Celebrating Asian Pop Culture at Otakon (photos)

Otakon, the giant anime convention, again took over the entire Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., this year on Aug. 10-12.

After 18 years in Baltimore, having outgrown the facilities there, the annual three-day convention celebrating Japanese and East Asian pop culture arrived in the District just a year ago, when 25,000 attended. Otakon has focused on its mission of bringing cultures together for learning, communication and fun.

Anime, the Japanese term for animation, is a distinct art form that has gained international popularity. Thanks to the rise of English-dubbed programming, Japanese anime has spawned a multibillion-dollar market in the U.S. that encompases film, art, music, literature and video games.

Otakon features workshops, guest panels, autographs and videos, plus a large Dealers Hall offering goods for sale. But, for many, the main reason to attend is the opportunity to dress up as a favorite anime character, a hobby known as “cosplay” (for costume-play).

View Jeff Malet’s photos from Otakon 2018 by clicking on the photo icons below.

tagsanimationcosplaycostumesJapanese