Tag Archives: pokemon

Arts and Culture

My Lame Cosplay Photos From Anime NYC, 2026!

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cosplayer on escalator photo by gail worley
Izumi Konata Schoolgirl from Lucky Star Cosplay (All Photos By Gail)

We’ve been over this before. When I’m covering a fan convention like New York Comic Con, Flame Con or Anime NYC, I  just don’t really have the bandwidth — mentally, physically or creatively —t o do the kind of serious cosplay photography that most  of my fellow photographers do. You know the drill: stop someone, ask them to pose, find out exactly who they’re dressed as, photograph all the intricate details and then move on to the next character. Admirable, certainly, but it’s not my strength. My coverage takes much more of a hit-and-run approach.

This is directly related to the reasons I abandoned Halloween costume parties about 20 years ago: my costume ideas are lame and my competitive streak tells me that if I can’t be the best at something, I’d usually rather not play at all. While I have an enormous amount of admiration (read: jealousy) for the cosplayers who pour so much time and creativity into their costumes, I’m perfectly happy to remain an observer and leave the documentation to the experts.

anime nyc signage at javits center photo by gail worley
Anime NYC is No Longer Brought to You By Crunchyroll
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Arts and Culture

How To Become A Collector

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baseball card collection

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Becoming a collector is something that many people do as a way of satisfying a passion for a particular item or time period. When you start a collection, it’s important to do your research and to understand what the right amount is to pay for each and every item.

Each collection type is different from the next, whether it’s WW2 militaria for sale or you prefer to collect Pokémon cards. The research you do and the budget you have will likely look different, but the methods in which you acquire the items remain very much the same.
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Film and Television, Pop Culture

From Movies to Machines: When Pop Culture Shapes the Next Big Game

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young woman sitting in game room before machine
Photo by Adhen Wijaya Kusuma on Pexels.com

Games don’t appear out of thin air. They pull from stories, music, fashion, even the shows we binge on weekends. Pop culture feeds gaming, and gaming in turn keeps those cultural moments alive. When a movie or TV show takes over screens, it’s often only a matter of time before someone builds a game around it.

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Arts and Culture

My Speed-Date With Opening Night of Anime NYC 2025!

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anime nyc signage photo by gail worley
All Photo By Gail

Anime NYC is always a highlight of the fall convention season, spanning four days of panels, screenings, and an overwhelming array of exhibitors and fan experiences. This year, however, my time on the show floor was limited to the Thursday evening preview, since I flew out the next morning for a long-planned San Diego vacation. That meant I had just a few hours to explore before the weekend crowds rolled in, and I knew I’d need to be selective with what I chose to cover.
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Pop Culture, Toys and Collectibles

Toy Fair 2025: The Ultimate Photo Recap!

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toy fair 2025 entrance shot photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Toy Fair, held annually at NYC’s Javits Center, is one of the largest and most exciting toy industry trade shows in the world. It’s where toy manufacturers, buyers, and industry professionals come together to showcase and discover the latest in toys, games, collectibles, and licensing trends.  Toy Fair is a dream event for anyone who loves toys, pop culture, and creative product design, though it’s traditionally a trade-only event and therefore not open to the general public). Bummer for you!

Fortunately, I was able to snag a press badge this year and make my inaugural visit, where I had an amazing time! Toy Fair runs for four days (four days!) but my busy social calendar only allowed me one day at the show. This meant that I had a lot of ground to cover, but I made the most those seven or eight hours.  Let’s check out some of my favorite finds!
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