1/4 - 5/3, 2019:

SaikouCon 2019 Panel Submissions

Please note that while in character panels are loved and welcome, we tend to give them a slightly lower rate of acceptance than other types of panels at SaikouCon, especially when we receive several submissions from the same fandom that are the same type of presentation. As we remind yearly, in 2014 we were inundated with close to a hundred panel submissions that were nearly identical in-character dating games and Q&As from only two fandoms, while these panels are fun and beloved by both attendees and ourselves, the con staff, we simply cannot make an entire weekend of programming around nearly identical panels. Be original! Be unique! Be something you yourself haven't seen at a convention, we at SaikouCon aim to have new and unique programming every year, with some recurring attendee favorites in the mix too of course, so we can give every year the wonder and excitement of your first con experience! 

* = Required Field, submissions with missing information will not be considered for inclusion in SaikouCon 2019's programming

** = We will try our best to accommodate your time of day requests as closely as possible

+ = If your panel does not have Trigger Warnings, this space should be left blank

++ = Not including laptop/desktop computers, MP3 Players/iPods. We automatically supply screens (usually large Flatscreen TVs, sometimes projectors but not often; technical issues at several past venues have been a liability to the convention by messing up the programming schedule too often), HDMI cables 

5/11, 2019:

Saikou Movie Meet Up - Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

This Saikou Movie Meet Up will be taking place at the Cinemark Theater in Stroud Mall located at 344 Stroud Mall, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (this may change to a theater in the Lehigh Valley area depending on screening times, time and location will be solidly confirmed once screening times are available); link to purchase tickets in advance will be posted here once advance tickets for this movie are available. Please RSVP on our Facebook Event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/320058308580849/, everyone will be responsible for purchasing their own ticket to the movie, but we would like an expected head count so we can make sure we all get to sit together or at least close to each other.

Detective Pikachu Official Synopsis:

Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) is a failed Pokémon Trainer and the son of prominent detective Harry Goodman. When his father disappears in a car crash, Tim arrives in Ryme City and ends up meeting Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds), who was Harry's former Pokémon partner. Tim is somehow able to understand the Detective, and they reluctantly team up to find Harry and uncover the mystery surrounding his disappearance. Chasing clues through the streets of Ryme City, the dynamic duo soon discover a devious plot that poses a threat to the Pokémon universe.

• Starring:
  Ryan Reynolds
  Justice Smith
  Kathryn Newton
  Ken Watanabe
  Paul Kitson
  Omar Chapparo
  Rita Ora
  Bill Nighy
  Suki Waterhouse
  Chris Geere
• This film is not yet rated
• Run time: Not yet released
  
• Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure

5/18, 2019 - 8 PM:

The Encounter & SaikouCon Present
Anime Night Free Screening
The Rising of The Shield Hero

Please RSVP to the screening on our Facebook Event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/624146814657423/, as always, this is a free event and does not require tickets. However, we like to have an expected head count so we can optimize the seating arrangement in the Game Room of The Encounter, that we use as our theater room for Anime Night, if a large crowd will be in attendance.

The Rising of The Shield Hero Synopsis:

The Four Cardinal Heroes are a group of ordinary men from modern-day Japan summoned to the kingdom of Melromarc to become its saviors. Melromarc is a country plagued by the Waves of Catastrophe that have repeatedly ravaged the land and brought disaster to its citizens for centuries. The four heroes are respectively bestowed a sword, spear, bow, and shield to vanquish these Waves. Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku, becomes cursed with the fate of being the "Shield Hero." Armed with only a measly shield, Naofumi is belittled and ridiculed by his fellow heroes and the kingdom's people due to his weak offensive capabilities and lackluster personality.

• Genres:  Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
• Duration: 47 minutes for episode 1, 24 minutes per remaining episodes
• Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Episodes 1 - 5 will be screened. May 2019 Anime Night is sponsored by Crunchyroll

5/24 - 5/26, 2019:

SaikouCon Party Booth at Thy Geekdom Con VI

Thy Geekdom Con Official Info:

Thy Geekdom Con is a pop culture convention and is back for our sixth con! We will be back at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. This time in Hall A!

You can expect to see Acts, Anime, Artists, Comics, Cosplay, Crafters, Panels, Tabletop Games, TV/Movies, and Video Games

Event Hours:

• Friday 5 PM - 12 AM
  
• Saturday 10 AM - 12 AM
  
• Sunday 10 AM - 6 PM
  

For more on Thy Geekdom con VI visit www.thygeekdomcon.com

5/31, 2019 - 8 PM:

Saikou Movie Meet Up - Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Please RSVP on our Facebook event page, most announcements regarding the Movie Meet Up will be posted there: https://www.facebook.com/events/154685502084111/ The RSVP is just so we have an idea of who is coming, that way we can plot how early to meet up at the theater so we can all sit together or at least in close proximity to each other. Tickets may be purchased in advance of showtime (once pre-sales have opened closer to the release date of the film) at the following link: https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-46113

Godzilla: King of the Monsters Synopsis:

Members of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species-thought to be mere myths-rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance.

This film is rated PG-13 for fantasy/sci-fi violence, adult language, and adult situations

Starring

• Kyle Chandler as Dr. Mark Russell
  
• Vera Farmiga as Dr. Emma Russell
  
• Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell
  
• Bradley Whitford as Dr. Stanton
  
• Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham
  
• Charles Dance in a yet to be revealed role
  
• Thomas Middleditch as Sam Coleman
  
• Aisha Hinds in a yet to be revealed role
  
• O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Barnes
  
• David Strathairn as Admiral William Stenz
  
• Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
  
• Zhang Ziyi as Dr. Chen
  

8/2 - 8/4, 2019:

SaikouCon 2019

Pre-Registration (Advance Ticket Sales) for General Admission and VIP Badges for SaikouCon 2019 is open as of 12 PM ET on October 20, 2018. Visit the Registration page of SaikouCon.com for all the details on Pre-Reg Badges and At Door Registration, the different badge types and age appropriate badges! General Admission pre-registration for 3 Day and 1 Day (Friday or Saturday) Badges will close on July 20, 2019 at 12 AM ET (the 12 AM going into July 21 to clarify), and registration for VIP 3 Day and 1 Day (Saturday Only) Badges will close on July 7, 2019 at 12 AM. The earlier deadline for VIP Badges, which will not be available at the door, is to ensure there is enough time to order and receive the exclusive SaikouCon 2019 Commemorative Mini-Poster all VIP Badge Holders receive for autographs during the VIP Meet 'n Greet with our 2019 Guests of Honor on SaikouCon Saturday, August 3, 2019.

SaikouCon 2019 Guest Roster

SaikouCon 2019 Programming Schedule

Preliminary Schedule will fill in and be finalized over the winter and spring months with the full programming schedule being released to the public on June 14, 2019 at 12 PM ET

8/2 - 8/4, 2019:

SaikouCon Crown Wars

Gameplay:

• The Crown goes into play at the Kamenbudōkai (con masquerade) and whoever has it, and can bring it in one, undamaged piece to the con chair at the Closing Ceremonies on the Sunday of SaikouCon, is the winner of the Crown Wars.
  
• Your objective is to capture the Crown for yourself and maintain ownership of the Crown until the Closing Ceremonies of SaikouCon, the person that can achieve this feat is thus declared queen or king of SaikouCon for the year!
  
• Crown must be stolen back and forth by players until the winner is crowned at the SaikouCon Closing Ceremonies, stealth and cunning are the names of this game. Fighting is not permitted, but players may make up their own unique ways to battle for the Crown, like mini-games such as making the Crown the prize of a CCG match, or a one-on-one video game battle in the con Gaming Hall, even Rock Paper Scissors... be creative and engage!
  
• Crown must survive the weekend in one, whole piece. If the Crown is broken or damaged, it loses its power and the whole game is lost for everyone until the next year when a new Crown respawns.
  

Rules of The Crown Wars:

1. The Crown may only be stolen through means of cunning and guile, no fighting, no threats etc., cleverness will win the Crown.
   
2. The Crown must remain intact in one piece for the duration of the game until the final person to have it at the convention's Closing Ceremonies can turn it into the con chair. If it is broken or seriously damaged, it's a game foul and the game is over for all until the following year.
   
3. The Crown may be ransomed back from one that has stolen it, friendly ransoms only (think more like a mini-swap meet than an actual ransom). Ransom may not be paid with actual cash, personal items such as jewelry or clothing, sexual favors, any kind of romantic relationship and/or promises of dating.
   
4. Ransom for the Crown may be paid in snacks, soft drinks, bottles of water, cosplay accessories and gear, manga volumes, anime DVDs/Blu Rays, other collectibles such as action figures, alcoholic beverages; as long as both the ransomer and person paying the ransom are 21 years old or older. Players under 21 are forbidden from asking players over the age of 21 for alcohol and players over 21 are forbidden from asking players under 21 for alcohol; violation of this rule will mean being banned from SaikouCon as a whole, not just the Crown Wars.
   
5. The Crown may not be hidden, not in backpacks, suitcases, duffle bags, knapsacks, within cosplays (like inside the bussle of a dress for example). It must remain visible at all times, hiding it makes holding onto it too easy, remember; guile and cunning. Hiding it, for our purposes, is neither cunning nor fair. Additionally, hiding the crown may damage it, and if it is damaged the whole game is lost to all.
   
6. The crown must stay in play on the con show floor throughout the convention weekend from the Masquerade on Friday evening of SaikouCon until the Closing Ceremonies on Sunday afternoon at 5:30 PM, it may not be taken to anyone's room or off the resort grounds until the winner has been declared during the Closing Ceremonies. Sleeping rooms are out of bounds, anywhere outdoors beyond the parking lot of the hosting venue is out of bounds, vehicles are out of bounds, beyond the resort's pool area is out of bounds.
   
7. Panel rooms during panel presentations and the screening room during screenings are safe zones where the crown may not be stolen until the downtime between panels and screenings; so presenters and attendees are not disturbed. The SaikouCon Merchant Hall is also a safe zone, this is obviously to safeguard merchant booths from getting knocked into and their merchandise getting broken over the game. The Gaming Hall is also a safe zone, but only during tournaments.
   
8. If the last person to steal the crown at the end of the day on the Friday and Saturday of the convention, wants to go to bed, they can bring the crown to any of the con staff member before heading to their hotel room, this will pause the game until the show opens again the following morning(s) at 10 AM. The same person that turns in the crown to pause the game has until 12 PM to reclaim the Crown at the Registration Tables and set the Crown Wars back in motion; player's info and a photo will be taken by con staff member that Crown is surrendered to. This is to ensure that the same person rightfully reclaims the Crown the next morning since it will likely be different staff members the Crown is reclaimed from. If the Crown is unclaimed by 12 PM, the con chair will take the Crown and it must be stolen from him for the game to get back in full swing.
   
9. The Crown may not be be turned into con staff to pause the game for the night until 1 AM, if it is turned over to staff earlier than 1 AM, the person turning it in forfeits their right to the Crown and it will be passed on to another player to continue the Crown Wars through the night. The latest the Crown may be turned into con staff, to pause the game until morning, is 3 AM. If you still have the Crown after 3 AM, you must keep it in play in the sections of con show floor that are open overnight or surrender it to a player that will keep it in play throughout the night.
   
10. SaikouCon staff and volunteer staff may not participate in the Crown Wars game as players during a year they are working on staff, same for volunteer staff members. If it is a year they are just attending SaikouCon as regular attendees, they are more than welcome, but it would be unfair advantage for staff and volunteer while they are on the working staff and volunteer staff schedules.
    

Prizes:

• Winner of The Crown Wars will receive two 3 Day VIP Badges to attend the following year of SaikouCon with a friend, badges are transferrable if necessary
  
• Winner will also receive the 2019 Crown to keep as a memento of their victory
  
• In addition, the winner will also get a special special prize pack with an exclusive SaikouKaiju, designed specifically for the Crown Wars, and a SaikouCon T-Shirt of their choice
  

10/19 - 10/20, 2019:

SaikouCon Party Table at Shikkaricon 2019

Shikkaricon 2019 Info:

Shikkaricon is back after a long hiatus! We are an anime and video gaming convention that was started back in 2006 at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA. We are back and better than ever, but now we are being held in Philadelphia! We hope you'll join us for the return of Shikkaricon, and we're excited to be back!

10/25 - 10/27, 2019:

SaikouCon Party Table at DerpyCon 2019

DerpyCon 2019 Official Information:

Join us for the sixth annual DerpyCon in Morristown, NJ. DerpyCon is New Jersey's Anime, Gaming, Sci-Fi, and Comic Convention! Visit www.derpycon.com for all the latest information on DerpyCon's 2019 convention, including guest announcements, programming schedule, and pre-registraiton news and updates!

11/8, 2019 - 8 PM:

Saikou Movie Meet Up - Sonic The Hedgehog

Please RSVP on our Facebook event page, https://www.facebook.com/events/582380028894731/, so we know how many are expected, that way we can plot out how early to arrive at the theater so we can all sit together or at least in proximity to each other. Everyone will be responsible for purchasing their own tickets once they are available. The listed time above is just a placeholder at present and is subject to change once official showtimes have been released to the public. Tickets, once open for pre-purchase, may be acquired at https://www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/philadelphia/amc-classic-allentown-16 (updated link will be posted once there is a landing page for Sonic tickets).

Sonic The Hedgehog Synopsis:

Juvenile delinquent Sonic the Hedgehog and local policeman Tom Wachowski must stop Dr. Eggman from completing his plans for world domination.

Film is not yet rated

Starring

• Ben Shwartz as Sonic The Hedgehog
  
• Jim Carrey as Dr. Eggman
  
• James Marsden as Tom Wachowski
  
• Tika Sumpter in a yet to revealed role
  
• Adam Pally in a yet to be revealed role
  
• Neal McDonough in a yet to be revealed role
  
• Lee Maljoub as Stone
  
• Frank C. Turner as Crazy Carl
  
• Natasha Rothwell in a yet to be revealed role
  
• Debs Howard in a yet to be revealed role
  
• Elfina Luk in a yet to be revealed role