So I'm going to the US soon...

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FourthLion

Adventurer
As the title says I'm currently planning my trip to the US in 3 weeks or so and I'm really excited. Making sure to leave suitcase space so I can bring stuff back, I only need 2 shirts for 2 weeks, right? Never mind that I have to stay with the girlfriend's parents...

I'm spending time in both North Carolina and New York. I was initially annoyed I was missing MCM (even though normally I just moan about MCM anyway) but it turns out on the same weekend is this thing http://animazement.org/ Don't suppose anyone knows anything about it? Anyone think it's worth going to? I can probably only go one day. Anyone know if there's anything interesting anime/games related in NYC? Or a good place to shop?

Anyway, what would you guys get if you were over in the States? I think while I'm there I should pick up some cheap(er) stuff but don't know what to go for. Not sure even what anime I could buy that would be cheaper (that I haven't already bought). Currently thinking maybe some NISA sets. Seems a shame not to buy much over there when in a normal month I'm paying over the odds to import from there, but now I'm going I can't think of anything I want!
 
At the very least, there's a Kinokuniya in NY (the largest JP bookstore in the USA) that would probably be fun to visit. I somehow have never been to the States yet, so that's about as much as I can add.
 
There was an excellent Book Off in NYC last time I was there too, which is recommended. I've never been to Animazement but even the worst cons I've been to in the US have been miles better than Expo, and the guests already look cool.

Glare at Aniplex USA for me, if you go :D

R
 
Rui said:
Glare at Aniplex USA for me, if you go :D

R
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For sure! I was thinking of picking up some Aniplex titles but I still don't know if I can justify the Madoka/Fate Zero pricetags, especially when I'm supposed to be on holiday.

My concern with Animazement was just that I'm not really a con sort of guy (I don't cosplay or do karaoke or really get involved and I'll be going with a total non-otaku). Wondering if it's worth going almost just from a marketplace point of view.

Kinokuniya sounds great too, one of my other big passions is fancy books so that's definitely worth a look if I'm in the area :)
 
It occurred to me that it's not actually normal to be familiar with Book Off so I want to make sure you don't miss it. It's a chain which sells used goods, and the one in NYC was great when I was there ten years ago. It was stuffed to the gills with (amongst other things) anime music CDs and manga, and even my mum managed to be entertained looking at books of photo collections. You might find some R2J anime very cheaply there if you're lucky :)

http://www.bookoffusa.com/

Also I hear you on cons, but you should be able to fill up a day at Animazement just on panels, shopping and KOTOKO! Now I want to go ;_;

R
 
FourthLion said:
As the title says I'm currently planning my trip to the US in 3 weeks or so and I'm really excited. Making sure to leave suitcase space so I can bring stuff back, I only need 2 shirts for 2 weeks, right? Never mind that I have to stay with the girlfriend's parents...
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You lucky bugger, that means you might actually have to opportunity to escape Airstrip One at some point? What I wouldn't give... I still wonder about going to Vegas and just getting really drunk...

AND you might get to meet Toshio Furukawa! I shake my fist at you, but know in my heart that I wish you well, sir. It's a no-brainer to pick up anything customs would hit and Axel/Up1 charge over the odds for - Other than that I think the only advice I can give is to watch out for golf buggies in Raleigh airport (if you go through it). Someone mowed down an old woman outside the Starbucks in one when I was there... Still, litigious culture and all that, so it might not be such a bad thing as you could probably sue for a fair amount.
 
Well thanks for all the help people, I was hanging fire on replying further in here as things have been a bit complicated.

Turns out now that myself and the lady have split, so it might not be for the best for me to fly over there and spend 9 days with her family. The lovely airline people will only refund me £40 if I cancel the flights though (out of a full cost of about £600) and my travel insurance doesn't cover it unless one of my next of kin spontaneously die.

Wondering if I should cut my losses at this point and stay here and keep myself busy or try to rearrange flights so at least I get to do the New York segment of the trip and it isn't all a waste...

It's painful to think I could probably have imported everything I want right now with that wasted money if I cancel :(

Apologies for moaning in the forums, but it's my thread so I'll use it as I wish :p
 
Ouch! Well if you do still go, I'd think you can still have a pretty good holiday out of those flights, and there's lots you can do in New York without spending much money. I'd just go anyway for that con but if money is tight that might not be the best idea (since presumably you'd now need accommodation too).

R
 
Yeah, the 9 days of accommodation I now need to cover are a bit of a worry. Plus the con is in Raleigh which I'll probably be going nowhere near if I can avoid it, but I'm sure there'd be great things happening up in NYC too.

My main worry is I'll just sulk all the time I'm over there and have no one at hand to cheer me up. Seems a shame not to travel when the option is open though, and I haven't been out of the UK since 2010...
 
Well that's kinda ****, sorry to hear that. It is of course up to you and how you feel, but I'd likely go anyway; there are plenty of cheap hotels if you do a bit of digging. I don't think you mentioned where you're flying to, but there's nothing stopping you travelling far away from the airport and staying somewhere completely different. Sleep on long distance buses, see the sights, stay in the cheap motels you happen across on the way... I would probably do that sort of thing forever if I could.
 
So I got to NYC after all, been here 2 days now :) turns out my hostel is two blocks from Book Off and not much further from Kinokuniya, so good calls there. Bought a couple of things in BO, but sadly couldn't find much in the R2J section. Kinokuniya was awesome to look round but a bit too expensive to buy from.

I feel so tired and broken tonight. Zigzagged all the way from 45th street west to 77th street east then all the way down from there to city hall/brooklyn bridge. Wearing cowboy boots too. Might take it a bit easier on the walking tomorrow. 1 day left in new york and then I've really gotta decide what to do with the rest of my vacation. Back talking to the lady, but things are definitely still at 'its complicated' and a 9 day visit with her mom is still a total no-no for me!
 
I'm not really sure. I think I should come up with a plan rather than wander aimlessly again though (as fun as that was).

Might take one of the river tours and see the statue of liberty etc. I wanted to go up rockerfeller or empire state, but the price is pretty steep and the weather isn't great so visibility has been low. Any last minute suggetions from anyone?
 
Went down to Raliegh and Animazement after all. I have to say it really was better organised than most English things I've been to and other than a bit of a lacklustre artist's alley was pretty great. I only went for the last day ($20 that way instead of $60/45) but it was well worth it. Not as much quality cosplay as I expected either, but then like I said I did go on the very last day only. It was great walking round the town and hearing everyone talk about it (was on the news every hour or so too), doubt half the people out here have ever seen anything like it.

In the last 5 minutes before they had to close up I managed to talk one trader into selling me NIS America bluray/DVD premium sets for $50 each and got the 2 persona sets for $35 each due to lack of shrink wrap. Also managed to pick up complete limited edition Haruhi set, full set of Flag and a bunch of other stuff. Now I just need to work out how I get it all home. Guess I don't need to take my clothes back?

Off to Washington DC tomorrow, which should be interesting. No idea what to expect.
 
Yeah. Obviously done a whole bunch of non-anime related things too (mostly to do with food) but didn't think them relevant. Should've seen 4 different states by the end of the trip, which is a lot better than last time!
 
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