Panels to Passions

Okay so—first off, yes I’m still emotionally recovering from the One Piece panel at Anime North last year (2024 I think?? The con days are all starting to blur together ngl). I wasn’t even planning on going to that panel. I just kinda wandered in after buying too many keychains (again 😤), and I saw “25 Years of One Piece” on the panel schedule and went “eh sure, let’s cry.” Spoiler alert: I did. 🍖 Luffy, Legacy, and Laughs First off, the panelists were clearly hardcore . Not like, gatekeeping jerks—more like the “I’ve read every SBS and have a Buggy tattoo” kind of fans. The main guy had a straw hat, obviously, but the Nami cosplayer next to him had like a 12-slide breakdown of Zoro's growth arc and even brought up how he lowkey might be one of the most tragic characters. Like?? Yes. Preach. They also had a section called "Who Actually Has the Saddest Backstory?" and the debate got heated . One person in the audience shouted “BROOKE DIED TWICE!!” and someone els...

Hey everyone! I wanted to jot down a few of the coolest (and weirdest?) panels and events I’ve seen at Anime North over the last few years. I've been attending pretty regularly, and every year there’s something unexpected. So here’s a bit of a casual rundown—not exhaustive, just what stuck with me. 🎤 Anime North Idol – Honestly Kinda Emotional Every time I go, I make it a point to catch the Anime North Idol . It’s low-key one of the most fun events. You get everything from incredible singers to total chaos energy, but that's part of the charm. 2022 had some wild performances. One person absolutely slayed "We Are" from One Piece , and someone else did "Gurenge" from Demon Slayer and got a standing ovation (from our row at least lol). In 2024, I think people really brought their A-game. Someone sang “World is Mine” by Hatsune Miku and literally acted the whole thing out like a diva, wig and all. Crowd went nuts. Honestly, some folks sound bette...