Katsucon ‘24: Phenom Artists...
Katsucon was the second convention I had ever attended, and it was one I consistently frequented over the years. However, after 2018, I gradually fell out of attending due to various factors, though none were the fault of the convention itself. For those familiar with Magfest and Katsucon, it's known they share the same location at the Gaylord National Harbor Hotel. While Katsucon's format differs slightly, it remains comfortably familiar. One particularly appreciated aspect is their use of a free coat check, a rarity at cons these days.
SideNote: My cosplay lineup included Shinjiro from Persona 3, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7, and a dressy outfit inspired by Kazuya Mishima's costume in Tekken 7. I managed to participate in a Final Fantasy photoshoot (Check Vid), albeit outside, which would have been more enjoyable if not for the cold air and wind.
The formal ball, a major highlight of Katsucon, was where I debuted my dressy Kazuya outfit. Despite the staff's preference for formal attire, they were lenient, allowing some flexibility with footwear. The ball itself was a blast, featuring a mix of fast-paced dance music and slower ballroom tunes. If I had any complaints, it is that they have these wristbands that indicate whether you're open to being asked to dance (green) or prefer not to be asked (blue). While this system is a great idea, the problem lies in their placement off to the side upon entering the ball area, with no mention of them by the staff. I only knew to look for them due to my previous experiences at this convention’s formal. Consequently, many attendees didn't have wristbands at all, making it a bit more stressful to approach people to ask them to dance. Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself.
While I missed out on Katsucon's panels, I was able to speak with three incredible artists from Artist's Alley, whose work caught my attention...
Chris Ventura
Chris's Dragon Ball character drawings were truly eye-catching, and what's more, he happened to be friends with someone from the Artist Alley group I was with, making it effortless to strike up a conversation with him. When it comes to Chris's journey as an artist, creativity has been ingrained in him since childhood. He officially began his professional art career in 2016. His inspiration stems from his older cousin's passion for comics and illustrations, which ignited Chris's own interest in drawing. Initially influenced by his cousin's love for Batman and Superman, Chris delved into sketching these iconic superheroes. During our conversation, I questioned him about his favorite superhero and anime series. Chris revealed that his top superhero pick is the Power Rangers, with the White Dino Thunder Ranger standing out as his favorite. As for anime, Naruto holds a special place in his heart. Before parting ways, I asked Chris about his future convention appearances, to which he mentioned his frequent presence at various Ranger Cons. For those interested in exploring more of his artwork, Chris can be found on Instagram under the handle: ceevee.co.
Sarah J.
Another artist who had really eye-catching anime artwork who I spoke with, was Sara of Saju Studios. Sarah mentioned she was twenty-eight years old, and had been drawing since she was three, so twenty five years of drawing experience is under her belt! Her primary inspirations for drawing were watching Sailor Moon as well as the Pokémon anime when she was eight years old. Her favorite piece(s) of art that she's created so far, was her “Around The World Series”, where she takes pictures that she captured of places she traveled to, and then draws characters from anime (such as One Piece, Naruto, and Demon Slayer) into the scenery. I had asked Sarah if she had any new projects she's working on, and she mentioned that she's started to work on apparel and is trying to make her own original line of work. For advice to others that are trying to break into the art world, Sarah suggested starting with digital. One should get a tablet, get familiar with a program like Procreate or the one she uses called Clip Studio Paint (which she said is great for beginners). Something else that helps with replication is copying still life. Due to Sarah having some really cool art of the Akatsuki members from the Naruto series, I had to ask her who her favorite member was, and she said it was of course Itachi. She also mentioned that Kakazu was hot. If you want to catch Sarah at her booth for other conventions, she mentioned she will be at Anime Expo, Anime NYC, and New York Comic Con. Her instagram is Saju.Studios, and her website is Sajustudios.com
Gerry S.
The last artist I spoke with was named Gerry Selian, who ran his booth with assistance from his partner and either his brother or friend. Gerry has been drawing since high school, and professionally he began during college, where he started learning illustration. Although he was inspired by anime, he strives for an art style that isn't strictly 'full anime' to make his work stand out. Gerry also enjoys graphic design and endeavors to combine it with illustration. He believes it's difficult to focus strictly on one medium, and that the best results come when graphic design and illustration are integrated. Since I was dressed as a character from Persona and I noticed that Gerry had art from Persona 3 through 5, I, of course, had to ask which Persona game was his favorite. Persona 4 is his favorite of the three games because all of the main characters actually felt like friends from the start to finish, as opposed to just being co-workers or people who happened to be together. Regarding upcoming conventions, keep an eye out for Gerry at Anime Expo and Sakuracon. His Instagram handle is gerrydraws, and his website can be found at gerrydraws.com.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was definitely a great return for me, especially coming right off the heels of MAGFEST and seeing how they compare in the present. As I've mentioned from the beginning, Katsucon is a convention where I've only had positive experiences, and that tradition continues. So, if you're looking for another convention in the National Harbor area in the winter, Katsucon is definitely worth considering.
