I want you more than you know

So, this weekend has been a mixed affair, the cat gets run over but somehow survives and hopefully is going to be alright... And I get to go and see a rather mad exhibition.

So Saturday comes and we still haven't decided what we want to do for the weekend. Then the suggestion comes to go to an exhibition, a games and movie fair. Description as follows.

"London MCM Expo 2008
25 Oct 2008 to 26 Oct 2008Public
London MCM Expo is the UK's No.1 consumer show for Movie, Comic, Anime, Manga & Video Games. Meet stars from TV & Film, Costume characters, play Magic The Gathering, see and play the newest and yet to be released video games. All the best Anime & Manga all in one place just for you. Take part in competitions and have a fun day out. KIDS GO FREE*"

Now, I wasn't really too fussed what I was doing so long as it was something. So I only read into it this far, (see bolded letters). Completely missing the bit in italics.

"London MCM Expo 2008 25 Oct 2008 to 26 Oct 2008PublicLondon MCM Expo is the UK's No.1 consumer show for Movie, Comic, Anime, Manga & Video Games. Meet stars from TV & Film, Costume characters, play Magic The Gathering, see and play the newest and yet to be released video games. All the best Anime & Manga all in one place just for you. Take part in competitions and have a fun day out. KIDS GO FREE*"

So halfway there on the DLR, the world most terrifying train, it never looks like someone is actually driving or generally interacting with the damn thing. And the sites of numerous nearby incomplete rail bridges and the likes is quite unnerving. But still, I start to notice a few odd characters. Okay, its public transport, there is a high likelihood of nutters being present at a given moment. However, not usually ones with cardboard swords and 'dragon-ball z' hair. At this point in time I wasn't really putting 2 and 2 together. Neither was Matt, who's idea it all was. Spreading the blame is not nearly as good as acutely assigning it to a destination! But still, to be fair it wasn't all that bad.

So we arrive and its a pretty large place. However nothing yet alerts me to any such sort of cosplay event. To those unawares to Cosplay, its a sort of...well people dress up as comic book and computer game characters etc. It can be rather hilarious when they look shite.

So we start getting nearer and in a bar along the way we notice four stormtroopers, minus hats, having a beer. Which was an excellent photo opportunity, but due to a lack of camera, this wasn't possible. Although I recently bought a camera its not with me here. Which is an arse really. Despite the Star Wars part I still hadn't cottoned onto the true nature of the event. Until, we enter that is. Somehow we didn't notice the ticket stand so proceeded to wander all of the way through to the other then of the exhibition centre.

The things I saw, fat girls dressed as Final Fantasy characters. Super Mario, Lara Croft et al. Amongst a whole host of various Anime things, I'm guessing the latter as I had no idea whatsoever to who they were. A few Batman Jokers were added in too for effect.

So its a Cosplay event, I'm staring in amazement and yelling at Matt for where he's brought me. However things get a little more bizarre...at the other end of the arena. A rather harmless event, but one when put next to a bloody cosplay event makes for a poor mix.

An Islamic gathering, complete with talks and the works. I should have picked up on this outside the venue when I saw a number of Muslim lads handing out leaflets and cards to The Joker and several Japanese girls dressed as sailors. Possibly not the best way to sell something to someone dressed the way they were. But regardless, whoever planned for these events to be on at the same time on the same day needs a bloody medal. Its what I love to see.

But what made me really laugh, but something which no one else seemed to get, was the man dressed up in a crusader outfit. I'm guessing as the guy from Assassins Creed, walking through the Islamic section. What better way than to not incite religious violence, than to walk through an Islamic expo dressed as one of Richard the Lionheart's men. Nicely done.

The world at work. What a great place.