Prior to the torrential downpour that greatly affected many parts of Florida, Tampa held the 10^th Annual MetroCon at the Tampa Bay Convention Center from June 15 to June 17. Various events can be found all over the convention- from anime viewings, to gaming, to tea parties, MetroCon has it all.

One of the key features about MetroCon is the aesthetics. Employees in charge of directing line traffic and guarding exits were all dressed as Umbrella Corp security operatives. This adds a very nice touch when walking around and witnessing a member of the Umbrella Corp security stopping someone from entering an “unauthorized area.”

The theme of this year’s MetroCon was Agents vs. Outlaws, in which the main featured events focused on the various agents and outlaws that can be found in various animes from Cowboy Bebop to Ghost in the Shell. Participants would also express their fandom by participating in their own personal staging out on the Riverwalk with tea parties and fan fiction street performances.

MetroCon also has a slew of special events. One of the big events that is held once a year is the Fantasy Masquerade. The Masquerade is a fantasy theatrical styled event as well as an interactive ballroom experience. The story is based around the Cowboy Bebop series.

Another big event returning to MetroCon is the Metro Star Party. The Metro Star Party is a cluster of anime and gaming characters all coming together for one big event. The participants of this event have trained for weeks prior to put on this show stopping spectacle which continues to be a huge hit with MetroCon. The other events include the Anime Chess Match, Metro Fire Show, GGX: Gear Grappling Extreme, and Rhythm City Chronicles.

MetroCon had gathered a big lineup of celebrity voice actors as well as celebrities in other entertainment and Cosplay communities. The four big voice actors at MetroCon were Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Naruto), Richard Epcar (Ghost in the Shell, Robotech, Transformers: Robots in Disguise), Scott McNeil (Beast Wars, Dragon Ball Z, Full Metal Alchemist), and Crispin Freeman (Hellsing, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Wolf’s Rain). Each celebrity guest had their own discussion, but the four of them came together for a Voice Actors Unplugged where the four of them were answering questions, bantering, and McNeil was eating cheese whiz.

Other celebrities that appeared were Takayoshi Tanimoto (Vocal Artist), Robert VanWest, also known as DJ Hellroy (CEO/DJ), David Stanworth (Snafu Comics creator), Pikabellechu (Avid Pokemon fanatic), and many other guests.

But it’s not only about the events, the anime, the games, or the celebrities which people come to see, it’s also about the Cosplay. People from all over the state and country came to check out the sites and events and cosplayers. Ranging from anime, to games, and movies, many people dressed up as their favorite characters ranging from popular anime to the more obscure ones.

MetroCon spans over three days, with many events from afternoon events to ones lasting until early hours into the next morning. With so many vendors to purchase unique and rare items, special events, and special screenings, like Woodstock, there is much that can be done during the three days of peace, music, and cosplaying. MetroCon 2012 was a fun and entertaining experience to meet with old friends and to make new friends.

Image Courtesy of   Anna Fischer

The article MetroCon 2012: Agents vs. Outlaws Presented by Umbrella Corp. appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The “Warriors” games have a long and varied history; From its humble start as a fighting game to spawning a multitude of spin-offs. So in addition to the loosely historical offerings of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors, people now are able to enjoy “Warriors” games based off some of their favorite anime.

There are warriors games for Gundam fans and then there is the game set in the universe of “Fist of the North Star” while the latest anime infused warrior game offering is based on the extremely popular “One Piece.” So knowing that pairing popular anime with their beloved “Warriors” formula isn’t something Tecmo-Koei is afraid of, their is a question that is every fan of the series head: Whats next?

Here are our take on the top 5 choices:

5. Yu Yu Hakusho

An older anime, but it would be fun none the less, with a decent size cast there would be plenty of different ways to smash, slice and incinerate your not-so-friendly neighborhood demons.

The great thing is, with “Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage”, Omega Force showed that not every ‘beat ‘em up’ game they make has to be the same exact “Dynasty Warriors” clone, allowing a variety in concepts, features and gameplay within their various spin-offs. For this reason, even anime series with less “mass murder” are still very eligible choices for a spin-off.

4. Rurouni Kenshin

Rurouni Kenshin has it all! Interesting story? Check. Colorful cast of characters? Check. Lots of cool weapons, crazy swordplay and intense fights? Check, check and check! While this anime is a little past its prime, there is no doubt fans of the series who are also interested in video games would love a chance to revisiting Meiji era Japan to step in the shoes of some of their favorite protagonists and antagonists.

In addition to this, Samurai Warriors is all about armies clashing on huge battlefields during the Sengoku period of Japan and Rurouni Kenshin’s setting is more so urban environments and takes place during the Meiji period.

3. Cowboy Bebop

Another perfect opportunity for a brawler. This critically acclaimed anime masterpiece saw great success both in Japan and internationally so there is already a pretty large fanbase for it. The anime also features some of the most interesting characters in all of fiction, all with very complicated backgrounds which caught the intrigue of viewers all over.

So it only makes sense that an anime as beloved as Cowboy Bebop deserves to be paired with a game by the masterminds at Omega Force. The game would probably feature a lot of chases and brawls in a variety of environments with gameplay similar to the aforementioned ”Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage,” but could quite possibly become one of the greatest pairing since Oreos and Milk.

2. Naruto

It only makes sense to combine two incredibly popular and amazing things to form something that appeals to a huge audience. This is exactly what a Naruto “Warriors” game would be. The anime probably has one of the largest and most diverse casts on this list so the game would provide a large variety in choices for players.

Not to mention there is plenty of opportunity for a full-on ninja war mode since there are different villages and they could act as different armies such as how it works in “Dynasty Warriors” and “Samurai Warriors.”

1. Bleach

Not only is Bleach insanely popular at the moment, but it features tons of flashy moves and swordplay and that is what “Warriors” games are all about. Bleach is probably the most likely choice for the next spin-off just because of how easily it would translate into a “Warriors” game and how insanely popular it is at the moment.

Also, many Bleach fans were left with a bad taste in their mouth after the mediocre that was the last attempt at a ‘hack-and-slash’ Bleach game. The one big hurdle would be acquiring the rights to such a game, but that is always the problem with licensing.

The article Top 5 Choices For A ‘Warriors’ Spin-off Game appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.