Here - Animeleague

Welcome
Important Information!
Wristbands
You will be given a wristband on entry; this must be worn at all times, as they will be
checked. If you lose your wristband please go to registrations with a proof of ID to get a
replacement. Please also keep your ID on you as we will do spot checksto check age.
Stage Event Sign-ups and Participation
Sign-ups take place at the event areas unless otherwise stated. Once signed up please
ensure you arrive 30 minutes prior to where the event or tournament takes place and a
member of staff will show you where to go and what to do.
Souvenirs - Con Badges and T-shirts
Make sure to pick up your Conbadges, T-Shirts and Hoodies at the AL Merchandise table in
The Watershed on Thursday. On all other days they can be collected at the registration desk
in Bede Hall.
Are you a winner?
Want to Win Prizes in our Raffle and donate to charity? Tickets cost £1 from the
Registrations Desk for The Big Geek Raffle, which will take place at the Charity Gala on
Sunday. All proceeds will go toward the convention charity.
Social Media
In this digital age Alcon aims to be as interactive both on and offline so make sure to follow
@Alcon on Twitter for live updates (and any important
changes) from the event. Do you want to be retweeted?
#alcon and our press team will retweet their favourites!
Bag-storage
Facilities are available at registrations at £2 per item.
Opening Times
Bede Desk: Thurs 12PM-10PM, Fri, Sat & Sun 10AM5AM, Mon 9AM-12PM (Call us if outside these hours)
Queens Building: Thurs Closed, Fri & Sat 10AM-10PM,
Sun 10AM-5PM
Watershed: Thurs 1PM-2AM, Fri-Sun 10AM-3AM
In case of an emergency....
Hopefully your time at the convention will be fun and
problem free but in case something does happen please
do not hesitate to go to the Registrations Desk or call
07983 671948
General Rules
We all want you to have a great time at Alcon, and to ensure that everyone gets along
it’s vital that the following rules are adhered to:
1. Wear your wristband at all times.
2. Remember to carry your ID with you at all times. We will be doing spot checks, and
you may need it to gain entry to the convention areas such as The Watershed. Failure
to produce valid ID when asked for could result in you having your wristband taken
off you!
3. Do not participate in anything illegal. This includes drug taking, threats of violence,
harassment, etc.
4. Drink alcohol responsibly. Drink too much and staff reserves the right to confiscate it
and ask the bar not to serve you! Don’t spend the convention hanging with your
head down the toilet! Please note: you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol
into The Watershed (bar) or the Queens Building.
5. Respect for others; Anti-social behavior such as deliberately antagonizing others,
creating a LOT of noise, keeping people up, ignoring accommodation officers, and so
forth will not be tolerated.
6. Respect staff and their decisions; any physical or
verbal abuse towards Alcon crew members will not
be tolerated and will result in you being removed
from the convention and the accommodation
without any refund. Any abuse towards our staff at
Registrations will result in us refusing to let you in.
We are here to help you, so if you respect us then we
will respect you in return.
7. Do not park on site - car parking is only available on
site to staff and guests who have booked it with us
beforehand. If you are caught parking at Bede,
Queens or The Watershed car park without our
consent, we will alert the authorities and your vehicle
will be clamped.
8. Have fun!
This is a general rule list, and if something occurs that
turns into an issue then we will take action accordingly!
Staying Onsite
Many of you are spending Alcon on
De Montfort Campus staying in
Bede, New Wharf, and Liberty Park
accommodation halls.
Here is some useful information
and also some rules for your time
there.
- If you are not staying in the
accommodation, please leave
by midnight.
- Those staying in New Wharf or Liberty Park can stay in Bede until midnight, and viceversa.
- If you are staying in a quiet block you will be expected to keep the noise to a low
level after midnight, this will also include the area outside in the courtyard.
- No more than 20 people in your room (kitchen, hallway, bathroom or balcony
combined) at one time. Staff have the right to ask people to leave a room if it gets
excessive or out of control.
- Animeleague can’t take responsibility for your personal belongings. Remember to
lock your bedroom doors and the block door when leaving.
- If there is a problem get a staff member immediately, DO NOT try to sort it out
yourself under any circumstances. There will be staff on the registration desk day and
night, staff are located in J Block so can be easily found in an emergency.
- Late Sunday night there will be a block check. Any block in a bad state will result in
everyone in that block losing their deposit.
- Checkouts; on the day you
leave, you must hand your
keys to the registrations desk
by 10AM. Any later and you
will lose your deposit. We will
offer luggage storage facilities
on
the
Sunday
at
Registrations
(Bede
Hall
Reception). There is a charge
of £2 per item for storing
your luggage with us.
6. Liberty Hall Accommodation
5. Tescos, Shops, Cashpoint and Takeaways
4. New Wharf Accommodation
3. Bede Hall Accommodation – Registrations
2. The Watershed – The Bar, Stage Events, Parties & Role
Playing Games
When leaving the side entrance, go left to get to The
Watershed. It is a 5-10 minute walk so we advise you leave
early to get to events and panels on time.
1. The Queens Building – Talks & Panels, Video Gaming,
Dealers and much more. The main entrance for the Queens
Building will be between the Cosplay Cafe and the Dealers
Room - not the front entrance as in previous years.
Note: The optimal route between the Queens Building and
The Watershed is shown on the map.
Here is a useful map to help you find your way around Alcon
2016. If you have any questions, please ask a crew member
for directions.
Getting Around
Convention Areas - Queens Building
Opening Times: Thurs Closed, Fri & Sat 10AM-10PM, Sun 10AM-5PM
Hallway Exhibitors
As you enter the Queens Building, a number of exhibitors will be selling goods in the
Hallway on Saturday and Sunday.
Exhibitors Room
Full of all your favourite merchandise and goodies to check out from a wide range of stalls.
The Exhibitors room is open midday (11AM for VIPs) on Saturday until 6PM, and on from
10AM until 4PM Sunday. It is not open Friday.
Cosplay & Photography Zone
Realtimeevents.co.uk will be providing a professional onsite studio and photo printing
service. All photos taken can be purchased and taken home immediately! Fully mounted
and bagged ready to display! Open 10am to late each day. As well as grab a photo you can
meet our special cosplay guests and fellow cosplayers alike.
Cosplay Café
Drop by our Cosplay Café for tea and cake with friends, whilst being served by our lovely
team of cosplayers. Open 10am to 5pm on Friday & Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
Artist Alley & Workshops Room
Grab a pencil and get creative! Freestyle, or participate in the art/cosplay workshops taking
place to learn new skills. Our art exhibitors will also be located here so grab some pieces.
Video Gaming
Packed with tournaments to challenge everyone! Enter a tournament by placing your name
on the signup sheets in the Video Games room; ask the VG crew for more info on each
tournament. Make sure to arrive five minutes before your tournament is due to start.
Retro Gaming
Retroactive shall be organising the retro gaming zone, with everything from the 70s, 80s
and 90s, including all your favourite and rare 8 and 16-bit consoles! Like the Gaming Room,
Retro also has a full lineup of tournaments. Open 10am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday.
TCG & Chillout Room
TCG tournaments including Yu-Gi-Oh!, Vanguard, Pokemon and MTG provided by Golden
Sun with big prizes up for grabs. See the timetable for full details
Talk Theatre #1 (Upstairs Queens)
We have talks and panels all day from our top guests including; Jessica Calvello,
Brentalfloss, MasakoX, Moley, Parle and more! A great opportunity to learn something new.
See the timetable for the schedule.
Anime Screenings
Come drop in and watch some of your favourite anime series and movies! We have a lot to
choose from, something for everyone! Check the timetable for what’s on each day.
Bring and Buy (Downstairs Queens Building on Sunday)
The bring and buy will be open for business in the Artist Alley on the Sunday between
midday and 5pm to buy goodies. Want to sell your stuff? Come along, fill in a form and drop
it off at registrations on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Note there’s a 15% fee on all sales.
Other Areas
Stage Events at The Watershed
On the ground floor of The Watershed we will be holding our main live events. Through the
day we will have a variety of talks and performances on our stage from our Guests. We will
also have events like the Talent Show, The Cosplay Masquerade and the Big Geek Quiz
where you can join in! After 9pm we switch to party mode with your favourite DJs. Make
sure you don’t miss out!
RPG & Board Gaming (The Watershed)
Roleplaying, Board, and Card Games: The Reality Escape Vector returns, with a host of
special events as well as on-demand gaming. Get down here and join in!
The Alcon 2016 Team
Alcon may just be four days but for some of our staff a year of planning and hard work
goes into making the event happen. A special thank you goes out to all those involved in
taking the time to help, for without our crew Alcon would not be possible. Take a peek
at our lovely senior staff below, why not find them and buy them a drink...
Position: Head Organiser
Name: Michael Towers, Badgename: Ferefire
The brains behind AL, typically found dashing around the event with a
walkie talkie in hand. Quoted frequently by crew members in the
context of "Mike Said", which has led to much mischief and mayhem.
Position: Head of Registrations
Name: Stephen Sykes, Badgename: RedHat
The hat is believed to bestow magical powers to its’ owner. It is not
known whether the hat has its own sentience, many have wondered and
few have dared to find out. This Hat is the brains behind Registrations
team, the crew and the accommodation
Position: Head of Operations
Name: Daniel Love, Badgename: Pendragon01
As the Head of Operations, Dan has mastered the art of cloning, as he is
required in many places at once to fix things. As payback, he also trolls
everyone by playing random music on his speakers and messing with the
sound controls on the stage...
Position: Head of Logistics
Name: Damien Cox, Badgename: Deathtopia
This construct fuelled purely on caffeine makes sure all them bits and
bytes play nice. With over 9,000 hours of gameplay he will be happy to
help any Space Invader, Fighter or Racer with their endeavour.
Position: Head of Video Games and Rock Party DJ
Name: Mike Frost, Badgename: The Burger King
Attendee turned staff, now heads up VG area for events. He owns most
gaming consoles from 8bit era all the way up to current generation.
You'll find him in VG or at the bar (normally at the bar). BK (as he’s
known by everyone) is an avid Queen and Steel Panther fan. Don’t forget
to stop by his rocking DJ set on Saturday Night!
Position: Head of Stage Events and Party DJ
Name: Alex Baker, Badgename: Arekksu
Alex can’t stay away from Alcon! Born to be on the stage, Alex as always
had a passion for theatre and entertaining people. Alex is obsessed with
Sonic the Hedgehog and ducks. Expect him to be on the Stage doing his
best to entertain attendees.
Position: Head of Cosplay Cafe
Name: Craig Chalmers, Badgename: Pirate Timelord
Craig (AKA Kimi) is our resident Timelord and is making a return for Alcon
2016. He was away last year, exploring time and space and saving the
universe from Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey stuff. This year he’s back,
you can find him in the Cosplay Café where he’ll prepare various treats
for his visitors!
Position: Head of Press
Name: Aisha Ahmed, Badgename: Aisha
Freelance journalist Aisha 'Anime' Ahmed is a leading expert in Japanese
culture in the UK. She goes to every convention about cosplay or Jfashion. Her favourite Pokemon is Jigglypuff. Aisha is the leader of the
Vampire Clan, she promises she won't bite (hard).
Position: Head of Role Playing Games (RPG)
Name: David Winterbottom, Badgename: Miss Purple
...and because that power results in a lot of rolling of dice, it is known as
a ROLE.
*Dramatic Pause* Purple has a Role too, but its nature, we do not know.
Position: Head of Night Operations
Name: Martin-Lee Davies, Badgename: sadendings12345
Crewing at alcon is always a fun adventure this is going to be my second
year with the night ops team and I must say I can not wait because
everyone is so friendly and so easy to get along with. The best thing I like
about alcon is everyone there is going for the same thing as you, there is
no reason to feel timid we are like one big family.
Special thanks to all our deputies that include Iain
Murphy & Liz Bishop (Registrations), Andrew Bentley
(Operations), Alan Watkins (Stage Events), and Dean
Cartwright (Video Gaming).
This Alcon will have about 60 volunteers in total, working
almost 2,000 hours of shifted work between them to help
make this event happen. So, if you see a hard working
crew member in a blue or red shirt remember to show
your appreciation for their hard work in making Alcon
happen! Thank You to all our crew!
If you’re interested in joining crew, why not apply for next year or for one of our many
other events happening near you? We offer free entry, a meal a day, a CV reference and an
opportunity to be part of our team. Read more by clicking “Help Out” on the Alcon website
or any other of our event websites.
Guest of Honour - Jessica Calvello
Jessica joins Alcon for her first convention in the
UK and is thrilled to be hosting a number of
panels in which she encourages all of you to
come hang out and talk about all things anime!
Some of her panels include, “Get Random with
Jessica” (photo op at the end with everyone!),
Attack on Titan Q&A (LET’S SCIENCE! She can’t
wait to see everyone’s AoT cosplay!), Voice
Acting vs. Game Acting (attendees will be doing
the voice acting!) and she’ll be at a few
autograph sessions, too! Channel Awesome Crew
has also been gracious enough to let her crash
their Cards Against Alcon panel, and she’s
reeeeeally looking forward to that insanity ☺
Jessica began working in the dubbing industry
with ADVfilms back in 1995, with her first show
being 3 BIG LINES in an anime no one has ever
heard of called Evangelion (hee hee). She went
on to record maaaaany titles with studios such as
Central Park Media, New Generation Pictures, 4Kids, Right Stuf, International, FUNimation,
Headline Studios, Sentai Filmworks, Seraphim Digital (and many more) on titles including:
Excel Saga, V1-3 (Excel Excel), Pokémon (Kay, the Raichu Trainer), Ikki Tousen series (Ekitoku
Chouhi), Queensblade series (Nanael), Dragonhalf (Mink), Dirty Pair, OAV 1-5 (Yuri), Ruin
Explorers (Fam), Magical DoReMi (Drona), Slayers: the Motion Picture (Meliroon), Boogie
Pop Phantom (Moto and Poom Poom), and New Cutey Honey (Honey Kisaragi), in which she
was personally cast as the lead in the English dub by the creator of the Cutey Honey
franchise, Go Nagai.
More recent work includes: Attack on Titan and Attack on Titan Junior High (Hange Zoe),
Street Fighter V (Nadeshiko), Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (Éclair), Maria Holic and
Maria Holic Alive (Kanako), Gatchaman Crowds series (Hajime) and many, many more. She’s
also worked with Team Four Star as Rip Van Winkle in Hellsing Ultimate Abridged, episode 4
(check out their youtube channel!) and Cyanide and Happiness (Explosm on youtube!) in
many of their animated shorts including: The Weatherman, Dinner with the Folks, Sad Larry
in Love and Going Down.
After Alcon is over, make sure to come to the side of random and hang out with Jessica on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube (she sings ridiculous songs!) and her very own
website, jessicacalvello.com!
Interview with Jessica Calvello
Who is your favourite character to voice?
Hmmmm... that's always a challenge for me to answer... I have a special place in my heart for
Hange, of course... she's so interesting, beautiful and intelligent. Her character is so relevant
because her research is pivotal to that dark world, and we’re damned lucky to have her. Her zany
wackadoo of sorts brings a much needed comedic balance to a very sad and terrifying story. And
while Hange can be terrifying in her own way, I just find her fascinating. And I love that for all of
her sciencey wiency intellect she is also nearly completely clueless when it comes to basic human
interaction. I love that juxtaposition.
And then there is Excel Excel. Ahhhh Excel. Just….. wtf. I love her so much hahaha. I find her
passion and insanity charming. I’d love to party with her. Whatever Excel does, she does so with
the conviction of 1,000 suns. She may accidentally kill you in the process, and it might not be an
accident, but it doesn’t matter because it was all in the secret name of ACROSS which makes sense
in her head and that’s ok. Voicing Excel Excel was my first experience in just going completely
mental in the booth and utilizing vocal manipulations that at that point I had only voiced to myself
in a nice white padded room. I loved that I was able to incorporate so much improv, which is
something that almost never happens in anime dubbing, certainly not at that level.
I also love Mink from Dragonhalf... because Mink. How can you NOT love her? SAUCER-SAAAAAAN!
And Kanako from Maria Holic has the best nosebleeds of any rage-horny lesbian I've ever known. I
love her passionate exuberance; I love that she just tries so damn hard and fails just as hard, but I
love most of all that she never stops trying. I love that I got to sing a bit of opera during one of her
rants. I just loved voicing her.
Are these my favorites? I don't know. I've got more that are in my heart. But I guess a reason why
these ones feel closer to me is because I actually love the characters. I first viewed and heard them
in Japanese, and I still fell in love with them, and that had nothing to do with my voice. I’ve always
known that my voice comes second to the characters; it’s less important. These characters are
wonderful no matter who's voicing them. I hope I've done them justice.
What is your favourite Anime?
The Last Unicorn! Seriously.. that was my first anime ever and I was just transfixed the entire time.
Not soon after I saw that movie, I decided that I was going to catch a unicorn (even read an article
on it to prep!) and man... I really went for it! The 9 year old me didn't have luck, but I haven't given
up hope yet.
What are you most looking forward to at Alcon?
Connecting with the con-goers!!! I really enjoy giving panels and signing all the stuffs. My favourite
thing to do though is walk around and just talk to people. I love seeing everyone's cosplays. I love
the excitement of people coming together with a common interest and having a blast. I also really
dig the raves. I'm a hardcore photo bomber so LOOK OUT!
Make sure to come along for Get Random with Jessica at 1pm Friday at the Watershed and her
Attack on Titan panel at 12pm on Saturday at Queens Building. She will be doing signing sessions
after each. Jessica will also be hosting a Anime v Gaming Voice-Acting Guide on Sunday at 3pm.
Guest of Honour - Brentalfloss
Brent Black, also known as brentalfloss, is
a comedian,musician, and gamer and
returns to Alcon 2016 as one of our
guests of honour!.
He is best known on the internet as the
creatsor of the .With Lyrics series, where
he adds satirical lyrics to classic video
game tunes and uses them to create
music videos.
He first gained notoriety in 2008 with the
release of .Mega Man 3 With Lyrics..
Since then,he has expanded his base of
YouTube subscribers to over 190,000,
released albums that both reached the
top 10 on the iTunes comedy charts, and
has appeared at many gaming and anime
events. His live show style blends standup comedy, live music, and audience
participation.
Yoiu can check Brent out online at www.brentalfloss.com and on youtube at
www.youtube.com/user/brentalfloss
Brent will be doing a number of
talks and performances at Alcon.
Make sure not to miss out – he
will debuting his brand new “Use
Your Words Gameshow” at 4pm
on Friday, performing a special
live concert at 8pm on Friday. He
will also be doing a Q&A at the
Queens Building at 7pm on
Saturday
and
of
course
participating in the VIP and
Charity Galas on the Sunday!
Alcon 2016 Pokèmon Gym Challenge
The PokèGym
Challenge
is back!
Bigger and Better
than ever!
One of the UK’s finest competitive Pokèmon challenges is returning to Alcon for its second
year.
Take on our 10 gym leaders via your 3DS Pokemon games and earn yourself entry into the
hall of fame and the all new champion tournament to get yourself crowned Pokèmon
Champion of Alcon 2016.
Test your skill by taking on the best of the best of the PGC with the Alcon Exclusive Elite
Four.
Have some purely fun sun and moon inspired battles by taking on the Kahuna’s in their
challenges and then facing their just for fun teams to win yourself your own Hawaiian lei.
Ever wanted to be a part of Team
Rocket? Now’s your chance, show us just
how well you can work with the
Pokèmon team rocket give you in our
Rocket Rumble Challenge.
We are also running two competitions
for Pokémon Go. 'Pokémon with the
Highest CP' and 'Most Interesting
Pokémon', but there is a catch. The
Pokémon entered into the competitions
can only be ones that you caught be the
2nd Sept and the 4th Sept. We will be
checking at the table when you show us
your Pokémon for the competitions so
no cheating.
An Alcon Survival Guide
By GeekyBanter.com
So you have arrived, and you are about to set off into the con and enjoy the amazing
weekend Alcon has to offer. Well, here’s a quick few tips to help you make your Alcon, a
great one.
1. EAT! Seriously, go eat some food at some point. Set an alarm every 4 or so hours to
remind you that you haven’t eaten. And when you do go eat, eat something
substantial at least once a day. There’s a TESCO, a Domino’s Pizza, café’s and if you
are willing to trek for it, go to Yumchi. This isn’t sponsored or anything, I am saying
this because I am honestly hyped to be at Alcon this weekend just because I will get
to have Yumchi again. DO IT. You will not regret it.
2. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF! Have a shower, you filthy animals. Carry hand sanitizer
around and tissues so to avoid the dreaded conflu. Use deodorant as a tool to top up
cleanliness not as a substitute. Your body is a temple and if you plan on pouring lots
of alcohol down it, then you need to make sure you can handle it. Nobody likes that
guy who passes out due to alcohol. Trust me.
3. PLAN IT OR MISS IT! Make a rough schedule before your weekend begins, the last
thing you want is to find out you missed that really awesome panel that everyone is
going to talk about all weekend and reference for the rest of the con cause you
decided you needed to go and grab some more TP from TESCO.
4. RESPECT OTHERS! This should go without being said, but other attendees are other
humans too, who have their own rights. Cosplay does not equal consent. Ask before
you take a picture. No means No. If you don’t like someone, avoid confrontation. If
someone is harassing you, point them out to staff so the matter can be resolved
properly.
This is an abridged version of GeekyBanter’s Alcon Survival
Guide, if you liked some of these and are wanting to hear
some more including other things you should know, our
suggestions for panels you cannot miss, our A;con drinkers
guide, and even a few chances to win some FREE DRINKS
over the course of the weekend, pop over to the
GeekyBanter.com or follow us at @GeekyBanter on Twitter
where me and the rest of the team will be livetweeting all
weekend using the hashtag #AlconBanter.
Have a great weekend and we’ll see you around!
Our Alcon Charity, Epilepsy Action
In Memory of Becca Moriarty
There's are times in this world where tragic and unexpected events happen that can change
everything. It was back in late-January that our head of press and guests Becca Moriarty
was found tragically passed away after having an epileptic seizure in her flat. Rebecca was
just 24 years of age and had her entire life in front of her - what happened was
devastatingly without reason and utterly unexpected.
It was a massive loss to the entire community, but offered a chance for everyone to come
together and help to be there for one another. A week later at our sister event, London
Anime & Gaming Con, we held a private memorial service for all her friends within the
community - so many people attended and many beautiful words were said. It was agreed
that she was someone who was genuinely selfless and wanted to help everyone - that she
added heart, kindness, empathy and loyalty to a community and to a world that desperately
needed it. And indeed that she changed many of us for the better in doing so.
Following what happened, it was decided that Animeleague would do everything we could
to help honour her memory, to celebrate the good times, and to carry on what she stood
for. Epilepsy is a terrible condition, with over 600,000 people in the UK alone suffering from
it and can impact anyone - we have decided to put 100% of all money we raise for charity
toward Epilepsy Action for 2016 across all of our events. During the course of this year we
have already raised well over £1,000, and we will be aiming to massively add to that total
during the course of Alcon. 100% of all monies raised from the Charity Auction and Cosplay
Auction will go directly toward this charity.
We have picked Epilepsy Action as this was Becca's charity choice in the past. Epilepsy
Action is the UK’s leading epilepsy organisation and exists to improve the lives of everyone
affected by the condition. As a member-led association, they represent people with
epilepsy, their friends, families and healthcare professionals. Epilepsy Action is here to
support people every step of the way through living with the condition.
You can help raise money by Entering/Bidding in our Cosplay Auction on Friday at 6pm or
donating an item/bidding in the Charity Gala 5pm Sunday (nothing is too big or small).
Remember, every penny counts, so please do also bring some spare change to the Charity
Gala and give what you can. Let's come together now as a community and aim to raise
more for this charity than ever before in
memory of Becca, her family and
friends, and to help those millions of
people across the world who suffer
from this terrible condition day to day.
Thank you.
Thursday Highlights
Lord Illusion Magic Show, 4pm - Lord Illusion is a breakout
comedian from Derbyshire in the UK. Combining
conversational comedy with mind-blowing magic and
mentalism, Lord Illusion offers a truly unique experience.
His first hour-long show "Unconventional" was last year. He
returns this year for another spectacular performance!
Opening Ceremony, 5pm - An introduction to Alcon and its
guests - let the madness commence!
Talent Show, 6pm Forget X-Factor or The Voice.
AnimeLeague’s Got Talent is where it is at! Can you sing or
dance? Perhaps you have a more unique talent. Whatever it is, enter and show off! £50
prize for the winner!
Ragequit Gameshow, 8pm - How patient are you with your video games ? Put yourself to
the test and take part in this gameshow with a difference to test knowledge and nerve that
may just make you rage quit!
Alcon Opening Parties 9pm Onward – We kick off in style as our resident DJs Xzavier and
Pippa512 bring you an awesome night of partying! Get those glowsticks out!
General Highlights for All Days
Karaoke – Taking place in the RPGs room after 11pm is karaoke, make sure to come along
and sing along with us!
Cosplay Workshops, Artist Alley - Throughout Friday to Sunday you can get hands on and
learn new skills to improve your craft from some of the UK’s best cosplayers - sewing and
making props in Artist Alley!
Tournaments Zone - We have many prizes to
give away over many tournaments throughout
the weekend. Fame and bragging rights will be
given to each winner as they go up on the
Community Hall of Fame! Make sure not to
miss out when VG opens on Friday!
PokeGym Challenge – Come battle the gym
leaders for a chance to win prizes. For more info
see the Pokegym Challenge article!
Friday Highlights
Kelsey Ellison, Midday: Internet sensation Kelsey Ellison
performs live on stage, inspired by her favourite
Japanese idols. Don’t miss it, you might feel like you are
in Japan not Leicester!
Get Random with Jessica Calvello, 1pm - Join this voice
actress for a truly random panel where she channels the
very spirit of Excel Excel herself! Jessica will discuss such
topics as how Go Nagai personally chose her for the role
of Cutey Honey (seriously!), what it's like to play
energetic characters like Kanako (Maria Holic), twisted
characters like Natsuno (Dog & Scissors) and how being cast as Hange Zoe in Attack on
Titan and Attack on Titan Junior High is a scientific dream come true.
Eile Monty Live, 2pm: Watch this talented singer live as she performs both covers and
original tracks
Bad Fanfic Theatre with MasakoX, 3pm – Abridger and voice-actor MasakoX aka Lawrence
Simpson will be hosting a special reading of some of the worst fanfics online. Make sure to
come along for this hilarious event!
Cosplay Auction with Parle, 6pm: A great way to meet new people with proceeds going to
Epilepsy Action. All volunteers go up for bid to the audience, the highest bidder of each
Cosplayer winning the company of that Cosplayer for an agreed amount of time and getting
the pleasure and opportunity of meeting new people and acquiring new friends
Yaoi vs Yuri Showdown 7pm - Are you team yaoi or yuri? Show your support and join in on
all the action. Not sure what the hell yaoi or yuri is. Come and find out!
Brentalfloss Live, 8pm – Guest of Honour
Brentalfloss will be hosting a special live 1hr
concert . Make sure not to miss out and come
along for a rendition of all your favourite gaming
tunes with comical lyrics!
Late Night Panel with Parle, 8pm - The legendary
cosplay group come to the stage - prepare for
laughter and crazy topics to be discussed!
Saturday Highlights
Kimono Workshops - Throughout the day, a series of workshops
where you can try on real Kimonos. Places are limited, first comefirst-served; you can sign up at the workshop in the exhibitors
hallway at Queens.
Cosplay Masquerade, 1pm - Would you like to show off your
cosplay to masses? Strut your stuff and have a great time at one
of the greatest traditions of the anime world! There will be a
£100 cash prize for the best entry and the top 3 placed winners
will qualify for the UK Cosplay Championship finals!
Zombie Makeover Workshop, 2pm - GoreFX shall be running a
Zombie Makeover, with a professional makeup artist there to
dress you up. This will then be followed by a Zombie School showing you how to walk the
walk! Places are limited to 30 people, and you will be able to sign up by visiting the GoreFX
desk in the Cosplay Zone Room.
Espirit D'Air Live, 4pm - In a UK Convention Exclusive, we're proud to reveal that Espirit
D'Air are returning and will be headlining our band lineup! They are a world renowned
Visual Kei and J-Rock based band and Alcon will be a major part of their reunion tour!
Channel Awesome Q&A, 5pm - Come join FilmBrain, Welshy, Diamanda Hagan and others
as the UK members of the Channel Awesome crew come to Alcon to host a special 2hr long
Q&A session!
The Alcon Pub Quiz, 6pm - Grab a pint and a team then test your geek knowledge in our big
pub quiz of the year. There will be a big £50 prize for the winning team, so make sure to not
miss out!
Cards Against Alcon, 8pm - Jessica Calvello, EileMonty, and the
UK Channel Awesome crew all team up to host a special 2hr Cards
against Humanity event involving YOU the entire audience! Make
sure to come and along on what is guaranteed to be a hilarious
event.
Masquerade Ball, 9pm - Full of intrigue and mystery, we
encourage you to bring along a mask for this. Our formal event of
the convention, please dress to impress as we play slow-dance
music. With a special guest performance from EileMonty toward
the end! There will be a free event photography service provided
by realtimeevents.co.uk
Sunday Highlights
VIP Gala, 11am - All VIP registered members are cordially
invited for 90 minutes of fun and games with the main
Alcon guests and performers. This year's VIP Gala theme
is TV shows - everything from comedy to game shows will
be featured! We have lots planned, so make sure not to
miss out!
Big Geek Adventure, 1pm - Jollyboat bring their Big Geek
Adventure to Alcon! An interactive RPG with a twist
where it involves YOU the audience! Join us as we go on
an Adventure together from pirate ghost shops to zombie
towns, to alien monsters and more!
Anime v Gaming Voice-Acting Guide with Jessica
Calvello, 3pm - Come along to a special Voice-Acting
Workshop which compares voice acting in both anime
and gaming. Hosted by Jessica Calvello.
Clan Battle Showdown, 3pm - You have been earning points for your chosen clan all
weekend. With over 300 points up for grabs in this event, this showdown is the decider in
who will emerge victorious! Come along and help them win the war!
Cosplay Burlesque, 4pm - Mojo Jones, popular burlesque dancer travels to Alcon after
successful performances at our London events. Expect to see your favourite comic
characters come to life on stage.
Alcon Charity Gala, 5pm - All of the Watershed becomes the venue for the Alcon Charity
Gala - donations happily accepted on the door! Two hours of performances with our guests
and lead-acts, ending with the Charity Auction. All money
raised goes to Epilepsy Action.
Jollyboat Live, 7pm - Award Winning Comedians Jollyboat
will perform with a mixture of comedy, live music and
pirates! Top songs include about classic games, D&D, pirates
and Game of Thrones!
The Final Countdown Party, 11:30pm - It's the final party of
the 10th Alcon! Hosted by DJ Bluestreak aka Alex Baker, this
is guaranteed to be an epic night that you do not want to
miss!
Battle of the Clans
Three almighty clans line up. Only ONE will win that elusive Alcon trophy! Will it be those
sneaky ninjas, those wicked vamps, or those pesky pirates? YOU, the members, shall
decide!
When you sign-in, your member badge shows which clan you are in! You can then earn
points for them over the convention to help them towards victory! Points are calculated by
who wins events, who helps out, and so forth! We strongly encourage our members to
have a costume or cosplay ready for your clan. Why just signup, when you can also BE a
pirate/vampire/ninja? Get into the spirit of Alcon 2016, and join the epic struggle today!
You can earn points for your clan by (a) winning a tournament or event, (b) picking up
bonus points which we award randomly often during stage events to the audience, (c)
crewing for the event or (d) winning an Alcon award.
When you win an event or tournament, you will be handed stickers with points on them.
You take these stickers and stick them on to the clan of your choice’s tally chart at
registrations. You can also go here to see which clan is winning.
Small events such as TCG tournaments give 15 points to 1st, 10 points to 2nd and 5 points
to 3rd. Medium events such as video gaming tournaments or events that are on stage give
30 points to 1st, 20 points to 2nd and 10 points to 3rd. Large events such as the Cosplay
Masquerade, Pub Quiz, Talent Show and so forth give 45 points to 1st,
30 points to 2nd and 15 points to 3rd. Clan Battle event on the Sunday awards a large
bonus of 300 points to the winner of it, with 100 points to second place.
The winner of the Clan Battle will be announced in the Closing Ceremony!
The Alcon 2016 Wordsearch
Be the first to complete this and show registrations to win a box of pocky and clan points!
A
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Tournament
Alcon 2016 Icebreaker
By Mr Purple
So, you're having a read through the conbook…
Well, that probably means you're looking for something to amuse yourself until something
else happens. These questions might help you. My guess is you're in one of a handful of
situations:
You might be sat around with some of your friends, and if so you might ask them some
questions. The answers might spark off a fun conversation.
You might be sat on your own, at the convention, near some other folks. If you aren't sure
how to break the ice, show them this page, and ask what they think of one of the questions.
You can do it!
If you're hanging around in the accommodation, then try them out when there's people
around. Again, if you feel silly, just show them the book.
If it's after the convention, then you'll just have to give them a go at the next event you're
at, won't you?
Icebreaker Questions!
Everybody should have a go at answering – wait until everyone's had a go before discussing
the answers. There might be a lot to discuss! Listen to the answers, and ask follow up
questions of your own.
-
If you were a superhero, what would be your symbols, your theme?
You are the ruler of a fantastical kingdom, what law are you known for?
You have discovered a planet – what is it like? What do you name it?
Archaeologists unearth you in the future, what bizarre history do they concoct?
You are a mighty sorcerer – what is your signature spell?
Given the domain over a single species, what hijinks do you get up to?
If you could make an anime, what would it be about?
Transplant a fictional character to another fictional world. What chaos ensues?
In a world where drawings came to life, what would you draw?
If your favourite food was turned into a giant monster, how would it battle Godzilla?
If you were a time traveller, where and when would you live?
What hat best describes what you want in an amazing story?
You are caught in a villainous trap. What would you be carrying that will save you?
That's it for the questions. If you like making weird things up on the spot, check out the RPG
Area in The Watershed!
A Mathematical Analysis of the Power Available to
Each Alcon Clan as a Factor of Population
By Disseisitus
As the battle of the clans draws nearer tensions are increasing. The conflict approaching seems
inevitable however the predictions as to the eventual victor vary wildly. Here I will attempt to
apply a logical, mathematical analysis to the problem using some of the oldest tools known to
humankind – known colloquially as the Inverse Ninja Law and the Exponential Pirate Law together
with a newly extrapolated Astable Vampire Coupling Law.
To simplify the following calculations all individuals in a clan population will be considered to be of
average ability for that clan. While this paper was initially also written to compare the clans in
power a number of notes, written in blood, attached to walls with shuriken or bearing the black
spot have convinced me to reconsider this approach.
The Inverse Ninja Law
The effectiveness of ninja being inversely proportional to the number of ninja present in an area is
one of the most widely known power-population relationships however for this relationship to be
applied usefully we must explore both the mechanism behind it and the precise rate at which
power decreases.
The mechanism of the power decrease has been hypothesised to be due to a finite amount of
power split between ninja in an area, this “Law of Conservation of Ninjutsu” accounts for a power
decrease but does not the fact that there have been several recorded instances of groups of ninja
being more effective than solitary ninja and large groups of ninja being completely useless
whereas a simple shared pool of power would imply a constant ninja power in an area, regardless
of numbers, with small variations to account for the individual skill of each ninja.
It is proposed that in line with the law of ninja uncertainty (that only one of either the location or
velocity of an active ninja can be known at a given time) that active ninja do in fact exist as both
particle and wave. Due to this, when ninja are in close proximity to each other their waveforms
interfere with each other. Due to their inherent stealth it is impossible for ninja to achieve
coherence with each other and therefore the interference is always destructive, reducing the
overall power of each ninja.
As stated above, small groups of ninja have been noted to display greater effectiveness than
solitary ninja, this indicates that the interference in small groups is less significant than the
increase in group power due to numbers. Typical small groups are no larger than five individuals,
assuming this to be the point at which interference begins to outweigh numbers we can model the
effectiveness of a group of ninja, N as a function of the size of the group, H, and the average skill of
a ninja, S.
N = SH-(n/6)
The Exponential Pirate Law
The relationship of pirates to pirate population size, the “Exponential Pirate Law” is well
established, if slightly less well known than the “Inverse Ninja Law”. The power of a group, or crew,
of pirates increases exponentially with numbers, as the name of the law would imply. The
mechanism for this is uncertain but I theorise that the answer may be found in one of the most
common piratical acts, the Yarrr. The Yarrr is a sustained vocalisation that is performed in all
observed crews, is generally initiated by one pirate, and spreads through the crew. It is therefore
proposed that a Yarrr is a source of piratical power and that larger groups allow the Yarrr to
propagate more easily and become self sustaining, i.e. in a sufficiently large group a single yarrring
pirate will be hear by a minimum of two other pirates, who will then themselves Yarrr, being heard
by a total of four new pirates allowing an exponential Yarrr to occur.
Therefore the power of a pirate crew, P, can be written as a function of the average power of an
individual pirate, multiplied by the Pirate Exponent, R, to the power of the number of pirates, n.
P = ARn
Therefore for a crew of ten pirates the value of P can be written in its expanded form as:
P = ARRRRRRRRRR
Vampire Group Dynamics and the Proposed Astable Vampire Coupling Law
There has been little previous study as to the population power curve of vampire groups, this is
partially due to the fact that vampires are normally solitary but also due to the relative lack of
vampire involvement in the major conflicts of the last century.
Vampires do not traditionally form large groups, however this tendency has eased in recent years.
As they lack a history of cooperation there does not appear to be a large-scale interaction of forces
but rather an interplay of individuals that affects the group. While vampire communities are
uncommon, there is more evidence for the formation of vampire couples. These couples are
relatively constant although their composition is typically in a state of constant flux. I therefore
propose the Astable Vampire Coupling Law. This states that in a vampire population with an even
number of vampires will eventually form complete pairs, with no unpaired individuals remaining.
While polyamory is possible it is rare enough to be considered negligible, also populations are
assumed to be sufficiently large so that individuals of all sexualities find compatible partners.
Each couple will go through several stages, initial coupling, short-term stability, breakup and angst.
Following angst each vampire within the pair will recouple with a different vampire, leaving the
number of total couples constant. The vampires are weakest in the angst stage and strongest
during short-term stability. In a given population couples will at any time be split between each
stage equally. In this model the power of the group of vampires will be directly proportional to the
number of vampires in the group. However a second scenario is that there are an odd number of
vampires present, leaving an incomplete couple. This remaining vampire will inhibit the coupling of
other nearby vampires, abbreviating the cycle of stages to initial coupling, immediately followed
by breakup (catalysed by the unpaired vampire) followed by a prolonged period of angst, during
which all three vampires act to inhibit other couples, thereby decreasing the length of and in some
cases completely removing the average short term stable stage. Therefore the power of a group of
vampires can be modelled using the equation below, where V is the power of the group, B is the
average power of each vampire and L is the number of vampires.
V = B2cos(90L)\
LARP 101
By KellyJane
Photos are by Beth Dooner and Faru595 Photography
LARP (short for 'live action
role-play') is a hobby that has
existed in the UK for decades,
and has in more recent years
been increasing in popularity
due to receiving more media
attention. Whether the game
hosts
ten
people
or
thousands, the principle is
always the same: LARP is a
hobby where you get to live
out a new character, often in
an entirely new world.
Fantasy,
sci-fi,
postapocalyptic, steampunk... You
name the genre, and there's probably a LARP game in the UK that covers it!
There are several formats that LARP systems abide by too, meaning that there is something
for everyone. Some games are purely social, others are combat games that pit you against
'monsters' or 'crew' provided by the game organisers. Some are pure PvP, where you are
set against other players. Then, of course, there are those which are a mix of all of these
formats! In my experience, many LARP games try to incorporate the 'something for
everyone' approach, so that those who enjoy combat get their fill of excitement, while
those who prefer political machinations or solving mysteries and puzzles do not feel left
out. Each game will vary, and they all tend to be quite honest in what it is their game has to
offer.
LARP comes in three sizes: small, medium and fest. Small can be a mere handful of people
(sometimes as part of a university society, or a local system), whereas fest games draw
together players in the hundreds and thousands. Fantasy-style games make up the festLARP scene in the UK, while there is far more variety when it comes to the genres of small
and medium games. Which is best becomes purely a matter of personal preference. Some
prefer the busy, charged atmosphere of a large game, while others gravitate towards the
more personalised nature of smaller systems. The only way to find out which works for you
is to give them a try! Indeed, you may find that both styles appeal to you in one way or
another!
Many LARP games include an element of combat, sometimes with contact and sometimes
without. While each game comes with its own rules and regulations when it comes to
fights, one thing that many of them have in common are LARP weapons. Some systems use
firearms such as cap guns or NERF guns, and many use foam-and-latex melee weapons.
Swords, axes, pole arms, spears... you name it, there's probably a LARP-safe version of it!
These are great for those who really want to get stuck into combat, and while there is a
technique to how to fight safely with LARP weapons, there are people in every single game
willing to show newcomers the basics.
Many people seem to have concerns about attending
a LARP game alone, knowing no-one who'll be there.
Having attended several games solo myself, I can fully
understand this concern! The first game I attended by
myself was quite nerve-wracking when I arrived,
feeling like everyone knew each other, bar me. Within
an hour of being there, however, that all changed!
Many of the people I met at that first game remain my
friends to this day, and it really is a matter of simply
biting the bullet and getting yourself to a system. If
you can bring a friend, then that's fantastic, but do not
put off giving this hobby a try simply due to worries
about going solo! Many LARP games also have forums
and Facebook groups, which are excellent for
introducing yourself to the existing player base
beforehand, and not feeling like such a stranger when
you arrive!
LARP is a wonderful, immersive, imaginative hobby for
all types of people! If you'd like to know more, join me at the "LARPing Guide" panel, Friday
at 3pm in the Cosplay Panels 2 (Downstairs) area! There, you can learn more about this
brilliant hobby, ask questions, and find out more about LARP systems within the UK!
GS 1.0 – Anime & Gaming Music
Helplessly yearning for ANIME and GAME inspired music? GS 1.0 has it covered!
Most people would agree that the world of anime and gaming spawns some of the best
music around, creating soundtracks that stay with you forever. GS 1.0 are a three-piece
band from Lancashire, England, dedicated to celebrating that music in full force! Since their
debut in 2014, the band have been writing/arranging to bring the magic of anime and
gaming music to both the internet and the stage, pumping out power-packed music videos
on their YouTube channel and performing electrifying live shows at conventions across the
country!
So what can you expect to hear from GS 1.0? If you wanted COVERS of your favourite songs
from anime or games; their weekly YouTube videos often feature self-styled covers of wellloved anime openings and endings, pieces from game and movie soundtracks, J-Pop hit
songs and more, spanning multiple genres and languages. From Pokemon to One Punch
Man to League Of Legends and beyond, you’re guaranteed an exciting new perspective on
the songs you love the most! Their signature sound, featuring crunchy guitars and
chiptune-inspired synths, bolstered by bold three-part vocal harmonies, is both catchy and
unmistakable.
Not enough for you? It just so happens GS 1.0 pack a powerful punch when it comes to
ORIGINAL MUSIC too! Inspired by the things every anime fan and gamer loves, they
produce self-written songs
celebrating not only the anime and games themselves, but the tight-knit community around
them too. Whether they’re singing about cosplay, the story of your favourite anime
character, making friends in an MMORPG, or the agonising week-long wait between
episodes of the new season, you’ll find yourself identifying with their songs every step of
the way – they KNOW that feel!
Finally, the most striking element of GS 1.0 is their love for the anime & gaming community!
Despite fandoms being scattered across the world, when they come together at
conventions, live shows or simply via the Internet, they are a nerdy force to be reckoned
with! GS 1.0 thrive off this passion as much as you do, and see what they do as a way of
uniting people together to create a community of friends that stick together no matter
what! Through their music, they hope to reach out and give you a place to belong. No
matter where you’re from, you can call GS 1.0 home.
Join Tre-kun, Kat-nya and Kotomi-chan on their epic adventure to bring the magic of anime
and gaming to the world!
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/gs1point0
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/gs1point0
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GS1point0
Bandcamp:
https://gs1point0.bandcamp.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gs1point0
Artwork by woostersauce
Convention Checklist
Are you sure you've done everything? Here is 20 things you should do over the weekend.
And remember to add your own! Why not photograph your checklist and tweet it @alcon?
I Have…
1
Attended Alcon 2016!
2
Picked up my Clan Badge
3
Entered a Gaming Tournament
4
Entered a Stage Event
5
Scored some clan points
6
Checked out the exhibitors & artists
7
Made a new friend and bought them a drink
8
Met a guest and got their autograph
9
Watched some Anime
10
Checked out the Workshops
11
Stayed past 8pm to experience the parties! Woo!
12
Bought a crew member a drink (>_>)
13
Listened in to the live bands
14
Played Pokemon with friends
15
Sang at the Karaoke
16
Donated to the Alcon Charity (Cosplay Auction or speak to the Stage Team)
17
Entered the Big Geek Quiz
18
Watched the Cosplay Masquerade
19
Checked out the Retro Zone
20
Entered a Roleplay in the RPG Area
✓
Signings Page
Why not go track down your favourite guests for a signing?
Or get your friends to sign your conbook?
Do you wish you could attend more conventions?
Or maybe you’d like to find an event closer to home?
Well, fear not, for Animeleague (that's us!) are expanding across the UK with several brand
new events! Offering guests, cosplay and gaming galore! Get your calendars out for 2016
and 2017, mark these dates down and check out these websites for all the latest info:
Birmingham Anime Gaming Con, 1-2 October
www.birminghamanimecon.com
Bristol Anime & Gaming Con, 5-6 November
www.bristolanimecon.com
London Anime & Gaming Con, 3-5 Feb 2017
www.londonanimecon.com
Manchester Anime & Gaming Con, 8-9 April
www.manchesteranimecon.com
Glasgow Anime & Gaming Con, 6-7 May
www.glasgowanimecon.com
Liverpool Anime & Gaming Con, 10-11 June
www.liverpoolanimecon.com
Make sure to also check out the forums at
www.animeleague.net