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      You are here: Home / Events / Bakuretsucon: What is that?

      Bakuretsucon: What is that?

      November 17, 2012 By Katie Shepard Leave a Comment

      Crowd outside Bakucon 2012
      Crowd outside during Bakucon 2012. On Saturday, the fire alarm went off and we were outside for an hour. Though cold, it didn’t get everyone down. Some played improv games, and I heard mass singing break out more than once! You can spy some in cosplay.

      This past weekend I attended an event that some have never heard of, and others anticipate as a chance to reunite with friends and fans that share the same passion. That event was Bakuretsucon 2012 in Colchester, VT. Bakurestsu means something like “burst” or “exploding,” and con is short for convention. Some use Bakucon for short!

      What is it? This is Vermont’s only anime convention. This convention allows fans of Japanese culture, anime, manga, and gaming to unite and celebrate their hobbies. These conventions occur throughout the USA and the world!

      Art & Merchandise

      Bakucon 2012 Dealer's Room
      A section of Bakucon 2012 Dealer’s Room

      This event gives fans the  chance to buy authentic merchandise that is guaranteed bootleg-free. The Dealer’s Room is available all day with vendors selling games, manga, toys, and more!

      The main hallway outside the panel rooms is set up as Artist’s Alley where artists can set up a table to sell their unique art. I saw many beautiful drawings, jewelry, knitted dolls, pins, etched glasses, and more!

      Visiting artists also compete in an art competition where they complete and submit one piece of art during the convention. As they finish the art is put on display in Artist’s Ally and on the last day a prize is given to the most popular.

      Panels & Games

      Some of the table top games available at Bakucon.
      Some of the table top games available at Bakucon.

      Throughout the three-day convention panels are hosted by special guests, including anime voice actors and artists, covering a variety of topics. Fans can also submit panel ideas and can host one themselves. Panels can be informative with Q&A interaction, a game, or even a mix of both.

      This year just a few of the informative panels I attended were focused on Japanese folk-lore in anime, how to make bento lunches, how to identify bootlegged items, and one where a group of us analysed great AMVs (fan-made anime music videos).

      There were several panels that were games designed for all or some of the audience to participate in. The Iron Cosplay panel pits a few teams against each other as they attempt to create one cosplay outfit from scratch for one member of the team in only an hour.

      Bakucon's Yankee Battle Action
      Bakucon’s Yankee Battle Auction

      I attended the Yankee Battle Auction which allowed those participating (for only $2) to choose a blind item (in a bag) or steal an item from someone who had already chosen a bag and revealed their item. Of course that didn’t mean someone else couldn’t then steal from you!

      Another popular event at Bakucon is the Anime Dating Game, which is an improv game where the contestant cannot see the 3 bachelors/bachelorettes and must blindly choose one based on answers to sometimes strange questions.  Of course all the participants are in cosplay and so are playing as their characters! It is hilarious to watch.

      Every year at Bakucon there is an area set aside for table top gaming. There is also always a video game room set up with several systems and games. Tournaments are held throughout the convention.

      Cosplay

      One of the winning cosplayers.
      One of the winning cosplayers. I think it’s supposed to be a human-version of a pokemon.

      Another important facet of anime conventions is cosplay. Many fans dress up as characters from their favorite anime/manga/game etc, and most make their costumes themselves! Sometimes a group will work together to have themed costumes from the same anime.

      Perhaps the most anticipated part of Bakucon is the cosplay contest where those who have created their own costumes go on stage to show off what they’ve done, sometimes acting out a little skit or dance by themselves or with a group.

      This contest was followed by a charity auction where great items were auctioned off to the crowd with the funds going to an animal rescue organization. I believe the most expensive item was an autographed binder that went for $350!

      This is only a glimpse into this event, much more goes on than I can describe! This year’s convention attracted over 400 visitors! Maybe next year you will be going to check it out?

      Next year the convention is November 1-3, 2013. You can learn more about the convention on their Facebook or website and pre-register for the event to get better deals.

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      Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Anime, anime convention, Bakucon, Bakuretsucon, Colchester Vermont, Cosplay, Fandom, Japanese culture, manga, Vermont

      About Katie Shepard

      Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.

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