Just Do It

TandokuCon

by Ptah Gabrie

Fri., Nov. 9, 4 p.m.-mid.; Sat.-Sun., Nov. 10-11, 8 a.m.-mid., $15-$45, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., 215-418-4700, tandokucon.com

Video game tournaments, trading card duels, fan parodies: It's easy to write off TandokuCon as just another ComicCon spawn. But the first full-scale anime gathering to come through Philly has a mission greater than cosplay. The coordinators see it as a way for youth to positively express themselves and reject violence. "They need to know that there is another viable option for them," says festival creator and East Mount Airy resident Terry Arnold-Collins. "They will take out all of their emotions, and put it on paper instead of against someone else."

The inspiration for TandokuCon comes from Collins' daughter, E'lea Cooper, an avid fan and volunteer coordinator. When the women realized there had never been a convention in Philly, they made it their mission to put one together. They believe the city needs such an event not only for anime enthusiasts, but to promote peace through artistic expression. In addition to the usual suspects, this con will feature a panel discussion and workshop with voice actor Crispin Freeman, tutorials on voice dubbing and Japanese song and a fashion show.

If Collins has her way, the first TandokuCon won't be the last. "For people who think anime is just a silly little fly by night thing, I want them to see that it is not," she says. "It's important to young people, and it's a viable alternative to violence."