I’m curious to know how many of you attend anime conventions and what your experiences have been like.

I’ve been to Anime North over here in Toronto. I first started going around a decade ago and haven’t missed the convention since then (except when it was cancelled for COVID). I normally just wander around the Vendors Hall and look at all the figurines that will break my wallet if I were to buy them.

Recently I started visiting panels which I generally have avoided in the past. You’ll get some good panels that are fun, but you’ll also get some absolutely awfully-run panels that makes you question how they even got to host those panels.

  • cthellis@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I used to attend a lot back in the day, along the eastern seaboard. (Starting with Anime East '95 and Katsucon and Otakon in the next years, down as far south as Animazement and as far north as Anime Boston.) Now it’s really just Otakon I’ve been maintaining a yearly with. Occasionally a real-close minor one, if able.

    One trip to AX in 2018, but never again! 😝

    Originally I was into gophering and staffing (starting with my first con) but got out of that in 2001, and anime in general. A friend brought me back in (to conning, not anime, because Haruhi had already done that) and I picked up steam again but this time for dealer’s room and art show purposes. Other than staffing originally, it was the art show/auction that I really loved participating in.

    Eventually my reasons for conning turned just to random socializing, and now it’s that and panels, and the musical guests. (My first “live concert” was at an Otakon, for Naomi Tamura, a while back. That started my habit.)

    Amusingly I kinda feel an obligation towards Otakon somehow? 😝 At any rate, it’s still fun, and I’m still going with the same friends. (Though they are artists/dealers so don’t see any of the con.)