There are plenty of reasons for a nerd to attend Baltimore's annual Otakon. Some go for the cosplay, some for the concerts, some to see the debut of the latest in anime, manga and related merchandise. Any of the above is fine and dandy with me, but the number one reason I wade through the sea of sweaty otaku every year is this: There's an enormous room downstairs full of Japanese consoles, rocking games that will never come out here.

It's always a glorious experience, but the recent release of so many great shmups on the Japanese Xbox 360 made this year's gaming room an especially tasty treat. After spending three days destroying my eyes and thumbs in said cavern of wonders, I've chosen a few of this year's most notable new shooters for some hands-on impressions. 

If you're an STG junkie like I am, chances are you're already filling your piggy bank for a Japanese 360. Oh, you want one. You'll want one even more when you see what's after the jump, and I'll tell you which games are worth importing when you finally get it.

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To; Tophcente
From: Bradcraft

I've finally packed up the car and I'm on my way to Baltimore. Are you ready for the weekend of anime announcements, barely-dressed girls in cosplay, and some Trigger Heart Exelica? This weekend is going to be so awesome. I'll be picking up Dale and the others around 4:30, so we'll see if we can't pick up your press pass as well while you're at work.

It's been a year since I got to hold you in my arms, Tophcente. When I get there, we're going to spoil the town red. Hopefully the place won't get too messy like last year. I can't promise that Dale won't drink himself into a violent state, and then explode in a pool of vomit. I can only promise that I (probably) won't do that.

Oh, and here's what you missed last night;

-A dog store is selling Evangelion and Gundam cosplay for dogs
-The first trailer for the Harry Potter T.V. series (in Japan) is up
-Most important video you'll need to watch today
-$402,500 TIE Fighter, and it isn't even life-sized

Also, have you ever tried watching Strike Witches?

 

Having performed at Otakon 2005 himself, Michael saw the annual convention as the perfect opportunity to bring Eminence to an american audience, and played a major role in making that happen. After spending only a few minutes with him, I can safely say that you'd be hard pressed to find anyone so passionate about videogame music. I caught up with Piano Squall after the show to ask him a few questions about himself, as well as an awesome project of his which, if you appreciate videogame music at all, you'll want to know more about. Hit the jump to see what you've been missing. view full story + comments

Gaming isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the term "Anime convention." Put those two words together and they'll likely conjure images of smelly otaku, swords fashioned from duct tape, hentai artbooks, and acne. Not to say that this isn't the case, as these things can surely be found at such an event. Baltimore's annual Otakon, however, is a bit different.

Held every summer, America's most attended anime event isn't about ninjas and tentacle rape as much as it is a celebration of Japanese media and culture as a whole. This, of course, includes videogames. Lots and lots of videogames. In fact, for those who happen to be gamers of the import or retro persuasion, it can be something akin to paradise if you know where to look. Let me tell you about it after the jump. view full story + comments