Dream Con 2021 (3D2Y)

Due to the past year's nefarious plans of world dominance with lockdowns and a pandemic that damn near felt more real than a virtual experience of the mobile game Plague, the world came to a halt. No socialism or festivities. Which bred the effect of conventions taking a hiatus that rivaled Hunter X Hunter chapter releases. A world that thrived on in-person meet-ups was reduced to individuals stuck inside their homes, tapping away on their electronic devices to communicate with their loved ones in various locations around the globe. The equivalent of being logged into a virtual experience without the ability to logout. A world can be perceived as heaven or hell, depending on your perspective.

RDCWorld1 returned from the shadows with all their stats increased to provide a spectacle that was highly anticipated since Dream Con’s absence in 2020. Mark, Ben, Leland, John, Desmond, Dylan, and Aff experienced a two-year time skip no different than the Straw-hat crew that proved beneficial to them as a group and individually. Getting to meet J Cole while also being featured in a music video. Also, meeting LeBron James within a one-week span at the Space Jam: A New Legacy premiere, a sequential movie that began 25 years ago. And let’s not forget the spectacular finish in a dodgeball tournament that allowed them to rack $250K. No GTA cheat codes were used in this successful venture whatsoever.  

This year, Dream Con 2021 took place again in the Lone Star State, but not in Waco, where it was born two years ago. A bigger venue was needed since its inception; Arlington, Texas, was the location set for this grand spectacle. Located right in between Fort Worth and Dallas is the Esports Stadium Arlington. A broadcast production facility, which covered 100,000 square feet, provided the necessary resources to cover a Smash Bros. Tournament among the various guests attending. Walk north across the parking lot, and you’ll find yourself at the Sheraton Hotel. Here, attendees and guests not only attended panel discussions but also laid down their heads to recover in between the different bouts of scheduled programming. Was it mentioned that Six Flags Over Texas is located just down the street? You could overhear the screams of attendees riding the different amusement park rides in the blistering sun.

The first-day attendees lined up, stretching from the Arlington Convention Center to the parking lot, which is attached to the Esports Arena. Partially shaded from the beaming sun at the front of the line, people anxiously awaited to enter the facility to acquire their Weekend Pass to enjoy Dream Con. Higher-privileged, or rather, VIP attendees, lined up at the front for earlier access to the exhibit hall. Dressed in their favorite t-shirt to flex their love for their favorite anime character or take on the persona in cosplay form, such as Inosuke from Demon Slayer or Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion. A highly anticipated Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament returned which livened the entire stadium throughout the entire duration. Cilvanis defeated the Dream Con’s previous champion Leland, of RDCWorld1, as the new champion of Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The exhibit hall had a wide range of artists that filled the halls. Familiar faces such as SeriesBlu, OzzyOz Da Vyrus, WhereDaWaifu, Rocket Driver Yubi, and PillowDS graced the halls of Dream Con once again with their presence. The voice actors who attended were few yet well-recognized. Sean Shemmel, the legendary voice of Son Goku himself from the hit franchise Dragonball Z, was a hyped fan favorite. Gabe Kunda is best known for his role as Rock Lock in My Hero Academia. Zeno Robinson is known for his roles as Taiga Kagami in Kuroko’s Basketball and Hawks in My Hero Academia. And as a virtual exclusive to Dream Con, Maile Flanagan, the voice of the number one hyperactive, knucklehead ninja of the Leaf Village, Naruto Uzumaki!

Special guests ranged from various content creators, cosplayers, the manga and anime industry, and gaming. Many of the same guests were pioneers from the original Dream Con when it took place in Waco, Texas, such as Caleb City, King Vader, Daquan, and Berleezy. Familiar faces that also returned were YourFavoriteSenpaii, YaBoyRoshi, ImDontai, and LongBeachGriffy. Newcomers that graced attendees with their presence were Fantastic Frankey, Cilvanis, Lenarr Young, ToastyMarshmellow, KEATS, and many others! Overall, each of these individuals has thousands to millions of followers across all avenues of their social media accounts and is highly influential.  

RDCWorld1 once again accomplished something many only dream of achieving. With an upcoming anime and a live-action show coming soon to HBOMax, their ability to create influences many to walk their path in life. Manifesting a reality from an initial thought form shows what we, as people, can accomplish from a simple idea. We get in our way constantly, not realizing that we have everything that’s needed to create the world we desire. If dreamers are truly the ones who can change the world as they see fit, what kind of world will you create?