Anime Mid-Atlantic

Anime Mid-Atlantic is an anime convention that Chris attended on the 29th of May 2004 and the 17th of June 2005. It took place at a Holiday Inn in Richmond.

2004

Chris recounts this event in Sonichu's News Dash #5:

On May 29, 2004, I, Christian Chandler, attended my first Anime Convention. I had a good time watching some Anime, sampling some Ramune (Japan Soda), and other things. My main highlight though was meeting the lovely and sweet-spoken voice actress, Monica Rial (pictured next to me to the left). Monica is well known for being the voice behind many Anime characters. Some of which include: Hyatt (Excel Saga), Saki (Steel Angel Kurumi), Mikako (Martian Sucessor Nadesico) and Shii (Puni Puni Poemy). She also sings opera very nicely, and she is a very nice, fun and sweet person to hang around with. She sure made my day a sweet one. ;8)

;D

• 

  Chris develops his shoulder fetish

• 

  :D

2005

Chris anticipates this event in Sonichu's News Dash #9 and #10:

Since he has put himself into Sonichu’s world, he will “Cosplay” as himself (talk about self-respect, huh?). Also, he will be watching some of the good anime, getting some souvenirs, participating in some of the events and just having a good time. Also, he will have some printed copies of the Sonichu Premiere Issue #0 on hand, but if you want a collectable copy, you will have to find him, and ask for one. At the convention, as noted for now, there will be quite a selection of special guests attending, such as ADV voice actors, Greg Ayers and Doug Smith, and author Robert V. Aldrich. CWC hopes that Monica Rial will be there again this year (see News Dash issue #5 for his previous encounter with this lovely Voice Actress)! 8) Also up for fun are the Art Shows, contests, Guest Panels, Workshops, Video Game Room, Vendors to sell Cool Anime items (some imported from Japan), and much, much more.

8D

This year, Chris stayed for all three days of the convention, and spent two nights at a hotel alone.

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  GameCube...check

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  24-pack of Pepsi...check

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  Pixelblocks...check

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  ...I said "check"

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  Erotic soap dish...check

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  Comic!Chris costume...check!

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  AWESOME!

Witness account

In May 2010, the blog "Topless Robot" had a contest for "Most shameful nerd moment". One commenter named tasakeru828, who ran a Sonic panel at what was presumably Anime Mid-Atlantic 2005, described the experience:

I actually met Chris-chan at an anime convention before ED found out about him and started trolling him en masse. A friend and I were hosting a Sonic the Hedgehog panel and trying to prove that not all Sonic fans are as batshit insane as they're made out to be. That noble goal was shot to hell when the one-and-only Christian Weston Chandler arrived in all his clown-shirted, Sonichu-medallion-wearing glory and started handing out free copies of his first issue. He asked us a completely unintelligible question (thinking mistakenly that we actually had some influence on the series as a whole), and afterwards he babbled at us personally while we smiled and nodded trying to look interested. We obviously knew he was mentally ill, but we had no idea that we were meeting a future Internet legend. Now, I still persist in my goal to prove that some Sonic fans are decent, intelligent people. And despite all the flamewars, recolors, and assorted drama that the Sonic series has caused, I still love it and will defend from haters till my dying breath. I am an unabashed, true blue Sonic fan, die-hardest of the die-hard, and nothing will ever change that. But Lord, Chris-chan comes very close to ruining it all for even me, and that should tell you something.

External links

• Anime Mid-Atlantic 2004 convention information page
• Anime Mid-Atlantic 2005 convention information page