Otakon 2009

July 17-19 2009 Baltimore, MD

Lines, Lines, and more Lines!! Lines are a fact of life at an event that drew over 25,000 people to the Baltimore Convention Center. But unlike the frustration of other lines we wait in, the lines at Otakon take on an air of fun and anticipation. If only the lines at the DMV were this much fun! From the ‘pre reg’ line that starts the day before the convention to registration lines, lines for panels, concert lines, lines to get in the dealers room and lines for 18+ wristbands lines are an integral part of the Otakon experience. Showing up as early as 6am the day before the event attendees line the block around the convention center with lawn chairs and umbrellas and arm themselves with their DS’s as they settle in for the long wait. Pre registered members can pick up their badges starting at 5pm on Thursday so that when the convention opens Friday morning they are ready to go. So many people pre-registered this year, over 17,000 that at 11pm on Thursday there was still a line snaking all the way around the convention center. For those not pre registered regular registration starts early Friday morning and once again the lines wraps itself around the convention center for a good part of the day. Once inside the convention center lines are still a part of the Otakon experience. Popular panels can see attendees lining up hours before the actual event and the line waiting for the dealers room to open at noon starts as soon as the convention opens its doors at 8am. Despite all the waiting in lines Otakon attendees are always good humored and find ways to occupy themselves. From impromptu picto-chat sessions to hallway push up contests the lines become an event unto themselves. And all these lines lead to the numerous activities and events that are Otakon.

Once you get past all the lines there is much to be discovered at Otakon. Panels cover all aspects of Anime, Japanese culture, fashion and music, and other popular culture topics. There are video screenings, theater rooms, a children’s activity center, the Ota café, the video game room, the dealer’s room, the masquerade, the late night raves and so much more. Along with the scheduled activities there are the cosplay costumes of all the attendees to check out and a favorite activity-walking into the Inner Harbor and watching the stunned faces of the unsuspecting tourists as all the costumed Otaku hit up the local restaurants and gather for photo shoots. And they do more than visit the local restaurants. Otakon attendees bring in thousands of dollars of revenue for the city of Baltimore. Everything from hotels, taxis, restaurants, retail shops and other local businesses welcome and benefit from Otakon’s presence in the city. In 2008 Otakon brought over $27,000 in revenue to the city of Baltimore. With its popularity among fans and its positive impact on the city Otakon is a welcome summer visitor. There have been talks about moving the convention to a larger home possibly in DC but with the addition of convention space in the Hilton this year it looks like Otakon, which has made Baltimore its convention home since 1999 is here to stay. Dates for next year’s event are already set and hotels are already booking up for next summer.

For more information visit the Otakon website

Article and all pictures copyright MusicBox Entertainment 2009