Ask Joe Six-Pack about Japan, and he's likely to mention anime, manga and video games. The near fetishization of these entertainments in American culture can be irksome for those interested in the broader culture of Japan, yet they offer an attractive and heavily stylized alternative world to our own. The
Motaku 2010 anime convention, taking place through Sunday at the Park Place Hotel (1601 North Universal Avenue), celebrates these cultural exports with a weekend of anime showings, manga, video-game tournaments, discussion panels and workshops. Voice actors Wendy Powell, Todd Haberkorn and Cassandra Hodges are scheduled guests, and the event also features a retro gaming room. A full-weekend pass costs $40; one-day passes are $20-$25. For more information and a list of vendors, see
motaku.org.
— Chance Dibben
Fri., Oct. 8; Sat., Oct. 9; Sun., Oct. 10, 2010
