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(Picture note - "Battle Cabbit"
cosplay idea creative rights to Asuka
and CarrotMuncher.
Cabbit is a copyright of Pioneer Animation's Tenchi
Muyo)
The idea of a convention is something
that's been around for longer than even anime has been
in existence. For years, official gatherings of people
with the same interests have served to bring together
communities, whether it be for the technical, the scientific,
or the entertainment-oriented. For a form of entertainment
or a hobby, however, the existence of a convention dedicated
to it is a sign of its success and dedication of both
its fans and those individuals who make their livelihood
from supporting it. Those of you who are reading this
who have been to conventions dedicated to other forms
of entertainment surely realize this.
 Anime
conventions are no different. They provide the same
kinds of benefits as a normal entertainment of hobby-themed
convention does - the same sense of community and, of
course, fun. But even though one may know essentially
what a convention is and what it does, the experience
of being at an anime convention is something that is
unique and easy to get lost in without the proper preparation.
This class is for those of you who are apprehensive,
yet eager to jump into the anime convention scene for
the first time. With my tips and short crash course
handy, you'll be sufficiently equipped to check out
the convention scene.
Let's
start with a simple definition from our Otaku
Dictionary:
Con
(KAHN)
n. - Slang or short for "convention". There are a lot
of kinds of conventions. In regards to the anime genre,
a convention consists commonly of dealer's rooms full
of imported CD's, posters, and other Japanese anime
merchandise, video rooms which show different kinds
of anime, panels of guests or fans discussing various
issues, masquerade/cosplay, artist sketches and drawings,
and much more. Cons are a way of gathering large groups
of anime fans in one place to have fun and have a good
time talking anime. Generally, staff working these cons
are anime fans, and can be characterized as funny, hard-working,
and a little bit on the crazy/insane side (like talking
about evil things you can do with White Castle burgers,
for example). One such con is Anime
Central,
held in Chicago every year.
ex. - I heard that Anime Central was a great con
to attend.
other forms - cons (pl.), convention (n.)
All
right, perhaps it's not so simple, but it's easy to
get the gist of what an anime convention is from reading
it carefully. Most anime conventions have a number of
different things going on. You can expect to see fan-driven
events such as panels on anime series favorites and
anime-style art displays. You can also see a fair amount
of "official" events such as the masquerade,
involving fans who dress in anime costumes like my friend
in the picture above. Anime conventions overall possess
a certain kind of mood and flavor as compared to other
types of conventions, because of their cross-cultural
nature. The appreciation of anime is the appreciation
of the entertainment of another culture, and the presence
of Japanese guests at many anime cons is reflective
of this. While anime conventions in general have enjoyed
a relatively short history (only about 10 or 12 years)
they have nevertheless become one of the best places
to meet other people who like anime.
I'm
sure you're raring to find out what to do when it comes
to anime cons, so let's find out what you should do
before the con to insure a good first experience.
>>Go
to Lesson 2 - Preparation: Pre-Con Tasks
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