Tekko

Today marks the start of the annual Japanese pop-culture convention Tekko. Now in its 16th year, the four-day event was named for the Japanese word for steel mill, tekkosho. The convention, like its name, is about the blending of Japanese and Pittsburgh pop culture, with activities ranging from a cosplay-craftsmanship contest and book drive, to Japanese pinball and a Tekko-themed escape room. Special guests include voice actors Monica Rial, Bryce Papenbrook, Vic Mignogna, Luci Christian and SungWon Cho, as well as singer/songwriter Nancy Kepner and anime anthropologist Charles Dunbar. This year, the theme centers on the children’s classic, Alice in Wonderland. -Rebecca Addison