The DCC was bustling with much gusto as numerous costume-clad anime and game fans roamed the area. Did Halloween come very early during the year? Afraid not! In actuality, the 19th annual Genericon took place during the weekend, and for those who have been waiting for the approach at an anime and game convention in RPI, this was definitely the chance to join in on the fun.
Genericon XIX started on Friday, with registration beginning at 5 pm, and ran through Sunday night. After registering, participants were allowed to visit the anime rooms, play games laid out on the tables, compete in certain tournaments, and bid at the gallery auction.
Where did people go first? Well, it all really depended on the events being held during certain times of the day. Each registered person was given a booklet, complete with a map of the DCC and its surroundings, to inform him or her of the schedule in each area.
There were three anime rooms open, and a schedule of which anime was being shown was provided in the booklet. I happened to walk in on a Saturday showing of “Harukanaru,” “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” and “Samurai X OVA.” My partiality went out to “Harukanaru,” though, since that was one show I had never seen. The audience was pretty much evenly distributed among the anime rooms, and those who were not watching anything were participating in gaming events just outside the lecture halls.
Gaming tournaments were held, ranging from Tetris, Pac-Man, and Super Smash Brothers to Mario Kart 64, Bust-a-Move, and Dance Dance Revolution. Additionally, a various number of trivia tournaments and workshops were held in the DCC. Prizes were, of course, awarded to the winners.
There were also a number of panels and workshops where participants discussed a multitude of topics such as writing fiction, crafting from clay, writing Stepmania files (a DDR program), and meeting science fiction authors. There was even an offer to join in on Japanese karaoke!
Of course, there was also a wonderful parade of costumes—in other words, cosplay. A myriad of anime and game characters could be found standing around or walking from room to room, swishing their cloaks, skirts, or ... swords. I’ve got to admit, I’ve never seen so many Edward Elrics running around in the same place. Prizes were awarded to those with the best costume design.
The convention would not have been complete without vendors and galleries. Talent from around the country was showcased; pieces came from a wide range of the gaming, anime, and fantasy genre—some of which were sold as auction pieces later on. From what I could see, the vendors sold a number of supplies needed to satisfy everyone.
Who would not be satisfied after buying a various number of wallscrolls, CDs, and pocky sticks?
