Hello, all! In addition to the movie reviews I do for Bethel Park library, I am now doing anime/manga reviews, recommendations, and other random anime stuff. Check out more Bethel Park teen stuff at: bethelparkteens.blogspot.com
Whether you're a n00b or a hard-core otaku, all anime fans should experience at least one convention in their lifetime. You real otaku out there might even be going every year, and the hard-core fans to cons in other states! Me, I just go to the local con once a year. But what is an anime convention, you ask? Why, it's where all the otaku (anime fans) from all over an area gather and do massive amounts of anime-related things. The convention in Pittsburgh is Tekkoshocon, which in 2008, is from April 11-13. All conventions end with the word "con". Ours is Tekkosho because that word means "steel-making industry" in Japanese.
Tekkoshocon goes from Friday to Sunday, and is at the Monroeville Expo Mart. This past year, we managed to get the whole Expo Mart for ourselves. (last year we had to share with the Sports Card people) Some of the main attractions of the convention are:
The Dealer's Room, which has almost every anime merchandise imaginable, everything from manga, to DVDs, to Naruto wallscrolls, to REAL swords and knives (modeled after famous anime swords, such as Ichigo's Zangetsu--all 3 versions, and Kenshin's sakabato), to figurines, to plushies, and everything in between;
Artist's Alley, where local artists set up tables and sell their own personal artwork. Most of the artists sold drawings and the like, but some had things like buttons and keychains. Not only did these artists have anime fanart, the video game industry was well-represetned, with lots of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy. It's impossible for every anime to be covered, though, but some people will take requests, and at reasonable prices, too. (I commisioned a full-page, inked picture for only $7!)
Panels. There were 3 or 4 panel rooms this year. They can be about anything related to anime, manga, or Japanese culture. There was everything from "The Real Keshin" to "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse" to "Tekko Improv". I personally hosted a panel titled "Dub vs. Original", where I showed how badly 4kids dubs anime. But more aobut that later.
The Video Room(s)--I think there were 4 video rooms as well, this year. Basically, they just screen anime 24/7. And, as far as I know, they always show the subbed (Japanese with subtitles) version.
Voice Actors--At any con you go to, there will be guests. This year, Tekko was lucky enough to land Vic Mignonga, the voice actor for Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist). The actors give autographs, and sometimes attend panels.
The Game Room--I wasn't in the game room this year, but the title says it all. It's a big room where they play video games. Lots, and lots of video games. Yes, they have DDR.
Cosplay--short for "costume play", this is where you dress up as any character/thing/whatever the heck you want. People do as little as wearing a Naruto headband or Uruahara hat to making an exact replica of Alphonse Elric's armor from Fullmetal Alchemist. To see the people that cosplayed at this year's Tekko, go to deathcom.net. At the blue drop-down menu on the top right, go to Tekkoshocon 2007, then click on either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. That will bring up the gallery for whatever day you clicked.
That's a general overview of Tekkoshocon. Here's my con report from back in April. If anyone actually reads this, I'll post pictures.
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