The 2013 Otakufest (“obsessed with anime”) convention will be held at Maryland’s Centennial High School (CHS).
Anime is usually coined with the Japanese term ‘manga’. The key difference between the two is that manga are comics, while anime (or animation) are Japanese productions. Some examples of anime include television series and movies.
CHS Anime Club Presidents junior Erin Yamaguchi, Roxanna Shadmehr, and senior Kylie Caldwell will be hosting the event as managers. The fest is set for March 30th, 2013, from 10 AM to 6 PM. Tickets are priced for 20 dollars at the door, and everyone is welcome to attend the anime festivities.
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“We encourage anyone and everyone interested in the anime and gaming culture to attend. This year, our fifth year hosting this event, we hope to have a few hundred attendees,” said Yamaguchi and Caldwell.
Last year, the CHS Otakufest witnessed attendees from all over the East coast- including Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Delaware. This year, the event will include a manga library, gaming room, anime screening rooms, dealers, an artist alley, a DJ, panels, cosplay contest, masquerade, Otakuquest, Ramen contest, and a dealer’s row. The event will also have a stand-up comedy act featuring Ian Rubin.
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During cosplay, people dress up as anime, manga, or other fictional characters. Usually cosplay is held at comic con, which is similar to a festival. Prominent actors who played famous characters can interact with fans there.
Shadmehr is experienced with cosplay and its creation techniques. “Cosplay is when people dress up as a character from an anime, manga, video game, or just about anything. The costumes can range from something you'd see anyone wearing on the street to a vibrantly colored outfit with complicated props. It all really depends on the person's sewing/prop making ability and the time they're willing to spend on it. You can see people wearing cosplays mostly at conventions that celebrate whatever they're interested in (such as Otakufest) or simply to a private photo shoot to showcase the costume. Although in all reality, cosplay is more about having fun in costume as your favorite character than how accurate the costume is,” said Shadmehr.
CHS Junior Junze Liu, a member of the 2013 Otakufest staff, was also present last year. “Last year was definitely a successful one. We invited a lot of dealers to sell their artwork. We had many activities for all the attendees. It was fun,” she said.
Liu is working in the auditorium and parent daycare for this year’s Otakufest. “This fest gives people a place to show their talent in drawing, a place to meet other people who have a common interest,” she said.
“We are very excited to co-host this event,” Yamaguchi and Caldwell said. “Especially to see a large variety of people at our school.”
More information about the 2013 Otakufest can be found at http://chs-otakufest.com/.
