Anime Conventions

[Taera]

Was just wondering how many of you have attended an anime convention before. What are some of the most popular ones? I'm curious on how I should act or what I should expect because i've never been to one before and i'm going to Naka-Kon in Kansas City, MO next month. I'm pretty excited and I plan on dressing up as the Pokemon Trainer from SSBB. I guess i'm just nervous. I've also heard there's a big stigma on Pokemon and DBZ at these things because they are so americanized. What do you all think?

[Komm Suesser Tod]

Big rule of conventions in general? If you plan on spending any amount of time there beyond a brief look around, wear something comfortable. Wear something you don't mind moving around in, something you don't mind sweating in, especially if it's a costume. If you put on your costume, try it out for a while, just wear it for a while around the house, see if any part of it gets uncomfortable after a while.

Also, bring a bag. Something with a nice long strap, and with plenty of room in it. If it's anything like the conventions I've gone to, there are plenty of chances to buy stuff, and if you aren't planing on buying much, there is usually a different amount of free stuff handed out, like posters and fliers, that kind of thing.

The number one rule? Don't go alone. Conventions are fun, full of lots of neat things, so much to see and do, but it's much better with a friend, or friends, to share it with. It's like any kind of activity that gets better with a team. You see things you wouldn't have, because one of your friends noticed them, and if anything really cool happens, you've just created a fun story that is made that much better because you weren't the only one there.

[Feielle]

The number one rule? Don't go alone.

Yeah, some 15-year-old gender-bending L cosplayer with a Yaoi paddle is bound to violate you otherwise.

I went to one anime con, and thats the only one I'll ever go to. Personally, the larger ones that combine sci-fi, comics, anime, movies, etc are more fun to go to. I really enjoyed DragonCon here in Atlanta, but Anime Weekend Atlanta was just plain boring. Part of it is the demographic; expect to see ages 12-19 at an Anime con, and 18-30 at a sci-fi con.

I left AWA right about the time a 16 year old dude asked if he could see my balls. That was the pinnacle of my experience.

[Taera]

So I need to shave my pokeballs. Got it.

[SephYuyX]

Ive worked security at a few of the ones around my area for a couple years about 6 years ago, and I can say they all suck.

I hope you like annoying weeaboos everywhere that you want to kill, but if you can ignore that (as I see youll be cosplaying yourself), there are some good deals here and there.

If youre going there for the atmosphere, I cant help you because I think cons are a horrible in that aspect, but if youre looking to buy stuff, it's great.

The only saving grace from going to a con was that I got some great deals, and got to wave my security cock around on everyone.

[Kiarax]

I left AWA right about the time a 16 year old dude asked if he could see my balls.

There has to be a bit more to the story than that.

[Tsutsumiko]

I think it has all been covered already:

-Bring a friend
-Bring a bag
-Bring extra cash
-Wear something comfortable (this includes cosplay. Being Marth for 6 hours is NOT comfortable. It isn't even practical to play Brawl in. -.-;
-Resist the urge to kill idiots because even I have a limit as to how much JP crap I can take.

[Correction]

Rule #1 is actually Bring Hand Sanitizer. Some of those fuckers are crunchy filthy.

I think I stopped going to anime conventions when I turned 20. I used to go to A-X but then their main in charge of event planning left and it turned into a trade show.

[Taera]

About how much extra cash? Are we talking newegg prices, walmart prices, or disney world prices?

[Man0warr]

I used to go to A-kon in Dallas but the last 3-4 years it's just unbearable the amount of Naruto/Bleach retards that show up - don't get me wrong, I have watched/read Naruto/Bleach since before they were anime - but these kids are awful, they have like...fights in the lobby. Hundreds of them.

A-kon is pretty hard on bootleg merchandise but it still slips in so becareful what you buy.

[0ni0n]

I know there's one in San Diego July or August every year and it attracts about 120,000. There has been a new one in New York ever since 2005, and about 50,000 people attend annually.

[thatwasnifty]

For the love of FSM please take a shower every day. People smell so bad at cons because they forget about basic hygiene. Don't be one of them.

[Ziero]

For the love of FSM please take a shower every day. People smell so bad at cons because they forget about basic hygiene. Don't be one of them.

This.

Pretty much everything that was mentioned here you should do, bring a big bag, dress comfortably, bring some friends and have a fat wad of cash to blow, but make sure you keep it in a safe spot. And yea, shower and such.

I've only been to two 'cons really, A-con in Texas (mainly went to meet a chick so that alone was worth it) and I-con in NY. A-Con was an all anime thing, but even still it had a lot of non-anime stuff. They had some cool foam weapons and I woulda bought one if I didn't have to fly it home. I-Con was more of an overall Sci-fi thing, but anime was still very heavily seen. Besides the main Dealer room, where everything is sold, there should be lots of things for you to do and see, make sure you grab a program, and if they have them, a map, so you can actually make use of the events. Just hanging out in the dealer room the whole time will be a waste of a trip.

Also, I'd suggest making sure you pack some sort of food or lunch or something. All that walking and sweating, especially when crammed into a crowded room, will cause you to work up an appetite, and many times the food shops nearby will be fairly expensive and/or close real early. It sucks when the food court closes at 7 o'clock and you get that urge for a late night snack.

And one more thing, when you're there, relax, have fun and don't be afraid to speak up in a crowd of strangers. You're all there because you're fans, no reason to be shy about what you like or think because chances are there will be tons of people there who like and think the same way as you. If it's in a hotel or something, there's usually some late night parties in people's rooms. If it's something you're into, check em out and see what's up. Who knows, you may have more fun when the convention shuts down for the night then actually being in the convention itself. But again, bring friends.

[Feielle]

There has to be a bit more to the story than that.

You'd think so, but no. I was cosplaying as Link, and as I walked outside, there was a group of kids sitting in the hotel drop-off area smoking. Mostly just a group of emo highschoolers. One of them said like "hey Link, can you do a [move from brawl that I can't remember]?"

I shrugged and said "This damn shield weighs like fifteen pounds, and the sword is heavy too. I'm not jumping anywhere."

After that, the other dude looks at me and says "Hey Link, can I see your balls?"

I just stared at him a bit while his friends cracked up.

I'd never been to a strictly "anime" con before that one, just DragonCon in Atlanta. The difference in atmospheres is just remarkable, and I had more or less expected them to be the same. A few people I've met through the hobby have asked me if I'm going to any other conventions in the area, but I think I'll just stick to the one with the older crowd.

Most of my reason to go is seeing all the cool costume work, and the 15-year-olds typically don't have the talent/budget to make anything of consequence anyways.

[Not Kuno]

I used to go to anime cons when I was much younger. I thought about going to them again to meet chicks since work + ffxi kill whatever social life I have.

[aers]

Been to Fanime (San Jose, CA) twice, once about 7? years ago with a bunch of friends from high school, and last year with two people I met online.

Just don't go alone.

Also, planning out which panels/etc. you want to go to beforehand is a big help. Basically the only reason I went last year was to see a single panel.

[Komm Suesser Tod]

About how much extra cash? Are we talking newegg prices, walmart prices, or disney world prices?

Bring as much as you can stand to spend. Most times there will be as much stuff there as you can want to buy, so it mostly comes down to price.

[Taera]

Ok lets change the theme up for a moment and now I have an artsy question...sorta. For my costume, i'm going as Pokemon Trainer (Brawl) aka Red (Pokemon FRLG):

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/w/up...er_firered.png

I'm having the vest made right now, but my problem lies in the shoes and hat. How do I make the hat and shoes match the color of the vest? I was thinking taking a piece of the fabric to like a paint store and having them mix some to match it, but idk if that kind of paint would work on shoes or hats. They are just plain white canvas slip on shoes and a plain white cap. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Feielle]

How do I make the hat and shoes match the color of the vest? I was thinking taking a piece of the fabric to like a paint store and having them mix some to match it, but idk if that kind of paint would work on shoes or hats. They are just plain white canvas slip on shoes and a plain white cap. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hardware store paint = no workee. Thats just going to make the fabric stiff and very uncomfortable...

Depending on your budget, there are a few options:

1) Buy textile medium. This is a type of paint thats mixed with Acrylic so that it will bond correctly with fabric. Mix some red acrylic to match your vest and hand paint the shoes/hat.

2) Dye the fabric yourself. Go to a craft store, ask the old ladies or art students working there (its always one or the other) about fabric dye. Maybe bring in your red cloth. See what they have to say.

3) If you have some spare cash floating around, there are places that can dye white garments to match other hues, but this is typically more expensive.

[Syntex]

Well I have gone to Anime Central in Chicago 8 years now and will probably be my last as most of my friends I go with are getting bored of it but I will say that if you do get into these things that you limit it to 2 a year at most.

Reason is that there is a lot of recycled themes at them and they show a lot of the same things via Midnight Madness and Anime Hell which after seeing it 5 times just isn't funny just like any funny movie loses its flare.

A few suggestions I would give is if you plan to dress up like others have mentioned be sure its comfortable, make sure its easy to wear and something you can walk around in a lot as you want to avoid trips to your room if you can.

Another thing about purchasing things is try and only buy items you can't find anywhere else because I guarentee no matter how much you want the full metal alchemist box set you can find it on amazon.com or some other online store for that price but 10 bucks cheaper even with shipping.

Hmmm what else,... Oh yea and be sure if you can to go up a day early as we always left at 5am on friday and got there(stopped for food for an hour as its a 6 drive for us) after driving and getting to our room and getting settled it was 2pm and after staying up driving and running around at the convention we were falling asleep at midnight and missing a lot of the really good stuff. So this year we are leaving thursday afternoon, going to take the time and go around chicago and have a nice dinner then go to the con for 3 days and not be tired as shit the first day.

Other then that be sure you know of a good place to eat as ACEN has McDonalds as the only place and thats a mile walk and some overpriced food in the hotel resturant ect.

All in all bring a spare change of clothes or 2 dont blow your money on stupid shit and try to go to the events you REALLY want and you will have a great time.