The COMP Magazine ACEN: Anime Central 2019 - A Review in Photos

Anime Central
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 River Road
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
May 17-19, 2019

In recent time, for me, spring’s beginning has been marked by the annual anime festival, Anime Central, held out in Rosemont. The event offers a flurry of activities for anime, cosplay, J-pop music fans, manga enthusiasts, Japanophiles, and those just curious about culture and entertainment from the Far East. With over 30,000 attendees, Anime Central continues to be a healthy staple in Chicagoland’s festival calendar. This convention is unique. Yes, there are a number of parallels to other similar events, but here one can immerse oneself into all things Japan. Activities ran around the clock with access to a board gaming library, late night concerts, dances, cosplay, video gaming competitions, hundreds of hours of anime programming, and a range of demonstrations and panels on animation, drawing manga, new to well known video games, martial arts, and Japanese society.

ACEN: Anime Central, Rosemont, Illinois, 2019 by Chester Alamo-Costello — ACEN: Anime Central, Rosemont, Illinois, 2019

Prior to attending I downloaded some tunes by Asaka, Sayaka Sasaki, TRUE, and ZAQ. Fairly unfamiliar with J-pop, I felt compelled to take a listen. There’s a perfervid nature to the frenetic sound that weaves between hip-hop, electronic, dance, pop, and an amalgamation of sonic beats. As I walked the show floor, at times, I felt as if I was in a strange far-off animated existence. It was frightening and refreshing simultaneously. Surrounded by teens dressed as Naruto, Nier Automata’s 2B, Sailor Moon, and Totoro, it became clear that this content speaks to today’s youth in a similar manner to my early encounters with the DC/Marvel universes. This is theirs and they make this evident in the bold approach to creating costumes and roleplaying. There is a sense of wonderment. The experience can be enchanting if you allow it to be.

One recurring contentious topic encountered centers on the provocativeness in dress and sexuality. Prepubescent girls wearing the seifuku (japanese school uniform) and teen boys sporting colorful dresses are lightening rods for criticism. In most cases this is not intended to be read as sexual deviance, but a means of tribal identification. This event tends to be a reflection of shifting social norms. The LGBT community is present, but one will catch glimpse of a drag queen alongside a suburbanite family, complete with stroller, shuffling through boxes of manga in search of that missing tome of One Piece, Tokyo Ghoul or Gantz. What is evident is that this is a space where all walks of life feel welcome. And, in this resides the essence of these ephemeral encounters.

Jumping in and out of panels can be exhausting and uneven. The standout of the weekend was hosted by Japanime Games. Highly organized and interesting, Eric Price and Cherise Wilson presented a history of this tabletop board gaming company and upcoming games. Walking the audience through development and gameplay, Japanime Games produces numerous titles, including Mangaka, Robotech, Shinobi, and the rare oddity where the player has the opportunity to make sushi (not real sushi, cardboard sushi :-)). Board gaming has taken on a new life with curious properties dropping in regular intervals these days. If you are looking for a something new, checkout: https://japanimegames.com

Online free-to-play gaming is clearly the next wave in video gaming. As of 2018, Fate/Grand Order had grossed $3 billion in worldwide revenue. This is certainly not chump change. Their presence was highly evident with the FGO U.S.A. 2019 Tour being toted in similar fashion to that of a 1970’s rock band’s North American invasion. Developed by DELiGHTWORKS and Sega Interactive, Fate/Grand Order is a turn-based combat RPG where the player takes on the role of a “Master” who summons “Servants” to battle enemies. In a novel format events related to the Fifth Holy Grail War unfolds. As an avid gamer I’m fascinated with new formats of play, yet when the “free” word is applied I find quick skepticism. Perhaps, it is as simple as the idea that you get what you pay for. I guess I need to just give it a whirl before passing judgement.

There’s something fresh each visit to Anime Central. This may be due to the content, the evolving format of presentation, the rise of cosplay, the introduction to popular arts and culture of Japan or a host of other curiosities. This is a pulse that is worthy of a visit if you hold any interest in anime, gaming, Japan, J-pop, manga, or just interested in eye-gazing at the fascinating characters that emerge. Make the trek out to Rosemont next May 2020, your time spent will be worth the travel.