Denver NDK (Nan Desu Kan) this past weekend was my fourth convention of the year. It has always held a special place in my heart because it was the first convention I ever attended. My bestie and I have gone together every year since 2013. While that isn’t actually that long in comparison to the cons entire lifespan of 20 years, it’s long in my con going life. In the more recent years though, I’ve notice a thinner and thinner crowd and now even I am questioning if I attend next year. And I’m not the only one.
A few years back, NDK moved to a hotel in downtown Denver to accommodate its growing size. This resulted in the con taking place over Labor Day weekend, at the same time as the Taste of Colorado. This means more crowds, more costs, and trust me you do not want to drive. The first year it moved, my bestie and I couldn’t find roads that were open that led to the con. This year we just took the bus and avoided the cost of parking and the stress of driving.
Location aside, I went to almost no panels this year. There was little to nothing offered that was of interest. The main reason I go to conventions is for the panels. This year they were a total bust. Either panels were in the Main Events Hall and there was more than enough space, or they were in a panel room where either there was plenty of space or you had to be in line for an hour to get in (I’m looking at you Disney vs Ghibli panel). I attended a few panels that I did love, such as the AMV contest and Traditional Japanese Dancing. I’m used to having so many panels I want to go to that I don’t have time to eat though.
Going along with a lack of adequate variety of panels, there were also a few that I attended that were just awful. I went to a Love Live panel that was so poorly run that I didn’t feel even remotely bad about leaving in the middle of it. They were disorganized, all over the place, distracted, and very unprofessional. It was like they were just a random group of cosplayers that decided to offer a scatter brained panel at the last minute. I’m pretty confident I could have done a better job.
Of course, cost has to factor into things as well. For the $300 plus I spent over the weekend, I seriously question it. We get a room in the hotel, and that cost each of us $220. Then the cost of the ticket ($45 for a weekend pass), plus eating downtown and I seriously start questioning if it is worth the expense. Because of this financial burden, I have less money for Artist Alley, the Dealers Room, and the Charity Auction. And honestly, can I really condone spending that kind of money? I’m sure I’ve spent similar amounts in the past, but if I’m not going to a lot of panels and meeting a lot of people, it becomes less worthwhile.
The reality is, Denver NDK isn’t alone in the anime circuit anymore. There is Anime Fest, Daku Con, and more I’m sure. NDK used to be the leading anime convention because they were the only anime convention. If they want to keep up, they are going to have to get creative, be unique, and offer something worth shelling out money for. I would certainly say they did not do that this year.
