Recently I attended a gem of a convention tucked just beyond the Rocky Mountains in Denver, CO. Nan Desu Kan has been in operation for about 14 years now and has progressively grown in attendance every year. (So much so that I foresee them moving to a larger venue before too long.) Currently Nan Desu Kan is hosted at the Marriot Denver Technology Center, which suits their needs nicely at their current size. However, a rather crowded Saturday showed signs that this convention will eventually need a bigger home if this growth keeps going.
Nan Desu Kan maintains much of the charm and intimacy of smaller con, but includes elements that are generally only gleaned from the clout of big conventions. Staple events here include all the basic necessities: anime viewings, AMV contests, panels, games, and industry guest appearances. Among other very respectable guests and events this year, the cream of the line-up in my opinion was an appearance by famed mecha anime director Yasuhiro Imagawa and the bands Kazha and Echostream.
All around I found Nan Desu Kan to be a very entertaining and enjoyable convention. Video showings were smaller but pleasantly intimate. Hordes of dedicated cosplayers from almost every genre and series imaginable were present, and scores participated in a fairly professional contest with a fantastic halftime show by Echostream. Panels were informative, fun and generally well executed. This was all topped off with rooms for table top gaming, video games, a nicely set-up artist hall and a sizable merchant exhibit space to shop for the anime goodies you just can’t do without.
Unbeknownst to many of us here west of the Rockies, anime fans may well now have a reason to travel to just the other side of those mountains to participate some anime-related fun as well as take in some nice scenery while there.
Be sure to check out more video and pictures from this convention as they will be posted in the near future.
