Fans of Asian pop culture convened in the District to celebrate anime, manga, music, movies, video games and more over the weekend.
This year鈥檚 Otakon has wrapped up, at the D.C. Convention Center, but its frequent visitors had a ball.
Yearly visitors include folks from the D.C. area as well as others who come from out of town. This year was the 25th anniversary of Otakon, which is described as the largest anime convention on the East Coast “for fans, by fans.” Otakon is run by the non-profit organization Otakorp, Inc., and is staffed by volunteers.
Inside the video gaming room
鈥� Liz Anderson (@PlanetNoun)
So what do the convention goers love most?
鈥淭he people, the panels and the dealers room, of course,鈥� said Deniz Isik from Arlington, Virginia.
Isik was with a friend from Ohio who loves anime because of the characters.
鈥淵ou can relate to them and you can build a bond with them,鈥� said Brittany Hull from Ohio.
For others, it鈥檚 for 鈥渢he community, for the people. I like getting into costume and interacting with people,鈥� said Aisha El-Khatib of Virginia.
Aisha鈥檚 friend painted her face blue, part of her cosplay of Jester Lavorre from Critical Role.
鈥淚 like dressing up as Jester because she鈥檚 fun and bubbly and it brings out the fun and bubbly in me,鈥� said Thaddia Montione of Fairfax, Virginia.
鈥淥takon is mostly an anime convention but if you have any tangential interest 鈥� video games, D&D [Dungeons and Dragons], Marvel comics, superheroes, anything like that 鈥� so many people show up with costumes that have nothing to do with anime and people still love them,鈥� said Mark Miles of Arlington County, Virginia.
Miles was dressed as Gordon from Under Night In-Birth. “It’s a fighting game,鈥� he explains.
This was his fourth year at Otakon. His interest in anime started with his family.
鈥淢y mom is very, very big into anime. She鈥檚 like me, but two times my age,鈥� said the 19-year-old Miles.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about [Otakon] every year. People come in with different costumes from the newer animes and some people do legacy costumes with the older animes 鈥� and there鈥檚 never anything boring.鈥�
