My second trip to the Chesapeake Bay and I must admit that the region is really growing on me. Katsukon set a high bar for the rest of the conventions this year and while I have wanted to hit Otakon for years, I wasn’t sure how well it would stack up. To my surprise it was one of the best conventions I have been to in years. This was due to how efficiently the convention was run and the fan positive atmosphere. While I will admit that Otakon was worth the wait, it is an event that could still use a few minor fixes to make it the best.

The location is huge, which is a nice change from many conventions that feel too cramped. If anything the area might be too big for the current size of the event. Annoyingly I spent half the time running from one location to another in order to hit the next panel or reach the next major event with the time I was given. In fact, due to the size I missed out on the concert on Friday since I thought it was in a different location that it actually was, which is more my fault than that of the event. Each of the panel rooms have enough space for all attendees, the main event areas are huge and can fit a good amount of people as well. It isn’t too difficult to navigate the convention center once you get the lay of the land, which is also a plus. The area around the convention center is also nice. It features many restaurants, the USS Constellation, and some nice places to do photoshoots. Other conventions should be jealous of this area.

The programming was above average, but there was so much programming that there was always something to watch even if it was sometimes difficult to find something to pique the interest of some people. There were plenty of guest panels, a good number of fan panels, and several screenings that got fans excited. Some of the panels were so popular that people had to be turned away in some cases. It is nice to see that kind of interest in the panels. The Scarlet Rhapsody panel “Moon Prism Poptarts” was well received and we had a full audience. It was a fun panel and we hope to run it and more next year. In addition to panels, there were plenty of things to do including visiting the museum, premiere screenings, concerts, dances, and other major events to keep people occupied. While not all of the panels or events got me excited, there was so much to do that I cannot complain about the schedule.

Due to the size of the convention space there was plenty of room for a good sized dealer hall, game room, and photoshoot zones. The dealer hall is easily the best I have been to this year. It is huge with plenty of aisle space, though it can get crowded now and then. There were plenty of different dealers and it was easy to find just about anything you wanted, provided the sought item had not sold out already. The artist alley was also well done with plenty of space and the set up of the tables made it very simple to get around the area. The Otakon Museum was great, but there is a typo on the 2004 board that makes it look like a 10 day convention. Unless that actually happened, then I’m sorry I missed it. The convention area is so large it has plenty of great locations for cosplay photos, but it also has a photo room where you can have a professional shoot you with a choice of backgrounds including a green screen to fit those odd requests. It is easy to tell that the staff knows what they are doing due to the efficient design of the secondary locations of the convention.

There was a strong guest line up this year that featured some great bands and some very popular voice actors. This included Sailor Moon voice over actors from the classic and new versions and fan favorite Dante Basco. Each guest had plenty of panels during the convention so there were plenty of times to ask questions. In addition, the guests also had nice organized autograph lines that never seemed to lag. It felt like the staff knew what they were doing when it came to the guests, as they were almost never late to panels and there was a queue set up for everything and everyone that would attract a crowd. This is a great event for autograph hunting due to how well things are handled by the staff.

When I was asked about my thoughts on Otakon the first word out of my mouth was ‘efficient’. Everything moved like a well oiled machine. Staff could answer questions or direct people to those who could. Doors were labeled and security was placed strategically as to not cause foot traffic. The artist alley and dealer hall were set up to avoid crowding and the event queue remained organized. The best part was the setting up of barriers that divided the halls like a smoothly flowing freeway of otaku. It is clear that the staff knows what they are doing and I only wish more conventions had that kind of structure. Due to this, it is difficult to come up with much criticism for this event. After all, the size of the convention area cannot be changed so the navigation issues are really up to the attendee as everything is clearly marked. On the other hand, it didn’t feel like the theme tied into the convention all that much with the exception of the badges and one guest I would never have known this was a space themed event if I had not been told. I think what is most important is that the staff takes care to handle growth in a smart way to adjust for the massive registration line and the amounts of people who will want to watch different panels/events. While, it may not be the best advice it is better than the scathing criticism I have given some events.

While it may have been a rough trip to Baltimore and I might have roomed with some uncouth people those experiences did not stop me from enjoying Otakon. I hit many different panels, saw some screenings, ran a panel, met some new friends, ate some great food, and had a good time escaping from the daily grind of reality. There is so much to like about this event from the indie game booths in the game hall to the big panel rooms. Part of me wishes that it was a four day event, but I’m not sure if I would have survived my roommates for that long. I was told by several people that Otakon is one of the best and I must admit that it does rank up there was Anime Central and Sakura Con. It is difficult to choose between Katsukon and Otakon for my favorite Chesapeake Bay convention so hopefully next year I will be able to attend both once again.

Before I close out I’d like to give thanks where thanks are due: the Otakon staff, the nice person by the autograph line, the Fate peeps, whoever invented poptarts, all who came to my panel, the helpful press staff, the other press members, the Gundam guy, Eri, the photo guy, Linda Ballantyne, Katie Griffin, John Stocker, the Sailor Moon villain club, the Tales girl, that Hotaru cosplayer, and all the indie develops who want to be on my podcast. As always you can feel free to not contact me (jared @ Scarlet-rhapsody.com) and until next time, and there will be a next time, give my love to the Sailor Starlights.

THE LIST

1. Another one rides the bus
2. Seiya x Usagi
3. RE: 2 – What, Mamoru is a douche
4. I missed out on that figure… again
5. Good food
6. Sleep is for the weak
7. Villains unite
8. Street Passing
9. And relax
10. Rush, rush, rush
11. Meowstic!!
12. Oww, my ears
13. Mwahahaha!!
14. Walk like an Egyptian
15. Alone in a crowd
16. Now I need to add some games to my queue
17. Xillia 2, that explains it
18. Next cosplay: Ric Flair
19. RE: 18 – WOOOOO!
20. Nice to see some Jojo love
21. Don’t to self: Don’t forget your lunch
22. Hit the reset button
23. I want my own room
24. More panels next year
25. Nothing was lost, except some food
26. Traffic aisles, genius
27. Vikings you say?
28. Indie games!
29. Cosplay variety, I like it
30. My jacket broke?!
31. Looks like I’ve conquered Maryland

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