Pittsburgh's Tekko Convention 2018

Hello readers!

Earlier this month, I posted an article about my plans for the new year, and in those plans, I included framework for monthly reviews of games and anime. This blog post specifically pertains to the latter, although it's not concerning reviews. I want to talk conventions.

Pittsburgh--and Pennsylvania in general--never seemed like a popular place for certain types of conventions. Boy was I wrong. Pittsburgh hosts several conventions of all types throughout the year, and they have two in particular that consistently catch my attention: Steel City Con and Tekko. Both are right around the corner (early April), and since I focus half of my attention on anime on this blog, I wanted to talk a bit about Tekko 2018.

I have never had the chance to attend Tekko, but it's clear that they try and book huge names in the anime industry--with a heavy focus on voice actors. As guests in previous years, they have had Brina Palencia, Cherami Leigh, Ian Sinclair, Matt Mercer, and J. Michael Tatum to name a few.

This year, they're continuing the trend by inviting four more extremely talented voice actors and internet personalities:

• SungWon Cho - VA and internet personality on YouTube, Twitter, and more. I constantly see his work shared and posted on Twitter and Reddit, and it's always some of the most entertaining content I've ever seen.
• Bryce Papenbrook - VA: Kirito (Sword Art Online), Erin (Attack on Titan), and tons more
• Monical Rial - VA: May Chang (Fullmetal Alchemist), Shiro (Deadman Wonderland), Mirajane (Fairy Tail), and again tons more
• Vic Mignogna - VA: Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist), Vega (Street Fighter II), Broly (Dragon Ball Z), Kurz (Fullmetal Panic), and fifteen years worth of other voices, not to mention a music career

Along with the voice actors, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy like pachinko (yes, pachinko), other Japanese arcade games, competitions like the scale model contest, a book drive hosted by Accio Books, an escape room, and more. Other areas of the convention are dedicated to activities such as gaming (video, CCG, Table Top, and even LARP), cosplay, dance, fashion, and more.

Passes for the weekend start at $45 for attendance throughout the weekend, $75 for the next tier which includes access to exclusive autograph sessions and guest events in the Tekko Premium Lounge, and $150 for the "Rockstar Badge" which includes early access to the hall each morning, a limited concert T-shirt, and an invitation to the private staff dinner and concert Sunday night after Tekko wraps up. More details can be found on this page: http://www.teamtekko.us/registration/

With so much to do, and with the all-star list of guests, any anime fans in the area should try to attend. Hopefully this will be my first year there as well. Maybe I'll see you there!

Talking Points:

Vic Mignogna Sometimes Shares "Secret Video"
On YouTube, it's not uncommon for fans to upload videos of voice actors at conventions (usually just Q&A stuff), and there are quite a few of Vic doing a few of his panels across the country. There is one thing that each of his videos have in common: They all cut out when he shows the secret footage of himself and other voice actors cosplaying as their characters from Fullmetal Alchemist. The name of the video eludes me, but his request when he shows it at conventions is that it stays at conventions. He doesn't ever release the video to the public so that it remains a "special treat" to those who attend.

Other Anime Events and Conventions Around the Area
A friend recently informed me that Penn State also has a small anime convention as well! I'll try to get more information and update accordingly. I believe it's called Setsucon, and PSU students hold the event every year. It might be another interesting event to check out if you're in the area.

Finally, our local Pittsburgh-based newspaper just ran a story about anime fans in the area. How cool is that? It actually had a little section on the front page (and my copy didn't even contain the typo!). Anyway, the article's coolest talking point drew attention to several local libraries that run anime clubs. The thought of a local anime club never crossed my mind, but it's great to know that even in my back-woodsy little town anime is doing pretty well. I realize probably few or none of my readers are in the immediate area, but it's worth noting that your local library might also have a similar club. If the answer is still no, then it might be possible to start one up yourself and share the anime joy.

As always, thanks for reading! Don't forget to bookmark this page for future posts and updates, including my monthly top games and anime lists!

Image Copyright Hiromu Arakawa, Bones Animation Studio, and Funimation - I do not own the image.