It was 1 : 30 am on Saturday and James was fast asleep in his bed. Until all of sudden he received a text message.

The sound startled James and woke him up. He stiffly picked up his phone and stared at it blankly, rubbing his eyes as he did. He noticed the message was from Joseph, it read:

“THAS IS SI CAL, U WAL BA SO EXCITED BECCAUSSEE I GYAT TICK TO AN AIM CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

James stared at the message confused. He didn’t really know what to say to this message. So he just sent Joseph a reply reading:

“Huh?”

Almost instantly Joseph responded:

“O ye sorry, got a little excited. What I meant to tell u was that my mom got us tickets to an anime con in California. She booked the flights and everything!”

James was ecstatic.

He could not go to sleep for the rest of the night, he had so many ideas and thoughts of things that he and his friends could do in California and the anime convention.

Though there was one major problem.

James’s mom would 100% not be okay with the idea of him going with his friends to not only the other side of America, but also to an anime convention. And since her first exposure to anime was pornography, she had developed an idea that anime was basically just porn. And she definitely would not be a fan of James going to a “porn convention.”

James knew he would have a hard time convincing her.

The moon went down, the sun rose and James had still not come up with a plan to convince his mom to let him go to the anime convention.

James felt a mix of excitement and disappointment that morning, as he was undoubtedly thrilled to go to the convention, though knew the conversation between him and his mom would be a little more than awkward.

Eventually though, James gathered the courage to ask his mom.

He walked into the kitchen where his mom was making breakfast, opened his mouth and said:

“Mother, I have come to you to request permission to go to California with my two friends. (Matthew Greengrov and Joseph Mann) Joseph’s mother (Hanna Mann) shall take us. We shall go by plane, which has already been paid for. (Not the brightest idea to not check with me first but okay) In California, we shall travel and see many famous landmarks and learn the history of them and the state as a whole. On the third day of our trip, Hanna Mann shall leave us at an anime convention at 3, she will then return at 7. An anime convention, often shortened to "anime con," is a gathering or event that celebrates and showcases various aspects of Japanese pop culture, with a primary focus on anime and manga. These conventions provide a space for fans to come together, share their enthusiasm for anime and related interests, and engage in a variety of activities.

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Here are some key features of anime conventions:

Cosplay: One of the most prominent aspects of anime conventions is cosplay, where attendees dress up as their favourite anime, manga, or video game characters. Cosplayers often put a lot of effort into creating elaborate costumes and participate in costume contests or photoshoots.

Panels and Workshops: Conventions typically host a wide range of panels and workshops covering various topics related to anime, manga, Japanese culture, and fandom. These sessions may include discussions with industry professionals, tutorials on drawing or crafting, and insights into different aspects of the anime and manga world.

Guests and Q&A Sessions: Anime conventions often invite special guests, such as voice actors, directors, artists, and other industry professionals. Attendees may have the opportunity to attend Q&A sessions, autograph signings, and even interact with their favourite creators.

Exhibits and Merchandise: Convention halls are filled with vendor booths and exhibits offering a diverse array of anime-related merchandise, including DVDs, manga, posters, figures, and other collectibles. Some conventions also feature exclusive items that attendees can purchase.

Screenings: Many anime conventions host screenings of popular or upcoming anime series and movies. This provides attendees with the chance to watch content on a big screen and sometimes even in the presence of the creators or voice actors.

Gaming: Some anime conventions have dedicated spaces for gaming, including video games, tabletop games, and card games. Attendees can participate in tournaments or casual gaming sessions with fellow fans.

Socialising and Networking: Anime conventions are social events where fans can meet like-minded individuals, make new friends, and share their passion for anime. The sense of community is a significant aspect of these gatherings.

Artists' Alley: This is a section of the convention where independent artists and creators can showcase and sell their original artwork, prints, and other creations. It's a great place to discover unique and talented individuals in the anime community.

Anime conventions vary in size and scope, ranging from small local events to large international gatherings. They provide a platform for fans to immerse themselves in the anime culture, meet fellow enthusiasts, and celebrate their shared interests,”

“No,” James’s mom bluntly stated.

“But… But… T-there's h-hot w-w-women! I love w-women!” James idiotically explained.

James and his mom debated for a long time. James’s mother eventually started shifting the blame onto Joseph's mom, going on about how it was such a stupid idea and how irresponsible she is, as she didn’t want to argue with her son that, even after the whole “Oroka Nani Neko No Onnanoko” situation, she believed was perfect.

She made herself get so angry at Joseph’s mom that she eventually sent her a message telling her how much of a terrible parent she was. Hanna responded almost instantly. They argued for a while until they eventually scheduled a meet-up at the local park later that day.

***

THE PARK:

James and his mom drove over to the park. James was feeling quite uplifted, as he knew Joseph’s mom was very charismatic and would easily be able to persuade his mother into letting him go. Joseph had also told James that he would be there as well, so they could get the chance to talk to each other.

Stepping out of the car, James was blinded by the light the sun emitted. The day was beautiful, and made the park look even better than it usually did. The park itself was beautiful, with small, shallow rivers and waterfalls running through the entire park, and cherry blossoms dotted around with just as lovely flowers situated in random places around the park.

The chat between Hanna and James’s mom was very passive aggressive. From afar, it looked like two parents happily talking to each other, and to some degree it was like that. They were talking in very gentle and cheery voices, though saying things such as:

“I can’t believe that a bitch like you would even consider taking a bunch of children to California and supporting their hobbies. Actually you do realise that one of their hobbies involves them looking at provocative images?”

“I’m a bitch? Well you stole my husband you slut,”

“Huh? I’ve never even talked to your husband,”

“Yeah I’m not very good at arguing,”

Their debate went on for an hour or-so, until Joseph’s mom was successfully able to persuade James’s mom into letting him go. Whether it was because she genuinely thought James was a nice person and wanted him to come, or was too lazy to get a refund on his plane and convention tickets if he didn’t come is really all your guess.

James went home feeling victorious.