Anime Expo!

xiaonu

どうぶつの森
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Is anyone going to Anime Expo this July? or has anyone been to a convention before? Or have any tips? I'd like to discuss it~ I'm very excited for my first con. :)
 
Well I'm not going (obviously, since it's in America and I live in England ^^), but I've been to cons before and I suppose that they're all pretty much the same sort of thing anyway, in terms of what's available and what you can do and what to expect. I've only been to a couple myself, but I've learned a lot from just going to them. xD

- Like Mariah said, bring lots of water. Lots and lots of it. Especially since it's in summer, you're going to be boiling hot. It can be pretty cramped in some convention centers which means it gets hot easily, also if you're going to wear cosplay, 99.9% of the time you will feel very hot whilst wearing that, so just bring along water to keep you cool and hydrated, and maybe one of those small, pocket fans.
- Bring your own lunch, too! I went to a con before and there really was not much available in terms of food. :( Since I am quite a fussy eater, I didn't have much choice, and of course, because so many other people are there too, they're going to be queuing up to get food too, so you'll probably end up having to wait a while. Maybe it's different at Anime Expo, who knows? Maybe there are some restaurants nearby (maybe do some research on that before you go), but definitely just bring along some snacks because if you get hungry whilst walking around, at least you can have something to eat to give you plenty of energy.
- Get plenty of sleep the night before. Going to a con is a very, very busy day. You might have to leave early to travel, which will wear you out, and no doubt you will be walking around the majority of the day (so bring comfortable shoes to wear - if you're wearing cosplay, just bring along some spare shoes anyway so if they are hurting your feet, you can change into some more comfy shoes). Just make sure you have loads of energy: Don't do what my friend did, which was got NO sleep the night before, didn't bring any pack lunch or anything, so she ended up just fainting from exhaustion. x3 Convention centers can get really crowded and busy, so you need to make sure you have lots of energy because there may not be many places to sit down. :(
- If you are wearing cosplay, you might get people asking for your photo. Of course if you don't want your picture taken, don't be afraid to say no! If people continue to harass you, don't be afraid to talk to security. Unfortunately, I've heard a few stories of that happening before, but it is quite rare. However, there's nothing wrong in just giving you a heads up on it! :)
- Finally, when you go to a con, you may be very tempted to spend lots of money. Do not be afraid to bring a large amount of money, but remember to budget yourself, also don't try to bring too much in case somebody steals it. Don't bother taking a credit/debit card with you, the cash machines there always have loads of people queuing by it anyway. ;x

I hope these tips have helped you, it's always good to make sure you are well-prepared for your first con so it can be an enjoyable experience for you. :) I'm sure you will have a great time. :D
 
I used to go to the local anime con every year but I haven't for some time now. I only go to the comic con now, which is much more fun imo. Suits my interests better and I find people to be a bit elitist and bossy at anime cons compared to comic... Might just be here though.
BUT here's some advice that's good for any type of convention/event:

1-If you're going a whole day pack water for sure, it's been said, it's so important. I would add to also pack snacks even if you plan on eating at a place there. Chances are there will be a lot of waiting and you will be hungry as heck.

2-Don't be dressed too warm, wear comfy shoes and don't bring anything too heavy.

3-I suggest having a purse or bag that's easily accessible. Backpacks can quickly be annoying and you might accidently bump them into people. Better to have a messenger bag.

4-Also pack a couple of tote bags if you're planning on buying merch. Plastic bags have a really hard time all day in events like that.

5- Bring cash in small notes, it'll be easier to pay and count your change.

5- Have a general idea of what pannels and events you want to attend and when/where they'll be, or you might end up frustrated and bored!

6- Don't be afraid to talk to people. Seriously. Even the most shy people go to these events to talk and socialize, if you want to make great friends that share similar interests it's now or never. Almost all my very close and long term friends I have met at comic con, whether randomly or because they were going with someone I knew.

7- Bring your 3DS! Streetpass galore. :D Make sure it's well tucked away in your bag though, same for your wallet.

That's all I can think of right now, have fun!
 
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If you're female, don't wander around too much alone. There are quite a few creepy people. Some are fairly polite, but then there's people who will try to sneak pics of you and get you in their car all the time hah. So yeah, team up and be wary of people asking for hugs or whatnot.

If you're cosplaying, don't be afraid to deny people of pictures. I went with a group called Kumacos since my sister cosplays quite avidly, it took hours to move through the con because of all the photos and pull-asides. When they didn't have the time, they just politely told everyone they had to go and etc.

And lastly, please don't hover around someone's station too long in artist's alley if you don't plan to buy.
 
If you're female, don't wander around too much alone. There are quite a few creepy people. Some are fairly polite, but then there's people who will try to sneak pics of you and get you in their car all the time hah. So yeah, team up and be wary of people asking for hugs or whatnot.

If you're cosplaying, don't be afraid to deny people of pictures. I went with a group called Kumacos since my sister cosplays quite avidly, it took hours to move through the con because of all the photos and pull-asides. When they didn't have the time, they just politely told everyone they had to go and etc.

And lastly, please don't hover around someone's station too long in artist's alley if you don't plan to buy.

Yeah at my first con a bunch of creepy old dudes kept taking my picture without permission, like at least ask.
Im going to anime expo! I cant wait
 
Thanks for the tips everyone!! I look forward to it. I appreciate the detailed help. I can't wait :)
 
I used to go to the local anime con every year but I haven't for some time now. I only go to the comic con now, which is much more fun imo. Suits my interests better and I find people to be a bit elitist and bossy at anime cons compared to comic... Might just be here though.
BUT here's some advice that's good for any type of convention/event:

1-If you're going a whole day pack water for sure, it's been said, it's so important. I would add to also pack snacks even if you plan on eating at a place there. Chances are there will be a lot of waiting and you will be hungry as heck.

2-Don't be dressed too warm, wear comfy shoes and don't bring anything too heavy.

3-I suggest having a purse or bag that's easily accessible. Backpacks can quickly be annoying and you might accidently bump them into people. Better to have a messenger bag.

4-Also pack a couple of tote bags if you're planning on buying merch. Plastic bags have a really hard time all day in events like that.

5- Bring cash in small notes, it'll be easier to pay and count your change.

5- Have a general idea of what pannels and events you want to attend and when/where they'll be, or you might end up frustrated and bored!

6- Don't be afraid to talk to people. Seriously. Even the most shy people go to these events to talk and socialize, if you want to make great friends that share similar interests it's now or never. Almost all my very close and long term friends I have met at comic con, whether randomly or because they were going with someone I knew.

7- Bring your 3DS! Streetpass galore. :D Make sure it's well tucked away in your bag though, same for your wallet.

That's all I can think of right now, have fun!

great tips!
 
Did anyone go to AX this year? I went all 4 days and it was extremely crowded to when I went in 2014. o.o
I got some merchandise, such as a mouse pad of Dva from Overwatch. An itabag with lots of pins and charms from artist alley, some Love Live plushies from Exhibit hall, and saw some panels ^^.
 
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My friend's mom tried to convince me to go to SacAnime but I am not a people person and I am horribly claustrophobic so there's no way in hell I am going. Also I am not a huge Anime fan. I like the idea of Conventions but physically I don't think I could do it. The only convention I think I will ever attend is a reptile show, they usually aren't super crowded and I'd be able to distract myself with cute scale children.
 
i knew something was off when i saw mariah...

the last time i went to an anime convention was around may/june at animinneapolis. i'm also going to another convention on the 23rd of this month and actually will be cosplaying!
 
i knew something was off when i saw mariah...

the last time i went to an anime convention was around may/june at animinneapolis. i'm also going to another convention on the 23rd of this month and actually will be cosplaying!

I didn't even notice! wow this got pulled up from ancient times!
 
That's actually very funny of you to say. I just came back from a Japanese Culture expo! It's not Anime Expo, but it's close enough, especially since I live in Brazil and these don't exist here. I imagine Anime Expo is way more crowded? From what I know I think you should probably take a water bottle with you (as big as possible, since you can't refill it for free), wear tennis since you'll walk a lot and generally be careful with creepers. There a lot of them in these kinds of conventions, sadly. Especially if you're cosplaying.
 
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