Metrocon 2025 the escape from reality

John M. Delia Jr
Aug 1
7 min read

This is my fifth year attending this outstanding function and as usual it went over and beyond my expectations. The convention encompassed many great panels, meetups, learning options, gaming opportunities, a dungeon lair, game rooms, and the scheduled main events. Here you can discuss your favorite anime cartoons, go on a dangerous journey through a territory full of monsters, play with or against friends or acquaintances in role playing games, enter a tournament with almost any video game, learn about how to create cosplay gear, and much more. The three-day weekend is a chance to escape from realism and explore the different realms that you can encounter as you are guided with the many different possibilities from this long-term expo that has been around for 23 years.

During my journey through the universe of anime I was able to witness many of the marvelous things that were offered to anyone who was able to get a ticket. Diving into the macrocosm of dragons and becoming a warrior to fight evil monsters in this new reality. Then travel back in time and fight zombies and orcs, through a maze that will require you with a team of volunteers to discover a way out. Enter the main stage and watch the battle royal in the empire of the Kaiju. Understanding and learning from many panelists that bring you up to speed of the many ways to enter the place of fantasy. Finally, have the opportunity to enter the exhibit hall and see, learn, and purchase from any of the vendors while you travel through this very large room.

While I was wondering about, I was able to go to quite a few discussions this year and they included some interesting topics, such as, Mental Health and its relationship with anime, how to audition to be a voiceover artist from Bang Zoom Studies, overcoming writer's block, culinary arts, opportunities to improv, singing, and meeting the voice actors. These teachings help con-goers understand how they can participate and become one of the new associates to explore and conquer this place. Some of the other panels had a chance to sing karaoke, a chance to act to short improvisational scenes, fun games, questions about related topics, and answer trivia about your dearest characters, their families, what they like, and the places they are from, such as Yuri on ice, and Yuji & Nobara’s improv class.

Unabridged Complete Works of Resident Evil

Bang Zoom Studios came to Metrocon to oversee an audition to locate the next voiceover artist for their company. During the weekend they first implemented a symposium that introduced Emi Lo, one of their big voice actors, and she discussed her experiences on how she got into the business. Then the director of operations, Mami Okada, and production director of casting, AJ, talked about what they are looking for from an audition. They explained that the speaking sound was not important, but that it was the quality of the reading, the support toward the situation from your vocalization, the projection that was given, and the energy that was portrayed was what they were looking for. They continued to stress the enunciation must be spot on, that your sound must be clean, clear and presented with a pronounced articulation. Both Mami and Aj explained that for characterization you must make the person you are portraying your own, truly understand and evolve along as they do, and that they are looking for this development as you continue to move forward. Lastly, they exclaimed that proper training and practice to sustain your projection was very important. Finally, on the next day many contestants would sign-up and compete for their chance to actually be a voice artist for their treasured part. Throughout the day each person presents their best version of their rendition of these wonderful heroes, villains, or sidekicks down to a few, for the final selections later in the day.

This year's Guests consisted of Brian Beacock, Ricco Fajardo, Ben Diskin, Jonah Scott, and Joshua Waters and they presented a panel discussion and riffs about their circumstances within the anime and video game business as it pertains to sports. There were some questions for the representatives from the audience about their sports related encounters, and each member talked about their escapades with sports when they were younger, including high school and college. Some of them talked about the types of sports they competed in, for example, wrestling, football, soccer, swimming, tennis, karate, long distance running, biking, hunting, and so on. Along the way there were many funny responses, with serious content that entertained the audience throughout the hour meeting opportunity.

There were many educational gatherings that were a must for many convention goers throughout the weekend, packing in the meeting rooms like sardines for some. During the Arcane and the parallels between mental health, the characters and why we relate to them, each panel member selected a role from this japanese animation series that closely relates to their personality and mental disorders they may possess. The speakers expressed their similarities to the areas that they closely relate, along with a summary of each persona. In other meetings there was an exceptional presentation by Entertainment Stew based on the food and philosophy of its influences on people. These emotional effects on its societies and how it gears toward gender attitude on the substance we prepare. Involving geographical areas that can change a typical meal into a completely different creation along with learning about food that we have never experienced or tasted. Eventually tying everything back into anime and how food relates to this world. Finally, breaking the writer's block was a fabulous occurrence that worked on ways to help when you plateau during story writing, by using simple exercises and ideas to build your desire to get back to work. They gave the audience some examples that incorporated ice breaker games, who where & why, and popcorn writing.

They brought back a few classic events from the past including the wonderful opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the fan favorite Kaiju Big Battle. This year they put together a few new shows, an on-stage short play called Dream Fight /Live Anime Action Spectacular and an unabridged complete works version of resident evil, that was well performed and attended. The resident evil reenactment was a performance based on the film and video game exploits, that made sure they had the signature Zombies and Undead that are very much a part of the series. Metro Rock Live was back and allowed for contestants to present their beloved characters in a sing and dance to J-Rock music on the main stage. Next was the Kaiju Big Battle that returned with a Japanese animated version of an all-out professional wrestling match having some outlandish and cartoon type players clash on stage for the southern regional championship. This hilarious and entertaining contest contained a fight to see who will stay in the ring and become the next champion. Lastly, they gave us a skit and play, called Dream Fight, that presents a story about an evil genius who captures a young girl to use her to conquer humanity as her secret super spy parents try to rescue her.

Many con-goers have the opportunity to confront zombies, orcs, ghosts, or goblins in the Mystic Adventures (LARD) dungeon. You can play one of the many video games offered through the many different game systems or arcade machines in one of the larger halls. In the course of the weekend, you can take part in one of the video game contests, try out and compete for the Cosplay Championships or become a Voice Actor at the open auditions. Meanwhile you can participate in one of the role-playing games offered by Critical Hit Games and lastly see a demonstration of competitive sword fighting with Leviathan Historical Fencing.

Within the dungeon ordeal, sponsored by Mystic Adventures (LARD), you and fifteen other heroes have a chance to be a part of their superb and remarkable realm, fighting many evil creatures as you try and move through their lair. As you attempt to advance without getting defeated, you must also help the other group members uncover the clues needed to find your way out, while you are fighting zombies, ghouls, orcs, or ghosts. Each person was able to choose from a list of character types that included a traditional fighter, a rogue, many different mages, or clerics as you acted out your new self through the dark caverns of this domain you are now teleported to.

In the Critical Hit Games room, you have a chance to enjoy and compete in many different games such as D&D Beyond, Pathfinder, West Coast Adventure League and much more. There were opportunities to play in a long adventure, or you could play one of the many different board games. Here you could also purchase your desired module or get the things you need to play after the convention with your friends or at an actual store, like Critical Hit Games located in St. Petersburg. During the weekend they even had a Magic the Gathering pre-release function for Gryphons Nest to play the new version early with your friends.

Leviathan Historical Fencing put on an amazing demonstration of the many different swords used during fencing competitions. The fencing participants exhibit the use of each weapon as they compete on stage. These expert instructors explain the process, equipment, swords, and techniques used during combat. Later you could walk over to their table and actually try out and undergo this historical sport using their gear.

This wonderful event that has been around for many years has locked down the next two years in Tampa at the convention center. The three-day gathering is an enjoyable time for all and much excitement for true anime fans. It is worth the cost to allow yourself to escape from your everyday life and become someone else in a place that allows for you to imagine and feel free of all of life's problems.