The 1st annual Hampton Roads based anime and toy show was full of flavor and with a taste for every palate. “BAM!” And we’re not talking Emeril…
Brought to life by Superstar Events Group, the same team who puts on the annual local mega-show Tidewater Comicon and the recently added Hampton Comicon, the 1st annual BAM! Anime & Toy Show filled the halls of the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Saturday, February 4th with fans of, you guessed it, anime, collectibles and more. More after the jump.
The convention floor was crammed with droves of colorful cosplayers, artists like veteran storyboard artist Tim Shin (Neal Adams’ “Blood”) and lead “Archer” character designer Sam Ellis, vendors galore, celebrity guests and even, get this, a tattoo booth hosted by local tattoo studio Fuzion Ink. The eclectic mix of activities also included the chance to meet and greet celebrity guests, acclaimed voice actors Veronica Taylor, the original voice of Ash Ketchum from “Pokémon”, and the hilarious Mike McFarland, who most famously voices Master Roshi from “Dragon Ball Z”.
The festivities didn’t stop there as panels running from open to close featured topics ranging from “Toy Collecting 101” to Q&A’s with the celebrity guests and culminating with a side splitting Improv comedy performance by Hampton Roads’ own funny people, Plan B. There was even speed dating, featured guest like Canvas Cosplay, yes the cosplayer who’s Dr. Strange look was featured by Marvel, Viva Valentina and more.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for a look at all the sites and sounds with our cosplay photo gallery and convention recap video.
Mike McFarland (Voice of Master Roshi in “Dragon Ball Z”) Q&A Discussion Panel
In the morning, Mike McFarland charmed his captivated audience members with an enlightening recounting of his “Dragon Ball Z” voice acting experiences. His often comedic stories addled fans as they ranged from serious to absurd. McFarland played to his audience even going as far as sharing that Master Roshi’s favorite type of music would be “Sensual R&B” as McFarland feigned slicking down his eyebrows with his index and forefinger.
Keep scrolling to catch a snippet of Mike McFarland’s panel, get glimpse of the colorful cosplay, listen to interviews with attendees from the convention floor and take peak at Plan B Improv in action in FilmFad’s BAM! Anime & Toy Show recap video.
Keith Rhodes Drops Knowledge For The Toy Collecting 101 Panel.
During “Toy Collecting 101” Keith Rhodes, Bhrett Woodard-Sawyer, Patrick McCoy and William Christopher Miller drop knowledge suited for anyone from novice to pro on where to get the best toy deals, collecting tips and tricks, and how to tame a burgeoning collection with proper storage techniques. Keith, who operates as half of Facebook nerd-collective Brotastic Nerdom, even gave some insight as to the tumultuous value of collectibles likening them to wall-street peddled products.
Boasting a hearty mix of activities, collage of colorful attendees and a smiling, helpful, and down-right amazing staff of crimson-shirt clad volunteers, BAM! Anime & Toy Show is yet another one for the books brought to you by the gracious Mike Federali led Superstar Event Group.
Watch the highlights of Mike McFarland’s Q&A Discussion Panel Below:
Check out photos from the event and watch a brief recap video with all the highlights of the day below!