Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
BURLINGTON — Last Saturday, the main ballroom at Hotel Champlain was packed with a cast of characters. Jinx from the series “Arcane,” Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13th,” and an armored Enclave soldier from the “Fallout” video game series wandered around the area while vendors sold art prints, weapon props and retro video games.
The scene was all part of the second-ever Vermont Anime and Gaming Expo. On Saturday, more than 500 anime and gaming fans built relationships and met others with similar passions.
Aven Snow, 31, from Lyndonville, was one of about 15 volunteers who helped set up the expo. Snow said this year’s expo attracted more people.
“In Vermont, we need more events like this,” Snow said. “It just means a lot to watch the expo grow.”
At 10 a.m., attendees lined up at the entrance of the Hotel Champlain ballroom to receive plastic registration badges, lanyards and other merchandise.
Different vendors and artists sat behind tables, selling their merchandise, including Vermont Gaming Academy, Quarterstaff Games and Vexful Art, a zine and print seller. Seamstress and Co., based in Oneonta, New York, was on hand selling Renaissance wear, glass potion bottles and items for cosplay, a hobby that involves dressing up as a character from popular media.
Seamstress and Co. owner Danielle Basso said the vendors weren’t only there to make money. Going to conventions is a part of their social lives.
“This is where we find meaning for every day,” Basso said. “We meet tons of fantastic people that become lifelong friends. And so this is just kind of a new place to feed off of that fantastic geek energy of everybody being so excited.”
Nintendo, one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, made an appearance too. The company offered demos for its games and gave out free merchandise starring characters from Super Mario.
The event also included a few all-day activities like a gold coin scavenger hunt, all-day karaoke, tattooing and various card and video game tournaments.
Patrick Lindblom said he came to see the various cosplays and interact with people who shared similar interests. Lindblom was not only in full Mario costume — a black moustache, red hat and blue overalls — but also won the Mario Kart tournament.
“You make so many connections. Everyone’s so welcoming, and it’s just really special,” Lindblom said.
Fans of both gaming and anime were not the only ones who attended the convention. Professional voice actors Aaron Campbell, Kelsey Cruz and Jordan Dash-Cruz sat at tables and met and talked with fans.
“When anybody comes up to you and tells you how much something means to them, it means a ton to us because we put our heart and soul into each character,” Cruz said.
Cruz is well known in the anime world as Yinghua from “The Apothecary Diaries” and Elfaria from “Wistoria Wand and Sword.” Cruz was also most recently cast as Fors Wall in “Lord of the Mysteries.”
In a later Q&A, the actors discussed the hardest part of voice acting, their favorite memories on the job and gave advice for people looking to get into the profession.
Other activities included a “Jeopardy”- style contest about anime and video games, musical chairs, an 18-plus anime-themed comedy show and a show featuring brightly lit and twirling hula hoops.
A cosplay contest took place towards the end of the convention, where attendees could show off their costumes. Participants entered a category to compete in and two judges evaluated them.
Cosplay contest judge Ella Haire, 23, from Hinesburg, said she loves to craft and make things for cosplay. At the event, Haire sported black-and-yellow armor made of foam and a large greatsword in a cosplay of Marvel Comics superhero, Magik. She’d previously won a cosplay competition in Saratoga, New York, for the costume.
“It’s so awesome to see how many young people are getting into it. I love being able to foster that community locally,” Haire said.
When the contest started at 4:30 p.m., the room erupted in cheers and claps. Ananda Sage won “Best in Show” while cosplaying as Frieren from the anime “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.” The garments, which were all homemade, consisted of a black-and-white shirt, jacket and skirt, highlighted with golden accents.
The volunteers behind the Vermont Anime and Gaming Expo plan to hold the event again next year. According to Snow, their goal is to grow the convention.
Thomas Crossman, 22, came to the event from Maine. Crossman was cosplaying as Yuta Okkotsu from the popular anime “Jujutsu Kaisen.”
Crossman attended last year and plans to come again.
“(The convention) means meeting a lot of new people, great new experiences, and having a good ol’ time,” Crossman said.