Are you excited? I sure am. Just a week until SakuraCon 2014!

Not much to say aside from a reminder about the photoshoot, being that our group unfortunately isn't running a panel at the con this year (and it's kind of iffy for next year, too, but we'll see what happens in the coming months).

Yu-Gi-Oh photoshoot @ SC 2014 details =

Date: Saturday, April 19th
Time: 4pm
Location: meeting up by the Zen bell outside of the 2nd floor chair/table area (adjacent to the smoothie/health food place). After waiting for like 15 minutes or so for folks to show up, we will all head off towards the building across from ACT Theater and enter this area where there's a cool waterfall and other neat features.

Like last year, photos will be taken by Ninja Photography (you may take your own pics, too, but please do remember not to get in the way of the main photographer when he's getting shots). Respect the photographer and his gear, respect fellow photoshoot attendees, respect the property that we're using for our photoshoot and do your best not to be loud while there, and of course have fun! And to everyone who gets the chance to attend, here's to the hope that this year's SakuraCon will be awesome in many ways.

~~~ Kara ~~~
So folks... there's like 5 months until SakuraCon 2014! That means time to begin working on your con prep, etc. As for what our group will be doing at the con, well... unfortunately not doing a panel. There's too many members not attending the con this year who'd usually assist with a panel (and one is even on a long hiatus due to severely personal reasons). It's sad, but oh well. However, we will of course have the Yu-Gi-Oh photoshoot still happen. Despite SakuraCon deleting their message board and making it difficult to organize a ton of photoshoots, ours is unaffected since we now have a decent photographer who's willing to help out whenever we need him (my friend who's the head of "Ninja Photography"). Also because there's plenty of places most folks don't think of using for a photoshoot that make for pretty (and nicely private) photo backdrops. All we have to do is let other Yu-Gi-Oh cosplayers we run into know of what day and time the photoshoot will take place. Heck, maybe even write it down on slips of paper to hand out. Still need to figure out the time for it, but the day's already been set to be the 2nd day of the con (since we'd get more newcomers to join us and give 1 day before to hunt down people to attend).

Other big news: Does anyone have a table for Artists' Alley they'd like to share? slifertheskydragon is desperately searching for someone who'd let her share their table with them, since she had the misfortune of being unable to snag one for herself. Please post here if you're interested or message her directly if you can. Do help a fellow member out!

If anyone has any suggestions of something else we can do together at the con, speak up! Not sure we could pull off a skit with such little time to conceptualize and prepare, unless one of you guys has a brilliant idea that could work. I'd certainly be happy to lend my VA/acting and creative skillz to such a venture if it's doable...

~~~ Kara ~~~
SakuraCon 2013 has come and gone, and had its share of ups and downs. Gotta say it was a big blessing that registration is finally run better and hope it stays that way for years to come. On our group's panel this year = it was fantastic that the con not only gave us the day/timeslot requested, but the equipment setup was fairly easy as well. However, as awesome as it was to let folks from the audience play the game "Seto: The Revenge", it wasn't as exciting to some of the attendees and several people ended up leaving during it. If we have another panel at SC next year, we've seriously got to figure out more audience participation stuff/panel content that can work better (do hope to have another game - maybe the one with Joey in it; but not have the game be a primary focus of the panel, of course).

And on the matter of having another panel, that brings us to the main topic of this journal entry - if anyone here in the group hasn't joined the Facebook page yet, then you're highly urged to do that A.S.A.P! The FB group page is where we discuss panel ideas, cosplay plans/tips, post Yu-Gi-Oh related things that're worth sharing, post details on selling anything having to do with Yu-Gi-Oh (cosplays, cards, figurines, etc.), and artists can post details on doing commissions or if selling anything at upcoming events/cons. Also the place to arrange any events outside of cons for anyone in the group who're able to attend (cosplay meetups, parties, etc.). So here ya go = join the Umbrella Duelists Cosplay page today!
Had to breathe some life in here and get the old journal post off. As for why things've been a tad dead-ish in here since AkiCon, it's because folks have been busy as heck with real life troubles (myself especially; a friend almost died over a week ago from a heart attack, and it turned things upside down for me a while from being worried sick over them), and of course working on cosplay projects and convention prep.

And as of today, the information on our group's panel was confirmed for us!

Date: Saturday, March 30th
Time: 12:15 until 1:45pm
Location: Panel & Workshop Room 4C-1

Tell everyone you know who love Yu-Gi-Oh about the panel, and of course do try and attend it yourself if able (but please don't feel bad if this happens to conflict with anything important that you're involved in going on at the same time). Wearing a Yu-Gi-Oh cosplay is a definite, but if you don't have one to wear... just come as you are (those who do have one get a chance at going on stage if there's time, to talk to the audience about the work they put into the costume, etc.). Let's make our group's 3rd panel be totally rockin!
I hope everyone has had a reasonably awesome summer. There were a few conventions, cosplay meetups, etc. And of course all the other great stuff we did (like Athrun345 got to visit Ireland!). Here's to the hope that next summer is even better!

Anyways, got quite a bit of important news to share with ya =

UPCOMING EVENTS:

:bulletred: The big one - AkiCon!!! As was posted a while ago, our group won't be having a panel there this year. However, members will most certainly be involved in the con in other ways - as convention staff (Alan), running other panels (GinKyubiKitsune's Anime Murder Game & the Crazy Anime Dating Game [both regular & the 18+ version]), participating in major events (I'll be in "Team Collateral Damage" in the Final Fantasy Fight Tournament along with Victor Malice), running a table in Artist's Alley (visit AkirasArtWorld's table!), etc. To those of you attending - may AkiCon's glorious 5th con be awesome indeed!

A New Album Folder:

:bulletyellow: That's right! We have a new folder added to the group's album, "Cosplay WIPs and Props". All sorts of work in progress photos that you have of cosplays or of props, as well as of finished props themselves, can all go in this folder. Because it's always great to see all of the creativity and hard work that you put into everything you've made (or are currently making). EDIT: Adding the new folder enlightened me to the fact that some of the other ones were locked & unable to be uploaded into. Thankfully, that error's been corrected... everyone can upload to all folders with ease.

Don't forget about UD's Facebook page:

:bulletgreen: If you're not a member of UD's Facebook page yet, PLEASE join! There's all sorts of events, discussions, dueling/card info, and other cool stuff being posted there on a regular basis by the captains & members. Also it's the best place for posting any important questions that you might have about anything in relation to the group as a whole (like fun stuff to do at cons, panel ideas, advice for improvements to make, etc.). I'd highly suggest that any artists in the group certainly join if you haven't already... the FB page is a great place to show off your latest masterpiece to the other members, advertise taking commissions/selling stuff, and anything else art-related.

Additional News To Report:

:bulletblue: Anyone want to make a banner with UD's logo on it? We could sure use some sort of easy to display banner for photoshoots and other events, and a sign is also fine as long as it's big enough to be easily noticed. Either use the actual logo itself (ask me for it), or the cool advertisement poster that ShiroCael made with the logo (you'll find that in the Ad Art folder of the group album).

:bulletpurple: Sad news: Domonkasho71 has decided for personal reasons to no longer cosplay. It's a bummer that he feels like doing that, but it's his choice. Of course he's still more than welcome to attend all our events and panels, and it'd be very nice of the rest of you to wish him luck for the future. Who knows - maybe if things improve a lot in his life, he'll want to cosplay again. At least he'll forever have the honor of being the group's first (and currently only) Jim Cook cosplayer and one damn fine panel speaker...

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