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Anime Los Angeles 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
The main entrance of the Long Beach Convention Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Otakon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
The vendor hall booths were spaced extra far apart.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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L.A. Comic Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
The South Hall lobby is the main entrance to the vendor hall.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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When Conventions Cancel<\/h4>\n published 4 years ago<\/span>\n
NAB statement announcing the cancellation of the 2020 convention.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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When Conventions Cancel<\/h4>\n published 4 years ago<\/span>\n
A statement from Emerald City Comic Con<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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When Conventions Cancel<\/h4>\n published 4 years ago<\/span>\n
As someone who attends a lot of conventions, I am keenly attentive to conventions cancelling. The concerns around COVID-19 are really starting to affect conventions, including three that I have been planning to attend (Emerald City Comic Con<\/a>, Sakura-Con<\/a>, and NAB<\/a>). I assume that most conventions consider attendee safety their number one concern, even though you probably won\'t see it listed in any of their documentation. It\'s assumed that safety is a number one priority, so what happens when a convention is cancelled to meet that priority?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Texas: The Birth of an Anime Convention<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
C2E2 is among the largest comic conventions in the US. Click to read the article<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Texas: The Birth of an Anime Convention<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
A Fandom Events cosplay contest.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Texas: The Birth of an Anime Convention<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
“A lot of it comes from fan feedback,” Josh explains. “We really try to listen to people in different communities and different parts of our neck of the woods who say, ‘Hey! I traveled here from X city to attend a show. I really would like it if you would think about hosting an event in my hometown.’ Of course we take those requests into consideration when we hear them repeatedly. Another thing we like to do is look in those markets where there’s not already a vibrant, healthy community or event that would support it. One of the reasons I held off for so many years on hosting any type of convention in Dallas Fort Worth is because you could throw a rock in any direction on a weekend and you would probably hit an anime con or comic con. They’re everywhere - all over the metroplex.”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Texas: The Birth of an Anime Convention<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
“A lot of events arise out of a club or a community and they’re interested in sharing their passions with other people who share the same interests. A lot of them will start off at a library or a high school. Sometimes they\'ll do it as a nonprofit to get a break on a venue. So you’ve got those community events and then you go all the way up to the multi million dollar corporate enterprises such as Anime Expo, New York, San Diego comic con, Dragon Con etc. Fandom Events is somewhere in between.”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Texas: The Birth of an Anime Convention<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
“My wife and I really enjoyed anime conventions hosted at hotels. When we both got into the scene around 2006 to 2008 you could go to a hotel and spend the weekend with fans in cosplay. You would see the same faces over the three days. There was programming and things to do. You could meet a voice actor or two, or all of them if you felt like it, but you didn’t have to because they weren’t the only cool thing happening at the show. Today there’s hardly any comics at a comic con. You actually used to be able to meet comic guests - comic artists and illustrators. It’s no fault of their own but when the Marvel cinematic universe launched, people would much rather meet the actor who played Venom more than Sam DeLaRosa who inked Venom comics. Sam is a friend of mine, so it was disheartening to see that happen in real time. With our shows we pivoted away from creating events where really the only thing to do was to go in for about an hour, hour and a half, meet a celebrity, walk around the vendor floor and then leave.”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Sakura-Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
Sakura-Con is held annually on Easter weekend which makes it pretty easy to plan for. Hotels are never difficult to book and except for this year, online registration is never a problem. Picking up your badge is another matter however.\n\nOne standout feature of this convention is the fact that it runs 24/7 over the three days. You can literally play video games or camp out in the anime viewing rooms all night long. That\'s usually only found at the hotel based conventions like DragonCon<\/a>. Comic conventions usually close down around 6 PM, but Sakura-Con goes all night. There are two dances, or raves, and they run from 9 PM until 4 AM. Kudos to the sound company because the sound system was pumping.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Sakura-Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
The main stage and autograph hall sit side-by-side in the large halls on floor four. At Sakura-Con you don\'t have to pay to get autographs from the guests. This is a refreshing change from comic cons that can charge a lot of money for a photo op. The adjacent lobby is quite impressive with its tall ceiling and monolithic cube structure. There you\'ll find the Sakura-Con merchandise table and a cafe with some interesting menu items - more on that below. The geometric concrete structure has a varied wood grain texture and houses a lot of plants which makes it feel a bit like a greenhouse.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Sakura-Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
The Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) is pretty much your standard civic convention center. It has large halls and lots of panel rooms. It\'s home to the original PAX<\/a> and also Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC)<\/a>. Initial construction was completed in 1988 and expansion is ongoing. The main building features a distinct block-shaped architecture and sits next to a beautifully maintained park with the unimaginative name of Freeway Park.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Katsucon 2020<\/h4>\n published 3 years ago<\/span>\n
The convention space<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Anime Expo 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
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I\'m nearly finished with my
Anime Expo<\/a> video, so keep an eye out for that one and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel<\/a>.\n\nI\'m currently at San Diego Comic Con<\/a> working on another video, and I\'ll be at Otakon<\/a> the following week. It\'s been a busy summer so far.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Otakon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
The entrance queue wrapped around the building.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Otakon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
I also recently attended San Diego Comic Con and Otakon, so I\'ll be working on those videos soon.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Otakon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
The decision to require masks and vaccines seems to be as much about public relations and optics as it is about health. The appearance of doing something is better than not doing anything, especially when those in support of masking are so publicly vocal about it. That was the case with Emerald City Comic Con and Anime Expo<\/a>. Both conventions dropped their mask and vaccine requirements for their 2022 events, but were then met by the vocal mask supporters. These people made a big stink on social media claiming to have the higher moral ground by supporting masking and vaccine requirements. Both conventions then backtracked and reinstated the requirements, frustrating those opposed. It\'s really a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. The problem with this kind of decision making is that it shows how it revolves around public sentiment and not actual health data. Otakon at least held onto their policies from the beginning.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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FanimeCon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
This wraps up my coverage of Sakura-Con. I have a few weeks off before I start a run of three more conventions: Fanime, ColossalCon, and Yeticon. I have a feeling I\'ll be busy well into July 😧. I\'m also trying to attend San Diego Comic Con, but it\'s a tough one to get into.\n\nFollow me on social media to see updates. Links below.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Otakon 2021 - The Anime Convention That Nearly Died<\/h4>\n published 3 years ago<\/span>\n
I’ve already written about my first convention held during the pandemic, ColossalCon<\/a>. It was a great experience and it felt great being back at a con after everything was shutdown for a year. It’s interesting to see how quickly things can change in just two months. The Delta variant has shifted the coronavirus situation from moving back to normal, as it seemed in June of 2021, to moving back to wearing masks and the threat of lockdowns in August of 2021. As I was writing this article, events like Dragon Con and Emerald City Comic Con announced that proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test will be required to attend. The landscape of conventions is ever shifting under pandemic concerns.\n\nOtakon required masks at their convention. This was a decision put in place by Otakon well before the newest Washington D.C. mask mandate was declared<\/a>. From what I saw it looked like pretty much everyone complied with the mask mandate and I didn’t personally hear any complaints. There were calls by some beforehand to require proof of vaccines and some suggesting that holding a convention like this is irresponsible<\/a>. These are the same kinds of comments every convention has faced since the pandemic began. Some people are fine attending an event like this, with a mask or without, while others want to avoid them altogether. This is really how it’s gonna be for the foreseeable future. The coronavirus situation is still evolving and no one can say for certain what the future will hold. I personally will try to enjoy myself while I can.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
Yep, a comic con has comics 😁.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2022<\/h4>\n published 2 years ago<\/span>\n
I\'m not your average attendee. My purpose in attending events like WonderCon is to capture cosplayers on video and make my cosplay music videos. If I\'m attending as official press I will make a point to document my experience and I usually try to attend some panels. There\'s a whole world of movie, television, and other professional media events going on at WonderCon that some people aren\'t even aware of. Before the convention I was getting emails informing me about producers and actors who would be speaking on behalf of their latest project. It\'s more of an industry event than many other comic conventions.\n\nIf you\'re a cosplayer you attend WonderCon to show off your new build. There are a lot of eyes to see you there and many more online if you make it into photos and videos like mine. The cosplay content runs the gamut of comic book, movie, anime and more. One of my favorites was an Elsa (Frozen) mashed up with Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat, complete with the detached bloody head of Olaf. It\'s the kind of cosplay I see at DragonCon and it made me smile despite the grisly gore.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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C2E2 - Chicago's Comic Con<\/h4>\n published 3 years ago<\/span>\n
C2E2 is a comic convention and not an anime convention like I so often attend. That generally means there\'s more comic and pop culture cosplay than anime cosplay. There were so many great cosplayers at C2E2 and I captured more for my cosplay music video than I usually do (over 100 people!). The level of talent is truly inspiring. I saw some excellent props, hair/wig styling, makeup, and costuming.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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C2E2 - Chicago's Comic Con<\/h4>\n published 3 years ago<\/span>\n
C2E2 is a convention for fans of all kinds. Anime, comics, movies and television, cosplay, gaming, and so much more. The full title is a mouthful - Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo. It’s operated by one of the largest companies of its type, ReedPop<\/a>, who also operates New York Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, Florida Supercon, PAX, MCM London, and many other large events. C2E2 gives Chicagoans and anyone else willing to travel an opportunity to immerse themselves in a celebratory atmosphere.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Book That Room!<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
\nThis month I will be traveling to Chicago for Anime Central<\/a> (no video though), Atlanta for MomoCon<\/a>, and finally Ohio for Colossalcon<\/a>.\n\nLooking further ahead I\'ll be at Anime Expo<\/a> and Otakon<\/a> in July. There\'s a possibility that I\'ll be attending San Diego Comic Con<\/a>, but it mostly depends on me getting a badge 😄.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Katsucon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
Click to watch the L.A. Comic Con cosplay music video on YouTube<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Katsucon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
\nI just released my L.A. Comic Con cosplay music video on YouTube. Click to watch the 8K HDR video.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
WonderCon is a comic convention held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim California. Operated by Comic Con International<\/a>, the same company that runs the very popular San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon is an absolute blast of a convention. It’s as though the company knows how to step aside and just let people have a good time. Too many conventions want the event to be about itself, constantly reminding you of how great it is. WonderCon sets the stage and gives you, the attendee, the opportunity to shine.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
\nThe real story for me is the cosplay. California has a great community of cosplayers. They come to have fun, meet people, have conversations, and of course to show off their cosplay. Their cosplays run the gamut from comic book to movies to anime. You’ll see funny mashups and incredible impersonators. The atmosphere is light-hearted and relaxed. You can people watch all day and be very entertained. I saw many a familiar face, but I also met some new people who I asked to film. It’s always best to ask a cosplayer for permission before taking photo or video of them. This courtesy is more commonly known at anime conventions than comic cons and I found myself educating a person or two about this while at WonderCon. For the most part they are the uninformed casual attendee who means well. They just want to snap a cell phone pic of something cool they saw so they can share it with a friend or relative. I didn’t see any bad actors sniping shots on a telephoto lens like I did at Anime Expo<\/a>.\n\nPlease enjoy this gallery of still frames from my cosplay music video. Be sure to give it a watch!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
From a cosplay perspective, the Anaheim Convention Center is a great venue. It has a fantastic outdoor promenade, beautifully landscaped with plants and bushes and lined with tall palm trees. A choreograph of brickwork lines the walking paths while the sun filters through the palm branches. A fountain with jets and colored lights sits at the main entrance which is made obvious by the grand sweeping wall of glass. During the convention it’s plastered with a massive advertisement for the newest TV show or movie. This year it was a new movie called Knights of the Zodiac. That’s okay, because it fits the environment of Comic Con which embraces the production industry and comic-related media.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
Convention center staff were polite and even welcoming. They were stationed at the entry points and simply looked for badges. Security checkpoints were mostly visual checks for anything prohibited. There were no metal detectors and I had no problems walking through with clunky camera gear.\n\nI wish I could report on the variety and quality of the programming, but I didn’t attend any panels or events. My schedule is cosplay, cosplay, and more cosplay, followed by a quick run through the vendor hall. Comic Con International is known for hosting industry panels where actors, producers, writers and other professionals participate. Big name celebrities are less common at WonderCon compared to San Diego Comic Con, but they still make appearances. From my experience at San Diego, I’m certain that the panels at WonderCon offer the same professional presentations. The audio and video systems are fully functional and professionally operated. The stages are skirted and have WonderCon skip and repeat backdrops. The tables have paper tents with the hosts’ names on them. At the larger panels with sign language interpreters, they have their own dedicated audio monitor. It’s a big step up from pretty much every anime convention I’ve attended.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WonderCon 2023<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
The vendor hall is very large, as you would expect. It has a mix of everything from comic book dealers, to guest booths, non-profit organizations, fellow conventions, and general nerdy merch sellers. Funko had a large display selling their plastic statues. People still eat that stuff up, walking out with massive Funko bags full of product. It’s also home to the autograph and photo areas. As with most comic cons, you pay in advance to have your opportunity to meet a celebrity.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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L.A. Comic Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
The \"horseshoes\" area is a popular photography area during Anime Expo, but is just a valet parking area during LA Comic Con.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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L.A. Comic Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n
It felt odd to be at the Los Angeles Convention Center for an event other than Anime Expo<\/a>. Having only ever visited that venue for AX, it’s a bit of a Twilight Zone or alternate reality experience. It has much the same layout with the vendor hall, panels, cosplay and food vendors, but instead of anime everywhere and the AX-themed marketing, it’s a comic con.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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L.A. Comic Con 2022<\/h4>\n published 1 year ago<\/span>\n