Friday: This year I'm going to try and give you some live updates on this post.
So far the con already got off to a bad start. When I got to the parking lot the guy autocharged me $33 for the day instead of the hourly charge that con goers were supposed to get and different then what was posted on the NDK website.
When I told the guy he was not charging me right he wouldn't even acknowledge my comment. I then went inside and talked to a female employee. She thought it was supposed to be hourly as well and seemed shocked that they were forcing to make people pay at the front instead of when they leave. She said that she would go and check with the parking manager. When she came back she said that NDK leadership had agreed to the higher day rate for con goers then what other visitors pay... I told her that was super bad business practices since groups at most places get discounts and not upcharged from the regular price. I also told her that I was press and would be letting everyone know what the Gaylord is doing. I really don't know why this place is staying in business with all of the bad customer service they give not to mention the pool HVAC system collapse that happened. Not only should the con move because the Gaylord has been horrible the whole time they have been here for many reasons, but I'm thinking the city needs to formally investigate if not just close them down. The funny thing is, when I went to the NDK staff to let them know what was going on and that they needed to update their website, they were surprised at what the hotel was doing as well... I'll let that sink in.
So dealing with that already put a bad taste in my mouth for the con this year. This shows that their is a total lack of understanding with the Gaylord on first impressions. Every year I hope things will get better, but they just keep disappointing.
Pool collapse video: https://youtu.be/hN90pOKMGII?si=iGitO3jps5F92wB0
YouTube of me letting people know what is going on: https://youtube.com/shorts/OPsHcQDFMSk?si=7hJVjNNkE3JJIwBt
9/2/24 Update
So I waited a few days to add more to this post. This parking thing took up a whole bunch of my time on Friday and the refund that the hotel staff member said I was supposed to get still has not hit my account. The Gaylord just messed up the whole NDK experience for me. It also didn't help that on Friday when trying to track down my friends that normally volunteer for the con that many were missing. I would find out reaching out to them that they had decided to not do NDK this year because of it being at the Gaylord again. One had even decided to fly to Texas and to volunteer at San Japan instead. This really depressed me. It's not like NDK's leadership is not aware of the on going issues with the Gaylord and the negative experiences that con goers are having. Then on Saturday I found out that more people were deciding to forfeit their NDK tickets instead of dealing with what the Gaylord was doing. This included major local cosplayers who are at the heart of the Colorado geek community.
Pic From the Gaylord's Profile on Yelp.
Pic From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phillip.burrell.142
I spent most of the con depressed and full of melancholy. The overall NDK experience was destroyed this year for me. This con has held a special place in my heart for years and I have been attending for around 20 years, but... is this going to be my last NDK? The odds are not good if they continue to stay at the Gaylord. I used to highly recommend this con, but I can't do so any more in good faith. Yes there were other little problems that can happen at any con, but emotionally they were made worse because of the stress the Gaylord had caused and everyday you had no idea of what kind of mess you would walk into. Is this good bye to NDK?
______________________
Other People's Experiences
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nR_gzvbpS/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nR_gzvbpS/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nR_gzvbpS/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nR_gzvbpS/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nR_gzvbpS/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_ZTe5evU-f/
Picture From NDK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_ZTe5evU-f/
Day 2 started super early for us. On the way we had grabbed Jack in the Box for breakfast and we were able to still get parking in their main lot. I also checked in to see if there was any updates on if I would be able to do any interviews and there were still no updates. I would end up losing a lot of time on this because of having to miss panels and even hanging out with friends while the con tried to figure out the interviews. For those that don't know the relationship between cons and the press is that they do depend on each other. For cons, the press helps them with free marketing. Outlets like mine gets their name, images, videos, and the like out there on the internet to try and help get the word about the con out to more people. For the media outlet it gives them more material to attract views and followers. Without this material outlets can't get viewers. So when I finally got the email from NDK's press team that all guests had canceled all interviews my heart dropped. Not only did this impact my personal time I had given up, but it also meant that something had really gone wrong with the con for all of the guests to say no. I don't know what happened, but it had to be big and the impact I know was felt by many. I was super frustrated when I read the email and I went to the hotel's little coffee shop to get something sweet. If you follow my food blog you know that I have had to make adjustments to my eating because of health reasons, and yes I am a stress eater. So about half way through the lack luster red velvet brownie I realized that I was just super stressed and needed to actually leave the con for both my mental and physical health. Below will be the few things I did cover, but I cut day 2 super short and when I left I wasn't even sure if I would return for day 3.
An amusing Hello Kitty Samurai cross over cosplay.
Panels
Intro to Ball Jointed Dolls
Panel Description:
A more- in-depth panel on care, stringing, eye changing and very basic info on painting.
Notes:
-you can now 3D print dolls instead of paying high prices for the imported ones. -For some reason cats like chewing the fingers and hands off even though there is no specific reasons as to why cats are attracted to the resin. -do not use hot glue to place eyes. Use putty. -She demonstrated how to string a doll. She recommended recording yourself taking the doll apart so you don't forget how it goes back together. You can find stringing tutorials on YouTube. Also the Denver Doll Emporium does not offer restring services if you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself. You would need to find someone in the doll community to help you. -She also brought in a book, How to Rock at BJD Face-Up by Jesslyn Carver, that she recommended for people who want to try to learn how to do their own face makeup.
Overall:
This panel was good if you are new to the topic of BJD, Ball Jointed Dolls. For all others it was too low level and could have just been lumped in with the part one panel since it was still just very superficial of its coverage of the topic. It was ok if you fit into that category or if you are think about buying your first doll. At the same time now that you can print them, I would recommend finding a friend with a 3D printer and making your first one that way. 3D printed objects are only expensive if you are buying them already made. If you print them yourself the materials for even a SD doll would be less then $10.
Cute and Creepy Characters From Japan
Panel Description:
Japan has mascot characters for almost everything, from cities and food to warning signs. Some are adorable, while others are downright creepy. How did these mascots come to be? What do they teach us about culture, aesthetics, marketing, and how information is presented? Please come discuss your favorite mascots and meet unique characters that are big in Japan.
Notes:
-Many characters will look at you to build a relationship with you (befriend you). -Characters are used to teach children things. -John Oliver did a few shows on Japanese mascots and even had fun trying to make his own for different things.
Overall:
Another great panel by Dr. Freeman. Some of these mascots she has talked about in her other panels for different reasons, but it was kind of fun for her to put a whole bunch of them together and she even had some that I had not heard of before. I would highly recommend this panel for anyone who is interested in Japanese culture. Mascots hold a more complex place in Japanese culture then they do here in the US and these complexities help to show how the Japanese think and even educate each other.
Kimono Show
This year the kimono show was in the basement and out of the way, so because of this it was easy to miss. They also had panels going on in that room that were not listed on the main schedule or in the program.
This is a great little exhibit that they have for those interested in traditional Japanese dress. They had volunteers in there that could help answer questions about not only the pieces, but also how different aspects of the dress fit into Japanese culture.
Also in this room was a display of bootleg items that had been collected over time to show people what to look for. Some of them were really good looking like actual products while others were so cheaply made that it wasn't hard to tell they were fakes. On Saturday night they even had a panel about bootlegs, but I did not make it to that panel even though I was super interested in how they were going to address the topic. I have somewhat covered this topic on both our YouTube and TikTok to help people know some of the things to look out for. The Japanese are much more on top of going after bootleggers then other fandoms.
This was an inflatable Torii Gate that they had up, there were actually a few of them.
Friday of the con started off like most con Fridays. The con didn't really get kicked off till later in the day, but I got there early to get parking and to get set up for the con. There was a little bit of issues with our press access since there was another similar named group that our stuff got mixed with, but after that got cleared up I had a nice slow start to the con.
Some things were already set up like most of the cars from the Itasha Alliance were already out for people to look at.
Many of the vehicles I had seen before at other shows, but I do like seeing what they can do on other vehicles like the above motorcycles. Many of the cars also had filled the insides with items like anime statues and plushies.
Before the first panel of the day we grabbed some food at the hotel from the Mountain Pass Sports Bar. I will say it was some of the best food that I have had at the Gaylord, but it still wasn't that good when compared to even fast food places. I will say if you do go here, the best thing on the menu is the buffalo chicken dip. At least our server was nice.
The dealer's room/artist alley was once again large and nicely spaced. Near the adult only section they had a table set up where you could show your ID and get the special adult badge instead of having to always break out your ID for both the adult shopping area and the adult only panels. I really liked that they were doing this, but I understand that some people my not like wearing the plastic medical like bracelet all weekend.
I was only able to make it to one panel on Friday, but I made sure that it was Dr. Freeman's panel. If you like learning I really do recommend that you make it to one of her panels.
Powerful Women in Japanese Popular Culture
Notes:
-Same sex marriage is still not legal in Japan.
-Okuyama Reiko worked in the early animation industry.
-Kadono Eiko wrote more than 2000 books.
-Hibari Misora was a famous jazz and enka singer.
-Yoko Ono (when she was talking about her she did point out that Yoko is one of those people that you either love or hate). She was the first woman accepted to study philosophy at a Japanese university.
-For the song "Don't make me take off my sailor uniform" she said that it was interesting to look up the lyrics because they show some of the complexity around feminism in Japanese culture.
-She talked a lot about AKB48 and the standards that its members had to uphold in relation to males in the music industry. It was a girl band that was most popular before covid.
-Little Miss Sumo, this was interesting to see how even now a days males in Japan still see the female body as polluting. Like if a female steps into a sumo ring it has to be purified.
-Takarazuka Revue is a female play group where female actors also play the male parts.
-Anime actually white washes or removes race from the characters. This is one of the reasons why it is weird when people have issues with white actors playing anime characters. Unless the character is supposed to be from a specific country it could be played by anyone with no limitations. Anime characters do not need to be played by only Asian actors.
-Even today there is still a lot of discrimination against people that are half-Japanese. There is still the push to keep the Japanese race pure even though their they are having issues maintaining their population numbers. (This has been going on for awhile. I actually did a capstone project on Japan's negative growth rate back in 2009).
Overall:
This was another great panel by Dr. Freeman. Even though I have done extensive studies on Japan, many of the women she talked about I was not familiar with. This is why I love attending educational panels at cons.
After this we decided to call it an early night since we had to get back to the hotel super early the next morning to make sure we could get parking. When we left they had staff out in the parking lot to collect $12 for parking instead of the higher rate that had first been advertised. Still waiting for the hotel to get a real parking structure to help with the volume of visitors they get for major events like this. I did hear from a staff member that there is a plan in the works for a parking garage, but it could be 5 years before it is in use. I'm hoping the con doesn't stay here that long. Waiting on something that should have been built when the hotel first opened is kind of crazy. Whoever runs the Gaylord really doesn't know what they are doing.
It's that time again!!! NDK is here this weekend (9/4-9/6). I have been attending this con since the early 2000s and have seen it grow over the years. This is currently the largest anime con in Colorado. So let's take a look at what you need to know.
Tickets
Single day tickets will cost you $35-45 and the whole weekend will be $65. https://ndkdenver.org/registration/
COVID
The mask requirement is gone. One thing though, please do not make fun of people that are still wearing masks. Some, like myself have health issues and still need to mask in situations like this where there is a lot of people. Just treat each other with respect and all will be good.
If you want a little laugh check out their website where they talk about the cosplay rules. The cat photo made me laugh. https://ndkdenver.org/policies/costumes/
The Hotel/Food
I keep hoping that NDK will move to another location. This hotel has been a mess for every event I have gone to there not to mention the collapse that happened in their pool that the videos went viral. This hotel and the owners just dose not take running the hotel seriously so be prepared for disappointment.
Right now for 8+ hours parking is going to cost you $30 a day. There is also not good public transportation in the area to help offset this cost and in the past the hotel has even over charged con attendees for parking. They also do not have a lot of parking and parking in the nearby areas can land you getting towed. To be truthful I would recommend taking an Uber (or the like) if you can not carpool.
Bring your own water. This hotel has not been good in the past with doing water stations and has even had the water fountains broke. Also they charge an arm and a leg for liquids. Then their little shops also close early which will cut off your access to quick drinks.
This hotel was built in a bad location in a food desert. If you want cheap food you wile have a hike of about 1.8 miles. Yes, that is a long way. The food at the hotel is expensive and sucks. Last year I had to throw away $50 worth of food because of just how bad it smelled, it also didn't help that even if I could have ate it that they only gave you a half bowl of slop. I know this is an anime con, but avoid the Asian restaurant at the hotel, it is the worst of the restaurants there. If you can I recommend bringing your own food and either keep it in your room or car. If not expect to pay high prices for low quality and small portions. Last year NDK had a small area near registration with food that helped, and it looks like they will have it again this year. There should also be food trucks, but at current food truck prices be ready to pay $17-$30 a meal at the food trucks.
All Cons
Make sure to eat, drink, shower, and take care of yourself during the con. Wear good shoes because this place is massive.
For more info on the con check out their website: https://ndkdenver.org/
Looking forward to seeing everyone there this year.
The first thing that stood out for me at Anime Onsen this year was that it was not has crowded this year. Last year most of the time you had to wait in line to get your passes whereas this year when I walked by the check-in table there were few people. I think one of the main reasons for this is the con was competing with the opening weekend of the Colorado Renaissance Festival that also had a cheaper price for attending. Tickets for CRF was only $28 a day whereas a day pass to Anime Onsen was $50 ($60 for the weekend pass). Anime Onsen is actually one of the most expensive anime cons in Colorado even though it isn't the biggest. Other anime cons in Colorado will run you $45 or less a day with Saturday being the most expensive and some of these cons are much more jam packed with activities (also at Colorado's largest anime con $45 will get you the full weekend if you buy your pass early). Price is one of the things I would love to see this con look into improving.
Dealer's Room and Artist Alley
The artist alley was in the hallway leading up to the dealer's room. One of my favorite items I saw this year in the artist alley was one person was selling bucket hats.
The dealer's room had good spacing between the tables and people with mobility issues could easily navigate. One vender actually still had facemasks for sale, but facemasks have a long history in Asian culture and they were at cons even before COVID. I also ran into a familiar dealer, Esvars, who was selling his ponchos (You can find more on his website: https://esvarsanimeandmanga.company.site/?fbclid=PAAaZ_o9qnVgS41SgIIsnVGdHPZ0H4i2LglLQCBliZ_vu6P-gDq7UtCYxVr7M). There was a good variety of products.
Panels
On most days the panels didn't even start until 12pm. I'm used to panels at other cons starting as early as 8am so experienced con goers will notice the lack of programing which is about 4 hours less then at other anime cons. At least on Saturday there was some late night programing. Also they do not have as many panel rooms going as some other cons do so you have less options of what to see/do.
Skye Hoshi: Anime Girl Screening
Description: What would you do if an anime girl fell out of her poster and into your lap? Don't miss this full movie screening brought to you by Pure Magic Pictures.
Notes: So first off this film is a live action American production. I had decided to go to this panel not knowing anything about this movie, and was disappointed when I found out it was not only live action, but not even Japanese. You could have subbed any movie or TV character coming out of their poster and had the same movie. The plot of this movie is that a worker in a shop finds an unusual item at work and it causes the girl to come out of her poster and then all chaos happens including her stunning a customer. One of the things I noticed with the movie was sound issues. These issues weren't because it was coming through the speakers, but in how the sound track to the actual film had been created. It felt like a high school production. I left at the half hour mark when they started having tech issues with the movie.
Learn About the JET Program
Description: Interested in living and working in Japan? Learn more about the JET Program and how the application process works so if you're interested you can prepare for it! JETAA Rocky Mountain alumni are presenting, so you'll be able to ask questions from those with firsthand knowledge.
Notes: I cam in near the end of this panel since I actually wanted to see the panel after this one. One of the end focuses was on how once people got over there in the JET program many then transitioned to the tourist industry so that they could stay longer. After the panel a few people stuck around to ask the presenters some questions. One question they asked was that if someone was married if they would be able to take their spouse. The answer is yes. One of the guys actually talked about how both he and his wife had applied, she got in and he didn't. When they were getting ready to head over a new school opened and he was able to get in there last minute. Then there was the question of pay. They said that those in the JET program made around $30,000 per year which seems low for teacher pay even here in the US. I then asked if higher degrees could help you get a higher pay and they said no. It makes me wonder just how good the JET program is if it will not recognize the work that someone has put into themselves and what they bring to the table.
Cosplay AMA
Description: Join cosplay guests Lady Kay, Peachy Sweet, Buggie, and Personify and ask everything you want to know about cosplay and the world of conventions.
Notes: Some of the things they went over was how to find cosplay/anime groups in the outside world like at local libraries. They also talked about red flags in being a guest at cons like making sure to have a contract or doing communications by email so that you have proof of what you were promised and the expectations of both parties.
Food Wars Q&A
Descriptions: Don't miss this celebrity Q&A featuring Bryson Baugus, Christina Kelly, Leraldo Anzaldua, and Mark Laskowski talking all things Food Wars and so much more.
Notes: Christina Kelly was once a student of Leraldo Anzaldua and he is the one that helped her get into the industry. This is a note to all wanna be voice actors to be nice to your teachers. This was actually a funny panel and you got to hear some of the industry secrets.
All panel descriptions came from: https://www.animeonsen.org/_files/ugd/8433c8_55208cb14e4d4212a8907360b4a0e53f.pdf
Other Groups
Colorado Anime Fest was there tabling and also Colorado Itasha Alliance had some of their vehicles there for people to look at.
This was actually the first con that I remember seeing a truck.
Cosplay
This was one of the more amusing cosplays that I saw.
The Con Overall
Over the con was ok. It's sized reminded me of early anime cons in Colorado. I think one of the things that could really help this con would be to change to a different hotel which could clear up many of its issues.
The hotel is in a bit of a food desert. There are only 2 places in somewhat of a walking distance and they are New Day Café and Ziggi's Coffee. Besides those two places you are stuck with the hotel restaurant. The hotel restaurant is over priced for the most part, but last year they had a breakfast buffet that wasn't too bad. The hotel will also have themed drinks as well for those over 21 years old. Also on the second level where a lot of the panels are there are no restrooms and if you are not staying at the hotel the only bathrooms you have access to are on the first floor. This hotel isn't really set up for cons and I'm hoping in future years that they will move the con to a different location. As is last year the hotel had trouble handling the amount of con goers they got.
Guests:
Mike McFarland, Lauren Landa, Emi Lo, Bryson Baugus, Christina Kelly, Leraldo Anzaldua, Aaron Roberts, Mark Laskowski, Kazha, Lady Kay, Peachy Sweet, and more.
Schedule:
On Friday events/panels start at 12pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am for one thing but most panels don't start till noon. For a detailed look at the schedule you can go to: https://www.animeonsen.org/_files/ugd/8433c8_55208cb14e4d4212a8907360b4a0e53f.pdf
Top Picture From: https://www.animeonsen.org/program
Keith Silverstein is a voice actor best known for Hisoka in Hunter X Hunter, Zhongi in Genshin Impact, and playing Lupin the 3rd. This interview was done at Colorado Anime Fest 2023 on day 2 (Saturday) of the con bright and early at 9am. Chief Geek Julia had not yet finished her coffee so her interviewing skills were still not awake...
Erica Mendez
Erica Mendez is a voice actor best known for her roles as Gon in Hunter x Hunter, Ryuko in Kill La Kill, and Retsuko in Aggretsuko. This interview was during Colorado Anime Fest 2023. @tsunderica
I got to do this as a co-interview with Kelly Hanks from Creativity By Design, LLC. @kaijunokami
Jonah Scott
Jonah Scott is known for roles like Willy Tybur on Attack on Titan and Formaggio in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is also the Vtuber Alpha on Twitch. @jonahscott5500
Collection of Short Videos From The Con
Mystery Bag 1 Mystery Bag 2
You can also check out our TikTok page as well to see different versions of our short videos: https://www.tiktok.com/@geekedcolorado
We are now just a week out from this year's Colorado Anime Fest. Last year's con was filled with ups and downs, tossed with a little craziness. If you want to check out our coverage of last year here are links to those post:
Once again this year it will be held at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. This hotel has hosted many geeky cons over the years even though the quality of the hotel is not what it used to be. Right before Covid the hotel went through a remodel that took away some of its best features. It is also not in the best location because food options are limited.
Some of the guests this year are:
Jerry Jewell - Kyo Sohma in Fruits Basket & Principal Nezu in My Hero: Academia
Keith Silverstein - Hisoka in Hunter x Hunter & Lupin the 3rd
Erica Mendez - Ryuko in Kill La Kill & Yuuki in Sword Art Online
Masks are still required this year. Remember that many in the geek community have some form of health issue and doing this helps it make it safer for them to attend.
Full weekend tickets can still be bought for $50 a piece (children $25). Single day tickets run $25-35. They also have VIP tickets for $150.
