Anime conventions are organized with the sole purpose of bringing anime lovers together. The events actually offer fun filled moments that give you an opportunity to meet popular characters. Besides that, you can fascinate other guests by showing up in anime costumes without worrying about what people will say. If you don’t have limited resources, you can craft an outfit that will make you resemble one of the characters. You can also opt to watch an anime movie while at the convention. And unlike Halloween that comes once every year, anime conventions are held almost every month.
Fortunately there is an app that you can use to monitor the conventions calendar to ensure you don’t miss any. You can also take pictures of the amazing displays and add them into your photo gallery once you get back home.
There are also lots of stuff that are sold in various stands. Apart from meeting anime celebrities, attending the conference gives you a chance to learn more about the art. There are actually anime gurus who give speeches to visitors.
The most interesting bit is that you can dance to your favourite tunes and win prize money by participating in either of the contests. There are actually so many things that can keep you entertained during anime conventions. Here is a list of the conventions that you can’t afford to miss if you are mad about anime.
Otakon
Otakon is arguably one of the best conventions that are held to celebrate anime. For a start, the staff that serves in this convention are trained to be friendly towards guests even as the number continues to swell. Initially, the convention used to be held in Baltimore. The major attractions of the conference those days were the ice cold water guy and the Inner Harbor.
But as the number of guests continued to go through the roof, the organizers realized that the venue could not accommodate many people. This compelled them to find a spacious venue in Washington DC. Since 2017, all Otakon conventions have been taking place in the new venue. Some of the entertainment that attracts huge crowds are performances by renowned bands like Flow, Jam project, homemade kazoku and TM Revolution. There are also appearances by anime producers and characters.
Anime Boston
The fact that there is an anime conference that happens every year in Boston means that the art enjoys a huge following in the state. The convention started way back in 2003. The major attraction of the event is a masquerade ball that allows guests to showcase their best anime outfits as they imitate the characters.
If you are lucky, you can win some prizes at the AMV contest. One of the most notable personalities that has ever graced the convention is Shinichiro Watanabe, the producer of Cowboy Bebop in 2013.
Anime Expo
No one thought that anime could hold conventions at the heart of Holly Wood. In fact, the convention that takes place in Los Angeles, dubbed Anime Expo is the largest. According to statistics data, it’s believed that the event attracts more than 100,000 people every year.
That’s definitely an overwhelming following in an area that’s usually perceived to be Holly Wood’s stronghold. In fact, the convention takes place in four consecutive days. This is done to give the huge crowds an opportunity to see the various cosplays. For the best experience, you should go to the venue as early as possible. This will spare you from the trouble of waiting in long queues.
Sakura-Con
Sakura convention was started by a small group of people way back in 1998. During the convention’s inception, the organizers did not think that it would last more than a couple of years because there were not many activities to keep the visitors engaged.
The convention has actually passed the test time. These days the convention attracts more than 25,000 people from within and beyond Seattle. During the convention, you should expect to see cosplay parades and contests such as karaoke, skitting and modelling among others.
Anime New York City
One would have a big city like New York to have many people that enjoy watching anime films. There are actually several anime conventions that stopped happening after just a few years due to low crowd turnout. In fact, you would not notice any difference in the streets during such an occasion.
The good news is that the number of anime fans is growing dramatically. This is because the number of visitors has been increasing every year, pushing the organizers to bring in more exciting activities such as contests, games, films and cosplays.