The Good, Bad and Ugly of Anime Conventions

Page 4 ECHO G Thursday, June 4, 2009 The good, bad and ugly of Anime conventions By JACOB UNSON falls to going to these conven- and Adiane (Tengen Toppa guests, there’s lots of activities dreds of panels featuring dif- tions, and what is supposed to Gurren Lagann). Some cos- to do, especially at a large ferent topics and subjects, a Imagine, if you will, a place be a fun day or weekend can tumes aren’t from any series, anime convention, and typi- vast dealer’s room packed to where Anime, Manga, and turn into a disappointment, at and in fact can be original con- cally so little time to do every- the brim with all sorts of Japa- Video Games rule the day. least, and a nightmare, at cepts (Stormtrooper Samurai, thing you want to do. Take nese goods, an Artist’s Alley Where hundreds, if not thou- worst. anyone?). Costumes tend to Otakon, for example, held an- featuring both original art as sands of people dress up as The Good vary in quality, and sure, some nually in Baltimore, MD. well as fan art, live concerts and might look like people didn’t characters from many different An anime convention often There’s screenings of Anime performances, the ever-popu- series, and it’s not Halloween. has a very fun atmosphere. spend much time on it, or the and Japanese films both new costume isn’t accurate, or A place where groups of Step inside a convention center and old, a gaming room, hun- See ANIME, Page 5 people can spontaneously per- during ‘con’ hours, and one maybe the costume doesn’t suit their body type. What matters form group dances and no one feels a sort of electricity in the is that these people are having bats an eyelid, instead whip- air. You can feel the excite- Theme Days ment pulsing from the hun- a good time while in costume, ping out cameras and taking and if that’s what makes them pictures and video. And at dreds, if not thousands of at- floor tiles and only step on the tendees that are there for the happy, so be it. night, these same places fill Another reason people go to DAYS, continued colored ones, regardless of with the sound of pulsating day or weekend. Arguably, part what it took, whether it was by of this fun atmosphere is the these conventions is because of techno beats and the glimmer the special guests. Whether the from Page 2 using a backpack bridge, or costumes. An anime conven- of flashing lights. Welcome to guest is a voice actor, an artist/ climbing on railings. A group tion is nothing without its cos- the theme days were created by an anime convention, thou- author, a musician, or game de- effort came up with the “Day tumed attendees, who show one of the seniors listed above. 1” dress up day, a day where sands of which have popped up signer, fans flock from all over love for their favorite series by to meet them at these conven- Anthony Nattle came up with formal “church” attire was all over the world, many hun- taking on the guise of various beach day, a day where they all worn to school. dreds of them in the United tions, get autographs, and ask characters, whether it be he- questions at the panel(s) the wore beach attire, including Each of the theme days gave States alone. They range in size roes and heroines like Naruto towels, sunglasses and safari everyone a great laugh. Not from cozy get-togethers at ho- guest(s) appear in. I myself had Uzumaki (Naruto), Ichigo Ku- the fortune to meet Japanese hats! John Wieland thought of only were they creative, they tels in small towns, to massive rosaki (Bleach), Kagome Higu- voice actor Tomokazu Seki, the really short shorts day, a were funny. Good clean fun. I weekend-long conferences in a rashi (Inuyasha) and Yoko who is famous for voicing some day that… well… I’m sure the think we will all miss the humor major metropolitan area. Many Littner (Tengen Toppa Gurren of the most energetic char- day’s name explains it all. Joe these seniors had to offer a good time can be had at these Lagann), or villains and villain- acters in Anime, among them Kovach came up with Lava day, PAHS and I hope that some- conventions, and they truly are esses such as Sephiroth (Final Domon Kasshu of G Gundam a day where these seniors wore one from the junior class will unforgettable experiences. Fantasy VII), Orochimaru fame. orange colored shirts. They take over the theme day tradi- However, there are some pit- (Naruto), Naraku (Inuyasha), Aside from costumes and also needed to avoid the white tion next year..

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