On the day of the event the weather had other plans but the show must go on. The event itself was full of festivities like panels, video games, table top games and so much more. One of my favourites was the artist alley I really enjoyed seeing different versions of art on display. I also enjoyed the vendors alley, the only thing that made me sad was that I barely found any bleach merch.

Another highlight was the panels, like Tikula who shared their message on youth empowerment, I already love their stuff therefore it was amazing seeing them advocating about youth positivity on stage. Noob Support was another amazing panel, one thing I really loved about it was she prepared a starter guide anime watch list for that newbie Otaku who is still trying to find their way into anime, I might not be a newbie but that list surely helped in increasing my watch list.

The actor’s roundtable was one that was insightful and really enjoyed it. I mean we get to see these individuals on a screen and it gets you wondering what it like is for this person to prepare for this particular role. I enjoyed this roundtable particularly because it gave me an insight to the actor’s journey into the industry and hearing such stories from people you look up to, really helps you connect with them on a human level.

What is LsCon without cosplay? Well I do not know but it definitely wouldn’t be LsCon without cosplay. I am such a huge fan of cosplay so seeing people dressed up as some of my favourite characters really brings me joy. The cosplay parade was definitely a favourite for me, there’s a lot of creativity that goes into creating a costume and having a platform that appreciates that effort and allows you to showcase it, is something that every cosplayers hopes for.

I also enjoyed the musical performances, the table top games and watching people play video games, maybe in the next LsCon I’ll actually participate and not only watch. All in all LsCon 2022 was an event I really enjoyed and I am definitely looking forward to the next LsCon.

My experience with Nerdotaku/Lscon was tiring but an amazing time, learning with my supervisors and meeting great people helped in getting over my introverted nature and help me make new friends in the community.

The experience with other people encouraged me to try new things and explore a little more.

10/10 would definitely (do it) again

Being my first LsCon it met and surpassed my expectations. The organizers made sure there was no room for boredom, because there was so much to do, so much to see and experience!

The highlight of my day was hunting down my fellow Batmans for a picture because “We are Batman”. Soooo I hope to see you all there next year. And here’s an idea why don’t we all go as characters from the Office!

When I woke up on Saturday morning, it was with a bit of trepidation: it had been raining all night and it didn’t look like it was letting up. Would LsCon still take place? I had been looking forward to it for weeks! I need not have worried: not only was LsCon still on, but it turned out to be even more fun than I had hoped it would.

My wife Lia and I arrived early. After a tiny bit of initial confusion (“Wow, there are a lot of people here already. But they look suspiciously like they’re all cosplaying being in a wedding party!”), we found the right place. We were welcomed right away with open arms by the Nerd Otaku team.

Having learned about Nerd Otaku and having met some of the team members at an earlier board game event, we were excited to attend LsCon. We wanted to learn more about the local “nerd” scene and share our love of board games. To that end, we brought some board games with us and lots of enthusiasm!

It didn’t take long to kick off some games. We learned how to play Dutch Blitz, a fun, real-time card game. The laughter and good times continued when I introduced and led a few rounds of Ca$h ‘n Gun$. The “gangsters” dove right in: sometimes shooting their way to the loot and sometimes diving under the table for cover (all figuratively, of course). We then transitioned to Bohnanza, a more strategic, but no less riotous game. “Bean farmers” tried to plant and harvest their beans for the most profit – and to get others to take their unwanted “black-eyed beans” off their hands, while grabbing as many “stink beans” as possible. (No beans were harmed in the playing of this game.) There were several other tables around us that had board games going on as well. It was wonderful to see so many people having so much fun!

One of the highlights of the convention was the costumes, of course. We were very impressed with all of the creativity and talent that people put into them. I also really appreciated Olga’s comments about cosplay not implying consent. It clearly showed that the organizers cared about making this a safe environment for everyone.

And if all of that weren’t enough yet, there were also video games, vendors, amazingly talented artists, a photo booth, panels with presenters, and so much more! The Japanese Embassy was there, with an impressive and fun display. Their presentation about kimonos was both entertaining and educational. There was so much to do and to see that everyone was sure to have a fantastic time.

By the time we had to leave, the sky had cleared up and the sun had come out. Cosplayers were posing for photos on the lawn, showing off their creations. We left with huge smiles on our faces, grateful for the amazing time we had spent with incredibly friendly and welcoming people. We can’t wait for next year’s LsCon!

Having attended Last year’s mini LsCon, I knew this year’s was going to be bigger but I did not know just how big it was going to be.
The whole event made me envious of Naruto’s Shadow Clone jutsu cause being everywhere at once would have really helped, LsCon did not meet my expectations it, exceeded them never have I wished I could replay an event as much as this one. I recall seeing 3 kids who were looking around unsure of where to go or what to do, I noticed them staring at the PS5 and they were soo happy to know they could just start playing with only the precautions they already take with their own consoles at home.

The cosplayers, oh man the cosplayers really went all out on this one, seeing people dress up as who they want with people actually being excited to see characters being potrayed, overrall an amazing experience.

The merchandise, people’s wallets were begging them to stop and what I imagine went through their heads was “They will come a day when I will listen to you….that day is not today” and immediately got themselves that Batman painting and wallpaper.

The Japanese Embassy taking their time to be part of the event was fantastic, got to make my own Shuriken step by step, proud of myself for that one. Everything they offered was amazing from trying on their traditional clothing the Kimono, to magazines about their cultures and scholarships they offer, definitely want to visit Japan.

I really wish I’d invited more people for LsCon and while writing this, it dawned on me that I need a dictionary or thesaurus cause I definitely do not have the right words to describe just how amazing this and fun LsCon22 was, I hope everyone had as much as I did and by looks of the photos I’ve seen, it looks like others had more fun, but fun is fun and fun was had, really looking forward to all upcoming NerdOtaku events.

LsCon was my first nerd culture-centric convention and my very first experience with cosplay, and it was admittedly so much more fun than I could have imagined. I didn’t realise this culture and community existed in Zambia and it was amazing to experience first hand. It was such a warm and welcoming space. Everyone wanted to talk and take photos with everyone else, and I was blown away by the talent showcased by the artists at the event. Can’t wait for the next one!