This was the first NDK I had participated in, after hearing about the event since I was in high school, I was finally able make it out to this exhibition of Anime and Japanese culture in Colorado. The event all around was just a welcoming environment, between the staff, panelists, participants and even the Gaylord of the Rockies Resort itself.

There was much to do on the docket for Nan Desu Kan, it was hard to pinpoint exactly where I wanted to be at any given point whilst moving about the convention center. The Itachi show car outside, the vendors hall and artist alley, to the many different panels all throughout the weekend. My main objective was to help showcase the many cosplayers who participate, which there was a plethora running all different directions. I wanted to make sure I took in as much as possible, meeting new faces, talking to interesting individuals. Cosplayers from all walks of life, to varying degrees in which they showcased their craft. Nan Desu Kan is truly a welcoming place no matter if one bought, thrifted or hand made their cosplays, everyone seemed to be constantly stopped for pictures, or even be taking part in individualized photoshoots wherever I seemed to look.

The Gaylord of the Rockies Hotel and Convention Center brings so many places for photoshoots. Whether you take spur of the moment con pics or want a dedicated photoshoot, you could easily turn a corner and find a great spot enjoy. This is something than many conventional convention centers lack due to so many places being homogenized with generic concrete pillars, bland carpet and furnishings, and lack of wall decor. The Gaylord has different spots in droves, from the main hotel itself, outside seating areas and even amongst the main halls there is always a place to take a fun picture or two with variety available to those who want to do more for their photoshoots. The convention itself did have a few designated places to have a full photoshoot for the professional photographers, but their rules for amateurs was pretty easy to follow along with as well.

The convention center was also laid out in a fairly simplistic and easy to navigate set up. I didn’t really ever need to look at the map to figure out where anything was, that is except for panels. The panels were still easy to find in of themselves, only thing I think I would have done different here was some extra signage to point to the main area in which they were held as it was initially confusing for someone who had never been to the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center. The smaller panels that I did partake in was the 18 Plus Lip Sync Battle on Friday, then on Saturday I took part in the Cosplay Competition, Maid Raid, and NDK Cosplay Rave. All three were an amazing experience! Check out the linked articles as they come out!

One thing I think that NDK did far better than other conventions I have been to in the past was accessibility. There were multiple elevators to get to any of the three floors, as well as both escalators and stairs. The halls never felt cramped, nor did it seem to ever get too hot as with what might happen when you bring so many people into one space. Then the most difficult part came to making things accessible, the vendor hall and artist alley. Many places seem to have issues with spacing the booths out in a way where people can look around whilst also moving amongst them. I feel like the floor was designed in such a way that the flow of people was easy to maneuver around, as well as wide enough for anyone to get through the main aisles with ease. On top of that, there were plenty of areas, both inside and outside, where one could sit down and take a breather if they needed. They made it a very comfortable place to be no matter where you were at within the convention halls. (Note: this is coming from someone who does not have any mobility requirements themself, nor expertise on the matter).

All around this is a convention that I highly recommend for anyone to enjoy. No matter if you’re a cosplayer, Anime watcher, or just someone who wants to experience something new, Nan Desu Kan has something for everyone. You can really feel the community that has built up around NDK in the past 25 years, creating the welcoming environment that they bring.