Anime Conventions for the Uninitiated

Getting Psyched
Im sure most of you have heard of anime (animated television series or films from Japan) and
its comic counterpart, manga. Some of you might lie !ust one sho" or seen over a hundred. #ou
may have $een an anime fan for years or !ust started "atching last "ee.
Im sure youve heard of a thing called an anime convention. %ay$e youve started thining you
"ould lie to go to one. %ay$e your friends or significant other have $een pestering you to go.
&$viously, if you have no interest in going, succum$ing to peer pressure isnt going to help
anyone. 'ut if you (& have an interest in going and dont no" "hat to e)pect, or are afraid
youre too *casual+ a fan to have a good time, Im here to tell you that if you lie anime, manga,
video games, or are !ust a gee in general, theres a good chance youll have a great time at your
first anime convention.
So read on to hear advice from a pro a$out "hat to e)pect and helpful tips for surviving your
first con,
What is an Anime Convention?
An anime convention is, -uite simply, a convention "here fans of anime, manga, and Japanese
culture meet to have fun and discuss their interests. Usually they are held at hotels or convention
centers in metropolitan areas over a "eeend.
Some of the more famous conventions are Anime .)po, "hich is held in /os Angeles, Anime
Central in Chicago, and &taon in 'altimore. 0hese are e)amples of very large conventions, $ut
there are almost countless mid1si2e and small conventions across the US.
0here are conventions in other countries, too. Canada has Anime 3orth, among others, and there
are cons in the U4, Australia, and else"here as "ell.
Common Elements of an Anime Convention
0he purpose of an anime convention is to provide programming that "ill $oth entertain and
educate its attendees. 5ere are some common components of anime conventions6
0he %as-uerade
7uests
8anels
(ances
7aming 9ooms
(ealers 9oom
Artists Alley
:ideo 9oom
The Masquerade
;hats the point of maing all those costumes if theres not a contest for them< %ost every
convention, $ig or small, has a mas-uerade. 8eople enter either as a "al1on ("here they simply
"al across the stage and pose) or perform a short, usually humorous sit. (Chec your
conventions rules for entry.) If you decide not to enter, you can al"ays attend and "atch the
sho" 1 !ust $e sure to get in line early,
Guests
;hether theyre voice actors in anime or a Japanese roc $and, you can meet them at anime
conventions. A large convention might have the $udget for Japanese guests as "ell. 7uests
usually do informative and=or goofy panels and autograph signings. /ie a mas-uerade, it is
usually advised to get in line early if you "ant a specific persons autograph.
Panels
8anels are the most informal programming a convention usually has. 0hey can range from mini
game sho"s to discussions a$out a certain series. Usually panels focus on a specific series, and
arent al"ays a$out anime either. Ive seen everything from 4ingdom 5earts to 5o" to %ae a
4imono. 8anels are approved $y the convention $ut run $y attendees and fans, therefore they can
vary "idely in -uality.
Dances
%any conventions have a dance or a rave. 0heyre ind of lie dancing at a clu$. ;ith costumes.
Gaming Rooms
%ost conventions have some sort of gaming room, $e it video gaming, ta$letop gaming, or $oth.
A lot of the time tournaments (such as Super Smash 'rothers or %agic6 0he 7athering) are held
at certain times during the day, so chec the programming schedule if youd lie to participate.
0here is also open gaming, "here you can play against other people on your o"n time. Ive seen
$oard games in convention gaming rooms as "ell.
Dealers Room
0he (ealers 9oom is "here you can $uy official merchandise, (:(s, manga, and all sorts of
goodies. 'ut again, its not !ust anime. Ive seen everything from J19oc to (octor ;ho in the
dealers room of an anime convention. ;hatever your interest, theres sure to $e something
youll $ring home "ith you. 5aving some cash on you is a good idea, since some dealers (though
this is getting rarer) dont accept credit cards.
Artists Alley
0he artists alley is "here artists set up their $ooths and sell their goods. All sorts of things are
sold in artists alleys, from prints of fan art to plushies to $uttons to hats. 0he artists themselves
are usually manning their $ooths, so you can easily connect "ith them and as -uestions.
!ideo Room
Anime sho"s all day in video rooms. 0he vie"ing schedule is usually listed in the program, and
you can drop in and out as youd lie. A great "ay to chec out ne" series or pass some time in
$et"een other activities.
Registration
;hen you register for an anime convention, you "ill $e given something no"n as a $adge. A
$adge is your lifeline at a convention. Since most conventions re-uire an entry fee so they can
$ring you all the good stuff you en!oy, you need to "ear your $adge at all times to prove youve
paid. ;ithout your $adge you cannot get into events or the dealers room. If you lose it, you "ill
usually need to pay a fee to get a replacement.
0here are t"o "ays to get a $adge. 8re1registration online, or at the door. 8re1registration is
usually more desira$le since the prices are cheaper, sometimes half of "hat they are at the door.
%ost, if not all, conventions offer a "eeend $adge and $adges for each individual day. 8urchase
"hichever meets your needs. ;hen in dou$t, $uy the "eeend $ecause its usually a $etter value
and its easier to ad!ust to changes in your schedule.
If youre going to a larger convention that offers to mail you your $adge ahead of time, I highly
suggest you tae this option. .ven smaller conventions are gro"ing and lines can $e long.
5aving your $adge mailed directly to you can save a lot of time and frustration.
If you need a hotel room, its al"ays a good idea to get it $ooed early. %ost conventions are
held around hotels, and many even have $locs of rooms set aside for their attendees. So mae
sure to mention youre staying as part of the convention "hen you mae your reservation.
Cos"lay
;hether you decide to don a costume or not, many other people "ill. At anime conventions, the
ho$$y of maing and "earing costumes is no"n as cosplay. 0he "ord *cosplay+ comes from
Japan, and its a mi)ture of the "ords *costume+ and *play.+
Cosplay can $e of any character or any thing (yes, including non1anime characters lie (arth
:ader or a 8o"er 9anger). And in spite of "hat some cosplayers may say, cosplay really is for
everyone, no matter your age, "eight, gender, or race. 8eople "or very hard on their cosplays
and lie to $e complimented and recogni2ed, especially if theyre dressed as a character from an
o$scure series.
If youd lie to give cosplay a try yourself, you can either purchase a costume or mae one
yourself. 7ive the Internet a search for more information on ho" to cosplay.
!olunteering
In my personal e)perience, volunteering at anime conventions has $een ama2ing. 0his might not
$e something youd "ant to do at your first convention, $ut after youve $een around for a "hile
and you no" ho" the convention "ors, you might "ant to give it a try.
%ost cons accept volunteers to "or security, registration, as $adge1checers, and for other
duties. Usually theres a form to send in ahead of time. Some cons give free $adges to volunteers,
others reim$urse your $adge if you "or a certain amount of hours. Its also a great thing to put
on a resume.
#ther Things to $ee" %n Mind
(o "hat security, hotel staff, police, or any other authority figure tells you. (o not argue
"ith them. 0hey are doing their !o$ and trying to eep the convention fun for everyone. If
you feel you "ere treated unfairly, politely $ring up your concerns to the convention staff
or the hotel.
If you need help, have a -uestion, or dont no" "here something is, as a staff mem$er,
volunteer, or even other attendees. 0hey are usually very happy to help you.
'e considerate of your fello" fans. (ont sit in the front ro" of an event if you have a
huge costume on. (ont tell other fans the sho"s they lie are stupid. (ont insult a
fello" fans costume. 9emem$er, at the end of the day, "ere all !ust dors in costumes.
>ollo" the rules. %ost conventions outline their rules online and in the program $oo
you get at registration. A general rule of thum$ is if its illegal outside the convention, its
illegal inside.
As $efore taing someones picture. %ost people are happy to have you tae their
picture (or else they "ouldnt have "orn a cool costume in the first place,) $ut some are
not and others might need a moment to get their costume straightened and pose for you.
Its common con courtesy.
(ont $loc hall"ays or other "al"ays. If you can, move to the side to tae a picture of
a costume or chat "ith someone.
(ont forget to $athe, eat, and drin. I no" youre having a good time, $ut not doing
these things is $ad for you and the people around you.
/ine up in advance. 0his is more important at larger conventions, $ut it is still a good idea
to eep in mind. %any popular events, such as voice actor panels, concerts, and the
mas-uerade, fill up -uicly. #ou might not even $e a$le to get in if you "ait too long.
After the Con
#ouve possi$ly caught the con plague and might have had a good time $ut there "ere a fe"
incidents youd rather forget. #ou may have had the time of your life and are s-uirming in
e)citement !ust thining of ne)t year.
'oth reactions are understanda$le. If you had the $est time ever, I hope you have !ust as much
fun ne)t year. If you didnt en!oy your first con at all, theres no reason to go $ac. I suggest,
ho"ever, not to let an imperfect, or even a $ad con, ruin the entire e)perience for you. Ive $een
to many cons over the years and had good ones and not1so1good ones.
5appy conventioning,