I am sure many people have heard about Youmacon, the anime convention that comes around once a year in the Detroit area. But many people, like me, never actually followed up on finding out more about it or even considered going. I’m a fan of anime but to a certain extent; I have a very acquired taste that doesn’t suit most mainstream fans. I always felt it just wouldn’t be for me or I would be alienated for not being a hardcore fan. However, at the suggestion of a friend, I made a last minute decision to go.
So what is Youmacon, exactly? It’s a convention that celebrates anime and video games all while acting as an extension of Halloween; people dress up as their favorite characters, which is known as “cosplaying”. The convention is held from November 1 to 4. November 1 is a free day mostly catering to the preregistered people.
I attended with a small group of friends November 2-4. The event was massive and had two venues, each with their own characteristics. The Renaissance Center had a food court, various panel discussion rooms, movie showings, ballrooms, mini food vendors, live concerts, and two separate gaming rooms.
One gaming room was for cards, board games, and tabletop role playing with the vibe of a gambling den. The other was a mixture between an arcade and home gaming consoles. Cobo hall had several panels throughout the building but the biggest draw was the dealer’s room that served as a gift shop of varying merchandise in a massive auditorium.
When night falls on Youmacon, you want to be in the Renaissance Center. In one of the biggest ballrooms, the main event is an all-night rave. This loud but equally seductive event rocks the house with hypnotic lights, fast dancing, catchy music, and Congo trains on the constant move.
The best experience however does not lie within the varied events but the interactions with the fandom itself. The costumes were top notch. Not only did people cosplay as popular anime and video game characters, but lesser known ones as well; there were even American comics and pop culture represented there. People were more than willing to pose and show off their knowledge of their respective characters they masqueraded as. The quality of the costumes varied as well, ranging from extremely low tech, replica bought, handmade, and anything in between.
The best costumes in my opinion were the handmade ones as people brought their own unique taste to the costumes, giving them a fresh look. I cosplayed as a character named Ness from a video game called Earthbound. Despite my character not being very well known, I still managed to run into a dozen others who were representing the game, much to my happiness. These interactions were golden; people who love Earthbound are a long-suffering fan base.
Another great interaction with the fandom was when a Blue Link was able to play me “Song of Healing” on his Ocarina. I even got a glimpse of two culture icons, Bruce Lee and Marty McFly, which is a rarity at these events.
Youmacon was not without some downsides, though. The schedule was released late, making finding individual events hard for the first night. With the Renaissance center being large and Cobo Hall being almost maze-like the first day I went out, we spent a good portion of the time wandering aimlessly trying to find where things were happening. The food court was expensive, which is never fun if you’re on a budget.
The final day of Youmacon was my least favorite as much wasn’t happening. It acted more as an extended farewell to the event, foreshadowing next year’s return. Many people I have talked to share the same views about the downsides. But these downsides were minimal at best.
After wandering both venues, I figured out where everything was, making it easier to navigate the remaining two days. To save money after the first night, we packed our own food (a backpack was part of my costume, making this ingenious). Even though much wasn’t happening the last day, we were so worn out from the rave the previous night that it wasn’t a big deal.
In the end, I say it was worth the $60 I spent on the entire weekend. I recommend this event to anyone that has some interest in anime and videogames. It’s not necessary to be a hardcore fan to enjoy yourself. If you’re more of a niche or casual person you can find something there for you, guaranteed. I have one regret however: not bringing a camera to capture the weekend. But aside from that, it was a weekend worth having.