The Gameslave

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Colorado Anime Fest 2026 - Cosplay Photos

The photos I took from Colorado Anime Fest 2026 are up on the site! Now to start the slow process of posting them to ::shudder:: social media.

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Crazy Geek Theory - "Moana" and "Gurren Lagann" Share a Universe

Yes, you read the title correctly. I think that both Moana and Gurren Lagann exist in the same universe. Why do I think that?

First things first: SPOILER WARNINGS for the following:

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: an 18 year old anime

Moana: a 9 year old movie

Moana 2: This one is just a few months old, this one is acceptable

Let’s start with what we know about Gurren Lagann. Gurren Lagann’s main point is the power of the spiral. Simon discovers the spiral drill and Lagann which kicks off the whole thing. We discover through the series that the power of the spiral is one of the greatest powers in the universe. We also discover that the anti-spirals have been restricting the spiral races from procreating by ensuring their populations remain under 1 million per planet. For Simon’s planet this was done by keeping them underground. Lordgenome killed off humans with his Beastmen in order to control the population and keep it below the required number. Eventually, in the last part of the series, the anti-spirals are defeated and the humans start making contact with other planets that hold spiral races.

This brings us to one of those planets. An unassuming planet that is almost covered entirely by water. One that might be looked over by other spiral races due to the low technology level. Here the human race was not restricted by being forced to stay underground, but instead by have very limited landmass. Sure there is some crazy demigod running around creating more landmass, but it there is still not much. On this planet one of the greatest powers, an item that is rumored to create life itself, is a stone heart.

Not only does this stone heart have a spiral one it, but when they are returning it to its original host it has to be returned “to the spiral”. OK, this does sound pretty far fetched. But with Moana 2 having been released the proof expands. In it we have 3 more events of spirals showing great power.

First off there is the Passage of the Gods. It looks to be a magical cloud whirlpool that sucks in our cast of characters and save themselves a lot of travel time. What does a whirlpool resemble? That is right, a spiral.

Next we have the battle against Nalo. He defends the island and attacks mainly with lighting, but that is all coated in massive tornadoes, which again are giant spirals. Sure he could just throw the lightning, but by encasing them in spirals he enhances and controls their power.

Last we have the point where Maui is mourning Moana’s sacrifice to break Nalo’s curse. We see that Moana’s ancestors gather around her. This does not only bring her back to life, it made her into a demigod! What shape do the ancestors take around her? Is it is a circle? A Square? No, the shape they take to BESTOW IMMENSE POWER AND IMMORTALITY is a spiral!

I believe, that after all this, we can confirm that spiral power is the life blood of the magic that exists on Moana’s world. On the Gurren Lagann Earth spiral power is used to make robots do things that they have no right being able to do. In Moana’s world it takes the form of the Gods, Demigods, and other magic.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[thegameslave]

Ready for Colorado Anime Fest 2025?

I missed it last year, but this year I get to go back to Colorado Anime Fest! Happening again at the Marriot Tech Center hotel on March 21-23, they continue the road to try and be one of the best anime conventions in the region. So what can be expected?

First and foremost, to be included. One of the core tenants of COAF is for people to be accepted and welcome. They want people to enjoy the cosplay, the panels and the Maid Cafe. They want people to browse the exhibitor hall and not feel judged for their fandom (which you should never be). And foremost, they want you safe, which is reflected by the zero tolerance policy for bullying or harassment.

Now that you know you are welcome, what are you actually going to do? If you want to look for yourself you can see the whole schedule here. As for contests there are a few. You have the traditional AMV and Cosplay contests. They have also introduced a Voice Acting contest run by Dorah Fine who has been a number of shows and video games. Speaking of video games there will be hosted tournaments in the gaming room (Evergreen DEF).

For the adults in the room you can grab a drink at the Anime Bar, the Cosplay Cabaret, and a host of other 18+ panels that start a little after 10 PM. For the parents bringing their kids you can head with them to the Blue Bell room for child friendly events and you might even meet a Snorlax!

After missing a year I am really looking forward to this convention. It has grown from the little convention at the Renaissance that looked like it was trying to imitate a big brother to its own thing entirely. Here is having a great weekend!

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - S02E01 - COAF 2024 Wrap-Up

Hello fellow fans! We’re back after nearly a year of hiatus. And we’re going to be trying a few new things this year. First, you may notice that this podcast episode is denoted as belonging to “Season 2”. This is mostly for my convenience. Our episode numbers were getting pretty high and it just always felt like a huge pain for me to look up what the last episode number was prior to setting up the next file. Is that a petty reason? Yes, but it makes working on the podcast feel less challenging to me, means I’m more likely to do so.

Next, Crystal is back with me on this episode. The last several conventions that we have attended together have been more focused on her art. That said, I was able to spend about half my time at COAF attending panels and talking with guests, which has given me plenty of things to talk about.

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - Episode 262 - Getting Started in Voice Acting with Kyle McCarley

In today’s episode, I have a recording of part of Kyle McCarley’s “Getting Started in Voice Acting” panel. Unfortunately, I was late to the start of this panel and missed the first few minutes. When I got my recording equipment up, McCarley was talking about preparing a demo reel for voice acting. He talked about the need to produce multiple demo reels for different types of voice over work, how to tailor the demo, and how to hire a professional to help you. McCarley also gave some general indication about how much producing a demo should cost and what to expect when working with an audio engineer. Next, he talked about some options about how to set up a home studio, including where to locate it in your house, some microphone recommendations, how to reduce room effects and noise, and home user audio editing software. After that, McCarley talked about where to find work, how to communicate with potential agents and clients, and how location can influence your ability to find work.

[thegameslave]

Colorado Anime Fest 2023 Cosplay

Another year another convention filled with cosplay. This year was a little different though. Instead of being on the floor I was honored with the chance to photograph the judging for the cosplay contest which can be found here. As a result the floor photos are a bit sparse, but enjoy nonetheless!

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - Ep. 260 - NDK2022 Cosplay Interviews

Hi folks, we’re trying something new with this episode. Today, we have a big batch of interviews that we recorded with regular convention attendees on the floor of NDK 2022. We asked each person two questions: “who are they cosplaying?” and “why?”. Listening back as I was editing the audio this past week, I was delighted to be reminded of these little interactions with other fans. When we started doing this, I was incredibly nervous to approach people out of the blue (you can probably hear it in my voice in the first few). But the little stories that so many of these fans had reminded me of how fun and cool it is to love art and media. I hope you enjoy listening to these as much as I enjoyed editing them.

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The Gameslave Podcast - Legacy of Voice Acting

Our penultimate podcast from NDK 2022, a panel with John and Olivia Swasey.

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The Gameslave Podcast - Ep. 259 - Legacy of Voice Acting

Today’s episode is a leftover from NDK 2022, which I didn’t manage to get edited in time to post last year. This penultimate podcast from NDK is a panel with John and Olivia Swasey, and father and daughter who have both found careers in voice acting. They talk about working with each other, finding your niche in the VO industry, and how the industry has evolved from the time that John started working to now. A warning, there is one, very loud instance of the F-word being used in this recording. If you prefer not to hear that, we recommend that you consider skipping this episode.

[thegameslave]

NDK 25 - Cosplay Contest Winners

Please enjoy the winners of the NDK 25 Cosplay contest! The passion these folks showed this year was incredible! More photos can be found in the NDK 2022 Photo Gallery The Gameslave.

Cosplay Judge Award - Bron Does Cosplay as Dorian Storm from Critical Role

Cosplay Judge Award - Kat McGowan as Belle from Belle

Cosplay Judge Award - Wadanahara and AJAangel as Servent of Evil and Daughter of Evil from The Evillious Chronicles from Vocaloid MothyP

Cosplay Judge Award - Better Than Toast as Fearne from Critical Role

Japanese Consulate Award - Stronghold Fabrications as Belldandy from Ah! My Goddess

Cosplay Head Award - Gimmie-More Cosplay as Stocking from Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

Best in Video Game Award - Alexandra Gladsjo as Maiden Zelda from from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Ringo Award (Spirit of Cosplay) - Carter the Cosplay Ninja

Best Portfolio and Best in Craftsmanship Beginners Cosplay- Caitlin Celeste as Jack-O from Guilty Gear Strive

Best in Performance Beginners Cosplay - Nicky and Ashley as Fantasy Uraraka Ochako and Fantasy Asui Tsuyu from My Hero Academia

Best in Category Beginners Cosplay - James O’Shaw IV as Ganta Igarashi from Deadman Wonderland

Best in Craftsmanship Intermediate Cosplay - Stitched in Starlight Cosplay as Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Best in Performance Intermediate Cosplay and Audience Favorite- Chari Rose, Caboose Cosplay and Noca Cosplay as Reshiram, Zelrom, and N from Pokemon: Black and White

Best in Category Intermediate Cosplay - Ericka Anne as Venti from Genshin Impact

Best in Craftsmanship Masters Cosplay - Anime Layer Cosplay as Sakizo Pumpkin Tart from Sakizo - Girl Meets Sweets

Best in Performance Masters Cosplay - Arkluden and Juumitsu as Exreal and Lux from League of Legends

Best in Category Masters Cosplay - Loves Bats as Zelda in Pink and Zelda in Blue from The Legend of Zelda, Hannah Alexander Art

Best in Show - WingedLight Cosplay as Kaname Kuran from Vampire Knight

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - The Doctor and the Queen

Our second podcast from NDK is a panel featuring Dr. Alisa Freedman and Queen D.

In theory, a professor and a drag queen would seem to be an odd pairing. But when you put Dr. Alisa Freedman and Queen D together in a panel, the conversation is non-stop. The panel, dubbed the Doctor and The Queen moved rapidly through many subjects: sharks, Doctoral thesis, conspiracy theories, football fans, retro-gaming, and travel planning just to name a few. We hope you enjoy listening in on this panel from NDK’s Bert and Ernie duo.

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - History of Nan Desu Kan

Here is our first piece of audio from Nan Desu Kan 2022: a panel featuring the history of NDK with Dr. Alisa Freedman, Guy Davis, and special guest Kevin McKeever.

This year marks the 25th Nan Desu Kan. The convention has been held annually since 1997, with the exception of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented gatherings of large groups of people. In light of this Dr. Alisa Freedman, Professor of Japanese Literature, Cultural Studies, and Gender at the University of Oregon, and Guy Davis, the NDK historian, and member of the Board of Directors of the Rocky Mountain Anime Association, convened a panel to discuss the history of NDK as it relates to the wider history of anime in North America. They were joined partway through by Kevin McKeever of Harmony Gold (localizer and publisher of Robotech and Macross). The panel presented background on the origins of NDK, the early history of anime localization in the US, and how the convention evolved in its early years alongside the anime market. Near the end of the panel, there was a question and answer period that included discussion about what the future of NDK may look like.

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - Laura Stahl Interview

Hello Fans! Today we are posting the last of our interviews from Colorado Anime Fest 2022. We hope you have enjoyed them.

Laura Stahl is a voice actor known for her roles in The Promised Neverland, Genshin Impact, and Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun. She has also adapted scripts for Yashahime, Fate Grand Order, and Eden. Chris interviewed her at Colorado Anime Fest 2022, where they talked about her career, community response to the pandemic, and the things she loves to geek out about. We hope you enjoy this episode.

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - Interview with Abby Trott

Hello fans! Today, we have one of our last interviews from COAF 2022. These took a lot longer to get out to you than is really justifiable. We hope that you enjoy it in spite of how late it is.

Abby Trott is a voice actor and singer best known for playing the role of Nezuko Kamado in Demon Slayer and performing the English version of Lifelight, the theme to Super Smash Bros: Ultimate. She has worked on numerous anime properties, original English language animations, and video games. Chris spoke with her about living in Japan, learning to play the shakuhachi, and working in voice acting. We hope you enjoy the interview.

[thegameslave]

NDK 2022 - Masks Required

NDK is this weekend folks! In response to raising COVID transmission rates over the summer the staff at NDK has instituted a mask mandate for all staff, volunteers, and attendees that are 2+. More information in regards to this can be found here: NDK & COVID–19

This means I need to figure out a good way to keep my super active 3 year old from taking her mask off every 2 minutes. Any one have a suggestion?

[thegameslave]

The Gameslave Podcast - Interview with Sung Won Cho (ProZD)

Hello readers! Jim here, with another podcast update. Please enjoy our interview with Sung Won Cho, recorded are Colorado Anime Fest 2022.

[thegameslave]

Nan Desu Kan 25 Approaches

25 years in the Tivoli Student Union at Auraria Campus a small convention was held. It celebrated Japanese anime, art, comics, music, and culture. Fast forward to 2022 and NAN DESU KAN is set to be held in, what can arguably be the largest hotel in the Denver Metro area, the Gaylord of the Rockies during Labor Day Weekend between September 2nd - September 4th.

GUESTS

NDK always has great guests that visit the hotel every year, and this year is no different. A few of the wonder people that will be visiting for the 25th anniversary include:

Major Attaway whom is not only a voice actor for several properties such as Dragon Ball Z Kai, One Piece, High School DxD and Borderlands but he is also a Broadway actor and singer playing the role of “The ever impressive, the long contained, often imitated, but never duplicated … Genie of the lamp!" in Disney’s Aladdin in 2017.

Jessica Cavanah is a woman of many hats. She has been a voice actor properties such as My Hero Academia, Steins;Gate and One Piece. She has used her great writing abilities to adapt shows such as Recovery of an MMO Junky, Sakura Quest, and Kageki Shoujo for English-speaking audiences. That same writing hat has also been used for off-Broadway performance!

Jim Foronda is another voice actor. He is another Borderlands and My Hero Academia actor and has also done ad writing in addition to voice work.

Johnny Yong Bosch also known as the Black Ranger is appearing this year as well. Johnny can be heard as Vash the Stamped from Trigun, Kanda in Akira, Sasori in Naruto and Artemis in Sailor Moon along with many more then can be listed. IMDB shows Akira was his first role in 1988 and it is almost non-stop from there.

Dr. Alyssa Freedman is returning to NDK. She is always great to listen to and is a professor of Japanese literature at the University of Oregon. If memory serves she has even done classes on emoji due to their importance in Japanese culture!

NDK CHARITY AUCTION

Every year NDK and RMAA (the non-profit organization that produces NDK) helps to raise funds for charities. This is done with events such as the NDK Charity Auction. For NDK 2022 the charity the Maria Droste Counseling Center. “A Denver-based nonprofit mental health service organization comprised of mental health professionals, learners, and volunteers, The Maria Droste Counseling Center provides accessible, high-quality, community-centered mental health counseling.” Be sure to check out the auction, get some amazing and usually unique items, and help a good cause.