FOLIO
It’s no secret that Jacksonville is now a growing hub for conventions and large scale expos in the Sunshine State. A report by the Florida-Times Union specified that such events begun proliferating in the mid-2000s, many of which have grown into grander social events today. We’ve actually explained as well in our article ‘Gathering Cons: An Unconventional Idea’ why these events are good for the city. It helps increase Jacksonville’s presence given that each year, people from the entire city and the rest of the state flock to attend events like Ancient City Con and WasabiCon.
Whilst the date for this year’s Ancient City Con is yet to be announced, WasabiCon is all set for its sixth annual edition this coming October 21 and 22. And as always, the event will showcase brilliant artists, cosplayers and voice talents coming from all over Florida and beyond.
In fact, one of the rising stars in the field of game animation and visual design calls Jacksonville her new home. Brittani Marie Crawford, a Fine Arts graduate from Kansas City Art Institute, is the artist behind ‘Wasabizilla’ – the character shown in WasabiCon’s logo.
Crawford is a cosplayer herself, which is why she was easily drawn to an event like WasabiCon. What’s more impressive is that she practices her creativity by designing her own costumes which reimagines the specific character she portrays. Eventually, she loved this city so much and decided to stay indefinitely.
Of course, musical talents are also set to grace WasabiCon’s stage and the newest addition to the lineup is Orlando’s vocal group Geekapella. The musicians have been honing their craft, singing songs from iconic movies as well as TV shows, and their unique style has created buzz among convention attendees.
Here’s the group performing in last year’s DragonCon:
Some big names in voice acting have also been confirmed to attend this year’s WasabiCon. Todd Haberkorn is among the latest to be announced as a special guest.
Haberkorn has a diverse portfolio in terms of voice acting, and among his credits are characters in animated shows like Ben 10, Scooby Doo, Sophia the First and Pokémon, Fairy Tail, and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. He has also contributed dialogues in video games such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.
The voice actor is actually fond of attending comic conventions. He explained in an interview with NewsOK that it’s a great feeling knowing that their passion and hard work inside the studio gets across to fans.
The feeling is of course mutual for WasabiCon’s organizers. Inviting Haberkorn and other guests with similar talents is part of the event’s mission to further expand its coverage. Though WasabiCon started as an event for cosplaying and Japanese animation, it has evolved over the years and now embraces local animation as well.
Today, WasabiCon shows its support for American animation by featuring shows from big name local channels like Cartoon Network and Disney. The likes of Adventure Time and Steven Universe & The Goldbergs are hot topics among attendees, especially families.
Adult animated shows also remain popular within the community like South Park which still enjoys high viewing numbers in the state and throughout the whole country. It’s now one of the most successful animated sitcoms in America, and became the source material for other visual media works including the South Park mobile slots game which features the show’s iconic characters. All in all, the wide scope of genres showcased in WasabiCon exemplifies its growth into a social function for all kinds of people, whether young or old.
Tickets for WasabiCon are now on sale. Hotel deals are also available for attendees.
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