The Japanese Game and Watch club Pierce College Club Attends Sakura-Con

Sakura-Con, the largest anime convention in the Northwest, wrapped its 21^st year in Seattle April 1. As always, attendees showed up in various cosplays of many different characters. There were round-the-clock panels and shows to go to and autographs to be given out.

Students in the Japanese Game and Watch club were able to go this year with the assistance of Student Life. When a complication arose due an advisor not being able to go with, Student Life funded the club’s tickets to the event.

Each student was interested in something at the convention, whether they’d been to it previously or not. Shaili Seeberger, an aspiring voice actor, was excited for the guest voice actors that would be there, like Max Mittelman and Joel McDonald. For others, like Michael Anderson, this would be their first Sakura-Con, or their first convention at all, so expectations were vague.

Only some of the club went in cosplay (costume). Jesus Gonzales went as Mr. Foster from Killing Floor 2, Michael went as Sabo from One Piece, and Shaili cosplayed a female Rin Okumura from Blue Exorcist.

Overall, the students in the club had a lot of fun. Jesus said, “Having a good time. I’ve spent a lot of money. Hella fun, hella broke!”

For the club’s first time attending, it was a unanimous success. “I just got feedback from every member who went this year, and all of them absolutely enjoyed it! For a few members, it was their first time going to a convention like this, so their experience was a great one,” said club president Daniel Dino-Slofer.

The club expects to attend Sakura-Con next year, and hopefully, they’ll implement things that they’ve learned at the event in their club meetings. Club meetings take place on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in OLY326, then later from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in OLY202.