Otakon is an annual anime convention that was started in 1994. This was their second year being held in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The event was held over the weekend of August 10th, which corresponded with the Unite the Right Rally and several counter-protests. In response, all guns were banned from the convention and security was increased.
Thanks to the forethought and planning of Otakon and local authorities, there were no incidences. In fact, some are even attributing the failure of the rally to the convention.
The convention hosted approximately 30,000 people and was a great success. There were the usual setback and problems that occur with many conventions. There are several reports of panel cancellations (some occurring before the panel), and apparently others were cancelled during the scheduled panel time, There was a bit of chaos in the autograph lines, and some people complained about rude staff. The complaints and problems are fairly common when dealing with this many people, no real problems stood out, and Otakon has a history of addressing major issues.
Cosplay Photos
Thanks to Stargazerblue Photography, we have some fantastic cosplay photos for your perusal. This is only a portion of them, you can check them out on Instagram, Deviantart, or Facebook.
