TITANCON YEAR ONE CONQUERS CAL STATE FULLERTON

It is always a gift when conventions surrounding geek culture pop up more and more often, especially if they are within the easiest access.

April 10th, 2016 marked the debut of Titan Con, a single-day anime/game/pop culture convention, which took place at the Titan Student Union at California State University, Fullerton. The con possibly took its name from CSUF’s mascot, Tuffy the Titan.

One of the factors that define a convention, especially one revolving around anime, is the presentation and provisions of its dealer/exhibit hall. For Titan Con, it was certainly a unique experience. The hall gives attendees their fix for merchandise and artwork from various talented artists and creators. However, what made this hall unique was the utilization of its stage. Throughout the day, performers would showcase their talent for everyone to see. Some of these performers included musicians, dancers, and a DJ.

Outside of the dealer’s hall, Titan Con provided a range of panels surrounding topics related to geek culture. Many of these revolved around discussion and analyzation of what is currently trending, be it a specific show, like Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, or an exploration of the positive aspects of cosplaying. Other rooms were reserved for table top and computer gaming.

Honestly, in terms of panels, there was so much to do that Titan Con suffers the double-edged sword that all cons have: wanting to go to two panels that are happening at the same time in different rooms. The advantage is that there is a high chance that the panels that are happening concurrently are right next door to each other.

The Pub, an area in the basement of the TSU, housed the Arcane Maid Café. Attendees would be treated an authentic maid café experience, which included being served food by maids, as well as casual conversation, and treated to dance performances by them as well.

Located a few steps outside the TSU was the parking garage, where the food vendors would serve quick meals for the attendees. Speaking of parking, it’s always a plus when conventions provide their attendees free parking. In fact, Titan Con itself was a free event.

Very few complaints were mentioned by attendees; a map was not included on the schedule, which made it difficult for newcomers to navigate. It was also mentioned that some of the staff seemed inattentive or just unable to answer questions the attendees asked.

At the end of the day, the single-day convention had just over 2100 people in attendance. That’s no small feat. It’s safe to say this was a very successful and enjoyable event.

One last point I want to stress is the amount of support CSUF gave to Titan Con. Among all the booths that are expected in the dealer’s hall to be present, the one that stood out was a booth called “Titan Shops,” representing the university’s on-campus store. The fact that they are present shows the university’s support for the convention, which is always a welcome gesture.