On Friday, August 23, Nan Desu Kan (or NDK for short) kicked off its 23rd annual convention of Japanese anime and culture. The list of featured guests contained voice actors from several popular anime, professional cosplayers, and other important people involved in the production of Japanese anime and culture. Guests included voice actors such as Dante Basco, Jerry Jewell, and Leah Clark while featured cosplay guests consisted of Pannon, Teca, and Queen D among others. Convention goers had the opportunity to play Japanese video games, cosplay as their favorite characters, and attend panels discussing anything from kimonos to Anime crushes.
This year, NDK featured Dr. Alisa Freedman as their head panelist. Dr. Freedman, a professor of Japanese Cultural Studies and Literature at the University of Oregon, spoke at several panels about culture trends between Japan and the United States, pop culture mistakes that were actually successful, and the influence of Japanese culture in the U.S. and vice versa. Her panels were filled with fascinating insights and attended many who wanted to learn.
Overall, there was a wide breadth of topics discussed at the various panels. Subject matter ranged from fun and silly, like the “Would You Rather” panel, to historical and academic, like the panel about Edo era samurai armor. Other activities included the Dealers Room containing vendors selling authentic anime and gear, Artist Alley filled with artists selling their fanart, and the Video Game Room.
Next year you can find NDK at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. The 24th NDK will be held from September 4th to 6th, 2020 or Labor Day Weekend, with tickets on sale now. Pre-registration prices are in effect until August 23, 2020. Find more information at the NDK website: ndkdenver.org.