The first time I ever heard about Otakon was around
2007. Whispers of a large Anime
Convention being held downtown, an area of Baltimore I seldom visited, kept
teasing my ears. A couple of years later
while at a McDonalds in Catonsville, I saw a trio of Naruto cosplayers getting
something to eat and I knew the whispers were real (well I knew it had to be a
thing it’s just…whatever). Then, in the
Summer of 2010, I got the chance to attend with a friend. I got my badge on Thursday and spent that
evening at work planning out what I was going to do: what was I going to watch,
what panels looked interesting, just what the heck to do in general. I still subscribe to this today: No amount of
planning can prepare you for the actual weekend itself. Sure enough, I had a list of events in mind
to go to but for a few hours upon passing the threshold to the Baltimore
Convention Center on July 30, 2010…those plans evaporated.
I remember a haze and a mix of emotions: excitement,
disbelief, nervousness, wanting to cry every few minutes. For a long time, I’d felt like an isolated
young man, someone who loved the world of Anime while others were into Sports
and wild late night parties. For all of
my father constantly telling me “youre not alone out there, I know it”, I never
expected this. That weekend drew in
close to 30,000 Otaku of all walks of life and several different fandoms, even
those that had nothing to do with Anime.
It didn’t matter. We were all
here to be Otaku together: watching Anime; listening to people talk about their
favorite Anime series or Japanese Culture topic. And then there was the Dealer’s Room. I was able to find items and DVD’s id spent
years trying to find (at far better prices than anywhere else…at the
time). In short: id entered a whole new
world and by the time the convention ended on August 1, 2010, I knew as soon as
I left that I was going right back in a year later. I had to budget, I had to plan, I had to hope,
I had to go back to Otakon again.
And man did I.
From 2011-2016, every summer I made plans and blocked off a section of
time as soon as I knew when Otakon was happening. My Boss at my old theater job even knew a
couple of years in the moment I asked for time off near the end of July or
early August “It’s for Otakon right?” followed by a chuckle. Often, I’d bank everything on this weekend
getaway, a chance to escape the hassles of normal life and be around like
minded people who enjoyed the same things I did or different things that I could
learn about. Not every Otakon was a hit,
however. 2012 was the first year I felt
a little more alone after it looked like every single friend I asked to attend
Otakon with me turned me down. Ugh, 2014
was arguably worse due to technical snafus that resulted in thousands needing
to wait in the heat across 2 days for their badges. Those two years taught me a lesson: not every
Otakon will be happy but you have to make due and find your happiness no matter
how small. Good or bad, it was my
weekend and my choice to spend it how I wanted it.
In 2013, everything changed and, for me, the unthinkable
happened: I met people. Ok, I’ve met
friends at Conventions before hand but something about meeting this small, separated
bunch felt different. A random encounter
resting in a hallway or a highly energetic chat during a Rurouni Kenshin
screening, I had no idea that the friendships I made that day would change my
life forever. Now I knew people who were
coming back multiple years, people I wanted to hang out with and actually wanted
to hang out with me. We kept in touch,
although our own lives in separate states took priority. And yet, when Otakon rolled around again and I
met up with this group again: no time had passed and we were ready for the next
adventure. When 2015 rolled along and proved
to be one of the most chaotic years for both myself and Baltimore as well, it
was kind of a lucky break Otakon could still happen and I could see everyone
again and fill them in on life while still having a good time. By the time Otakon 2016 came around and it
was time to say goodbye to the Otakon we had all known for half a decade in
Baltimore, the lesson could not be more clear to me: I didn’t have friends…I had
Family.
Which made 2017 all the more unbearable. Despite hesitations from many, everyone
planned a trip to the new Otakon in Washington D.C. I…was unable to attend due to a very
financially terrible summer with a new job I was barely getting by with. My heart was broken. Watching all the Facebook and Instagram updates,
even during a trip to the beach with my family, I was in a very sad mood. Sure I’d found ways to go to Katsucon in the
interim period but Otakon was special, it was where id formed my family first
and only getting to see them at least once a year was and still is one of the
most important things in the world to me.
When it looked like I’d have to pass on 2018…it nearly broke me. I had to tearfully message my friends about
my troubles and the toll they were taking on me and let them know 2018 wouldn’t
be in the cards, missing my second Otakon in a row.
Then…a miracle.
I
got replies: they wanted me there and would help me however they could.
I remember showing my sister the reply just
seconds before we saw a movie together.
The smile she gave me said it all: I was going back to Otakon.
2018 was a very mixed emotional year
overall.
When it came to Otakon, it was
sometimes tough to decide whether I was overwhelmed at the Walter E Washington
Convention Center, Otakon’s new home, or the feelings of love I was getting from
the friends who helped me get here.
Sometimes, both collided and I did need a moment to myself to let it all
out and cry.
Otakon, it was like it had
been waiting for me to get there, saying “what took you so long, man?” and
greet me with a warm hug saying, “Welcome home.”
I reconnected with my family, I met some
incredible new faces and saw the largest Dealers Room that dwarfed the BCC by a
vast margin.
We had a whole new sandbox
to play in and the new adventures were just beginning.
While 2019 mightve been a so-so year, definitely not bad
but not as good as the game changer 2018 was, everyone I knew made it clear:
Otakon 2020 was going to be a thing and I was more determined than ever
considering 2020 would be my 10th Otakon. But we all know how that turned out. I feel like we should all be there right now:
taking hundreds of photos at photoshoots; sitting down for genuine ramen at the
food court; getting lost in the Dealers Room; listening to a fandom lecture
about Magical Girls or Gundam; or, maybe for cosplayers, changing into cosplay
#4/6 for the weekend. I wont lie, it feels
like something is missing this weekend, hence why I wanted to write this “little”
piece. While Otakon 2020 isnt happening
the way we want it, it doesn’t diminish the bonds ive built with the family I’ve
made. And all of our hopes are in the
world being a much better place come 2021 so we can meet back up again for
Otakon 2021.
Ever since 2010, Otakon has been my Disneyland, my
happiest place on Earth. I started going
for the experience, to spend time with nerds like me who love this medium as
much if not more than I do. I keep going
back to see old friends, have some good food, share stories and new adventures
and maybe find a new sword or hard to find DVD/Blu-Ray. This is my home, this is
my Family, this…is Otakon. And I’ll see
you all back there in 2021.
As a bonus gift (if you’ve read through all of this,
sorry it’s a bit long), here’s a little something I threw together as a nod to
the last ten years of Otakon experiences (hope the link works): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hj_ot-BP62pKn9bpgs8bbksEfRsqaiw_/view?usp=sharing
Long live Otakon! Here's to 2021!
ReplyDelete