Zenkaikon 2025 this year was held in split locations, the Lancaster County Convention Center in the Marriott and the Holiday Inn in Lancaster from Thursday, March 20th to Sunday, March 23rd. This year, my group and I took the leap to do all four days (though we didn’t get to any activities on Thursday other than checking into our hotel). We stayed at the Marriott and jammed as many activities, from panels to events to shopping and meet-ups, into three days as we could.
It is just as important to review the experiences around Lancaster, as well as the convention specific ones. In this review, I will go over my day-by-day of Zenkaikon 2025, with panels, restaurants, and cosplay. This was my second year at Zenkaikon and it continues to be my favorite yearly convention!
Thursday, March 20th
Marriott
If staying at the Marriott wasn’t incredibly convenient, both in proximity to the con and Holiday Inn due to being able to drop goodies off from the Exhibit Hall and walk to all of the food locations, I’m not sure my group would go back. Every staff member we interacted with was amazing and kind, but the room, confusing layout, and amenities did not feel worth the price. We had a spider in our shower, the conditioner was empty, and the shower head was dirty. Despite thinking we had a reserved spot in the parking garage, we didn’t, and had to park on the roof in the rain. Also, though this is more commonplace with hotel rooms, I am still irritated the room only had a mini fridge and no microwave. Plus, with all of that money we spent—no free breakfast. I’m not trying to whine, I’m merely baffled with how expensive a hotel room with no perks is per night. I will say, the bed was great.
The Coffin Bar
As much a tradition as Zenkaikon itself, my group and I returned to The Coffin Bar this year for their atmosphere and good food and drinks. We went on a quiet, non-busy Thursday night and got seated immediately. The wait staff were funny and prompt with our orders. The food was delicious as always. I don’t have any complaints about this restaurant.
Friday, March 21st
On our first cosplay day, fellow writer and best friend Gabby and I cosplayed as Firestar and Scourge from the Warriors series. I was ecstatic to finally do a duo cosplay from my favorite book series. My wife, Allyson, brought out her fuzzy monster paws for the day.
Badges and Ribbons
Getting badges this year was a little confusing, but I didn’t hate where they placed it. Once we figured out the location and where the line ended, it was quick. Finding the Panelist ribbons and Press stickers was even harder though. If they keep everything in the same place next year, it should be fine. I only wish that all the volunteers knew where these spots were and could point us there easier.
Overall, though, I loved the design this year and how many ribbons I was able to collect.
“Eat Your Way Through K-dramas”
Hosted from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM, a wonderful mother-daughter-duo talked enthusiastically about their favorite K-dramas and the food inspired from them. Their panel was described as such:
“Are you a K-drama fan? Do you love Korean food? Join Anica and Karen, from the Kdrama Convos podcast, as they give recommendations of some of their favorite K-dramas and talk about how to make some of the food featured in them.”
Though I wasn’t originally interested in this topic (my wife wanted to go for the food recommendations), I enjoyed my time with this duo. They were engaging and passionate about K-dramas and Korean food. The story the mom shared about how they both got into this topic was heartwarming and they were both very knowledgeable about it. They even were able to roll with the technical difficulties of the TV screen easily. Walking away from this panel, I’ve written down their food suggestions: tteokbokki, Korean BBQ, jjajangmyeon, jjajangbap, sujebi, baechujeon, yangnyeom chicken, and bossam. I didn’t write down the K-drama recommendations, but I enjoyed their summaries.
“Transgender Representation in Anime”
Hosted from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, this panel was full of energy and panelists:
“Many anime and manga have been forerunners in the representation of trans characters. However, there are still problems to be faced. In this presentation, we will discuss how trans characters are currently represented in some of the most popular anime and what improvements can be made.”
Bouncing between five panelists, Ryan, Nyk, Channy, Mango, and Bodie, this was a good hour of terminology, jokes, and encouragement. To read my full review, check out my article “Queer Panels Galore at Zenkaikon 2025.”
Exhibit Hall 1
On our first round through the Exhibit Hall, we got horribly turned around a couple times. I really appreciated that they expanded the aisle space, but the layout was a bit confusing. It wasn’t until Saturday that we got an overhead picture (see above) and fully understand how it was set up.
Furry Fandom (Fandom Meetup)
FennecAntlers Studio hosted this meetup from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The (self-explanatory) meetup was for the furry fandom of all shapes, sizes, animals, and representations.
Furry meetups are always cute and daunting all in one. I only talked to two people, one in a partial suit and one wearing ears. They’re always friendly, I’m just awkward. I love seeing all of the unique characters, showing off creativity and craftsmanship. It’s a lovely community that I was excited to get into a picture with.
Silantra
A similar experience to Chipotle or Qdoba, I would actually prefer to have a Silantra near me. They’re reasonably priced, have a good selection of meat, rice, and vegetables, and the staff is always friendly. They also were open especially on Saturday, when they usually close, for con-goers (though only Gabby from our group went that day). I didn’t get it myself, but my wife and friend both got the special cheesecake and said it was amazing. I love when the local businesses welcome us into their space!
Exhibit Hall 2
With our packed schedule, we ended up in the Exhibit Hall a lot. By this point, we could navigate a little better using landmarks and proximity. We ended up visiting a lot of the same vendors each time, since most of them were broader interests than specific niches. I didn’t spend a lot of money there this year.
“Cosplay For Your Life: A Lip Sync Showdown”
Organized and hosted by the local Lancaster Pride, this lip sync competition ran from around 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM and showcased eleven participants.
“Join Lancaster Pride and Zenkaikon for an electrifying Lip Sync Battle where creativity meets performance in an epic cosplay showdown! Contest[ants] will channel their inner performers as they showcase their lip syncing skills while embodying beloved characters from movies, TV shows, anime, and more.”
Since I’m not one to watch performances often, I was worried I would be bored at this event. Luckily, it was an amazing show. It may have even been one of my favorite experiences of the whole weekend. I was especially wild for when Gabby performed to Bet On It by Zac Efron (High School Musical 2) cosplaying as Scourge from Warriors. To read my full review, check out my article “Queer Panels Galore at Zenkaikon 2025.”
“Horror Movie Jeopardy”
The latest event my group went to, this technically rolled into Saturday with an 11:30 PM start and 12:30 AM end.
“A fun jeopardy style game show pitting member of the audience against each other as they battle it out in a game of trivia and wits to see who is truly the ruler of horror movies. Contestants will be playing for prizes.”
I always feel awkward saying this; however, this event was my least favorite experience of Zenkaikon 2025. The panelists/hosts were good, they knew their stuff and maintained the room as best they could. The audience, unfortunately, were overstimulating. They were shouting out, having side conversations, and overall making it hard to concentrate on the contestants and game. Also, since they’ve done multiple iterations of Horror Movie Jeopardy before, the main host used mostly obscure movies for the jeopardy games. I kept losing interest since I didn’t know the answers. I did like the set up of the ticket system and the door-prize raffle. My favorite part was the crowd chanting “box” and “socks.” Props to the six contestants too, since this was the first time this event had genuine winners for both rounds.
EDIT: I do want to clarify that the crowd does love this panel. While it wasn’t my cup of tea, I could see it’s a fan favorite for the convention.
Saturday, March 22nd
For Saturday, my wife and I decided to do a casual Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps cosplay from Zootopia, while Gabby cosplayed Emily from Hazbin Hotel.
“The Writing Process”
With two published authors, J. Daniel Phillips (he/him) and Vincent Bear (they/them), this panel held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM was definitely worth the early wake up:
“Whether you’re someone who is mulling over an idea for a story – be it a short story, novella, novel, or even something like a comic/graphic novel or something like a module/scenario for ttrpg! – or are nearing the end of the creative process and don’t know what to expect when it comes to editing and trying to “sell” your idea to a publisher or literary agent, this panel is for you. Hosted by J. Daniel Phillips, a local writer whose latest novel ‘Joker’s Wild,’ sequel to his 2021 Coyotl Award runner up novel ‘Aces High,’ is freshly available for purchase, this panel is a Question & Answer for creatives seeking frank answers to their writing questions. Be it about characterization, world building, dialogue, prose, or other aspects of creation; or the nuts and bolts of formatting, editing, querying, and interaction with the business side of publishing, everything is welcome.”
Initially apprehensive about attending a Q&A, I was surprised to find the conversation flowed constantly from both audience members and the two authors. The full panel room were eager to raise their hands and get questions answered by them both. With a traditional and self-published perspective, both Phillips and Bear were insightful and kind in response. Their one-liners and metaphors kept me engaged, while their sound advice had me rapidly typing notes into my phone. Their casual support of all the writers in the room gave the panel an easy and encouraging air. I honestly feel like the panel could’ve been another thirty minutes to an hour and I wouldn’t have gotten bored. I’ll definitely be taking information from this panel into my future.
Exhibit Hall 3
At this point, I felt like a pro in the Exhibit Hall. Another comment that popped into my head, though, was wishing that they separated the Artist Alley and Dealer’s Den. Instead, they were more mingled together. It would make trips into the hall quicker if you could focus singularly on specific merchandise, whether you want small artists or standard merch (like manga, food, or things from overseas).
El Rincon Ponceno
A surprising find by my wife, Allyson, was this Puerto Rican restaurant about a three to five minute walk from the Holiday Inn. Although I’ve never had an empanada before, I was enticed enough to try her steak and cheese one when she originally went on Friday by herself. I fell in love with the taste, so we went back together on Saturday to get two each. They were so good, with a nice crunchy exterior and a succulent filling. The empanadas were good enough to eat warm or cold too, which was a relief when we couldn’t finish our second one and had to leave it in the hotel room for later. I found the staff to be friendly and the service very quick. The food was also well-priced! Those empanadas are something I’ll be craving for a while.
“Queer Representation in Anime Through the Decades”
An extended 90-minute panel organized by Lancaster Pride, this was hosted from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM:
“We will be presenting a summary of the history of queer representation in mainstream anime through the decades starting from the 60s to the main present day that will end with a game for the audience and us providing resources for the community.”
This panel wasn’t my style so much, hence why my wife and I left about thirty to forty five minutes in. To read my full review, check out my article “Queer Panels Galore at Zenkaikon 2025.”
Arcade and Console Gaming
During last year’s Zenkaikon, my group and I never visited the gaming room, so I have nothing to compare this to. It seemed good, packed with people having fun but plenty of spots open if anybody wanted to jump in. They had a good setup and organization. Plus, I got to jump onto a fun racing game before we moved on. I have seen that they will swap the arcade and video games so they aren’t next to the wall of the next room panel.
Carolina Manga Library
The Carolina Manga Library room was the perfect quiet spot to hunker down and get some reading done. I wish we could’ve spent more time in this peaceful space. The front table staff were friendly and the setup was ten times better than last year. If I’d had the time, I even found the manga series I would’ve read, Beastars, in their collection.
Isaac’s Craft Kitchen & Brewery
This was our most troublesome eating experience of the weekend. Though the food and drinks were good (especially the chocolate torte, pictured above), it was clear that they were understaffed and overwhelmed that night. Once we were seated after a small wait, I had to flag down a waitress and ask who was assigned to our booth. Clearly, nobody was told to as she quickly took over. Our waitress was speedy and attentive, despite having many tables to attend to. I would go back to Isaac’s, but maybe not on a busy Saturday night.
“Queer Horror: Books You Should Be Reading!”
Hosted later from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM, this panel had great representation and amazing horror book recommendations:
“Bookworms and adrenaline junkies alike, lend me your ears! We have an hour of fun-filled (spoiler free!) discussions about queer horror books in store for you. Whether you like vampires, demons, ghosts, or killers, you’re bound to walk away with at least one book on your ‘to be read’ list.”
As a reading fanatic and chronically on a book-buying-ban, this panel was perfect to make additions to my to-be-read list. To read my full review, check out my article “Queer Panels Galore at Zenkaikon 2025.”
“Queer Visual Novels: From DMMD to Dream Daddy and Beyond!”
A later panel from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM was well worth staying in the room after Queer Horror to see:
“The almighty visual novel. A mainstay in queer video games spaces. Before there were AAA games willing to have queer characters have major roles in their titles (Ellie the Last of Us and more), there was the indie visual novel scene! come follow the history of this timeless media and how it was a safe space for the early queer gamers and what we have to look forward to.”
Hosted by a panelist from the transgender representation panel, this dive into visual novels was something new for me to chew on (maybe a new obsession in the future?). To read my full review, check out my article “Queer Panels Galore at Zenkaikon 2025.”
Shuttle Ride
The first and only time I rode the shuttle was on this exhausted Saturday night. It was both to save my poor legs and be able to review the experience. I thought it were fairly large and comfortable, and at least for my group, timely. I still believe it’s faster to walk, but for those that need the transportation, it worked.
Sunday, March 23rd
With our panel looming, my group chose different sports anime cosplays to get into! My wife and I cosplayed as Reki and Langa from Sk8 the Infinity, while Gabby cosplayed as Oikawa from Haikyuu!!.
“Ultimate Sports Anime Trivia”
Ending Zenkaikon with a bang was my and Gabby’s panel on Sports Anime from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM:
“So you think you know sports anime? Prove it! Join sports anime enthusiast Gemini Bee Cosplay and her lovely assistant Hail Sun to test your knowledge of series ranging from mainstream like Haikyuu!! to obscure like Pureaore! The winner will go home with fabulous prizes – and go down in history as a Sports Anime Connoisseur.”
All credit to Gabby for the questions, presentations, prizes, and set up; I was more of an emotional support and amusing assistant than anything. As for co-hosting a panel, it was actually fun and not as daunting as I thought it’d be. Maybe being a substitute teacher prepares me better than I thought for public speaking and spaces. Regardless, we had a good sized turnout for a late Sunday panel, with some active participants in the audience and a very clear winner. I think our system worked out well and people seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves. I would love to host another panel sometime, whether it’s this one with Gabby again, or a different one. I’d say it was a successful first time being on the other side of the table.
Exhibit Hall 4
At the very last minute (an hour before the Exhibit Hall closed), we returned to get final purchases. My group knew exactly where to head. While my final purchase isn’t pictured above, I did include my favorite booth of the entire hall. Byte Size Treasure was an adorable, and popular, booth with sea creature keychains, lanyards, pins, and more. We ended up at the booth at least four or five times during the convention weekend.
Sakura Asian Fusion
Since it was later on Sunday, my group and I were seated immediately. Food service was quick and always delicious. It’s a classic spot to end our Zenkaikon weekend!
Most images are credited to my fellow press member and wife, Allyson Watkins. She also helped me take notes and formulate my articles.
