The Modern Gafa Goes to Tekko 2016
It’s that time of year again. Tekko 2016 is at the end of this week, and that means Japanese pop culture related fun and excitement! For years, Tekko has brought people to Pittsburgh as the premier convention celebrating Japanese pop culture for the region. Whether through fun or intricate cosplay, or informative and engaging panels, Tekko con-goers express their love for all things Japan in varied and sometimes breathtaking ways. As one such con-goer, I’ve found the experience to be worthwhile for the few years I’ve been attending. It’s always easy to see con season, as the streets filtering toward the David Lawrence Convention Center get filled with all sorts of cosplayers, from Yu-Gi-Oh to Sailor Moon to even the western worlds of Deadpool or Jessica Jones.
The Modern Gafa in its current form (that is to say, with a team) was founded by Victor Santiago as an almost direct result of Tekko’s ability to bring fans together. It was a cool night in April a couple of years ago when I ran into him discussing the finer points of tokusatsu with two other awesome toku fans/Gokaiger cosplayers (and the creator of the Life with Kaiju webseries; check it out if you like Godzilla!). Recognizing the name "Modern Gafa" from the Morphin Sanity online survey contest, I joined the conversation. And so began our impromptu Toku panel that lasted for an amazing amount of time, considering the aforementioned temperature drop. Victor also met Scott Winterbauer and Nick Vercilla that weekend, so it was thanks to Tekko that the Modern Gafa was able to expand into what it is today.
The singular experience that keeps bringing me back is probably the fan interactions I have with people. Cosplayers are passionate about their cosplays, gamers are passionate about their games, panelists are passionate about their panel discussions, and a whole lot of people are passionate about anime. Last year we even put on a panel, which brought a retrospective of American toku series--not just spandex--to Tekko for the first time. That year saw an increase in toku panels and they even screened Kamen Rider Drive and Ninninger, and though this year it looks like there won’t be coverage in the Toku area, but hey there are two Digimon panels! So what do I hope to see this year? Fans from all walks of life, coming together to make something special happen. And BACK-ON, because BACK-ON is awesome, though I fully admit my bias as Chain is one of my fond memories from Air Gear, one of the earliest anime series I watched.
So whether you’re a RWBY cosplayer, a person who likes to see what great new shows everyone’s watching this season, an awesome kendo practitioner, or someone who wants to seriously discuss the influences that Japanese history has on Godzilla and other similar art forms, there is a place for you at Tekko. With LARP events, gaming events, anime screenings, and cosplay contests, and a lot more, there’s always something going on at Tekko. Here’s hoping I’ll see you at the con this year; I’ll be the big dude wearing my Taka/Tora/Bata pins and grinning from ear to ear like an idiot, with a pocket full of Yu-Gi-Oh cards and a confused glint in my eye as I take it all in. Tekko's the place where the geeky, weeb-filled excitement begins.
