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Anime is not just for geeks anymore. In fact, what was once a esoteric cult of Anime and Manga fans has become more mainstream than many people realize. Anime began as a Japanese influenced form of animation with hard to track down videos and dvds. It is now everywhere, supported by a huge, enthusiastic and diverse assemblage of incredibly imaginative fans and fanatics.

Anime is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of “animation.” In English-speaking countries, anime refers to a style of animation originating in Japan, characterized by colorful graphics, sometimes with adult themes. This writer thinks that the popularity is due to the rich and fantastic stories and characters anime utilizes, which are invariably far from the mundane and coarse offerings of commercial television and movies. Survivor and Big Brother may be “reality” television, but those shows are tepid amusements compared to the places Anime shorts and Manga comic books can take you.

“Comic and anime conventions are like a sleeping giant,” says Jon Wynn, Berkshire Anime organizer and owner of MediaCrash, one of the main sponsors of the convention. “There’s always been a subculture that is interested in comics and animation, but it has really exploded in the past few years.”

In Japan, people of all ages read manga, a form of comic books. The medium includes works in a broad range of genres: action-adventure, romance, sports and games, historical drama, comedy, science fiction and fantasy, mystery, horror, sexuality, and business/commerce, among others.

Some 400 people are expected to attend the region’s first large-scale comic, gaming and pop culture gathering set for May 4-6 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield. The hotel is rolling out the red carpet, and has priced rooms at a reasonable $99 a night for out of state participants.

The convention will feature creators of anime and manga, artists, vendors and exhibits, panels, workshops and gaming. The events will showcase comics, costumes and animation with a focus on all aspects of Japanese anime, manga and pop-culture. Costume contests and art shows will be open to all.

There was a time when geek appeal was something to be avoided, but today, nerd culture is the epitome of high style. With huge turnouts attending comic conventions like Comic-Con in San Diego and New York City, Berkshire County will no longer be left behind.

The Berkshire Anime & Manga Club, a local group devoted to Japanese comic books and animation, are hosting this first ever local convention over the May 4-6, 2012 weekend. The gathering, called BamCon – is shorthand for the Berkshire Anime and Manga Convention.

Alex Sorensen, one of Berkshire Anime’s founding members,remarks, “Anime and pop-culture conventions are happening worldwide and growing in popularity; we hope that the first annual BamCon is no exception.”

Tickets and Logistics

Advance ticket prices are $30 for a three-day pass, $20 for Saturday only, and $15 for Friday or Sunday only. Half-price tickets are available for children under 10 (must be accompanied by an adult); and children under 5 are admitted for free. There is also a 15% group rate discount for groups of 5 or more who buy tickets together. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.bam-con.com. Tickets will be $5 more at the door. The Crowne Plaza is offering a discount hotel room rate of $99 per room per night for convention attendees.

There is a growing list of special guests who will take part in BamCom including: