Anime, Manga Fans Converge On Library This Weekend

Move over , LAMEcon is coming to Land O’ Lakes this weekend.

Short for the Library Anime and Manga Enthusiasts Convention, LAMEcon is a two-day event that features costume contests, panel discussions, vendors and artists.

It’s a celebration of Asian art, culture, food and entertainment, explained Stephanie Kempe, one of the organizers.

Sponsored by the Pasco County Library System and staged at the , 2818 Collier Parkway, the festival grew out of the teen program, but is meant to attract anyone with an interest in Asian culture, Kempe said.

“It’s really an everybody kind of thing,” she said. “(It’s) a flea market of Asian culture.”

LAMEcon gets under way Saturday, July 16, at 7 p.m. with a dance that runs until 10. A custom contest is scheduled for 8:30 p.m., as well.

On Sunday, the convention continues at 9 a.m. with a full day of events that run until 7 p.m. Some of the activities on tap Sunday include panel discussions, a Pokemon DS tournament and trivia contests.

“The kids like it because it includes everything anime and manga,” said Paul Stonebridge, the library system’s teen services manager. “We’re small, but there’s plenty of kids in the area that can’t afford Metrocon. This is a great way to give the kids something that they’re into.”

Events like LAMEcon, Stonebridge said, are also great tools to bring teens into the library.

“We already support manga and anime,” he said. “(It’s) a great gateway item to get teens to read.”

Why the name?

“Some people think anime’s lame, so we decided to own that,” Stonebridge said.

Here is a timeline for the events on Sunday:

• 9:10 a.m. – Doors open
• 9:40-10:10 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
• 10:20-10:50 a.m. – Cosplay Panel
• 11-11:30 a.m. – Laws of Anime Panel
• 11:40-12:10 p.m. – Win, Lose, or Draw; Cosplay Contest Part 1
• 12:20-12:50 p.m. – Battle of the Sexes: Anime; Cosplay Contest Part 2
• 1-2:10 p.m. – Fashion Panel; Pokemon DS Tournament
• 2:20-2:50 p.m. – History of Anime Panel; Anime Trivia Part 1
• 3-4:10 p.m. – Japan Culture Talk Panel; Anime Trivia Part 2
• 4:20-6:10 p.m. – Music Panel
• 6:20-7 p.m. – Closing Ceremony

All-Day Activities

• Vendor Room – 9:10 a.m.  to 6:20 p.m.
• Gaming Room – 10:20 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.
• Anime Viewing Room – 10:20 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.

For more information, visit the library system’s website at pascolibraries.org. There is no charge to attend.