Katsucon: The Experience

My first Otakon was in 2010.  Two years prior, the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off with Iron Man.  More specifically, it truly began with a legendary post credits scene where Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, spoke this famous phrase, “I am Iron Man.  You think you’re the only superhero in the world?  Mr. Stark you’ve become part of a bigger universe.  You just don’t know it yet.”  Truly, Otakon was just that, the first step in a much larger world of Anime Conventions and the adventures that came with them.  I didn’t know it in 2010 but Otakon wasn’t going be the center of my universe for much longer…actually it still is, it would just share that space with another convention during another time, another place and still continues to this day.  

When I first attended in February 2015, Katsucon was like a breathe of fresh air for me.  Not that Otakon had grown stale but within me I could feel the need for a change of scenery, a new experience and see that Otakon was great but it wasn’t the only Anime con I could attend.  And much like entering the Baltimore Convention Center for Otakon in 2010, my first steps into the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor changed my life forever.   

Whoever built this place should be commended for their sense of scope and imagination cause wow…almost seven years later and I’m still gobsmacked whenever I come on in and make my way towards that infamous Gazebo level.  The glass atrium that encloses the central heart of the hotel looks like it could go on forever and it’s always cool to see the balcony from the Atrium view rooms where con attendees hang banners and lights and sit outside and wave.  The Fountain level holds a great restaurant, a couple of small shops and a gorgeous fountain that lights up at night, it’s like a small village is down there.  The Gazebo is as much the stuff of legends as they say: the one place most cosplayers across the nation flock to in order to have their a photo of their latest project taken within this hallowed place.

And then there’s the Convention Center, which I swear is built for giants: massive ceilings, endless walkways, hell even the showrooms feel massive depending on how you section everything off.  Whew…think I’ve been getting lost in my ramble.  Point is, Katsucon was a new playground to get lost in and I’ve somehow still be able to do that every year, no matter how familiar my surroundings are to me by now.

My first three Katsus felt like they were about getting the lay of the land, figuring out where everything was and the fastest way to get there…you know, standard convention attending procedures.  I’m actually kind of glad I never did a lot of initial research about the area cause its far more fun to explore and see things with your own eyes.  One thing that was instantly evident: Katsucon is a cosplay heavy event.  I mean every convention could say the same but Katsu, this is a whole other level.  If Otakon is one of the biggest Anime Conventions on the East Coast, Katsucon is THE cosplay destination for the East Coast.  Wander around for an hour or so and you see why this is.   

Inside or outside (depending on the weather), the Gaylord has dozens of beautiful spots to host a photoshoot, public or private.  Whether it’s taking part in the biggest con hosted group photoshoots of the year like My Hero Academia or Fate/Stay Night or sneaking in a photo along one of the sealed off creaks in your Inuyasha cosplay, you can make any spot work to your advantage.  Truth be told, I have only wandered around the exterior of the con a few times due to the fact that it is the dead of winter and usually not healthy to be out there.  But when the weather is abnormaly warm, or at least tolerable, there’s a whole other world surrounding the hotel and convention center that houses an extra legion of locations to host photoshoots.  

Since Katsucon is such a magnet for cosplay, this means that famous cosplayers from all over the world make their way to this 3-4 day event…so you might run into some super stars of the cosplay world from time to time.  To me, cosplayers are the rockstars of the Otaku community.  They’re human, like the rest of us, but I’m still a little starstruck when I spot someone who’s cosplay work ive followed on social media.  My still most favorite experience was meeting Fawnina at National Pasttime and working the courage to go say hi and maybe get a selfie…only for Dejavudea to suddenly appear and my world just stopped entirely.  The deer in the headlights look on my face said it all: a selfie with not one but TWO legends of cosplay and Otaku fandom?  But they definitely weren’t the last ones.  Jenni Hashimoto, Katie George, Megan Starbuxx, Dustbunny, Labbinak, even HendoArt and Reagan Kathyrn from the West Coast, everytime I meet someone I know through their work it’s like trying to say hi to your favorite Rockstar or actor.  But, there are also those who I haven’t just had a passing handshake and selfie with.  There are those with whom I have become actual friends with and I feel beyond blessed to be counted among those who know them.  BabblinBrook, Ghostiemuffin, Rizuki, Kayley Marie, CanaryCry, GC Chan, SpicyCat and many others, they make Katsucon worth going to just to see them again, get a hug and maybe hang out for a little bit.

I’ve spoken a lot about the cosplay but what about everything else?  Is cosplay all there is to Katsucon?  Heck no.  Everything I love about other conventions is here as well.  It might not be as grand or vast as the Dealers Room at Otakon DC but the Katsu Dealers Hall contains just as merch and possibilities, size isn’t everything.  Same goes for the Artist Alley next door.  I’ve only really started going into it over the last couple of years and I’m mad I’ve put it off for so long.  Official merch is good but you’d be amazed just how creative and awesome aspiring artists can be.  Anime merch that is homemade offers a lot more heart when you purchase it.  The Video Game Room is one of my main places to be at Katsucon, especially at night.  From classic arcade hits like Time Crisis or X-Men to rhythm games you’d find in a Japanese arcade to the epic Just Dance party in the back of the room, you can kill so much time here and not even notice.   

Then there’s the usual assortment of panels and screenings and I try to attend a bit of both.  Screenings are good time killers themselves and also a way to glimpse a possible new title to look into after the con.  The Panels during the day can be fun and informative…but like any other convention, it’s the ones after dark that offer the absolute best of the bunch.  Theyre raunchy, crude, occasionally bloody and a little terrifying. But you know what?  If you thought you’d be judged for going to a panel about crazy Hentai, you wont be.  Why?  Cause there’s a packed room of guys and girls all there to laugh, cry and shout insane profanities at what’s being shown on screen.  18+ After Dark Panels are truly the best place to feel like you belong with the Otaku community, cause we can all freak out together.

Actually, if you want to know the most magical spot of Katsucon, it is the Gazebo.  And NO, it’s not just because of the photoshoots, though they are amazing in and of themselves.  The main Sailor Moon Photoshoots usually happen here on Friday nights, hosted by Rizuki and Relia Lakedaemon, and are one of the best places to see the best of fandom, not just the cosplays but the welcoming and warm atmosphere and just how loved one can feel coming into it all.  

But the other thing that makes the Gazebo such a blast: the dances.  After the photoshoots die down and the Gazebo is open to all, you can find two or three dances going on at the same time.  They get freaky, they get wild but not out of control.  Theyre the place to cut loose and unwind.  Heck even after a day of being on my feet for longer than id really want to be, I’m still in the mood to act like a damn fool on the dance floor while snapping pics and videos with my camera.  Its lends evidence to the idea that Katsucon is a non stop party from beginning to end.  And when the dance moves and occasional company are good, how can you argue?

I was honestly naieve enough to believe that Otakon contained all the magic of the convention going experience.  And while I love that con to death, I was wrong.  Katsucon is as much its equal to me, though the discussion of which is better will vary from person to person.  Katsucon is its own beast, an untamable one that can get occasionally a bit wild but always feels like another home away from home for an Anime fan like me.  Just like any other 3 day fun fest, it sucks to leave and the last day can be a hard one.  But that’s also a sign that the good times had were the best and they’ll be ones you keep with you forever, not just until the next convention.  Katsucon might not be happening in 2021…but the experiences of the past are ones I hold onto and I cannot wait to make more memories when Katsu does return. 

It is a neverending party…and you deserve to get in on it too at least once.