After months of perfecting their cosplays, buying tickets and deciding what panels to attend, members of Point Park’s Anime Club are excited to reunite with old friends and make new ones at this year’s Tekko convention held in Downtown Pittsburgh.

They are among many Pittsburgh students and residents who will be attending the annual Tekko Anime and Japanese Culture Convention in the heart of Downtown, and they are particularly excited about the schedule of activities lined up for this year.

Leanna Brooks, sophomore forensic science and biology major and president of Anime Club, will be attending the event.

“I just look forward to seeing all the cool people in their cosplay and meeting new people,” Brooks said. “It’s a really cool atmosphere because everyone is really friendly.”

According to its website, Tekko is “the region’s premier convention for anime, gaming, music and Japanese pop culture.” The convention started in 2003 and has gained a following in the Pittsburgh area. The convention is run by the nonprofit organization Pittsburgh Japanese Culture Society.

Gaming is a big part of Tekko with multiple rooms to accommodate all the activity.

Bill Anderson, senior animation major and technician of Anime Club spoke of his experience with gaming. 

“I really enjoy the tournaments that they have there- to be able to compete with people who are really great at what they do and seeing all the game previews is really exciting,” Anderson said.

The shopping is also unique to Tekko with artists and vendors selling anime and Japanese-themed items. 

Anderson recommends that first-time attendees be careful with their money.

“Watch your budget,” Anderson said. “I accidentally spent $200 the first time I went to Tekko, and that did not go very well as you can imagine.”

Panels are a staple at any convention, but for anime fans, Tekko offers a great variety in content.

Alicia Rightmyer, sophomore English literature major, said she looks “forward to seeing all of the other cosplayers. The different panels are really cool because I get to hang out with other people who like the things that I like and I get to learn something new,” she said.

Altin Molnar-Strejcek, sophomore creative writing major, is also looking forward to the gaming room at the con. 

He recalled a favorite memory from visiting the game room. 

“I went to the game room, and I got to play Dance Dance Revolution with a guy dressed up as Master Chief [from Halo], and he went completely all-out in his costume and it was a lot of fun,” Molnar-Strejcek said.

In addition to cosplay, panels and games, Tekko offers a wide variety of events such as anime viewings, concerts, a cosplay competition and masquerade party, a karaoke room, a dance competition, and an Anime Music Video (AMV) contest.

The convention will take place April 16-19 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Preregistration tickets can be purchased on the official Tekko website, which are cheaper and guarantee access to the convention. Premium and RockStar Admission tickets are currently sold out, but general admission currently stands at $50, which allows access to all days at Tekko and events held at the convention.

Tekko will also be hosting a day at Kennywood on May 30 where attendees will spend a day at the amusement park with a sponsored pavilion and stage with performances. The current pre-registration ticket price is $27 and can be purchased through the official Tekko website. 

“Going to Tekko, I just love talking to people there because everyone is so passionate about what they do,” Anderson said on what makes Tekko a unique experience.