This past Sunday, my Hubby and I went to Anime Ottawa, our first Anime convention since 2019!

After 5 hours on a bus, several hours on a train beforehand, we reached Ottawa in the afternoon on Good Friday. Once we booked into our Airbnb and explored many lovely landmarks, visited restaurants, and walked so much I thought that our feet would fall off, we reached the day we had both been waiting for: Anime Ottawa at the EY Centre, a convention centre located near the airport.

When I walked in, I was greeted with numerous cosplayers, bustling vendors filled with eager buyers, a smell of poutine, and the sounds of a retro style arcade. Lights and sounds galore as a concerto of nerdom.

I lined up to the autograph booth, ready to see my favorite voice actor: Chris Hackney, whose notable characters include: Dimitri from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Rauru from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Jin Shirato from Persona 3 Reload.

After I received the autograph into my sketchbook, which meant the world to me, Hubby and I wondered around the sights and enjoyed looking at all the figurines, posters, handmade goods, prints of artwork, and the cute plush Pokemon on sale.

Near the end of the convention, we attended the Q & A session for Chris’ panel. I will upload the clips to Youtube when I get the chance. It was a fun time, and the most memorable experience I’ve had since pre-pandemic.

P.S. If any cosplayers recognize themselves in the photos, feel free to let me know and I will tag you, and link your socials underneath. If you do not want to be shown, then also contact me and I will remove the picture.

Thank you to everyone who cosplayed at the event, thank you to all the fellow artists who sold their work, thanks to Chris for the words of encouragement, and thank you Anime Ottawa for hosting this event.

Tara