This past weekend, a multitude of fans of anime, comics, video games, cartoons, and more attended this year’s Anime USA, in celebration of both nerd culture and Japanese culture! Anime USA is a smaller but growing con located in the beautiful Washington Mariott Wardman Park hotel in Washington, DC. This year’s theme was Catwalk, Character, Culture, and Cosplay, all of which were covered through the various panels and events!
Friday started off with many cosplay-related panels! With so many cosplayers filing in, newcomers were bound to be interested and learn things from panels such as Wig Dyeing 101, How Do I Cosplay? and panels introducing the basics of the masquerade events. For more advanced cosplayers, there were panels hitting the specifics such as Beneath the Skirt: Cages, Bustles, and More.
Outside of the realm of informative and educational panels: cosplayers, photographers, and videographers were roaming the halls. Over the years, cosplay has gone through a massive change, as the scene has gone from fans snapping simple photos on their one-time-use cameras, to up-and-coming photographers recruiting cosplayers to recreate scenes from their favorite anime, show or video game and create beautiful photographs that both they and the cosplayer can add to their portfolio of work. We saw plenty of cosplayers on ledges and in some crazy positions in order to capture just the right angle or a cool action pose. Business cards were exchanged everywhere as everyone wants to get their name and work acknowledged and make new friends and connections!
We also met some videographers, who with their fancy camera equipment would take cosplay photography a step further and capture the beautiful costumes in motion. Being located in Washington Marriott Wardman Park was a huge draw for cosplay as the hotel has so many gorgeous halls, gardens and fanciful rooms to take photos in. The weather outside was also fantastic for outdoor photos in the gardens. We met many attendees who came from different states just to enjoy the con and it’s fantastic opportunities for cosplay.
Going along with cosplay and fashion as a theme, Anime USA always has the extremely enjoyable My Cup of Tea Maid Cafe. A great stop for hungry congoers, it’s also relaxing and fun, as you choose a maid of your choice to serve you and keep you company. This year’s menu included traditional Japanese maid cafe items such as omurice (omelette with fried rice inside, usually decorated with a ketchup drawing), curry rice in a bento box, and adorable desserts such as parfaits and a green apple mousse sundae! The cute maids would bless your food and you can also request to play a game or take photos and chat with them while enjoying your meal, really allowing the customer to feel like they’ve been pulled into an anime world.
Later at night, a similar yet very different experience can be had at the Club Ikemen Paradise Host Club. This 18+ event is for those looking for a late meal, probably a drink, and most of all, handsome men! The host club allows congoers to request a host of their choosing, who fall under the “anime pretty boy” or “bishounen” look to also play games, chat, or drink with them after a long day of walking around the con. It’s a great way to unwind or get pumped to party for the late night events of the con, and feel like you’re in a shoujo or harem anime at the same time!
Saturday brought in the big events, such as the Masquerade and the Mika Takeuchi Fashion show!
The Masquerade was filled with various skits and great costumes, from video game references and short anime scene recreations to song-and-dance performances by characters such as Vocaloid Hatsune Miku and Harley Quinn. All contestants were hopeful in winning awards for their performances and costume craftsmanship.
Mika Takeuchi’s show featured her beautiful and elegant gothic-inspired designs, full of dark lace, ruffles, long embellished coats, and stylish accessories. This was her first show in the US which was exciting for her and her US fans alike. In the dealer’s room she had a booth with many pieces from her clothing line available for purchase.
The dealer’s room and artist alley were both full of great merchandise for fans. Dealer’s room had the usual figures, keychains, posters, and so on, while artist’s alley contained all kinds of fantastic creations, from fanart prints, to handmade cosplay props, to custom-made dresses, printed and painted handbags, and cute handmade hats! There was something for everyone’s interests.
All in all, Anime USA is a great and relaxing time for fans looking for a smaller, less overwhelming con with a beautiful venue and lots to do and see! Whether you’re a cosplayer looking to show off your work and get good photos in a great location, a photographer looking to boost your cosplay portfolio, or a fan looking to meet new people and gain knowledge within the world of anime, geekery, and Japanese culture, this is the con to go to! Hashtag Studios looks forward to seeing it continue to grow and have exciting events and themes for the attendees each year!
