Once a year, the Student Union becomes home to nearly 1,000 anime-clad icons, wannabe Pokémon trainers, and foam-wielding warriors. This event that engulfs the gaming and anime community is held under the banner of UBCON.
This year's event, the 22nd of the annual gathering, brought talent from all over the U.S., featuring a famous celebrity in each of the convention's popular aspects.
Activities kicked off Friday evening with the convention's usual long line, but after quick rearranging work by UBCON staff, the event went into full swing. Friday offered plenty of opportunities for players to jump into the world of the d20 or play a few hands of their favorite trading card games.
This year saw the revival of a long-standing tradition of the "Artist Alley," an art-dealing collaboration by vendors and students in the UB community. Much of the art was steeped in gaming and anime culture, producing many incredible commodities.
"The people are wonderful," said Nigel Sade, UBCON's guest artist. "The way I describe most of the people at these shows is that you have people who have saved up and have been looking forward to this one weekend for the entire year. They're saving up all their money, and they come here and they're going to have a great time; they're going to hang out with all their friends, and it's sort of like being able to see the best of humanity in a lot of ways."
Guest speakers Eric Vale, best known for voicing Trunks in Dragon Ball Z, and acclaimed paranormal investigators Beyond Ghosts gave compelling views on their works, pleasing many. The event also provided a chance to listen to a panel of voice actors of the cult-classic cartoon Invader Zim.
UBCON has always believed in starting off on the right foot, and Friday night's gigantic Nerf conflict certainly proved that point. Attendees put their best plastic guns forward as they played capture the flag across the multileveled Student Union floors.
Attendees weren't out of luck if they missed the standard capture the flag on Friday, as Saturday promised a second round of the infamous foam war. What will surprise many is that this event, only held here at UB, is one of the largest Nerf wars in North America.
Even more action was slated for Saturday, as the afternoon became a day that will live in infamy. Dozens stepped out onto the field of battle to compete in Dagorhir, the full-contact medieval battle game. While some adorned full authentic armor, others felt more comfortable in their everyday attire.
For those who came unsupplied to this year's event, the massive dealer room stocked everything from the latest Japanese soda to a full library of popular manga. Beyond the oddities, SU 145 offered many of the most popular board, trading card and miniature games, letting attendees indulge in the lap of gaming luxury.
"It's my first time coming to an event like this, so I'm trying to take the whole thing in," said Stephen Stewart, 24, of Amherst.
The return of the ever-popular band ARMCANNON, an astonishing mashup of 8-bit music and the roaring sounds of hard rock, serenaded the crowd. Covering songs from Metroid, Super Mario, and Final Fantasy, the band certainly catered to the audience's atypical taste in music.
Those seeking asylum from the foam havoc or looking to get a few hours of sleep could watch their favorite anime in one of the many viewing rooms UB Anime set up.
UBCON staff and attendees alike left happy, feeling fulfilled after leaving the peaceful environment of the local gaming community.
The whole weekend only cost a mere $25 to attend, and those who preregistered were given an extra $5 discount.
UBCON offers an ideal area for many to gather, reminisce and collaborate in the vast gaming and anime community of Western New York. While this year's event has just ended, many look forward to the future and the excitement of UBCON XXIII.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
