplaying group to hysteria. And, while they’re laughing, you can steal their stuff.

Ninja Burger

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) Ninja Burger pits you against your fellow trainees in a new Ninja Burger store. Learn the secrets of stealth, swordsmanship, and customer service. Fight for honor, respect, big tips, and that coveted promotion... It’s fast-moving. It’s fun. You get to be a ninja. What more can you ask from a game?

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game From Paizo (Presented by Jeremy and Josh Gremillion) Enter a world of adventure with the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, a cooperative game for 1 to 4 players. Each player has a unique character composed of a deck of cards and a set of stats. Roleplayers will find the stats very familiar—characters have classes such as fighter, and rogue, as well as numbers that define strength, intelligence, etc. You’ll improve your character by acquiring new items, allies, spells, and weapons as you explore and overcome challenges; over time, you’ll be able to customize your deck to better suit your own individual vision of your character. Your adventure begins with a Base Set containing nearly 500 cards, including the first chapter of an Adventure Path that offers your characters interesting locations to explore, monsters to fight, and villains to hunt down, as well as piles of weapons, spells, armor, loot, and everything you need to build your own unique character deck. Expand your party with the Expansion Deck, which offers additional character classes along with more equipment and other options for customizing your character, and lets you bring up to 6 players to the gaming table!

Smash Up

From Alderac Entertainment Group (Presented by Anthony Thurber) Smash Up, designed by Paul Peterson, is the all-new Shufflebuilding game from Alderac Entertainment Group. In Smash Up players take two factions, such as pirates, ninja, robots, zombies, and more, and combine their decks into a force to be reckoned with! When the game begins, players take turns drafting one of several faction decks. Once each player has two decks, they shuffle them together, combining their distinct abilities into a unique 40-card deck. Players then deal out a number of Base cards, and play their decks to attempt to have the most power on a base when it is scored.

Miniatures

And of course, we at MechaCon will always give you the chance to get your minis groove on! This year, come learn the latest rules in our Warhammer 40K demo!

Warhammer 40K

From Games Workshop (Presented by Paul Mevis) The aim of every person who plays Warhammer 40000 is to pit their force of miniatures against other players across war-torn futuristic battlefields. Win or lose, all battles are entertaining challenges in which you try to out-think and out-play your opponent, taking advantage of what good luck comes your way, but ultimately relying upon sound tactics to win the day.

Board Games

Like board games? Good, because we’ve got you covered! This year, we have several games making their MechaCon debut such as Formula D and the award-winning Settlers of Catan! For the full line up of board games, read on.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

From Avalon Hill (Presented by Jeremy and Joshua Gremillion) The creak of footsteps on the stairs, the smell of something foul and dead, the feel of something crawling down your back – this and more can be found in the exciting refresh of the Avalon Hill favorite Betrayal at House on the Hill. This fun and suspenseful game is a new experience almost every time you play – you and your friends explore “that creepy old place on the hill” until enough mystic misadventures happen that one of the players turns on all of the others! Hours of fun for all your friends and family. Designed for 3–6 players aged 12 and up, this board game features multiple scenarios, a different lay-out with every game, and enough chills to freeze the heart of any horror fan.

Castellan

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) Two players work together to build a castle. Wall and tower pieces link to form courtyards. The player who finishes a courtyard claims it with a Keep. Your cards determine what pieces you get each turn . . . but you decide where to put them. If you’re clever, the pieces played by your opponent can end up scoring for you!

EuroRails

From Mayfair Games (Presented by Ashley Nichols) Discover a modern European classic. Celebrate one of the world’s most vital and enduring passions: railroads. Use your initial investment to build track. Then pick up commodities where they are grown, mined, or manufactured and deliver them to a lucrative place of demand. Complete a delivery and make the money you need to buy larger, faster trains, and expand your railroad empire. Win the game by building the most effective railroad empire!

Evolution

From North Star Games (Presented by James Demeritt) In Evolution, you’re in the midst of a dynamic ecosystem of limited resources and hungry predators. To survive, your species will need to adapt. Your goal is to provide the necessary traits for your own species to eat, multiply, and thrive. Traits like Hard Shell or Horns will protect your species from Carnivores, while a Long Neck will help your species get food that others cannot reach. What traits will your species need to survive? The answer changes with every game!

Firefly: The Game

From Gale Force Nine (Presented by Ashley Nichols) In Firefly: The Game, players captain their own Firefly-class transport ship, traveling the ‘Verse with a handpicked crew of fighters, mechanics and other travelers. As a captain desperate for work, players are compelled to take on any job – so long as it pays. Double-dealing employers, heavy-handed Alliance patrols and marauding Reavers are all in a day’s work for a ship’s captain at the edge of the ‘Verse.

Fresco

From Queen Games (Presented by Jamie Frank) The ceiling in the cathedral is getting on a bit and is in urgent need of restoration. The bishop is awaiting important visitors and wants to show off his church from its best side. The players slip into the role of the fresco painters in this colourful family game and have to prove their abilities: But only the player who plans cleverly can win!

King of Tokyo

From Iello Games (Presented by Anthony Thurber) Slap around your enemies and become the King of Tokyo! Play mutant monsters, gigantic robots and other monstrous creatures, joyfully whack your opponents, rampage the city and become the one and only King of Tokyo! Combine your dice to gather energy, heal your monster or just slap others. Spend your energy to trigger permanent or one-shot special powers: second head, body armor, nova death ray...Stop at nothing to become the Kings of Tokyo...but that’s when the real trouble begins for you!

Lords of Waterdeep

From Wizards of the Coast (Presented by Jeremy and Joshua Gremillion) Lords of Waterdeep is a strategy board game for 2-5 players. You take on the role of one of the masked Lords of Waterdeep, secret rulers of the city. Through your agents, you recruit adventurers to go on quests on your behalf, earning rewards and increasing your influence over the city. Expand the city by purchasing new buildings that open up new actions on the board, and hinder—or help—the other lords by playing Intrigue cards to enact your carefully laid plans.

(Continued)

TABLE-TOP GAMING (Continued from previous page)

Munchkin Quest

From Steve Jackson Games (Presented by Joseph Radusch) Kill the monster, grab the treasure, and stab your buddy. That’s what it’s all about. Now, Munchkin comes to the board game, and it’s a hit! You’ll build your dungeon, a room at a time, from 24 heavy, double-sided tiles. Each shows a different room ... some are good for certain characters, some are bad. Fill it with monster standees and let your munchkins run amok! Cooperate with the whole group, adventure with a partner, or strike out on your own. You don’t know what’s behind a door until you open it ... then another room is added to the dungeon. Battle monsters for power and treasure, or send them after your friends. Reach Level 10, and then get out alive if you can... Designed by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Kovalic, this board game doesn’t take itself seriously. Except for the loot – munchkins are always serious about the loot!

Pandemic

From Z-Man Games (Presented by Jamie Frank) Four diseases have broken out in the world and it is up to a team of specialists in various fields to find cures for these diseases before mankind is wiped out. Players must work together, playing to their characters’ strengths and planning their strategy of eradication before the diseases overwhelm the world with ever-increasing outbreaks. But the diseases are outbreaking fast and time is running out: the team must try to stem the tide of infection in diseased areas while also towards cures. A truly cooperative game where you all win or you all lose. As part of our Midnight Madness block, the ever popular Zombies!!! and Humans!!! return!

Zombies!!!

From Twilight Creations (Presented by Anthony Thurber) Zombies!!! puts you in the middle of the action as you try to escape the ever advancing zombie horde. Players must use a combination of wits and brawn to be the first to the heliport and certain escape. The only problem is, the zombies are everywhere, they appear to be very hungry and your opponents would really prefer if you didn’t escape.

Humans!!!

From Twilight Creations (Presented by Anthony Thurber) This time you are playing the zombies and trying to infect as many people in town as possible. This game will be able to be played with Zombies!!! - Some players playing humans and some players playing zombies.

Asian Board Games

Returning again this year, MechaCon’s Asian board game room! This room will focus on two games, Go and Shogi, and will have ongoing demos for both.

(Presented by Eric De Las Casas and Scott Dossey) Go, for many centuries, has intrigued and entertained players with its simple rules and complex game play. In the game, two players face off, placing pieces called stones on a board, with the goal of trying to capture as much territory as possible. However, due to the game’s great depth of strategy, that goal is not as easy to achieve as it might seem.

Mahjong

(Presented by Caitlin Hirsch and Robin Mortensen) Mah Jong is a tile based game which originated in Ancient China. In it, players draw and discard tiles, trying to create a legal hand. It is a game of great skill and strategy, but one that requires a bit of luck as well.

Shogi

(Presented by Eric De Las Casas) Shogi, this chess-like game has been enjoyed for centuries. Just like in chess, two players square off, trying to capture their opponent’s king. But, with more pieces, a bigger board, and reuse of captured pieces, this game can prove to be far more complex and harder to master.

Role-playing Games

No MechaCon would be complete without a wealth of RPGs to help make your con experience even more awesome! Come experience RPGs such as...

Jonathan Thompson’s RPGs

Friend of MechaCon and head of Battlefield Press, Jonathan Thompson will be stopping by to run the following games

Doctor Who

ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE: CAT’S EYE The Doctor and his companions find themselves in an old abandoned hotel somewhere in England, inhabited by nothing more ominous than a group of squatters and a colony of feral cats... oh, and an extraterrestrial telepathic intelligence intent on first taking over the hotel, and then the world! 4-6 Players, characters will be provided. Players must have their own dice

Gaslight Victorian Fantasy

(SAVAGE WORLD DELUXE): FROM FARGO TO THE FAIR It is 1893, and the Pinkerton Detective Agency hires a brave group to stop a anarchist plot to assassinate Nikola Tesla! Can you save him? 4-6 players, characters will be provided. Players must have their own dice.

Pathfinder RPG

PONYFINDER-TOWER OF MISERY You are ponies that live in the world of Everglow. As you come across the town of Arcysus, it seems trouble is brewing as your team of ponies come across a colt in need. Can you assist his friends and put a stop to the kidnappings? 4-6 players, characters and dice will be provided. Beginning players encouraged

And come join Jonathan on Saturday in Panel Room 2 as he delivers two panels!

Other RPGs Iron Kingdoms

THE BLACKHEART CHRONICLES (Presented by David Giles) The once-great kingdom of Llael may have fallen, but not all of its citizens have been broken in the iron grip of the Empire of Khador. The brash young warcaster Marcus Barrot leads a shady gang of outlaws and rebels in the quest for freedom and fortune. Their latest target -- a train headed north from occupied Llael’s capital of Merywyn to Khador’s coffers in Korsk. It is said to be carrying a mountain of gold -- heavy taxes leveled on the unfortunate Llaelese, meant to fund Khador’s ongoing border struggles with the southern nation of Cygnar. However, Barrot’s band may find more than they bargained for... The Great Train Robbery is part one of The Blackheart Chronicles, an ongoing tale told in Privateer Press’ Iron Kingdoms setting. Three RPG sessions and one Steamroller-style tournament will determine the fate of Marcus Barrot’s outlaws and the secret they will discover. Bring your iron, and lock and load!

Shadowrun

SILVER AGE (Presented by David Giles) Shadowrun returns to MechaCon in a two-part adventure! A routine reconnaissance job might become more than a group of young runners can handle when they come across a fragmented message that seems to have been sent by Argent, the long-missing and presumed dead leader of the Wrecking Crew, Seattle’s best and most famous band of shadowrunners. With a treasure promised to the first to find him, and several old rivals on the trail, it’s a race to trace the legend’s signal and solve his riddle. May the best team win! Silver Age celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Shadowrun RPG, using the fifth edition of the game. Magic and metal combine in a near-future dominated by ultimately powerful multinational corporations and dark conspiracies. A few carve out legacies and legends for themselves in the shadows cast by such monolithic powers, working as independent operators and deniable assets. The shadows call -- how will you answer?

. Star wars Lagniappe RPG (Presented by Karrie White) You’ve been hired to take out a local drug lord. Easy right? Taking out this scumbag will go a long way to easing the populace’s feelings towards the Empire and show the locals that the Empire is making a difference. Simple. Until the local Hutt tells you he wants the same scumbag dead or else! What do you do?

Vampire: Dark Ages

(Presented by Karrie White) Saulot is gone, and the Usurpers have taken the Salubri’s place. Yet, there are still those who believe they were wrong. One holds a secret that could undo the work of the Tremere. Help will be needed if the Salubri are to be redeemed. The Tremere promise rewards for those who aid them. Which side would you help?

Star wars Meta-Scenario

Last, but certainly not least, MechaCon is thrilled to present the exciting conclusion to our epic Star Wars Meta scenario, The Sith Prophecies! This year, the chapter is so huge, it cannot be contained in one story. That’s right, to conclude our epic saga, we will have two storylines occurring at the same time, with both stories merging for the final two amazing sessions! And, to give this scenario the sendoff it deserves, come join us as we present the final chapter in Tertiary Events on Sunday lasting from 1:00PM - 5:00PM! There will be surprises, a giveaway to a lucky member of the crowd and one hell of a story told! Hear me... When the dragon has devoured the galaxy, look to the day that fades to night as the deep yields its terrible secrets. The struggle of fate shall reach its peak and all lies in the balance. None can see the pattern of the final threads as the tapestry of the galaxy is woven. Hear me... For thousands of years and across countless worlds, the words of the mad Sith prophet Darth Pyrus have echoed. But now, as the galaxy enters a new age of oppression, one final prophecy hangs in the air, a prophecy that foretells of events that could usher in a new dark age.

Team MechaCon is proud to present the galaxy-shattering conclusion to our epic scenario :

Star wars

The Sith Prophecies: Episode VI – The Darkest Hour

The mighty Darth Krayt has successfully crushed the galaxy beneath his heel, declaring himself Emperor. However, the powerful Sith Lord is greatly troubled as the specter of death looms large over him and he has begun a desperate search to expand his already considerable lifespan. Meanwhile, on the fringes of the galaxy, an ancient evil has reawakened and now slowly gathers its forces, preparing to enact a stunning master plan. As these two titanic forces hurtle towards an inevitable conflict, two small brave bands of heroes find themselves hopelessly trapped between the two sides. Will they persevere, or will they be swept away by the tides of destiny? Only YOU can decide!

Star wars Miniatures

From Wizards of the Coast (Presented by Bill Armond & William Hebert)

The Star Wars Miniatures line features hundreds of ready-to-play miniatures from the Star Wars universe. You’ll find heroes, villains, droids, creatures, and aliens of all descriptions. Now you can play out your favorite movie scenes, add the miniatures to your roleplaying sessions, or trade and collect the miniatures set by set.

Star wars RPG

From Wizards of the Coast (Presented by William Hawthorne & Stuart Keller)

Take on the role of the heroes of the Star Wars universe and fight against the forces of evil! You might play a Duros smuggler, a Wookiee copilot, a human Jedi, or any of countless possibilities. The only limit to the stories you can tell is your imagination!

YOUR STAY AT THE HILTON Hilton New Orleans Riverside

Two Poydras Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 USA Phone: 1-504-561-0500 Fax: 1-504-568-1721 Web: NewOrleansRiversideHotel.com

About the Hotel

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, adjacent to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Riverwalk Marketplace. Three blocks from the French Quarter. Within walking distance to the Central Business District, IMAX Theatre, Aquarium of the Americas, Harrah’s Casino and National World War II Museum. Only 13 miles from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. MechaCon is being held on the first and second levels of the hotel’s meeting space. As a host to a majority of New Orleans’ major meetings, the Hilton New Orleans Riverside has 130,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space in classically opulent design featuring a French influence. MechaCon’s

From beignets and café au lait, to Mardi Gras masks and spices, to pralines, postcards and a food court... MechaCon has its very own MechaMall attached to our hotel!

The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk – the nation’s first upscale outlet center in a downtown setting – is now open in the heart of New Orleans. Featuring over 75 retailers and restaurants on the bank of the majestic Mississippi River, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk offers shoppers and diners an experience like no other. Major national brands include Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio, Tommy Bahama Outlet, Forever 21, Coach, The PUMA Store, Hartstrings Kids Apparel Center, and Kenneth Cole. Center favorites, and original tenants from the beginning, also include

floors are just a short escalator or elevator ride apart. Cosplayers, please be careful when riding the escalators! Please be mindful of your costume pieces. We don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Hotel Features

The Hilton New Orleans Riverside, a full service luxury complex, is actually a “city within itself” with a redesigned front desk and guest service area to increase efficiency and enhance service; featuring “BoardEZ” computers to print boarding passes which are adjacent to their full service business center. The lobby also includes River Blends Café, proudly serving Starbucks ®, featuring coffee and pastries or start your day off at Le Croissant Express which features the “Hilton Breakfast”. SPIRITS Bar is located on the main floor of the hotel and features the smooth libation “Delta Breeze” that can compliment many of the menu offerings. Self Parking: $32.00 USD Per Night Valet Parking: $38.00 USD Per Night Self-Parking for hotel guests staying in the MechaCon room block: $10.00 USD per night. Inquire with the hotel for details.

The Fudgery, Gap Factory Store, Café Du Monde, Aerosoles and Swim ‘n Sport Outlet. Guests can experience a guilt-free shopping trip through unbelievable discounts of 25% to 65% every day at the beloved designer brands. Savor the FASHION at The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, and INDULGE in the savings at the nation’s newest and most exciting shopping destination! Operating Hours Monday–Saturday 10:00AM – 9:00PM Sunday 10:00AM – 7:00PM

The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk is conveniently connected to the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Don’t forget to check it out!

MECHACON POLICIES MechaCon’s Intent

The primary purpose of MechaCon is to provide a fun and safe experience for as wide-range of attendees as possible. Our intention is to bring a balance of Japanese traditional and pop culture to Louisiana through Anime and western animation appreciation.

Hotel Staff and MechaCon

Please remember that you are a guest of the hotel, and that there are other guests utilizing the same facilities. Please remember to be courteous and do not disturb other guests with excessive noise levels. If the hotel staff requests that you quiet down or stop a certain behavior, please do so. If you do not, your badge will be confiscated. We are all here to have a good time, so by acting responsibly, we can continue to bring events such as an Anime convention to New Orleans.

Hands-Off Policy

MechaCon has a strict hands-off policy regarding its mascots, staff, and attendees. This means that no attendee is to make physical contact with any member of MechaCon staff, Hilton staff, or other convention attendees without first getting permission from the person he / she wishes to make contact with. This includes, but is not limited to, unwarranted “glomping”, touching, embracing, or hanging-on. All attendees are expected to be familiar with this policy.

Security Policy

MechaCon security is based on a “three-strikes” rule. Strike One: Attendee is given a verbal warning and informed of the policy being violated. Strike Two: Attendee Badge is pulled for one hour and is escorted from convention function space. Attendee may pick up their badge at the Security Desk after one hour. A State issued photo ID, or student ID must be presented at the Security Desk to reclaim your badge. If underaged, a parent or guardian must accompany you to reclaim your badge. Strike Three: Badge is pulled for the remainder of the Convention. If a badge is pulled, the attendee can appeal the circumstances to the Security Chief and the Director of Operations during the Convention. The Security Manager or Director of Operations will decide that evening (the day the badge was pulled) whether or not to reinstate the MechaCon Convention Attendee’s badge privileges. Strikes can be issued for the following reasons but are not limited to: Harassment reports, disorderly conduct/disruption of the convention and/or the hotel, violation of any convention polices as stated in this document, avoiding a Security Staffer trying to speak with you about a policy violation, flight from a Security Staffer after a policy violation has been declared but before the issue is resolved or violations of Convention Rules of Conduct. There is NO time limit between strikes. Example: an attendee who harasses another attendee, runs when the Security Staffer arrives to deal with the matter and then disrupts the convention in the process of getting away can earn three strikes.

MechaCon Security reserves the right to revoke MechaCon Attendee Membership and eject anyone from the convention floor at any time without a refund.

Weapons Policy

Items that could be used as a weapon must be peacebonded at our Security Desk. Even if your weapon is a prop, please check in with our security desk to have it inspected and approved to be on the floor. All bladed items must be kept in their sheaths at all times in public/function areas. Ammunition for Gun replica or other replica projectile weapons will not be allowed anywhere on the floor at any time. If you are found brandishing and otherwise acting irresponsibly with a replica weapon in public/function areas, your registration may be immediately revoked. As for fantasy or costume weapons, if we cannot tell it’s fake from 10 feet away, you should not bring it.

Notice to Parents

If you’re not staying in our hotel, please don’t leave your children here overnight without someone legally responsible for them. We are NOT a babysitting service. We also require a way to reach you in case of an emergency. You will be held responsible (legally and financially) for any damages incurred by your child or charge to hotel and/or MechaCon property. Any criminal damages and/or activity will be met with criminal charges, as well as a permanent ban from ALL future Sennin Productions, LLC events. All attendees are subject to the laws and ordinances set forth by Federal, State, Parish, and City Governments. The ratings of programming available at the convention vary. Due to differences in international rating structures, some adult situations may occur in some titles. Whenever possible, we have indicated these shows on the programming schedule to aid in our patrons viewing choices, but parental guidance is ALWAYS recommended.

Notice to Students & Minors We expect you to behave yourselves so we don’t have to call your parents. Your behavior is what’s important, not your age. You and your parent(s)/legal guardian will be held responsible (legally and financially) for damages incurred by you to hotel and/or MechaCon property. Any criminal damages and/or activity will be met with criminal charges, as well as a permanent ban from ALL future Sennin Productions, LLC events. All attendees are subject to the laws and ordinances set forth by Federal, State, Parish and City Governments.

Notice to Adult Attendees

ALL attendees are expected to conduct themselves respectably. You will be held responsible (legally and financially) for damages incurred by you to hotel and/ or MechaCon property. Any criminal damages and/or activity will be met with criminal charges, as well as a permanent ban from ALL future Sennin Productions, LLC events. All attendees are subject to the laws and ordinances set forth by Federal, State, Parish and City Governments.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Senior Staff

Peter Bares – Founder / Art Director / Dealer’s Room Coordinator Hunter Domingue – Floor Director James “Stoney” Potter – Table-top Gaming Coordinator Jon Russo – Founder / Convention Organizer / C.E.O. Melanie Russo – Registration Coordinator / Artists Alley Coordinator Matt Traylor – Stage Director

Staff

Brittney Cutrer – Cosplay Coordinator Brad Daigle – Electronic Gaming Coordinator Brandon Delcambre – Panels Coordinator / Merchandise Booth David Doerr – Overnight Ops Manager Richard Eckert – GoldPass Liaison Travis Farrar – Operations Manager / Logistics David Giles – Table-top Gaming Maria Graham – Volunteer Coordinator Kayla Heintz – Assistant Floor Director Jonathan Hidalgo – Industry Relations / Webmaster Callina McMillan – Host Club Coordinator Jacob Miller – Friday Main Events Denice Naquin – Guest Relations Coordinator John Parker – Dock Master Rebecca Rathbun – Cosplay Chess Coordinator Ashley Robichaux – Guest Relations Coordinator Haniel Thibeaux – Lt. Security Chief

Support Staff

Bill Armond – Table-top Gaming Terolyn Barron – Scavenger Hunt Shadow Byrd – Volunteer Support Christopher Croly – Line Management Curtis Crook – Dealers Support Eric De Las Casas – Cultural Gaming Brandon DeJean - Security Paul Derouen - Security Taylor Domingue – Videographer / Runner Brooke Dossman – Host Club Support Dom Ducote – Overnight Gaming Anne-Marie Eckert – GoldPass Support Evelynn Eckert – Guest Relations Support Leah Farner – Artists Alley Liaison Charlie Farrar – Registration Jason Graham – Industry Relations Assistant William Hawthorne - Table-top Gaming William Hebert – Table-top Gaming Stu Keller – Table-top Gaming Michael Lee – Ops Support James Parker - Dock Support / Runner Rhett O’Neill – Cosplay Support Jeanne Ory – General Runner Ann Robichaux – Merchandise Booth Kiera Rowland – Overnight Ops Support Bastian Russo – A/V Support Skye Russo – Registration Support Seth White – A/V Support Copyright © 2014 by Sennin Productions, L.L.C., Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.A.

Mascots

Jacqui Perry - JETT Shannon Kenast - ZEE Chelsey Crochet

Specialists David Adams Danny Carter Justin David

Guest Liaisons Drew Bigelow Larry Furry Gilbert Granier Jessie Heaton June Kim Jay Norris John Pham Jonathan Vanderspek Lori Vanderspek Alexis Tucker Irene Waites

Event Crew

Chelsea Breaux Vinnie Taylor Eastin Kellie Jones Tonia LaJaunie Tenneal Latiolais Bianca Martin Margaret Moynan Samantha Romero Christon Saik

Lela Sparkman Jacob Wade Abby Williford

2014 Cover Art Courtesy of Amelie Belcher

A special thanks to Amelie Belcher for her incredible “Teen Titans GO!” -inspired cover art and the amazing Sailor Scout art of Jett & Zee for our Red Carpet Affair. We’d also like to offer our special thanks to Robby Musso for his amazing t-shirt art and our great 10th Anniversary Icon!