Just a few days break from Magfest and I’m off again. A new decade and a new anime convention for North Carolina. Ichibancon in Charlotte started out this year at the Great Wolf Lodge. Just across I-85 from Concord Mills and within walking distance of everything from Cookout to Jack in the Box.

Being a first-year con we didn’t have many expectations. I heard about it during Animazement but ever since the Internet was been fairly quiet and it seemed like their website was been up and down. A bit confusing at times but forgivable. We decided to push on, with the Lodge offering free water park access to the 4 people in our hotel room we would still have other things to do.

The lodge was in fact filled with things to do. A gaming room, arcade, spa, water-park… etc. Even a Pizza Hut and a Dunkin Doughnuts. However being a family get-away everything was overrun with pre-teen children running around with their parents. So we were delighted to find out that once this little tiny convention got started. It stayed bustling late into the night!

At first glance it doesn’t seem like much. The convention offered two panel rooms, a video room consisting of a TV and two couches in the convention space lobby, a business alcove converted into gaming room and of course dealers room and main events. But it worked. A decent masquerade, cosplay chess, a ramen eating competition… even 18+ panels. The events I went to felt more involved and there wasn’t a shortage of good panels or panelists. Not to mention the panel room converted to game room late at night when panels were done. There are always more things I wouldn’t mind at a con, but when you get enough things right, it doesn’t matter. Bonus points for not trying to pull off too much and doing it well. I look forward to next year.

Ichibancon Photos