Untitled - MechaCon

July 24-26, 2009
Lafayette, Louisiana
Welcome to MechaCon V
When we first decided to make MechaCon a reality five years ago, we knew we had our
work cut out for us. We were working in a small, untested market and other conventions in
nearby cities had met with only limited success. We had never put on a convention before.
We were fans, yes, and surrounded by other fans with just as much passion, but there was
still that nagging question…
“Can we do this and succeed?”
As we welcome all of you to MechaCon V, we would like to give all of you our heartfelt
thanks for answering that question with a resounding “Yes!” The previous four MechaCons
have been an amazing experience, and we could never have gotten here without your
support. The entire MechaCon staff is glad to have all of you here to help us make this year’s
convention the most memorable one yet and to join us in saying a fond farewell to Lafayette,
the cradle of MechaCon and our home for the last five years.
For this very special MechaCon, we’ve really shifted in to high gear with a jam-packed
dealer room, a full panel schedule covering a wide range of topics and fandoms, and a
completely re-vamped electronic gaming room brought to you by Play-N-Trade and featuring
the return of the MechCorps Battletech Pods. Our cosplay competition returns to Angelle Hall
with entertainment by our own Ai no Shinobi and a special Fullmetal Alchemist presentation
by Vic Mignogna. In case you are wondering… yes, we’ve re-worked a more efficient bus
schedule! The Formal Cosplay-optional Ball also returns for its second year with a special
Ouran Host Club presentation by Mission Impossible Cosplay.
This year, we are very happy to bring you two very special musical performances. On
Friday night at the Formal/Semi-Formal Opening Ceremonies and Dinner, guests will be
treated to ‘Primed and Unplugged,’ a solo musical performance by Garry Chalk. Saturday
night in our main events room and open to all MechaCon attendees, we are very proud to
present Vic Mignogna in concert. We are also extremely excited to once again be a stop on
Harmony Gold’s Robotech Convention Tour.
Over the years, we have met some amazing people; attendees, guests, volunteers, staff
and support staff, and have formed many lasting friendships. It’s been an emotional and
humbling experience, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything. And the best part is that we know
that it has been the same for many of you. We continue to move forward next year as we bring
you MechaCon VI in New Orleans, and we hope you will all continue that journey with us.
Now let’s all hit the con floor and make MechaCon V a farewell that Lafayette and the
convention world will never forget.
– Team MechaCon
A Word from the Sennin
“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable,
and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.”
- Christopher Reeve
Five years. It’s hard to believe we’re here.
As mentioned on the previous page, when we decided way back in October of 2004 to establish Sennin
Productions LLC, we hoped we would get to five years, but were unsure. How would a new anime event in
Louisiana be received? Would we even make it beyond year one? Would Lafayette be able to support an annual anime convention? The undertaking was daunting, but we pushed forward.
In truth, MechaCon almost didn’t make it beyond year one. With the arrival of Hurricane Katrina on our
inaugural convention weekend in 2005, we questioned the wisdom in continuing. But, we pushed through and
brought you MechaCon 2.0 in 2006. Thanks to the faith you continued to place in us year after year, we were
able to continue bringing you a great show… and now here we are… celebrating FIVE YEARS of MechaCon.
In these last five years, we have had our ups and downs, hits and misses, joys and sorrows, but mostly…
we’ve grown. Last year, our hallways were extremely crowded and the temperature soared. This year, we
expect the hallways to be heavily crowded again, but we are working with the hotel to do our best to keep the
temperature at a comfortable level. Please bear with us… because relief is in sight!
This not only marks our fifth year, but this year’s event also marks our farewell to Lafayette. Yes, we’re
moving! Where you ask? To the land of jazz and blues. We’re making the trek across Old Man River to the
Crescent City. We’re headed to NEW ORLEANS!
That’s right, MechaCon VI will be held in the Big Easy! This will be a whole new experience for both us and
you! Preparing for this move is very reminiscent of those days way back in 2004. The uneasiness, the worry,
the enormity of it all… these are all so very familiar. But we know, with your continued support, that the move
will allow MechaCon to grow in ways it never could before.
So please, bear with the crowding one last time and
let’s make this a weekend to remember as we celebrate
our final MechaCon in the Hub City. Thank you for five
wonderful years, Lafayette. No matter how far we may
travel, you’ll always be our home.
But change is not about endings… it is about beginnings. As we celebrate our five years in Lafayette,
let us also take this opportunity to celebrate the journey
ahead of us. Think of this weekend as a graduation
party. For tomorrow, we step out into a brave new
world…
– Jon Russo & Peter Bares
Sennin Productions, LLC
Sennin Productions would like to take
a moment to send an extra-special
thanks to the following:
To Jeff Jones with the Hilton – thank
you for always making sure we had every
need attended to and for being the easiest
guy in the world to work with.
To Jim Clark and the crew at Clark
Services – thank you for always making
sure our show had everything it needed
to run smoothly.
To Karen Primeaux with LCVC – thank
you for taking our business seriously and
believing in us when it seemed not many
others in Lafayette did.
Convention Floor
MechaCon Schedule
(Panel schedule located on page 17.)
On Thursday, July 23rd, 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.
Saturday
The following is the schedule for Friday’s convention areas
and events. At-door registrations will be taken at 11:30 a.m.
12:30pm - Buses to Angelle Hall begin
Friday, July 24th
10:00am - Registration pre-reg packet
pick-up opens
11:30am - At-door registration opens
1:00pm - Convention floor opens
Dungeon Level opens
Dealers room opens
to GoldPass registrants only
1:30pm - Dealers room opens
to all attendees
2:00pm - GoldPass Guided Tour
5:30pm - Seating begins for
Opening Ceremonies &
Formal/Semi-formal Dinner and
Garry Chalk: Primed & Unplugged
7:00pm - Dealers Room closes
Garry Chalk: Primed & Unplugged
begins
Main Event Room (reserved seating only)
8:00pm - GoldPass Meet-n-Greet
with Guests (Location TBA)
Registration desk closes
9:00pm - MechaCon Formal &
Cosplay-optional Ball begins
Main Event Room
11:00pm - Dungeon floor closes
Overnight Video Room opens
Video Room I
1:00am - MechaCon Formal &
Cosplay-optional Ball closes
Saturday, July 25th
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
Overnight Video Room closes
10:00am - Dungeon Level opens
Dealers room opens
to GoldPass registrants only
10:30am - 25 Years of Transformers
Main Event Room
Dealers room opens
of the anime industry in Texas
to all attendees
12:00pm - Voice acting & the current state
6:00pm - Opening Ceremonies begin
10:00pm - TMI w/ Wendy Powell & friends
Main Panel Room (18 & over only)
12:00pm - Transformers (Signing)
with Garry Chalk & David Kaye
Main Event Room (reserved seating only)
Main Event Room (reserved seating only)
Main Event Room (Q&A and Signing)
(continued)
Main Panel Room (Main floor)
running (cosplay participants only)
1:00pm - Cosplay participants meeting
Angelle Hall
1:30pm - Buses to Angelle Hall begin
running (for general convention attendees)
2:00pm - Cosplay seating begins
Angelle Hall
3:00pm - Fullmetal Alchemist Presentation
by Vic Mignogna
Angelle Hall
Console Gaming tournaments
Main Event Room
3:30pm - Cosplay Contest begins
Angelle Hall
7:00pm - Dealers Room closes
7:30pm - Buses to Angelle Hall stop running
8:00pm - Registration desk closes
Vic Mignogna concert begins
Main Event Room
11:00pm - MechaCon House Party begins
Main Event room
Dungeon floor closes
Overnight Video Room opens
Video Room I
2:00am - MechaCon House Party closes
Sunday, July 26th
The following is the schedule for Sunday’s convention areas
and events. At-door registrations will be taken at 9 am.
9:00am - Registration desk opens
Overnight Video Room closes
10:00am - Dungeon Level opens
Dealers room opens
to GoldPass registrants only
The State of the Voice-over
Industry on the West Coast (Q&A)
Main Panel Room (Main floor)
with Garry Chalk, David Kaye & Vic Mignogna
Main Event Room
10:30am - Dealers room opens
to all attendees
11:00am - West Coast Voice Industry (Signing)
with Garry Chalk, David Kaye & Vic Mignogna
11:30am - Charity Auction Begins
Main Event Room
1:30pm - Mock Combat for Cosplay
with Chris Ayres
Main Event Room
3:30pm - AMV Contest Begins
Main Event Room
5:00pm - Convention floor closes
(all areas)
Organizer’s Plea
Footnotes
Please be on your best behavior and respect hotel property. We ask that you treat the Hilton 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!
That’s Just PRIME!!!!
For the 25th Anniversary of TRANSFORMERS, MechaCon
V returns to its Transformers roots to bring you the two men
who have voiced more Optimus Primes and Megatrons
than anyone else in Transformers history. Garry Chalk
voiced Optimus Prime in the three TRANSFORMERS
series: CYBERTRON, ENERGON and ARMADA. Garry
was also the voice of Optimus Primal in BEAST WARS
and BEAST MACHINES. David Kaye, in addition to playing Megatron in the TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON,
ENERGON, ARMADA, BEAST WARS and BEAST MACHINES, is also the voice of Optimus Prime, Grimlock and
Lugnut in Cartoon Network’s recent TRANSFORMERS: ANIMATED series. Together, Garry and David have helped
to introduce TRANSFORMERS to a whole new generation of fans.
Be sure to check out our two special anniversary panels, 25 Years of Transformers presented by Garry Chalk and
David Kaye, and the Transformers Fan Panel presented by Curtis Crook.
In a bleak future, where
even Seattle doesn’t
have a Starbucks…
20 years ago, FASA Corporation introduced a revolutionary new role-playing game that blended elements of classic fantasy, hard sci-fi and cyberpunk to
bring us an immersive and unique world. In that time,
Shadowrun has spawned over 75 novels, four video
games, a collectible card game and over 100 supplemental books, and has inspired the imagination of an
entire generation of role-players. Catalyst Game Labs
is now carrying on in the best tradition of Shadowrun
with the current 4th edition.
This year, MechaCon is proud to help celebrate this
auspicious event. In honor of Shadowrun’s 20th anniversary, graphic and game designer Adam Jury
presents a special panel on the history and future of
the game. For you hardcore gamers, join us as the
MechaCon game-masters bring you a special threeday Shadowrun gaming event.
Guests of Honor
Chris Ayres
Chris Ayres has been working professionally in theatre, television and film since
the age of 6. His work has been seen regionally, nationally and on Broadway. He
currently works as a voice actor for ADV Films and FUNimation Entertainment.
Chris is also an A.D.R. Director for ADV Films and Amusement Park Media.
His first project at studio was the hit anime musical comedy THE NERIMA
DAIKON BROTHERS. In addition to that he is also the director for XENOSAGA:
THE ANIMATION and MAGIKANO. Most recently he served as director at
Amusement Park Media for MERMAID MELODY PITCHI PITCHI PITCH, and
as co-director with Matt Greefield on THE WALLFLOWER.
Some of the roles as a voice actor Chris is best known for are Kei Kourono in
GANTZ, Suitengu in SPEED GRAPHER, Von Kampher in TRINITY BLOOD,
Hayashimizu in FULL METAL PANIC? FUMMOFU, Nakamaru in MABURAHO,
Yaminami in PEACEMAKER, DJ Plugman in AIR GEAR , Johnny in ONE
PIECE, Sid in DEVIL MAY CRY, Yusuf Ali Mesa in YUGO THE NEGOTIATOR,
Koji in GODANNER, Murato in HAKUGEI - LEGEND OF THE MOBY DICK, Sawadust in A TREE OF PALME,
Dr. Pluto in BASToF SYNDROME, Akimoto in SAKURA DIARIES, Kenji Kurata in DIAMOND DAYDREAMS,
Oshodani in PAPPUWA, Jimpachi Arishiama in NANKA 6/17, and Woogy in MICHEL. His voice can also be heard
in ELFIN LIED, CLAYMORE, TOKYO MAJIN, ORAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, CANNON, GRAVION ZWIE,
UTWARARERUMONO, COYOTE RAGTIME SHOW and DESERT PUNK to name a few.
Chris can also be heard as Wagram in the new Square Enix game THE LAST REMNANT. Chris is also one of the
Anime industry voice actors who sings on Voices for Peace. He is very proud to be a part of the “Voices For...”
oganization. Chris also works as a professional fight director and has enjoyed bringing his workshop “Mock Combat
for Cosplay” to many conventions.
You can learn more about Chris by visiting his website http://www.christopherayres-va.com.
Greg Ayres
Greg Ayres has spent the last year rockin’ his way through two new anime series.
As the loud-mouthed Hideki in NERIMA DAIKON BROTHERS, and Koyuki,
singing with the the band in BECK: MONGOLIAN CHOP SQUAD. He is also
thrilled to be able to add the role of Kaoru Hitachiin in OURAN HIGH SCHOOL
HOST CLUB, and Abe In FUNimation’s upcoming release of BIG WINDUP to
his list of new favorites. Other recent works include JR. in XENOSAGA, Roan in
RAGNOROK: THE ANIMATION, Yamazaki in WELCOME TO THE NHK, Nowy
in GLASS FLEET, and Yuki in THE WALLFLOWER.
The once “Fanboy” turned VA started working in anime seven years ago with
ADV Films, and within the first two years managed to snag two of his favorite
roles in anime. He was thrilled to voice the role of his favorite character Son
Goku in SAIYUKI. Just one year later voiced Kaworu Nagisa in the Director’s
Cut of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. Other roles include Chrono in CHRONO
CRUSADE, Negi Springfield in NEGIMA, Heihachi in SAMURAI 7, Satoshi
Hiwatari in DNANGEL, Pope Alessandro XVIII in TRINITY BLOOD, Tsuyoshi in
KODOCHA, Leo in GHOST STORIES, Tsujido in SPEED GRAPHER and Gau Ban in SHADOW SKILL.He can also
be heard in other anime titles such as SUPER GALS, SPIRAL, MACROSS, MYTHICAL DETECTIVE LOKI, BURST
ANGEL , GRAVION, GODANNER, PRETEAR, FULL METAL PANIC, E’S OTHERWISE and a whole lot more.
When he’s not in a booth with headphones on, you can usually find him sporting headphones of another variety
behind “the decks”. A veteran nightclub DJ of many years, Greg has really enjoyed the opportunity of doing something
else that he truly loves. From packed rooms at anime conventions, to the legendary stage of *The Knitting Factory
(NYC)*, Greg never misses an opportunity to share his love of music with anyone who will listen.
Greg will also be dual-DJing the MechaCon House Party this year with DJ Wildfire, now back home from his tour of
duty in Iraq! We are excited to have DJ Greg Ayres back to rock the house party again this year.
Garry Chalk
Best known for his roles opposite David Kaye’s Megatron in various TRANSFORMERS
television series, Garry Chalk’s resume includes a wide variety of roles in animation,
television and film. Leading the valiant Autobots as Optimus Prime in TRANSFORMERS:
CYBERTRON, ENERGON and ARMADA, Garry’s other Transformers work includes
voicing the Maximal leader, Optimus Primal in BEAST WARS and BEAST MACHINES.
To fans of Science Fiction, he was most recently seen in the film WATCHMEN,
where he played a Norad General advising President Nixon and Henry Kissinger.
He is also highly recognizeable from his live-action role of Colonel Chekov, in the
long-running hit series STARGATE: SG-1. Other performances in sci-fi include roles
such as James Stillson in THE DEAD ZONE, Lt. Walter Eastep in DARK ANGEL,
Detective Reid in M.A.N.T.I.S. , Silver in NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION
and other roles in series such as SLIDERS, FIRST WAVE, THE OUTER LIMITS, THE
SENTINEL, VIPER, MILLENIUM, POLTERGEIST: THE LEGACY, THE COMMISH,
HIGHLANDER, MACGYVER, THE HITCHHIKER, AIRWOLF and WISEGUY. He
also brought life to the role of Timothy Aloysius ‘Dum-Dum’ Dugan in NICK FURY:
AGENT OF SHIELD.
Garry’s anime and game credits include voicing the roles of Devil King in SENGOKU BASARA, Connor Penn
in DRAGON BOOSTER, Guts Man in MEGA MAN, Dhalsim and Burke in STREET FIGHTER: THE ANIMATED
SERIES; Chopper, Kona and Wild Willy in DOUBLE DRAGON, Grounder in THE ADVENTURES OF SONIC THE
HEDGEHOG, King Gurumes in DRAGON BALL, and Dr. Ivo Robotnik in SONIC UNDERGROUND.
Other endeavors in animation include roles such as Harry the Werewolf and Bug-A-Boo in SCARY GODMOTHER,
El Kolor De Kurtz and El Haystack Grande in ¡MUCHA LUCHA!, Man-At-Arms and Whiplash in the recent version
of HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, Santa Claus and Bumble in RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED
REINDEER & THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS, and Emperor Femur in SHADOW RAIDERS. His talents can also be
heard in animated series and movies such as ALIEN RACERS, WEIRD-OHS, REBOOT and many, many more.
Ever heard Optimus Prime sing the blues? As a special treat for dinner attendees, Garry Chalk will be entertaining at
our 2009 Opening Ceremonies. Bringing his bluesy, inverted guitar stylings, Garry will be kicking-off the convention
weekend in a show we’re calling Garry Chalk - Primed & Unplugged!
Guests of Honor
Samantha Inoue-Harte
Samantha Inoue-Harte is the quintessential Renaissance woman in the Anime
Industry: she is an Anime voice actress, an Animation Instructor, and currently
President of her own Animation Studio.
She began her career teaching animation at various locations throughout the
Austin, Texas area and continues to do so at the Austin Community College and
the Austin School of Film. She later started animating at a studio called Little
Wolf Entertainment under the tutelag of Director Sam Fleming, then turned to
HorsebackSalad Entertainment, and Powerhouse Animation Studios.
At those three studios, Samantha was able to work on projects for Warner
Brothers Classics (JETSONS, SPEEDY GONZALEZ, ROADRUNNER
ONLINE), Disney (LILO & STITCH 2: STITCH HAS A GLITCH), and View
Askew Productions (CLERKS: THE LOST EPISODE from the Clerks 10th
Anniversary DVD), Chuck E. Cheese, Mattel Interactive, a smidge of work on
the KING OF THE HILL pilot, and too many others to list.
David Kaye
David Kaye has been a staple of TRANSFORMERS voice work for over a
decade. Beginning his Transformers work by voicing the villainous Megatron in
TRANSFORMERS: BEAST WARS and TRANSFORMERS: BEAST MACHINES,
David continued with a second incarnation of Megatron in TRANSFORMERS:
ARMADA, TRANSFORMERS: ENERGON and TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON.
Now known as the only cast member of the Transformers brand to “switch sides”,
he was recently the voice of Optimus Prime, Grimlock and Lugnut on Cartoon
Network’s TRANSFORMERS: ANIMATED series.
As a 25 year veteran of the industry, David Kaye has also been heard on many
radio and television commercial campaigns for signature clients such as Coca
Cola, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Mountain Dew, Pennzoil, Hyundai and a host of
others.
The animation world beckoned in the late ’80s and General Hawk from DIC
Animation’s G.I. JOE would be the first of hundreds of different characters that
would fill the schedule on a regular basis. From X-MEN: EVOLUTION’s Professor X to TRANSFORMERS: BEAST
WARS’ evil Predacon leader Megatron, David has been a staple on Saturday morning cartoons for years.
His anime credits include very recognizable roles such as Sesshomaru from INUYASHA, Treize Kushrenada from
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING, Soun Tendo from RANMA ½ and Protoman from ROCKMAN.EXE AXESS. He
can also be heard in animes such as DRAGON BALL Z, GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX, JINROH - THE WOLF BRIGADE, MONSTER RANCHER, NIGHT WARRIORS, PROJECT ARMS, RONIN WARRIORS,
STREET FIGHTER, TOKYO UNDERGROUND and VAMPIRE HUNTER.
The host voice for many specialty shows such as Turner Broadcasting’s CINEMA SECRETS, Discovery Channel’s
EXTREME PRESSURE and the Canadian Football League’s TRADITIONS series, David still finds the time here and
there to appear in front of the camera with roles in BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, STARGATE: CONTINUUM, HAPPY
GILMORE and MARTIAN CHILD, co-starring with John and Joan Cusack.
Now based in Burbank, California, Kayeman Productions USA, Inc. continues to expand its radio and television
branding business with an ever available on call staff of writers and producers. David Kaye’s voice is heard on
some of the best radio and television stations worldwide! From Los Angeles and New York to Jakarta, Indonesia and
Yellowknife in the Yukon, chances are that you are within earshot of David¹s voice, right now!
As the main contract voice for Fox Sports Net, David’s network television influence includes Fox News Channel,
Nickelodeon, and TBS Superstation.
Vic Mignogna
Vic has been acting for stage and screen since he was 8 years old. But he
started his career in anime about ten years ago as Vega in STREETFIGHTER
II. Since then Vic has been in more than a hundred shows, known for such
roles as Edward Elric in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, Tamaki Suou in OURAN
HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, Fai in TSUBASA CHRONICLE, Dark in DN
ANGEL, Kurz in FULL METAL PANIC, Broly in DRAGONBALL Z, Kougaijji in
SAIYUKI, Ikkaku in BLEACH, Yukito in AIR, Takanaga in WALLFLOWER, Tatsu
in PEACEMAKER, Luciano in CODE GEASS, Virgil Walsh in TRINITY BLOOD,
Hikaru in MACROSS and many more.
Vic has also voiced roles in a large number of video games including SOUL
CALIBUR, DISGAEA, PERSONA III, PROJECT SYLPHEED, DBZ, BLEACH,
FMA and more. But even longer than his voice acting, Vic has been a
professional music composer /
singer / producer who has written
and produced hundreds of songs
for TV, radio and CD. He sings the themes for shows like ONE PIECE
& DBGT, and has produced several CDs of his own original music. And
finally, in addition to anime and music, Vic has a degree in film and works
regularly writing, producing and directing video and film productions.
On Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 8pm, Vic will be treating MechaCon
attendees to a very special musical concert you won’t want to miss! It’s
open to all attendees, so be sure to check it out! But, before the concert,
Vic will be kicking-off our Cosplay Competition at Angelle Hall with a
very special Fullmetal Alchemist presentation, courtesy of FUNimation
Entertainment! Don’t miss it!
Wendy Powell
Wendy is so excited to be here with all of you... so let’s start this CON out with
a bang!
Wendy has been a professional voice actress for Funimation Entertainment
and Okratron 5000 for over 7 years. She is probably most well known for a
little villain named Envy on FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST. She was most recently
in a new role in CLAYMORE where she plays the character Ilene. Her most
challenging role this year was the role of Iku in SHIRGURI... you need to watch
it to understand why!
Wendy is also known for smaller parts... in which she usually dies a most
painful death. Some of her credits include: Emi in BAKI THE GRAPPLER,
Amick in BLUE GENDER, The Fever
Demon in SHIN CHAN, Kyo’s Mother in
FRUITS BASKET, Kasuga in NEGIMA
and Paula “Lady Death” in TRINITY
BLOOD. She has also voiced characters in: KIDDY GRADE, CASE
CLOSED, YU YU HAKUSHO, PEACH GIRL, XXXAHOLIC, ONE PIECE,
GALAXY RAILWAYS, TSUBASA, GUNSLINGER GIRL, MOON PHASE,
GLASS FLEET and many others.
Video Game credits include: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST AND THE BROKEN
ANGEL, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir and
SPIKEOUT: Battlestreet. Wendy’s first love is the Theatre (although Anime
is quickly catching up!!!), she works in local theatre in the Dallas/Fort Worth
area.
Honored Industry Guests
Adam Jury
Adam Jury is a graphic and game designer with professional experience
working on roleplaying games (Including BIG EYES, SMALL MOUTH and
SHADOWRUN ), card games, components to alternate reality games, and
community websites. His work blends great readability and usability with totally
awesome explosions, elves, and giant robots. He currently works for Seattlebased Catalyst Game Labs as their head of Media Design & Production, plus
some select freelance work. His card game PAPARAZZI! comes out in 2009.
MechaCon is excited and happy
to be celebrating 20 YEARSs of
SHADOWRUN with Adam Jury,
head of Media Design & Production
at Catalyst Game Labs.
Kevin McKeever
MechaCon is extremely proud of our continued partnership with Harmony Gold.
With MechaCon being a stop on the Robotech Convention Tour 2009, ROBOTECH
fans will again be treated to the latest news, industry info, and goodies from Harmony Gold. As a part of the tour’s return to MechaCon, we are privileged to welcome back Operations Coordinator Kevin McKeever to our event as an honored
Industry Guest.
A graduate of the Lighting Design program at Emerson College in Boston (the only
comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts context), Mr. McKeever has been working in the
entertainment industry for nearly 15 years. He has worked in theater production at
world class venues such as the world-famous Goodspeed Opera House and worldfamous Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, the Emerson Majestic Theater in Boston
and the Mohegan Sun Resort in Connecticut, which he helped open in 1996.
His television production credits include JACKASS, KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS, GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD
RECORDS, KRYPTON FACTOR, FARMCLUB.COM, THE 60’S as well as
various television commercials. His film credits include MYSTERY MEN, FOR
LOVE OF THE GAME, and BILLY FRANKENSTEIN. Kevin has also served
as Assistant VP of Production for feature film producer and New York Times
best-selling author Lynda Obst.
Kevin’s first official assignment in the Robotech universe was as an audit
of Robotech’s television ratings and viewer demographics during its original
run in the 1980s. Kevin’s analysis of the ratings in a cost effective manner
along with his years of production experience made him a natural candidate
for the Robotech team. With production of the sequel to ROBOTECH: THE
SHADOW CHRONICLES well underway, team MechaCon is biting at the bit to hear
what ROBOTECH goodness Kevin brings to whet fans’ appetites!
Guest Autographs
Cosplay
MechaCon Masquerade
The MechaCon Cosplay/Masquerade is the convention’s definitive costume competition where groups or individuals
show off their costumes and acting abilities, plus compete for prizes. Cosplay/Masquerade is open to both amateur
and professional costumers. The MechaCon Cosplay/Masquerade will be divided into two categories: The Skit/
Presentations portion and then the Model Runway Judging for Craftsmanship. Mechacon 2009 Cosplay / Masquerade
Contest entry forms must be turned in by noon on Saturday, July 25th, 2009 at the Cosplay Registration Desk, located
near the MechaCon Registration Desk. Limit 50 slots.
Clover
Clover is a seasoned cosplayer based out of Houston, Texas. She’s also widely known
under the alias “Cherry” in the anime convention scene. Clover has been cosplaying for
nearly ten years now and has been all over the country doing everything from giving panels,
hosting cosplay events and competing to working for conventions. She’s extremely happy
to be returning to MechaCon, where she hosted cosplay for the first three years. She
admits MechaCon is still one of her favorite cons to go to. She will be hosting construction
and performance panels over the weekend, and is more than happy to help the awesome
attendees of MechaCon out! Whether you’re just starting out, or a cosplayer looking to learn
some new skills and tricks for your hobby, she is more than happy to answer any questions
you may have and cannot wait to see everyone again this year!
UL’s Angelle Hall
Once again this year, Cosplay will be held in a full-size auditorium! This year’s Cosplay Competition will again be
held at Angelle Hall on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus, located just a few blocks from the Hilton.
Two buses will be running back and forth between the Hilton and Angelle Hall, opposite each other on
Saturday, beginning at 12:30pm for Cosplay participants and 1:30pm for general MechaCon attendees (we
promise the buses will work out better this year! ^.^ ). Buses will continue to run throughout the Cosplay
Contest and will stop running at 7:30pm. The bus ride is free for MechaCon attendees, as long as you are
wearing your 2009 MechaCon badge.
Panel Schedule
Friday, July 24th
Saturday
2:00pm - Cosplay Presentation
Presented by Jessi Duffour
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
ADR Directing
Presented by Chris Ayres
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
3:00pm - Fansubbing, Downloading,
the Industry and YOU
Presented by Greg Ayres
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
4:00pm - Cosplay Wigs and Makeup
Presented by Red Moon Cosplay
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
Making Webcomics
Presented by Desmond “Monty” Smith
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
8:00pm - Ballroom Dancing
Presented by David Adams
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
10:00pm - Robotech Goes to the Movies
Presented by Kevin McKeever
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
TMI w/ Wendy Powell & friends
Presented by Wendy Powell
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
Saturday, July 25th
10:00am - Cosplay 101
Presented by Clover
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Convention Safety
Presented by Greg Ayres
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
11:00am - Meet Vic Mignogna
Presented by Vic Mignogna
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Independent Film Making
Presented by Kevin McKeever
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
Meiji Japan
Presented by Dom Ducote
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
12:00pm - Transformers Signing
Autographs by David Kaye & Garry Chalk
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
1:00pm - How to break into the
RPG Business
Presented by Adam Jury
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
2:00pm - History of Transformers
Presented by Curtis Crook
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Convention War Stories
Presented by Kevin McKeever
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
3:00pm - History of Cyber Punk
Presented by Dom Ducote, David Giles
and Adam Jury
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
4:00pm - How to Play Go
Presented by David Adams
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
(continued)
5:00pm - Robotech:
Past, Present & Future
Presented by Kevin Mc Keever
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
How to Play Shogi
Presented by Hirohito Togashi
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
7:00pm - Anime Dating Game
Presented by Juni
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Animation Cel Painting
So You Want to be
a Voice Actor… ?
Presented by Samantha Inoue Harte
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
Presented by Chris & Greg Ayres
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
8:00pm - Asian Ball-joint Doll Collecting
Presented by Jeanne Richard
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
9:00pm - Fireside Chat with Ai no Shinobi
Presented by Van Nguyen
• Panel Room III (Main floor)
Gore FX Cosplay
Presented by Samantha Inoue Harte
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
11:00pm - Late Night Anime Dating
Game (18+)
Presented by Juni
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Sunday, July 26th
10:00am - Cosplay Wigs and Accessories
Presented by Clover
• Panel Room (Main floor)
Meet MechaCon’s Mascots
Presented by Jett & Zee
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
11:00am - 20th Anniversary of Shadowrun
Presented by Adam Jury
12:00pm - The State of the Voice-over
Industry on the West Coast
Signing with Garry Chalk, David Kaye
& Vic Mignogna
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
Robotech Free for All
Presented by Kevin McKeever
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
1:00pm - The History of Anime?
with Samantha Inoue Harte
• Panel Room II (Dungeon level)
2:00pm - Do Anime Conventions
Have a Future?
with Kevin McKeever
• Panel Room I (Main floor)
3:00pm - Cosplay : Performance and Skits!
with Clover
• Panel Room III (Dungeon level)
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!
Cosplay 101
New to cosplay? Trying to get the basics down? This
will be a general panel about all aspects of cosplay
and craftsmanship. We’ll be talking about how to get
started, patterns, sewing, wigs, make-up, where to get
materials, and more! Feel free to ask questions about
any aspect of cosplay you can think of!
Presented by Clover
The History of Anime
What do Betty Boop, Woodblock prints, Buddhist monks,
Maps, Windsor McKay, Walt Disney, and the Meiji Era
have to do with Anime? A Whole LOT! Did you want to
hear about all of this? Samantha will walk the audience
through a discussion on how Anime became what it is
today. You might just learn something new!
Presented by Samantha Inoue Harte
Meiji Era of Japan
Dominique Ducote will once again present a snapshot
of Japan’s history while casting an eye to how the era
is represented in Japanese pop culture today. This
year the panel will tackle the Meiji era, how Japan
was shaped by a massive influx of western ideas during this time, and how this is presented in manga and
anime, especially with reagrds to Rurouni Kenshin.
Presented by Dom Ducote
Do Anime Conventions Have a Future?
Oil is over $60 USD per barrel, airlines are raising
fares and cutting services, inflation is on the rise, the
economy is slowing and disposable income is on the
decline. Can anime conventions, as we know them
today, survive -- let alone grow -- in this environment?
Join Robotech.com’s marketing coordinator Kevin
McKeever for an in depth look at these issues and
the surprising answer.
Presented by Kevin McKeever
Fansubbing, Downloading,
the Industry and YOU
As new technology unfolds, the face of fandom changes as well. Come and discuss the pros and cons of torrents, Fansubbing, scanlations, and downloading and
how it affects the state of anime industry today.
Presented by Chris & Greg Ayres
Asian Ball-joint Doll Collecting
An introduction to the hobby of finding and customizing
your own personal friend and co-cosplayer. This panel
covers the history of asian ball-joint dolls as they originated in Japan and spread along with what qualifies as
an asian ball joint doll, details like pricing, types, sizes,
countries that carry them and other such things.
Presented by Jeanne Richard
How to play Shogi
Come join Hirohiigo Togashi from Mechacon’s forums as
he teaches you how to play the game of shogi. In addition,
he will delve a little into the game’s history and origins.
Presented by Hirohiigo Togashi
Ask Jett and Zee
Q&A with Mechacon’s very own mascots! Ask questions, get photos, signatures, play games, and win
prizes!
Presented by Jett and Zee
Ballroom Dancing
If you’re planning to attend the Formal Cosplay-optional Ball, here’s your last chance to brush up on your ballroom dancing skills and etiquette. Whether you’re an
old pro at waltzing, or you’ve never danced before, this
panel will give tips and help you practice your moves,
so you can be light on your feet for the upcoming ball.
Presented by David Adams
War Stories from the Conventions
Do you think touring around anime conventions is easy,
glamorous and luxurious? If you think so you are in for a
shock as Kevin McKeever tells you about the good, the
bad and funny of life touring around anime conventions!
Presented by Kevin McKeever
Cosplay Presentation
Come join Jessi Duffour in a wild and crazy interactive cosplay panel all about presenting your work.
Between posing tips to give the photographers your
very best and making the Cosplay Competition spectacularly fun and exciting, there are a variety of little
methods you can do that will make your costume
seem all the more real!
Presented by Jessi Duffour
Fireside Chat w/ Ai no Shinobi
Join Ai no Shinobi for a humor infused motivational
discussion. Do you need that little pick up to help finish that cosplay? Wondering how you can improve
your chances with that special someone? For the
anime loving wanderer stuck at a fork in the proverbial road of life, let Shinobi impart a few sincere
words on how motivation and dedication can get you
what you really want in life. If anything, walk away
with a few laughs and maybe a life lesson or two.
Presented by Van Nguyen
ADR Directing
Ever wonder what goes into bringing your favorite animes from their native Japanese language to English?
What exactly is the process used by American anime
companies to accomplish this? In this presentation,
Chris Ayres will take you through the steps of ADR
directing and timing American voices to Japanese lip
movements in anime.
Presented by Chris Ayres
Independent Film Making
Join industry veteran Kevin McKeever as he shows
you the ins and outs of getting a career started in the
world of independent filmmaking!
Presented by Kevin McKeever
So You Want to be a Voice Actor… ?
Join in on a discussion about the realities of working
as an actor in the anime industry. From auditions to
recording, come learn what it’s really like to make a
living working in the anime industry.
Presented by Chis & Greg Ayres
How to Play Go
Come join Mechacon’s own DJ Wildfire as he teaches
you how to play the game as well as the history of the
game.
Presented by David Adams
ROBOTECH: Past, Present and Future
Harmony Gold’s Kevin McKeever covers the history
of the TV series that introduced a generation to anime
in a special 2-hour panel, and discusses new upcoming releases in the wake of the announcement of the
live action feature film.
Presented by Kevin McKeever
Cosplay: Performance and Skits!
The best part about cosplay is really getting involved in
the convention antics. Entering the Cosplay Contest is a
great way to show your stuff and gives you the opportunity to perform among fans and friends. Preparing a skit or
performance is a real blast. In this panel we’ll talk about
posing, writing and performing skits, and much more!
Presented by Clover
ROBOTECH: Free-for-All
Do you still have questions about the past, present or future of Robotech? Well then here is your
chance to get your questions answered!
Presented by Kevin McKeever
Animation Cel Painting
What is a Genga? A Douga? What sort of paint do you
use when creating an Animation cel? Who still uses
Animation cels? If you don’t know the answers to these
questions, then this in depth workshop is just right for
you. Samantha Inoue Harte will lead the audience
through the steps of creating an Animation cel. From
rough sketch to inking to fully painted animation cel using Animation industry standard materials, you too will
be able to create your own masterpiece.
Presented by Samantha Inoue Harte
Cosplay Wigs and Accessories
Wigs are usually one of the toughest parts of a
costume to craft thanks to the crazy designs of
anime and video games, but they can be really
fun to style! Learn about how to select, cut, color,
and style wigs! We’ll also talk about accessories,
jewelry, and attaching decorations onto wigs!
Presented by Clover
TMI w/ Wendy Powell & Friends
Join Wendy Powell and friends as they discuss any
and everything in this 18+ only panel.
Presented by Wendy Powell
Making Web Comics
Join Monty as he details his experiences with
making an online comic. Monty will also show you
how to get a professional look out of your digital
artwork by demonstrating and explaining the techniques he uses with Adobe Photoshop.
Presented by Desmond “ Monty” Smith
Cosplay Wigs and Makeup
Come and see how to carefully apply makeup without
making your skin shiny under the flash of the camera.
Learn how to lighten and darken your skin tones to
match your wig and face shape. Learn little tips and
tricks to bring the character more to life with the simple
use of applying eye shadow in the right color.
Presented by RedMoonCosplay
The Anime Dating Game
Sometimes it’s hard for a samurai to meet a decent
princess or a mecha-pilot to find the time to date a
magical school-girl! With forum member Junie it’s as
easy as one-two-three (and sometimes four!)! Each
round of the game consists of a bachelor or bachelorette who asks a series of romantic and personal
questions to a group of hidden, nameless contestants
whose personalities are only revealed through their answers! After the bachelor/ette has decided on who they
like the most, the couple will go on a date and hopefully
live happily ever after!
Presented by Junie
Gore FX Cosplay
How do you make fake blood? Why is it so tasty? Ever
want to be made into a zombie? Ever want to try your
hand at creating a believable Himura Kenshin scar?
How do you use Liquid Latex? In this interactive workshop, Samantha will pick random audience members
to be “Gorified” in this fun and often messy workshop.
Fun for the entire family.
Presented by Samantha Inoue Harte
The History of Transformers
Curtis Crook and several other fans will take time to
explain the impact Transformers has had on their lives.
Feel free to participate and share your own experiences with the series.
Presented by Curtis Crook
Mock Combat for Cosplay
The best part about cosplay is really getting involved in
the convention antics. Entering the Cosplay Contest is a
great way to show your stuff and gives you the opportunity to perform among fans and friends. Preparing a skit or
performance is a real blast. In this panel we’ll talk about
posing, writing and performing skits, and much more!
Presented by Chris Ayres
ROBOTECH Goes to the Movies
Join Harmony Gold’s Kevin McKeever for a history
of Robotech in movie theatres over the decades.
Presented by Kevin McKeever
Electronic Gaming
Console Gaming
What would an anime convention be without the hottest in console gaming, both the latest and greatest as
well as old school? Operating all day and all night, our
console gaming room doesn’t fail to deliver! This year,
we’re proud to announce your console gaming needs
will be fullfilled by our friends from
Here are some of the games you’ll find:
Dead or Alive 4 (Xbox 360)
DDR (PlayStation2)
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit (PlayStation3)
Left 4 Dead (Xbox 360)
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm (PlayStation 3)
Mario Party 8 (Nintendo Wii)
Street Fighter IV (Playstation 3)
Super Smash Bros.: Brawl (Nintendo Wii)
Mario Kart (Nintendo Wii)
Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
Soulcalibur IV (Xbox 360)
Tournaments
Want to test your mettle? MechaCon’s gaming tournaments may be just the thing for you! Rules and signup will be held in the Game Room till one hour before
the tournament. Slots are limited, so sign up early. For
tournament slot count and availability, inquire in the
Game Room.
Saturday, July 25th
10:00am - Pokémon Preliminaries
(Nintendo DS)
3:00pm - Pokémon Finals
(NINTENDO DS)
Main Event Room
3:30pm - Sreet Fighter IV
(Playstation 3)
Main Event Room
4:00pm - Super Smash Bros.: Brawl
(Nintendo Wii)
Main Event Room
Every moment counts as you control a thirty-foot tall,
75-ton walking tank, blasting your way to victory. Enjoy
the hunt for prey in a futuristic wasteland from inside
MechCorps’ BattleMech Cockpit Simulator Pods.
During MechaCon, go up against five live and up to
and additional eight AI opponents in team or free-for-all
mayhem. BattleTech is not hide and seek, it’s seek and
destroy.
A short training session will get you ready for battle.
Afterwards, you can talk smack while enjoying a mission review video of your battle and comparing your
scoresheet to the other pilots in your mission.
Table-top Gaming Schedule
Come learn a new game! Play Call of Cthulhu after dark, in our Midnight Madness room. Come
participate in our gaming epic: Star Wars – The Sith Prophecies! This year’s events include something
for the gamer in everyone!
Friday, July 24th
Gaming Room II (continued)
1:00pm - Magic: The Gathering CCG
Gaming Room I
Constructed Deck Tournament
1:00pm - Free Play
2:00pm - Munchkin
4:00pm - Universal Fighting System
Demo
6:00pm - Star Wars Miniatures
Demo and tournament
6:00pm - Star Wars RPG
EVENT 1
9:00pm - Free Play
11:00pm - Gaming Room I closes
Gaming Room II
1:00pm - Free Play
2:00pm - Warhammer /Warhammer 40,000
Demos
9:00pm - Gaslight Victorian Fantasy
DARK MAGIC IN NEW ORLEANS
(d20)
WORLD OF DARKNESS SESSION
Requiescat In Pace
12:00am - Midnight Madness
Gaming Room III
1:00pm - Free Play
2:00pm - Star Wars Miniatures
EVENT 1
4:00pm - Free Play
6:00pm - Shadowrun RPG
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
EPISODE 1
9:00pm - Free Play
11:00pm - Gaming Room III closes
Saturday, July 25th
Event 3
10:00pm - Free Play
12:00am - Midnight Madness
Gaming Room III
10:00am - Monsterpocalypse
Demo
12:00pm - World of Warcraft Miniatures
DEMO
2:00pm - Robotech RPG
demo
10:00am - Star Wars Miniatures
EVENT 2
THE SHADOW CHRONICLES
RDF HORIZION
5:00pm - Shadowrun RPG
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
EPISODE 2
8:00pm - Dungeons & Dragons RPG
THE LOST TEMPLE OF THE FEY GODS
11:00pm - Gaming Room III closes
Sunday, July 26th
Gaming Room I
10:00am - Star Wars Miniatures
Event 4
12:00pm - Star Wars RPG
Event 4
3:00pm - Free Play
5:00pm - Gaming Room I closes
Gaming Room I
10:00am - Legend of the Five Rings
CALL OF CTHULHU
THE MAD MONK’S JOURNAL
Gaming Room II
10:00am - World of Warcraft CCG
Draft tournament
12:00pm - Star Wars RPG
Event 2
1:00pm - Magic: The Gathering CCG
Constructed Deck Tournament
5:00pm - Gaming Room II closes
Sealed Deck Tournament
3:00pm - Yu-Gi-Oh!
6:00pm - Star Wars RPG
Event 3
10:00pm - Free Play
11:00pm - Gaming Room I closes
Gaming Room II
10:00am - Yu-Gi-Oh!
sealed Deck Tournament
Gaming Room III
10:00am - Free Play
11:00am - GURPS
Valley of the White Petals
2:00pm - Shadowrun RPG
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
EPISODE 3
5:00pm - Gaming Room III closes
Table-top Gaming Events
This year, Mechacon’s Tabletop Gaming Department is still on a roll. Come learn a new game, like Munchkin, or Monsterpocalypse, or show
off your new killer deck in one of many ccg tournaments, or come help us kick off a six year long story arc in an epic, unique Star Wars Meta
Scenario. This year’s events include, (but are not limited to):
Customizable/Trading
Card Games
Mechacon will be having tournaments for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic:
The Gathering, and the World of Warcraft CCG. And if that isn’t
enough, we’ll be having demos for Universal Fighting System
CCG, and the Legend of the 5 Rings ccg. Come, learn a new
game, show your skills and compete with your fellow con-goers
for prizes and glory! Also, This year, Meachcon is proud to offer
a demo and a tournament for the always fun game Munchkin.
Come, sit a spell with us and enjoy.
Munchkin
From Steve Jackson Games
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 Butt-Kicking.
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.
Magic - The Gathering
From Wizards of the Coast
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.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
From Upper Deck
In Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, two players face off in an all-out
battle, engaging in a Match consisting of three duels. The main
battles are waged between incredible monsters split into an amazing 20 types, each with their own unique skills and fighting styles.
In addition, players can use Spell, set traps, change the battlefield
itself, and even fuse two monsters together to form a monster of
immense power!
World of Warcraft
From Upper Deck
World of Warcraft is the most popular MMO in the world. Upper Deck
has translated that universe to the card table, and are confident that
hardcore MMO players and CCG veterans alike won’t be disappointed. Upper Deck has done their best to stay true to the MMO in
design, and in the CCG, players will find that Paladins are still hard
to kill, while Shamans have powers relating to damage, healing, and
Totems. Many aspects of the CCG’s strategy will be familiar to players
of the MMO. Additionally, by playing the CCG, you can get exclusive
items in the online game!
Universal
Fighting System
From Fantasy Flight Games
UFS (Universal Fighting System) pits popular adversaries together
in one-on-one combat. Players can collect, customize, and compete
for supremacy in the arena using their character’s moves, abilities
and weapons from popular video game properties. The high level of
strategy and fast-paced, hard-hitting action appeals to both casual
and competitive players. UFS is a bold, in-your-face game that is not
watered down for sale in the mass market. It is a hardcore game for
hardcore brick-and-mortar hobby stores.
Legend of the Five Rings
From Alderac Entertainment Group
Legend of the 5 Rings (L5R) is a world of heroic samurai, elemental
priests, and sharp-minded courtiers. Sworn to one of nine Clans,
each with its own unique philosophy on warfare, you will pit your
wits against your rivals for the glory of your daimyo and the honor
of victory. With an interactive storyline that advances each week,
the decks you build and the tournaments you win can change the
fortunes of your self, your Clan, even the Empire itself.
Miniatures
This year Mechacon will have open demos and scenarios for both
Warhammer and Warhammer 40K. Come learn these games and
listen as experienced players give tips on miniature construction,
painting, and game play. Plus, we will be having demos for the World
of Warcraft Miniatures Game, and the new miniatures game Monsterapocalypse. Come, learn a game and find out what it feels like to
have mighty forces at your command.
Warhammer /
Warhammer 40,000
From Games Workshop
Warhammer, the game of Fantasy Battles, allows you to wage war
with armies of Citadel miniatures across tabletop battlefields in the
ultimate contest of strategy and skill. Each player is a general, who
must choose his finest warriors, decide upon cunning battle plans
and strategies and lead his followers to victory or death.
Monsterpocalypse
From Privateer Press
This is Monsterapocalypse, a fast-moving, action-packed strategy
game played with high-quality collectible miniatures portraying the
most fearsome giant monsters on Earth! Each battle takes place
in a city that you and your opponent construct by placing buildings
on a city map. Players choose their forces from their respective collections of figures and then battle one another with giant monsters
and supporting units such as tanks, flying vehicles, and all manner
of creatures. When the battle begins, you command your monster
and lead your units into the city to hunt down and destroy your opponent’s monster. To accomplish your mission, your monster and
units each have weapons and abilities that are activated by special
dice. The last monster standing wins the game!
World of Warcraft
From Upper Deck
World of Warcraft Minis gives fans the excitement of the online experience in a fun, fast-paced game that features the highest-quality
miniatures ever produced in the industry. Players use figures and
terrain pieces to simulate battles in all types of settings and scenarios reminiscent of the vibrant world of Azeroth with an endless
assortment of gameplay possibilities!
Role-playing Games
Friend of MechaCon and head of Battlefield Press, Jonathan
Thompson will be stopping by to run the following games (Players *MUST* provide their own dice):
Fullmetal Alchemist
Valley of the White Petals
The Elric brothers travel to the ghost town of Xenotime – once a prosperous mining town, now slowly sinking beneath the drifting sands.
To save their town, the inhabitants of Xenotime have hired two of the
world’s most powerful alchemists to create a Philosopher’s Stone...
and when the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother meet them, sparks
are going to fly. Players: 2 - 4 • System: GURPS
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
RDF HORIZON
While searching for Admiral Hunter the crew of a RDF ship
now comes across the Horizon, a ship that disappeared in a
Fold years ago. The ship seams intact, but the crew can not be
found. There is something or someone aboard, is it responsible
for the loss of the crew? Players: 3 - 6 • System: Palladium
Gaslight Victorian Fantasy
Dark Magic In New Orleans
A rash of deaths have appeared all over New Orleans. These deaths all
had one thing in common, they were prominent people in society. The
only clue... these deaths are linked to Voodoo. A private investigator
needs your help solving the mysterious deaths that are plaguing the city.
Can you help solve the crime before the French Quarter is taken over by
zombies? Players: 2 - 4 • System: d20
Shadowrun
Those Left Behind
To celebrate Shadowrun’s 20th anniversary, GM David Giles brings you
a story from the shadows of Seattle in three parts. A generation-old betrayal and a quest for vengeance leads a team of young shadowrunners
into a mess that is much more than they bargained for. With the entire
city, as well as their reputation and payments, on the line, they must find
a way to resolve the decades-old conflict before it’s too late.
A World of Darkness
Requiescat In Pace
A team of amateur ghost hunters finds much more than they
expected when called in to examine a young family’s home.
After being dragged through a hideous, surreal nightmare, the
hunter seek the source of the horror, finding it concealed in the
mists of an small, abandoned resort town...
Call of Cthulhu
The Mad Monk’s Journal
Arkham, MA, 1990 – a group of young men and women are called
to hear the reading of their mentor’s will, finding that he has named
them the heirs to his generous estate. Shaken already by their
friend’s untimely death, they are more disturbed to learn the requirement he has placed on them: solve his murder. Their search begins
with only one maddening clue, the old man’s most prized collection:
the dream journal of the infamous Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin.
Dungeons and Dragons
The Lost Temple of the Fey Gods
Those who truly understand the fey know that as with all things natural,
there is a darker side to these creatures of fancy. Could a rash of stolen
food and sleep dust traps point to a more sinister threat lurking on the
wild side of reality? Mechacon brings to you a sanctioned 4th edition
adventure set in its Living Forgotten Realms setting. Six seats are available, first come first served, with a large number of pre-made characters
to choose from.
Star wars Meta-Scenario
Finally, last but certainly not least, we have an epic and unique Star
Wars Meta Scenario, that combines both the Star Wars Miniatures
Game, and the Star Wars RPG, into a massive, week-end long
gaming event, that will be the start of an epic, six year long story arc!
From the opening salvos of the Clone Wars to the battle that crippled the Empire, we have given you the opportunity to participate
in many of the epic battles of the Star Wars universe. Last year, we
gave you the chance to be part of an epic, three day long scenario
that weaved together the Star Wars Minis game with the Star Wars
rpg. But if you thought that three days was impressive how about
SIX YEARS? That’s right, SIX YEARS. This year at Mechacon V,
the seeds will be planted for a saga that simply will not fit into a
single week-end. This year, to mark our fifth year, Mechacon shall
give you an epic Star Wars event that will stretch for six years and
span all six eras of the Star Wars universe. Team Mechacon proudly presents: Star Wars: The Sith Prophecies, an epic scenario that
will consist of six loosely connected combined minis/rpg scenarios.
Now, will you have to attend all six years of the con to participate?
Of course not. You won’t even have to attend all the sessions for
one particular year. You can attend as many or as few sessions as
you want for each year over the course of the six year scenario.
We shall begin everything with Episode I: Dawn of Darkness. During
the time of the Star Forge War, a Republic war hero, Col. Retlaw Urtzec, went on a mission to a backwater planet but was never heard from
again. The Con participants will be part of a team with an easy mission:
terminate the Colonel’s command. But, they will soon discover that
this is no easy mission, with the events that unfold having unforeseen
consequences. And everything shall culminate with the prophecies of a
clairvoyant Sith that shall echo across thousands of years.
Star wars
Miniatures
Star wars
RPG
From Wizards of the Coast
The Star Wars Miniatures line features hundreds of ready-to-play
miniatures from the Star Wars universe.
From Wizards of the Coast
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.
Table-top
Gaming
Guest Panels
Come and join us as Adam Jury of Catalyst Game Labs presents
the following table-top gaming panels at MechaCon:
Breaking into the RPG Industry
Have you ever flipped through the pages of a rpg book and
thought: “Man, I would love to do this! How would that be possible”? Well, come join this year’s Mechacon Tabletop Gaming
Guest Adam Jury of Catalyst Game Labs, as he answers that
question and. Adam will share with you tips that just might allow
you to fulfill that dream of working in the rpg industry.
20th Anniversary of Shadowrun
20 years ago, a new rpg named Shadowrun was released.
The game, which presented a bold mix of science fiction and
fantasy would go on to become a hit. Now, come help us celebrate the 20th anniversary of this rpg with Mechacon’s 2009
Tabletop Gaming Guest, Adam Jury of Catalyst Game Labs, as
he delves into the game’s past, examines its present and looks
at where it might be going.
History of Cyber Punk
Join our three panelists as they explain what is and is not cyberpunk, with an eye toward how the genre has expanded from
its near-future counterculture origins and looking at cyberpunk
across several media, including literature, anime and manga,
American television and movies, and gaming, both electronic
and table-top.
Dancing
MechaCon Formal Cosplay-Optional Ball
This special event is Black Tie Optional / Formal Cosplay-Optional. What that means is that this is a classy event where
tuxedos and evening gowns are encouraged as well as formal cosplay. Due to the incredible success of last year’s Formal
Cosplay-Optional Ball, this year MechaCon has decided to bring back this formal ball to follow our dinner on the evening of
July 24th. Music will be varied, so don’t worry about it just being Victorian. We’ll be playing classic video game and anime
tunes, as well as some assortments of Jpop, classical, swing, and jazz for your dancing and listening pleasure. Also, ball
attendees will have the option of participating in a special Ouran Host Club presentation by Mission Impossible Cosplay.
To top it all off, Ai no Shinobi returns as our guest emcee to entertain you as you dance the night away. Whether you want
to cut a rug or socialize with our ball hosts and other con-goers, we are sure you will have a good time!
Ai no Shinobi
Ai no Shinobi returns to MechaCon, but this time as a special guest! This former member of
Team MechaCon is a veteran of the convention circuit, having served four tours of duty with
Louisiana’s largest and longest running anime convention.
Raised on a heavy mixture of G.I. Joe, Dungeons & Dragons, and Pro Wrestling, Ai no Shinobi
has an overdeveloped sense of awesome which often gets him into and out of some hilarious
antics. He is dedicated to bringing the best out of those around him and loves to share his smile
with the world. He fights for love and justice… to right wrongs and triumph over evil… to boldly
go where no one has gone before… ’til all are one!
Because you demanded it, Ai no Shinobi will be returning this year for the second annual
Mechacon Formal Cosplay Ball as our guest Master of Ceremonies! His mission… to ensure everyone has the best
of times. Utilizing his impressive arsenal of quips, smooth moves, and a bit of the good ole ninja magic, he intends to
leave you with a night you will treasure forever... again!
New to MechaCon’s programming line-up, for the very first time (and possibly the last!)… MechaCon presents A Fireside
Chat with Ai no Shinobi, a brief glimpse into one of the more twisted nerd minds this side of Cybertron. Come and enjoy some
folksy wisdom sprinkled with a ton of ranting and raving. Expect to laugh, cry, rage, and be entertained in a show like no other.
Whether it’s perfecting his Puroresu moves or singing along to his collection of SAILOR MOON musicals, Ai no Shinobi is
always hard at work on one scheme or another. Be sure to swing by and say ‘hi’ to MechaCon’s one and only Ninja of Love!
MechaCon House Party
The MechaCon House Party returns with a dynamic DJ duo. Once again, DJ Greg Ayres will be on stage spinning
your favorite dance mixes. And later in the evening, we are pleased to welcome back
the MechaCon House Party’s original DJ Wildfire, who was serving a tour of duty in the
U.S. Army during last year’s convention. So peel off that sweaty vinyl, grab your
favorite otaku, head on down to Main Events and get ready to dance ‘til
you drop as MechaCon’s two favorite DJs keep the beats rolling on
through the night and on in to the morning.
DJ Greg Ayres
DJ Wildfire
Industry/Charity Support
MechaCon extends its heartfelt thanks to the following donors of prizes, charity items 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!
Charity Auction
Anually at MechaCon, we are very proud to
hold charity auctions to benefit Faith House,
a shelter for abused women and children here
in Lafayette, LA. The strong show of support
at our previous auctions really helped to show
the anime community’s spirit of caring and
concern toward those whose lives have been
torn apart by domestic violence. Considering
the nature of the service Faith House provides, we feel it is our duty as decent human
beings to help them out as much as we possibly can. This is why we need the continued
support of the anime community and industry… we simply cannot do it alone.
MechaCon is honored to proclaim, since
its inception, that the anime community and
industry has been dedicated to helping the
abused women and children in our community.
This auction is our way of showing how much
we care… how much the anime fans of tomorrow mean to us. We’d like to thank each and
every person who braved the oncoming Hurricane Katrina to join us in 2005, as well as those
who joined us in 2006, 2007 and 2008. With
your support, we’ve raised a total of almost
$7,500.00 for Faith House at our auctions!
This year, we are proud to continue this
tradition of helping those in need. Please join
us at the MechaCon V Charity Auction and
bid frequently and generously.
Once again, we’ve gathered a variety of
unique and hard-to-find items for this event...
some of which you will never find anywhere
else. Keeping that in mind, this auction is a
can’t-miss event!
Dealers Room
Acknowledgements
Convention Organizers
Convention Staff
2009
Mascot Art
Peter Bares – Sennin Productions, LLC
Jon Russo – Sennin Productions, LLC
Courtesy of Amelie Belcher
Dwayne “Bob” Borel – Chief of Operations
David Carter – Stage Director / Events Manager
Curtis Crook – Dealer Room / Volunteer Coordinator
Hunter Domingue – Electronic Gaming Coordinator
Dom Ducote – Panels Coordinator
Travis Farrar – Floor Manager / Gold Pass Liaison
David Giles – Assistant Table-top Gaming Coordinator
Sam Ford – Overnight Operations Chief
Brian Hill – Video Rooms Coordinator
James “Stoney” Potter – Table-top Gaming Coordinator / Games Master
Blake Rebouche – Guest Relations Coordinator
Grady Roy – Security Chief
Melanie Russo – Registration Coordinator / Advertising Sales
Greg Martin – Guest Liaison Coordinator
Support Staff
David Adams
Donnelise Bruney
Cole Clark
Brad Daigle
Brandon Delcambre
David Doerr
Jessi Duffour
Brigette Goudeau
Event Facilitators
William Hebert
Cassandra Larousse
Brandon LeBlanc
Sherry Savage
DJ Greg Ayres / DJ Wildfire – MechaCon House Party
Travis Farrar – MC for Opening Ceremonies & Formal / Semi-formal Dinner
Hunter Domingue – Electronic Gaming Tournaments
Clover – MC for Cosplay Competition
Van “Ai no Shinobi” Nguyen - MC for Formal Cosplay-optional Ball
Travis Farrar – AMV Contest
Table-top Gaming Facilitators
David & Wilbur Bennett, Jeff Marx & Jeremy Monts – Legend of the 5 Rings CCG
Thai Dinh – Universal Fighting System CCG
David Giles – Shadowrun, New World of Darkness & Call of Cthulhu RPGs
William Hebert & Seth Segura – Star Wars miniatures
Nathan Koska – Warhammer / Warhammer 40K, Monsterpocalypse miniatures
Michael Lee – World of Warcraft miniatures
Jonathan Thompson – Robotech, GURPS & Gaslight Victorian RPGs
Tajia Wendt – Munchkin CCG
Event Crew
Andrea Evans – Guest Liaison
William McFarlain – Videographer
Jennifer McFarlain – Videographer
Abby Williford – Guest Liaison
Chip, Chris, Dani, Fatty, Haniel, Matt,
Nakia, Phatz, Rocky – Security
Event Facilitation
Hilton Lafayette
Clark Services Audio Visual & Exhibit
Special Thanks
MechaCon extends its most heartfelt thanks
to the following people for their contributions
and support: LCVC, The Grand Theatre 16,
Richard & Ellyn E., Tiffany & Matt G., Stacy S.,
Mike M., Adam S., Sophie M., Amelie B., Jim C.,
Kevin M., Kelly D., Jeff J., Tonia L. and our
families who patiently understand the long
hours we invest in this con and all others who
helped along the way.
Your Stay at the Hilton
Hilton Lafayette
Hotel Features
1521 West Pinhook Road
Lafayette, LA 70503-3158
Tel: 1-337-235-6111
Fax: 1-337-237-6313
Toll-Free: 1-800-HIL-TONS
www.hilton.com
In Rooms: 24-hour housekeeping, Accessible
rooms, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Audible
alarms, Automatic door closer, Bathroom amenities, Coffeemaker, Color cable-television, Connecting rooms, Dataport, Dead bolts and security
chains, Electronic locks, Fire sprinklers, Hair dryer,
High-speed Internet access, Individual climate
control, In-room checkout, Iron/Ironing board,
Newspaper M-F (USA Today), On-command movies and games, Premium TV: HBO, CNN, ESPN,
Radio, Scald-proof shower/tub, Smoke detectors,
Telephone - auto wake-up, Telephone - voice mail,
Visual strobe, Work desk with lamp.
About the Hotel
Located just a mile from the Lafayette Regional
Airport, along the banks of the serene Vermilion
Bayou in the heart of Acadiana, The Hilton
Lafayette is Acadiana’s premier full-service hotel
and conference center. The Hilton Lafayette is
stocked with a multitude of amenities, including
high-speed Internet access, to make your stay
stress free.
MechaCon is being held in the convention and
meeting area of The Hilton Lafayette. With 22,000
square feet of event space and 327 guest rooms
and suites, The Hilton Lafayette has been the
perfect facility for our first four conventions.
Other Information: Restaurant on site (Alexander’s),
Automated teller (ATM), Baggage storage, Bell service/Porter, Concierge desk, Direct billing, Doctor
on call, Dry cleaning/Laundry service, Elevators,
Gift Shop, Ice machines, Laundry - self-service,
Multilingual staff, Complimentary Parking, Room
service, Safety deposit box, Security staff on duty,
Shuttle - to airport, Tour desk, Non-Smoking Rooms
Available, Smoking Rooms Available.
Parking is complimentary!
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 Transformers appreciation.
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.
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
Lafayette.
Rules of Conduct
At the registration desk, attendees have access to
the MechaCon Pocket Policies handbook which outlines MechaCon’s Rules of Conduct, Security Policy,
Weapons Policy and other information attendees
need to be familiar with while attending MechaCon.
Please request this handbook and read it carefully
immediately after receiving it. Once you have read
it, please pass it on to your fellow attendees so we
can all have a safe and enjoyable convention experience.
Hands-off Policy
MechaCon has a strict hands-off policy regarding
its mascots, staff and attendees. An extension of
MechaCon’s Rules of Conduct, which can be found
in the MechaCon Pocket Policies handbook, our
hands-off policy basically means that no attendee
is to make physical contact with any member of the
MechaCon staff, Hilton staff or other convention
attendees without first getting permission from the
person you wish to make physical contact with. This
includes, but is not limited to, unwarranted “glomping”, touching, embracing, or hanging-on. All attendees are expected to become familiar with the
policies outlined in the MechaCon Pocket Policies
handbook.
Security Policy
MechaCon Security is based on a “three strikes”
rule. Please refer to the MechaCon Pocket Policies handbook for a detailed outline of MechaCon’s
Security Policy.
MechaCon Security reserves the right to revoke
MechaCon Attendee membership and eject anyone
at any time from the convention without a refund.
Weapons Policy
Items that could be used as a weapon MUST
be Peace-Bonded. Please refer to the MechaCon
Pocket Policies handbook for a detailed outline of
MechaCon’s Security Policy.
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 and Lafayette
Consolidated Governments.
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 and
Lafayette Consolidated 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 and Lafayette Consolidated Governments.
Rules of 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 Lafayette Parish 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 Lafayette Parish 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 premesis by MechaCon
personnel, local police will be called in to remove the person or persons from the hotel and/or adjoining areas.