What's it like to attend Comic Con?
It's a circus, really, where everyone who attends has the chance to participate. It fills the halls and the stairwells, spills out onto the sidewalks and streets, jams every corner with the bizarre and unexpected. It's a whirlwind of color and sound. It's massive and throbbing with life. It's the bar in Star Wars where people from many worlds and time periods collide. It's green hair and ray guns, steel claws and robots, Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, Goth and Middle-earth. It's every genre imaginable colliding and reforming into something completely new. It's manic. It's glorious. And I wish that everyday life embraced more of the freedom of imagination that's kindled there.A few words of advice:1. Wear comfortable shoes. Nuff said.2. Plan ahead of time and be prepared to wait in line. Look at the schedule and figure out exactly what you MUST see. If it's a panel, get in line at least 2 hours before it starts. If it's in the 6,000 seat Hall H, get in line at least 6 hours ahead. People camp overnight for Hall H. I got in line at 5am for the Doctor Who panel that started at 12:30pm and was one of the last people they let in the door. If there's something on the floor you want to see, go there as early in the con as you can because you may never make it there later.3. Be prepared for sensory overload.4. A masquerade tip. If you want to see the masquerade but don't care if you sit up front, avoid waiting in line all day by showing up just before it starts. There are always seats left in the back and you can walk right in. And there are huge video screens throughout the hall.5. Bring snacks and water. Sometimes it's impossible to get to food if you're waiting in line or running from one place to the other.6. Bring a poster tube.7. MAKE FRIENDS!! My experience at Comic-con over the years has gotten more fun because I now run into people I know. If there's something in particular you are a huge fan of, hang around the booth a while and talk to people. Get cards. Give cards. Talk to people while you're waiting in line. Comic-con is a huge gathering of geeks if nothing else, and you can always find someone who shares your interests. 7. Don't expect to see everything. Don't even try.
What are the top 10 anime I must watch before I die (do not include the famous ones)?
Not sorted by rank. Some aren't even proper anime just genre suggestions. I think the most important thing is opening your horizons. 1. Haibane RenmeiThis is a stunning psychological series about what happens after people die. 2. TsuritamaA slice of life anime about fishing that fails to disappoint both with characters and the stunning art. 3. BakumanFor all us anime fans, two dreamers who want to draw manga! Shows you a lot of insight about the industry and has a very humane feel. Wouldn't miss this. 4. MushishiA calmly paced show following the main character and his journeys. A rare gem with darker undertones and a pensive nature. Watching it is almost like meditating. 5. Paranoia AgentNot a lot of people have gotten into this mystery of a kid and the two detectives that chase after him but once you do there are no regrets. It has a little bit of everything, including mind-bending trips you never expect. 6.Kids on the SlopeUntil a few months ago, I thought everyone knew about this series. Its the ultimate slice of life that doesn't feel like a slice of life anime. With a beautiful score, excellent pacing, and gorgeous character design a trip to 1966 never felt so real. 7. Something BL - its good to see this genre of anime some time. Junjou Romantica, Love Stage, FAKE - anything works. I recommend this because its a unique side of anime that many people fail to see the merits of. However, if you are willing to give it a go, watching this genre can have you squealing in no time. 8. AnoHanaI don't quite know if this series is popular or not, but one thing's for sure--get the tissues ready. Tragedy. Coming of age. Bonds between people. This series will leave you wondering if you are a glutton for punishment. 9. Steins; GateOne of the best time-traveling sci-fi shows I've ever seen. Plenty of references to Norse Mythology and crazy otaku scenes to keep you inside the world of tropes, but also break that barrier and become something so unique. There is no other series like Steins;Gate. It will rip your heart out. 10. Higurashi When They CryFirst things first--not nearly as cutesy as it looks. This series goes above and beyond capturing the one thing anime never can get quite right - horror. Hope these are "not famous" enough! And enjoy.
What was your biggest culture shock going to India?
Several things struck me when I visited India for the first time.1). I was shocked by the tons of trash in the streets and by the fact that everybody was throwing trash everywhere. It takes some time until one gets used to see very dirty places in India.2). The cultural shock was related with the fact that many people would never say “No” or “I don’t know”. I spent more than 2 hours roaming in search of a place and I asked several people to help me for the direction. They gave me completely different instructions and I was very confused. Some of them would wave with the hands showing a direction without actually knowing the place. It turned out this is easier for them than just saying “I don’t know”.3). The first time when I came to India I was traveling in rural areas of Tamil Nadu. I remember how the people were gathering around me and gazing continuously at me. In these moments I felt like extra terrestrial.4). Time management in India was another shock too. Once I took a rikshaw and the guy was supposed to bring me to an address. In the middle of the way he stopped in a gas station and he said “No gas, mam”. But the problem was that the gas had finished at the gas station and the owner said “Wait only 5 minutes and the gas will come”. We waited about 40 min. but the gas was not coming. Happily another rikshaw passed by and I took it, otherwise we would probably stay 40 min. more. When people in India say “5 min” it can be half an hour, it can be an hour. Waiting in the post office 1 hour for a service, which can be done for 10 min. was another similar experience, which repeated several times.5). There is a big paradox in India: although people avoid saying directly “no”, they will interfere in the personal issues of the individual and they will ask directly questions, which can be considered impolite and funny in Europe. Many times they asked me questions like “Why didn’t you marry?”, “Why didn’t your parents arranged a marriage for you? Didn’t they find a suitable candidate?”, etc. Most of these questions for a European cannot but bring laughter.The list can continue on and on but these are my experiences of culture shock in India