Japan Con 2019
With Fall kicking around hard, it also means that the convention season is coming to an end in Belgium. One of the last events of this year is Japan Con, held for the first time in Brussels. Shops, artists, cosplay, and much more were available for two days in the capital city, but does it bring anything new to the table?
The first adventure of the day was finding where the convention was being held. The venue had more than one event going on and as there weren’t any banners or signs on the premise, it was a whole search to find where to be exactly. The food trucks outside were a good giveaway, but being tucked away between two buildings, it wasn’t that obvious. Getting inside was easier at least, leading straight into one of the two dealer rooms.
In the first one, you could find a variety of things, like figurines or dried food, T-shirts or other merchandise. There was enough space between the different stalls to make it an enjoyable walk and to see all the available wares. The second dealer room was smaller and had more than just items. Here, you could visit different workshops like how to make a Bento box or a start-to-draw for Manga enthusiasts. Even more, the guests had their tables in this hall as well, so if you wanted to meet with some Pokémon legends, now was your chance. Want something more energetic? There was a wrestling competition where the most fierce wrestlers were eager to show off their muscles and skills.
Of course, cosplayers were roaming the event floor as well, just like there also was a catwalk where they could show off their costume. The stage was also used for other events, like Q&As and even live performances. The only downside is that the stage was placed together with some food stalls and benches, leaving little space for the activities, while the wrestling stage had a whole hall for just that. It feels like the layout could use some improvements for next year as it was rather chaotic and illogical. The hordes of open space all over the venue gave it a rather empty impression.
Like mentioned before, you had food possibilities both outside the venue as inside, with benches to rest your weary feet. It was good to see that there was a variety of flavors, going from French fries to noodles or vegan burgers. Seeing the size of the event, there were enough options for everyone and spots to sit down.
Compared to the Japan Con in Antwerp, it shows that the organizers tried to have more Asian-oriented workshops and stands available. Back then, the hall was remarkably smaller and mostly focused on the shops, or so it felt at least. The decoration was spot-on at that time, which felt a bit lacking for the Brussels edition.
Conclusion
The convention scene is booming in Belgium and one of the latest additions is Japan Con. Having had its first event in Antwerp, this time it sprung up in the capital of Belgium. There were more workshops to dive into Asian culture and definitely more shops. The addition of the wrestling competition certainly is something more innovative, but might not be what you might expect at this type of event.
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