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| Photo by Sarah Hayes / Forum By Sara Hayes of The Forum
Local anime convention in Illinois returns to do what it
does best: entertain and be strange.
During summer break, while most students were busy
enjoying not having classes, local anime fans took to the convention center in
Collinsville, IL as the anime convention, known as Natsucon, celebrated its
fourth year running in the Midwest. This event, which ran during the weekend of
August 10 - 12, featured a variety of events and informational panels for the
discerning otaku - a person who enjoys Japanese animation and popular
culture. Most of Natsucon's attendees were in costume, as it is often the
custom at conventions to dress up as one's favorite fictional character (or
even a popular Internet meme, judging by all the Nyancats spotted during the
weekend).
For those who attended the full Natsucon weekend, there
were a variety of things to see and do. The vendors' room - where shops set up
booths to sell otaku-related goods - was bigger than ever, as was the
gaming room where multiple game systems were set up for free use by anyone with
a Natsucon badge. The guests of honor, anime voice actors Brina Palencia and
Micah Solusod kept the crowd entertained during their multiple panels on their
careers and the roles they've played. Returning guests Samurai Dan and Jillian
held demonstrations on how to accurately swing a samurai sword, while The
Nerdfit Network's quirky brand of humor kept attendees laughing all three days.
Natsucon is scheduled to
return in 2013, although their exact location and dates have yet to be
officially confirmed. Interested parties can inquire about their next event at
the Natsucon website, www.natsucon.org, or at their
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/NatsuCon.
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