UlasanAnime.com – Otakon has come and gone. For the writer, this year’s Otakon was a bit of a “miss” in terms of guest appearances, leading to a more relaxed experience. It was also the first Otakon in a long time that the writer didn’t enter the convention area until Friday morning, breaking a personal streak. The convention was so laid-back that the night before, the writer opted to spend time with a friend in the vicinity.
Despite Washington D.C. being a longer journey than Baltimore, traveling by bus proved to be a convenient option. Several bus carriers, including Megabus and OurBus, offer easy routes. A Chinatown bus stop is conveniently located near the convention center. Taxis are also readily available, and for those concerned about surge pricing on ride-sharing apps, the proximity makes it a viable alternative. In this regard, D.C. holds a distinct advantage over Baltimore, even with some Metro lines undergoing repairs that weekend.
A planned white supremacist rally on Sunday afternoon was met with a significant counter-protest, effectively rendering the event a non-issue. The pre-event fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), amplified by online drama, arguably had a more detrimental effect on the Otakon atmosphere than the actual rally. The writer posits that Washington D.C. itself, by default, presents more inherent dangers than a white supremacist rally in 2018. For context, Otakon was held in Baltimore until 2016, and even the Inner Harbor area is considered significantly more dangerous than the vicinity of the D.C. convention center. Otakon attendees, by nature, are a resilient group.
The writer expressed satisfaction with the strong attendance numbers, noting that Otakon saw approximately 29,000 unique attendees. This figure represents a positive rebound, demonstrating that a well-managed convention with a sensible pricing structure, like the introduction of single-day badges this year, can attract a substantial crowd.
Otakon this year maintained its usual efficiency, yet in terms of year-to-year organization, the writer felt there was room for improvement. The downstairs concourse experienced significant congestion leading up to the dealers’ room opening. The lack of designated queuing areas and insufficient staff to manage the lines resulted in attendees spilling into the main thoroughfares, creating bottlenecks. Even on Sunday morning, the writer found themselves stuck in a passageway en route to panel rooms, alongside notable figures from Nagai and Bandai/FUNi, struggling to arrive on time.
While the Dealers’ Room reportedly faced issues with some vendors being unable to attend, the overall experience was an improvement compared to the previous year. Notably, the significant leaking problem that plagued the previous event was absent, and the rain was minimal.
The autograph session was managed differently this year, being combined with the dealers’ room. This meant attendees had to queue twice if they wished to participate in both. This arrangement needs to be addressed for the following year, as it exacerbates the existing problems. Currently, attendees enter the autograph area and form a single line, which is then divided into sections corresponding to the autograph tables. When the line exceeds the capacity of the area near the tables, it backs up into the main line, creating a chaotic situation.
Despite these organizational hiccups, the mail-in badge system was efficient. The writer picked up their badge on-site, a process that took approximately 20 minutes on Friday morning. Entry into the convention on Friday also involved some waiting, with both the main entrance and the Marriott underpass experiencing backups during peak hours. The underpass, while slightly slower, offered the advantage of air conditioning.
The writer’s activities at the convention primarily focused on attending two panels hosted by Kawamori. These sessions delved into historical context and provided insights into his design and storytelling methodologies. While not groundbreaking, the panels were highly engaging from an academic and appreciative perspective. The writer also obtained a couple of autographs from the IBO cast and attended parts of Nagai’s panel on Sunday, as well as the IBO panel on Saturday. A wotagei workshop late Friday night, which involved anikura with some awkward introductions, was also attended. Remarkably, a Japanese traveler who was proficient in wotagei was present at the event.
The number of panels attended this year was higher than in recent years, suggesting that Otakon was either less engaging or relaxed enough to allow for such participation. The writer opted out of the Final Fantasy music events, assuming they were of high quality. Time was also spent enjoying guerrilla anikura sessions on Saturday night, following Otabrew.
Otabrew offered a unique experience this year, as the organizer used the event to launch a manga publishing imprint. The writer found this to be a rather “Edgy” development. The beers were enjoyable, the conversations engaging, and the overall atmosphere conducive to getting tipsy. The writer mused that this year seemed to be the “year of the Sours.”
Initially intending to avoid the dealers’ room and autograph sessions, the writer eventually browsed the dealers’ room and purchased some Million Live merchandise. The writer expressed gratitude to Sahvin &c for bringing back the first-anniversary items for Million Live in July. Compared to Otakuthon, where the writer planned to spend nothing, the expenditure at Otakon’s dealers’ room was minimal, consisting of a few keychains and pin badges.
Other notable aspects of the convention included:
- The introduction of a makerspace, which was a welcome addition.
- A preview screening of “Release the Spyce,” which the writer found to be an enjoyable experience.
- An upgrade to a suite in the Washington tower for their hotel room, complete with a walk-in closet.
- Breakfast was consistent with previous experiences, though the lobby restaurant was not utilized this time.
PS. Regarding dining, the group visited a Cajun restaurant located a short distance across from the Marriott Marquis. As it was restaurant week a weekend prior, they took advantage of the promotional menu, which proved to be very satisfying. On Friday, the writer also dined at a modern Greek establishment, reportedly quite famous, situated a few blocks south. Both restaurants offered visually appealing dishes suitable for Instagram and were reasonably priced, especially for someone accustomed to New York City prices. The writer felt these dining experiences surpassed those at Fogo, and after a recent meal at LA’s M-Grill, they were not inclined towards Brazilian cuisine for the time being.
Upon reviewing the photos, only the glazed roast duck over dirty rice was deemed worthy of inclusion.
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