Ichibancon returns to the Charlotte-Concord area for a weekend of fandom and fun
Ichibancon opened its doors to attendees on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Embassy Suites Charlotte Concord for a weekend of fun, fandom and community. Ichibancon is one of Charlotte's longest-running anime conventions, having been hosted in the area yearly since 2010. Although traditionally held during January, the convention was pushed to Valentine's Day weekend due to ongoing renovations at the venue.The convention center consisted of a large room for vendors and artists and five event rooms for fan-led panels. Panel topics varied widely, including educational ones like "Stitch Too: A Fiber Artist's Way to Cosplay" and entertaining participatory ones like "Fanfic Mystery Theatre" and "Anime Family Feud." Also hosted in the event rooms were the larger events, such as Idolfest and the cosplay contests.
Friday's big event was the in-character cosplay contest, which involved contestants participating in improv-style rounds to see just how true they could be to their character. The three rounds consisted of a monologue, an on-the-spot interview and acting out a scenario chosen by the audience.Bella Horvath, a fourth-time Ichibancon goer, entered the contest for the first time as Stolas from "Helluva Boss.""I participated in it from start to finish; it was just amazing. I loved making friends with everyone backstage and continuing to hang out with them during the con," Horvath said. "Everyone had such a good spirit about competing, and being around so much support when acting on stage for the first time was really heartwarming."
Saturday's main events were Idolfest and the final cosplay contest.An Idolfest is a staple of many anime conventions; it's a showcase event where participants perform song and dance routines in the style of Japanese idol culture. Mystic DREAM, a Kaigai — Japanese for "foreign" or "overseas" — idol group based out of the Triad region of North Carolina, performed an electric and colorful routine to the song "Magic Clock" by f5ve, a J-Pop girl group.Saturday's cosplay contest consisted of two categories: craftsmanship and performance. Craftsmanship entries are those entering costumes they have made themselves, and performance entries are those performing songs, dances and skits they have prepared.
Twenty-three-year-old Ivy participated in the performance category with a Japanese rendition of "Welcome to The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, while dressed as Hatsune Miku in an outfit inspired by the band. Hatsune Miku, the iconic teal-haired Vocaloid, has become such a global sensation that it is very common to see people cosplaying her while adding their own unique spin on the character."I have done around four other performances in Japanese. I used to watch a lot of idol animes, and I picked up on words then, and when I got into high school, I really started picking it up and teaching myself the language," Ivy said. "[Performing] gives me a way to express myself outside of work or school; it gives me a way to meet new people and show my talents without being too afraid to."
Also common at fandom conventions is the tradition of trading and handing out badge ribbons, small pieces of fabric with words or pictures on them that can be attached to admission badges. It's a great opportunity for attendees to bond and leave with a cool souvenir that will act as a reminder of that convention.Ichibancon and its sister conventions, Banzaicon and Triad Anime Con, have what's called "the ribbon game," a massive official lineup of ribbons that can be collected throughout the con. Ribbons can be earned in a variety of ways. Sometimes they are simply gifted, but other times there is a small task to complete, such as answering a series of questions to be sorted into your Pokémon team for a corresponding ribbon.At the final ribbon meetup on Sunday, those with the longest trains of ribbons went up to the second floor of the hotel and dropped them over the side to show off their hard work from the weekend.
One of the most exciting events for all attendees was the flea market on Sunday. Three of the five event rooms were cleared out so attendees could set up tables and sell anime and other fandom-related merchandise from their own collections. Everyone benefits — sellers have a chance to clear out some of their stuff, and buyers get an opportunity to purchase good merchandise at a fraction of the original price.Over the course of three days, Ichibancon gave its thousands of patrons a memorable experience with a diverse lineup of events, a wide assortment of merchandise, talented artists and cosplay opportunities. But it also simply gave people a space to be themselves and enjoy the things they love."I keep coming back because of the crowd it attracts and the staff, everyone is always so sweet and amazing. Ichi is my hometown con, and I love going back every year to see old friends and make new ones," Horvath said.Missed out on Ichibancon? Don't worry — Ichibancon's parent company runs two other conventions in the Carolinas that are coming next month! Triad Anime Con in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Banzaicon in Columbia, S.C.
