Foreign anime conventions

I'm curious about visiting one in China for once to see what it's like.

>poo.jpg

I was gonna answer but nah

>>8893973

lol i save all temp images as poo

I know no one will bother visiting Israel for the conventions, but I found you some videos of conventions here.
>Cosplay contest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVqN-SW_ab8
>General cosplay video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTi5cg3uYFw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MulRgkafrE
>Some amusing ones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhMO6mEMUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxuOShbw-zk

UK here
They're shit

>Portugal

Cosplay centric, hardly any activities that don't have to do with cosplay
Cons are never "stay over the weekend", you go there for 3h and leave
The community is only interested in cosplay drama and not actually improving the events or doing activities, or talking about japanese pop culture, as you can read in the thread
Bootlegs for sale from the same anime, One Piece, SAO, Vocaloid etc.
Some artist stands

Tl;dr Not worth the money you pay to go unless you are cosplaying

File: untitled-54.jpg (186KB, 1018x766px) Image search: [Google]

186KB, 1018x766px

Asian anon here, I only go to a few cons here (mostly HK) but in some countries they are pretty similar.

>Really cheap artist alley and entry fee, one day pass is like US$3 and charms US$1-4
>Prints are not popular here at all? People mostly only sell it postcards and focuses more on other merchandises like buttons and charms.
>Did I mention that everything is a lot cheaper and America cons prices really surprise me

>No panels.
>Nobody interested in panels either.
>Cosplayers are everywhere but they actually have special areas for taking pictures of cosplayers where they provide them with some photography equipment (Don't know what they're called but it's the huge ass lights.)

>A lot of official booths and stores that you need to line up to.
>Animate store takes 2 hours to line up to and sometimes it gets so bad that they closed the line.
>The official booths are pretty cool though, they have some for the current popular anime like KNB and Love Live.

There's probably more but I don't remember them that well right now.

Brazil here, I'm going to talk about anime cons in São Paulo.

>cons at colleges/schools/campo de Marte
>mostly from 8-9am to 7-9pm
>you have to come all the way from your house
>long line to get inside, under the sun and rain
>often opens one+ hours late
>rude security at bag check
>cannot get in with sprays or metal objects, yet people manage to
>people inside the con are nice tho
>you get a paper bracelet, no badges or other items.
>there's often a bunch of people at the door or inside asking you to subscribe for a draw
>all contest or tournament spots are open about one hour after the doors open, so people rush to it
>most cosplayers are tiny girls
>most people go to see friends, you don't see many people by themselves and if they are, they are creeps
>no pannels
>shows all day, different cover bands or Japanese groups
>cosplay/karaoke/cospoor/lolita contests
>most times cosplayers have dressing rooms for them but you mostly have to change in front of everyone in there
>anything that goes on stage often ends up a bit late
>no raves
>no alcohol
>sometimes you're not allowed to bring your food
>expensive unhealthy food inside, but that's slowly changing
>family friendly
>if you're walking half naked and call it cosplay you will become the National joke and probably be banned (towel girls were a famous tale)
>theme rooms such as: lolita teaparty, maid café, furry world, photo studios, fandoms, tokusatsu, etc.
>imported food stands
>most stores sell handmade or figures, you can find similar products in different stores
>sometimes the same store buys 3 different locations inside the con to sell stuff
>no elevators
>more than one stage
>big Manga stores with common prices

But if you wanna know about ccxp and BGS, it's a whole different level

>>8894506
Not OP, but thanks anon!
I'm from the US but I'm planning on going to Brazil to see my family and I also wanted to plan some time for myself to go to a convention while there. I started doing some research on the best ones to go to (my senpai is in Rio but I'm also traveling elsewhere) so I'm curious which you'd recommend! I'm into anime and comics equally so that's not a factor.

>>8894271
>No panels.
>Nobody interested in panels either.
what? what do you guys even do?

>>8894506
This makes me so depressed...

>>8894506
does this also apply to AnimeFriends?

>>8894551
You hang with friends and shop? Panels are like shit in the UK so no one really ever bothers with them, gives more time for photos + generally trying to hunt down everyone you know

>>8894506
I am moving to rural MG next year (from Australia) so I had pretty much abandoned the idea of ever cosplaying again, this hasn't really changed my mind.

Looking at the CCXP website though, I am surprised by how many major guests are attending. It looks to be on the same level to some of the US or European cons - more impressive than anything we have in Australia anyway.

What's the average age like for cosplayers and con attendance in Brazil? Is it considered creepy for older people (say college graduates and above) to participate?

Sweden here, regarding cons in general.

Cons here are very casual and are usually housed in rented schools, museums or other public spaces. A lot of people sleep in sleeping halls rather than hotels, the halls are run by the convention and tend to be emptied school gyms or class rooms.

Lots of cosplay, guests are generally half famous cosplayers and most panels are centered around cosplay in some way. As I said it's very casual and a lot of people mainly go there to hang with friends and stuff and it doesn't have a lot of the cool official stuff many American cons have.

We have a comic con but I've never been able to go there so I don't know how "comic" it is, but all other cons are fairly anime and whatever is popular on Tumblr ATM. Also a lot of SJW talk, including a panel called "fatphobia in cosplay" that crops up every now and then.

>>8894544
Then I'd recommend ccxp, since it's in a better spot, safer and has much more to do (also very full, but when I went last year it was totally worth it)

>>8894711
Yes, anime friends is the one at Campo de Marte, they don't even have actual restrooms.
After people here went to ccxp no one likes anime friends anymore except for those who were salty because they couldn't afford the tickets. It used to be the best con in the country but now it isn't anymore and it's a waste of time and money.

>>8894829

It isn't creepy so don't worry. I myself am a little bit older, and most people who enter contests are 20-35
I'd say the majority of cosplayers are between 14 and 18, but what happens is that most of those buy their costumes while us the older ones make and sell them and take more risks when trying new things.
If you want to feel better, the guy who won ccxp's contest just turned 30!
To be honest people don't even ask your age around here so no one really notices or cares

>>8894866
>Sweden
>SJW talk
Who woulda thunk it

>>8893958
scottish conventions suck so dont come here

>>8894544
don't
go
to
Rio

>>8894829
MG has a lot of conventions too, from "festival do Japão" to "Anime Festival". They're smaller, and safer than Rio or São Paulo's convention, I'd suggest you try them sometime (Festival do Japão is the best to go.
There you can find:
> Japanese food
> Panels
> Cosplay
> Lolita
> JKei
> Japanese cultural presentations
> Workshops
> No Lines
> Air conditioned
> Parking lot
> Access through the subway
> Nice price ranges
> Contests and cosplay workshops

I'd surely recommend this one :)

>>8893968
Don't go to China, even for a con.
Hong Kong conventions are great. Lots of skilled and/or pretty cosplay/ers, content is great and all relatively cheap entry.
However most of the HK cosplayers are horrible people and do anything to spite you if you're better than them, or laugh at them if you are worse.
>>8894271
HK person as well, just not Asian. I also can't get over how cheap entry is. In Australia it has gotten so expensive in the last 3 years and it's ridiculous.
Can I ask for the HK cosplayer's version of 4chan? I know it exists but I don't know how to search for it, so if you know it that'd be great.

The official booths are worth the line up if you're going to buy something. Although the heat and inability to breathe once you're in can be troublesome, so I try to get in and get out as soon as I can.

>>8895008
Tbh for me HK cons are overcrowded and generally not all that cosplay friendly. Its really a let down if you dont know anyone/go with a friend because no one will talk to you, especially if you're an english speaker.

The merch/artist alley quality is top notch but cosplaying is such a hassle when its so hot and stuffy in an enclosed space.


>Australia

expensive entry. Cons are mainly pop culture based around the country but a handful of city exclusive cons for anime/manga cons.

Overall noob to average tier cosplays. Have madman competitions at a few. Lots of space to photoshoot/get photos taken but cosplay photographers aren't a big thing.

Asking here bc gods know where else to ask;
I'm moving to Japan (technically, back to but I was 7 when I left.), anyone know what the con culture is like over there?

>>8894829
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI5REuhvGFM
Don't worry about it, there are all kinds of people. Yeah, they're managing to bring more actors and brands every year and it's getting pretty big.

>>8895021
If youre a cosplayer theres strict rules in regards to cosplay, usually they have set areas for it and you cant enter/exit a con in cosplay. You have to get changed out before you leave.

>>8893968
I went to China once for a two week architecture course, and while I was on a bus in Beijing, we passed a bunch of cosplayers outside of some big building, and I had to fight to contain my weebing. The costumes all looked store bought, though.

>>8893968

Ok, Mainland China stories.

Oh, anon. China is crazy when it comes to cosplay. This hobby is extremely popular since every university has it's own cosplay club. The conventions are often centered around some big contest or preliminaries.

Most people attending the con aren't cosplayers and are around 17. You can buy a lot of (fake) stuff. The cosplay contests can be incredible if you're in a big city (like, seriously incredible) and not great if you're in a small city. There are soooo many conventions, on one weekend there can be around four or five all around the country.

There are also cosplay guests and they normally judge the contests.The cosplay guests can be extremely popular cosplayers and their fans are going crazy, buying all their stuff and so an.

The thing is, the contests alone can take up from 3 to 8 hours without a break, and I'm not even kidding. So it can be kinda tiring.

You can ask me if you have more questions

>>8895008
Why should no one go to China though? China can be pretty amazing and fun. I get it that you don't like it since you're a HK person, but come on. If you don't like the government: the people are not the government.

>>8895035
And I forgot to add, 90% of cosplayers don't make their own costumes, they buy them from taobao or commission them.

>>8895035
do you have photos of competition winners?
The costumes have to be hand made right?

>>8895042
Yeah, I have to search for them though. Haha, NO! The costumes for the competitions do not have to be hand made at all. They can be all bought from taobao. But most big groups commission them though. There are, in fact, a few groups, who are making the cosplays themselves, but the thing is, it's normally 2 or 3 people who are doing everything for everyone because they can sew or do props. Still, these kinds of groups are a minority.

>>8895035
Let me reword what I said, I was half joking sorry. I mean China is fantastic, there is so much history and beauty, and you can't ever be bored there as it's so large and (older definition of) awesome.
The people in China, especially the children are so sick. Everywhere I go there's a child throwing up and crying. Also everything is so dirty and super dangerous.
Seeing children and even adults pissing and shitting everywhere is disgusting, and majority of the public toilets are terrible, too.
In short, China is corrupt and dangerous, but holds such power and is so amazing and beautiful at the same time.
To keep it related, I haven't been to a con in China but thanks for sharing some info.

>>8895015
Yeah. I don't have many friends in HK, and none I am close to, and I am not willing to go to a con by myself for that reason.
However contrary to what you said, so many people spoke to me in every con I have been to, especially when I cosplay. I had some weird uncles sing to me too, so I don't really know how you got that information.

>>8895052
I'm speaking from personal experience. I've been to Hk cons with and without a friend. Being alone is really boring for me. Its good to shop around but I don't think I would stay there for the whole day.

Another time I went with a friend and we both spoke english and I noticed none of the people in the AA would even talk to us, since they could hear us speaking english. I feel like most of the cosplays are in tight knit circles so its hard to interact with anyone unless theyre solo/free roaming alone. (Though I've had positive experiences cosplay wise where other groups will approach you if youre cosplaying the same thing etc)

Spanish here, all is shit

Here, we have at least 6 big cons in country.
But into January to May almost two or every weekend have one con around country. Doing a con in June yo August is kill yourself. So fucking hot here.

The most part of con is a big china fake merchadising. Artist Alley or "fanzines" named here is full of unrealistic yuri. Except this, I think Artist Alley is the best part, at least I can buy non-fake merchadising and people did it.

Cosplayers are a pain in the butt, the "famous" are selfish with low level, but they won contest because the jury are their friends. Cosplay comm is really closed to newbies and old ones think they're better because they're cosplaying since 20XX.
Now, with the Love Live boom, next con have at least 3 dance exhibitions about it with different grupals.

>>8895052
Look, I get what you mean. There were days I thought I just want to pack my stuff and go home (i come from a rich and developed country), but in the end, there were more good stories than bad ones. Smaller towns can get extremely dirty, but the bigger ones can also be amazingly clean. I mean, you know, they're a developing country and most of my friends are extremely polite and smart young people, so I really do believe that China still needs another 20-30 years and it all will get better. But believe me, I know your pain, I really really do.

Let me see what else I can share about China to keep my info related!

Some popular Chinese cosplayers aren't afraid of plastic surgery if it means more success in cosplay. It's more normal there than in USA and Europe.

>>8894988
Thanks, I'm not going to be close to BH but my partner travels there regularly so we might check it out next year.

>>8895022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dISWo9GP1-0
Big enough for these morons to film at anyway.
Would really like to visit one day, this looks like the closest thing to the US con experience.

>>8895064
I've been with and without friends and agree on the boring part being alone. At least the entry is amazingly cheap.
It's so odd to me that to hear someone say that nobody wants to speak to you if they hear you speak English.
I don't know whether or not they hear me speak, but generally speaking so many people come to talk to me and take my photo. Unfortunately, most are weird uncles and photogs with a bad rep among older cosplayers (the people I hang out with), even if I am not cosplaying.
Maybe it is because I am a western girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, who knows? >_>)

>>8895070
I agree - way more good stories than bad. It really opened up my eyes that people still live like that and is the norm for the majority of the entire country. Since it is such a powerful country it is even more shocking.
Actually I had to go home 3 days early because I caught a virus in China. I am so lucky I was planning on going to Shenzhen to stay with family for the night, otherwise I'd be screwed. I spent the entire day crying and being in pain. *sigh*

>Cos:
I'm not surprised in the slightest about the surgery. But isn't it still taboo among the other cosplayer's/the cosplayer's want to make fun of the person who has done the surgery?

>>8893973
poo in loo

About the Netherlands:

We have Animecon, which is the biggest con over here. It's nice. We have popular cosplay guests (Yaya, Reika, Wirru, TaeYon etc). Popular music guests (this year it's FripSide from only my railgun and Eli from love live's VA).
There are a lot of panels on different topics, there are a lot of cosplay competitions with big prizes (sending people to Japan, Brazil, UK, France, etc), the dealerroom and artist alley are nice, we have a ballroom event and a rave, and general Japanese culture like food, material art workshops, crafting workshops, etc. The gameroom is also really nice.
The con itself is non-stop three days from Friday until Sunday afternoon.

The only other con you should consider attending over here that's really worth it imo is Abunai, though it has less events, way less interesting shows, cosplay show is usually a mess with almost no prizes. The rest of the cons are 1-2 day events that are even worse.

>>8894915
Thanks, CCXP was one of the ones I was thinking about attending so I'm glad you recommended it!

>>8894987
I mean, I'm going there to stay with my aunt and uncle and then going elsewhere.

Yahallo, Russia here.
Just simple fests, not very big, with cosplay, stores with animu/ game/ geek stuff and games; simple as that.

Anyone got South Korea con stories?

I'm also from Brazil (Rio tho) and I think >>8894506 covered almost everything.

One thing more... Recently there has been a trend of inviting famous youtubers to host panels and meet&greets since it seems Brazil just discovered the youtubers phenomenon.
They have been attracting HUGE crowds here, so nowadays most cons are basically youtubers and webcelebrities meet&greets (since the profits are huge) with a lame cosplay contest and some voice actor that was available.

I'm salty as fuck, most of them have gameplay channels so their panels are mostly about themselves and their fanbase since they can't play games live, so it's boring as hell. Their fans also rival Bieber's on craziness, they scream and cry and crowd every single place, most being 13-17yo girls and 9-14yo boys.

So annoying.

>>8894177
UK 2 here
Please spend your money elsewhere or I'm going to feel back about you wasting it.

>>8895145
Its not hard to tell when someone is reluctant or afraid to talk to you. We approach the tables and some people just ignore us totally or avoid eye contact with us.

There are a lot of creeps and I find that most, if not all photographers at cons are male, and will only photograph good looking females. I assume even more so western looking females (Im from an asian background).

>>8895048
So whats the judging criteria for these competitions if it isnt the craftsmanship of the outfit? I notice theres a lot of videos from China with big groups doing dances or acting out skits. But doesn't that just mean the people that put in the most money into their outfits wins?

>>8894169
Haha, no matter our cultural and linguistic differences, autism knows no borders.

tbqh, these costumes look pretty good. How are the cons like panel programming and guest wise? Are cons in Israel treated like a weekend party like in the States?

>>8895338
Wait Eli's VA will be a guest? Where did you read that because if so I'm going. I'd kill for an autograph.

>>8895816
Still so strange to hear. I haven't noticed it happen to me.
At C3 there was a guy who ran up to me and started singing and dancing to me (because of the person I cosplayed as, so fair enough kinda?) Just a bit shocking to have someone randomly jump at you and start singing and dancing.

Also when I'm not in cosplay, photographers and people still take photos of me (a lot without permission, and do it randomly without me knowing until the flash comes on). They should have all heard me speak English or -not- Canto, but people still talk and not avoid?

>>8896085
I assume its because you look foreign. Theres a novelty to it. Where as if you look asian/speak english there isnt anything to it.

I usually attend RG and some of the uni cosplay events, so perhaps theres a difference in audience. But i speak cantonese myself and its clear people ease up when they know youre not foreign.

File: IMGP1692.jpg (47KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

47KB, 640x480px

> cheap entry, most expensive I've been to was around 7usd (it's usually around 2~4usd)
> but usually the venue is really small
> congestion and traffic ahoy
> well at least it's air conditioned

> artist alley is dirt cheap compared to the states (usually buttons are 1usd (sets of 3 are like 2 usd), prints/postcards are 1usd ~ 5usd, keychains (most of the time they're laminated but I've seen more acrylic keychains recently) are 1usd ~ 2usd, commissions are 2usd ~ 7usd)

> lots of bootlegs but a surprising amount of orig stuff
> bought clear files, posters, postcards, etc. from japan for like, half a dollar each one time
> even bought someone's (idk who's) autograph once (it looked cute)
> good art books, usually cheaper than what it's usually sold for (I got lucky and bought a 1/2 prince art print collection thing once)

> there's that one k-pop, western, jfash or cosplay booth
> and that one booth that just sells bootleg anime dvds
> half the booths are toys/figurines and half the time they only sell blind boxes and nendroids
> one area of the con for displaying figmas, one for gunpla, and one for playing card games & video games

> there aren't any panels cept' the ones for cosplay guests
> battle of the bands and karaoke every time
> cosplay contest is usually on the last day
> auctions are amusing/funny to watch at least
> there's that one guy who bids 25usd for a 8usd nendroid
> why are you paying 20usd for a 6usd mouse pad you can buy across the hall

I usually just come to shop and hang out with friends.

>>8896199
I guess it's because I'm white then >_>) ;;
People ease up plenty when I speak Cantonese, but then I get tense because my skill is so bad *^*). I usually find myself with people who can speak some English anyway.
Are you familiar with the cosplay society in HK? I've heard so many stories but since I am new and not really involved because language, etc., I can't say I've experienced much. The people my partner introduces me to are nice people and stuff so I dunno ~

>>8893958
Never ever ever ever go to UK con OP

UK cosplay is bad, and they ugly, with teeth and bad breath and just smell

UK cons are smelliest cons in world, stink will knock civilised people like you and me out, they are literal danger to life!

>>8896241
Where is this?
>>8895811
>Their fans also rival Bieber's on craziness, they scream and cry and crowd every single place, most being 13-17yo girls and 9-14yo boys.
Jesus. It's like a cult but you get to fling yourself at the idol. I was tempted to go to a con last time I was in Brazil, good to know I made the right choice by staying the fuck away.

>>8895035
What's my best bet to walk into a mainland China (Shanghai, city of ~20 million people) anime-oriented convention in cosplay and have a decent time? How far ahead in time would I need to register for an event or convention? I'd like to be able to meet other fans of the same series and talk about stuff with them. I don't drink or party, if that helps.

>>8895145
I get sick every time I come to China. It sucks! That's what pollution does to you, sadly.

Plastic surgery: yeah, it's kinda a taboo topic. The weird thing is, that most Asian cosplay fans don't really realize it that the popular cosplayers are having surgery. I don't know why. One time I pointed out to a friend that on of the most popular cosplayers in China had a few plastic surgeries, because duh, that's how he looks. She was completely shocked! She was all like: "but how can you see it?!". Well... he has the double eye lid, completely straight nose and a heart-shaped face and yeah, once you'll see him, you'll have no doubts about it. But she was shocked and I dunno why. Had pretty much the same reaction from other friends.

>>8895818
No, the judging criteria is not only based on the costume. Usually, every contest has it's own criterias, maybe around 10 or something? They roughly are: Costume, Skit Idea, Performance, Make up, Props (and more). But of course, the better costume you have, the better points you will get from the jury for the costume. Is it fair? Nope.
By the way, those huge groups doing dances are normally not taking parts in competitions, they just perform. But yes, the cosplay groups are huge and can consist up to 100 members.

>>8896334
Hard one! The thing is, you have to speak Chinese. Then you'll definitely have a great time and can talk to everyone. Sure, Chinese students do learn English in school, but they don't have many opportunities to talk to foreigners and they are either very shy and won't talk to you, or they will try to help you and it will be kinda awkward, or they will bombard you with questions.
Can you have great time not speaking Mandarin? Hard for me to judge because I can, but I think that if you join one or two cons it will still be great. And when we're talking about Shanghai, there is a huge con, two times a year I think. It's called "Comic Party". It's like a huge artist alley and people sell their handmade stuff, it's pretty nice. There are no cosplay skits though, but still a lot of cosplayers.

There is also "China Joy", where the finals of the China Joy contest take place. That's the most popular cosplay contest for those huge groups and they all are the winners of the regional preliminaries, so they are very very very good. I'd go there just to see the contest. By the way, no one drinks and parties in China after cons, most con-goers are pretty young, too.
You can buy the tickets directly at the con, that's not a problem.

File: image.jpg (289KB, 992x1341px) Image search: [Google]

289KB, 992x1341px

>>8895941
It was posted on their Facebook page a month ago

>>8896317
I only visit regularly due to familyliving in HK so im not an expert but Id say the cosplay community can be very catty and bitchy with people sometimes making friends/approaching you because they want to be cosplay famous/some sort of benefit. But theres plenty of english speaking cosplayers (kids that go to international schools) where you can fit into the circles and make friends. Not everyone is an asshole but those that are only about cosplay are.

>also could be good if you didnt use emoticons, its 4chan

>>8895941
As the other anon said, it's on Animecon's FB.
See you there.

>>8895895
Yeah the cosplay scene has been getting much better here over the past few years. I think it's mostly started improving when aliexpress started becoming popular and people could get matériels year round and not just around Purim (Kinda like a Jewish Halloween in that people dress up)
Conventions are usually a one day thing, but the main general convention (ICon) lasts 3 days. people sometimes sleep in empty classrooms (One for females, one for males and one integrated which con staff making sure nothing too bad happens.) Panels are usually pretty good, I don't go to many because lots of them are fandom related but I've been to some great panels aimed at adults. The best one I've been to so far was one last year about underground indie manga, they went into a lot of details about history and showed things like Cat Soup and Furuya Usamarus stuff. The anime convention usually screen at least one movie and puts up a silly musical (This years one is about how a witch gives anime characters contracts to have their own shows, and some cat boy signs one but backs up on his contract so he's sent to the real world to live with two twins- one super weeb and one trying to hide their power level. We had a Death Note themed musical a few years back that was really funny.) There's some interesting sounding workshop as well (Adding LED lights to cosplays, figure painting, etc..)
Guest-wise they seem to do pretty well as well. The anime conventions organisers brought Reika over last year and this year we have Tōru Furuya. In the more general conventions there's usually sci-fi/fantasy writers or movie directors (Neil Gaiman was here about 7 years ago)

>>8895008
I don't think there's really a 4chan equivalent? I think HK cosplayers mostly only use facebook.

Then again, I only cosplay with my close friends so I'm not in the community.

>>8895064
Same desu, I just generally go to cons to hang out with my friends. Good thing they all want to go regularly since it's so close and cheap.

I cosplayed pretty often and I talk to some people but just briefly, my main focus really is just shopping in cons.

>>8895816
Depends on the character you cosplay. When I cosplayed Trucy from ace attorney people who takes pictures are 90% girls, but when I cosplayed LL yeah it's 100% photographer dudes.

>>8895052
As gross as public urination/defecation was, my main problem with my stay in China was the air pollution. Within two days, my snot was completely black when I blew my nose, and my skin had a terrible reaction and just started...peeling? off my face. My skin was disgusting and raw the entire time I was in areas with a lot of air pollution, but being back home for just a few days, it started healing.

Not much more to add about the con scene, sorry. I found a lot of people wanted to take my photos (this was in and out of cosplay, I was constantly approached for photos for being pale and blonde), but not many people were willing to interact with me at cons past snapping a pic.

>>8896405
Thanks for that information, I kinda knew it already but it helps to get it from more than one source.
>Mate nah I'll use emoticons wherever I want, it's the Internet.

>>8896428
Like cosplayers around the world mostly use FB, they have their own forums as well where they post shit about cosplayers like so many threads do on here. My partner got in a lot of shit three years ago and had non-stop gossip for a year and a half over the same stuff.
Glad I just cosplay with close friends too desu.

>>8896438
Which areas were you in? I'll be sure to avoid those areas next time I head up to the mainland. I only stayed in the country side mainly, and the most I got to a city was Guangzhou for a day before heading back to HK. I did however catch a horrible virus that day (which terminated my trip prematurely).

>>8896477
Split most of my time between Hangzhou and Beijing, which is why, but any time I visited Suzhou, it was pretty gross as well, though that was half the air and half the water. Shanghai really surprised me by how clean the air was. I visited after about a month in the first two cities I mentioned and was astounded by how much easier it was to breathe, but maybe I just caught it on a good day.

I really want to visit China again, including those areas, but I don't know if I could walk back into looking like Freddy Krueger with my face rotting off.

>>8896390
>>8896409
Holy shit, thanks guys. Kind of wish they'd do an autograph session but it might seem odd bringing a love live CD to them.

>>8896322
Yeah, it's been pretty bad lately. There's this youtuber who is 18-something and is quite pretty, so his fangirls are the worst. He got thrown out of a con once because he attracted so many crazy fans it became a stampede, they stole his shoes and ripped a chunk of his hair.

The cons are still fun, but I've been more and more discouraged to go since cosplayers get zero recognition and attention. At some cons we don't even have a place to change, we have to fight for a spot at a crowded hot stinky bathroom.

LoL has become pretty popular as well so cons now are usually LoL competitions + youtubers speaking at a panel.

>>8896241
sounds like all the german cons i've been to

>>8894506
I can vouch for this info. Sometimes I love cospoor because they have the most fun.
>cospoor is when your cosplay is so bad it's good, sometimes posted to Bad Cosplay threads
The shops are nice, I go to cons only to nab lots of manga for like half the price. But the lolitas are usually shit gosurori ita weebs or daddy's princesses head-to-toe in brand while shitting on others and whining about stupid stuff.
There are also gaming areas where you get freebies and enter tournaments.
Since the events are very family-friendly you'll only see alcohol outside and no smoking or real weapons. There's only some stealing from purses here and there but what would you expect from a crowded place.
Cons in Brazil are fun imo.

>>8896766
adding to the daddy's princess part: brand is expensive in dollar.
Dollar exchange is expensive.
Customs taxes are expensive.
This means we pay over 1000BRL for a single 300USD brand piece.

File: UErVIEneQlcMCyvrP3WrLUC9bwU.jpg (411KB, 1000x552px) Image search: [Google]

411KB, 1000x552px

So, french here.

we got a lot of cons and what we call nocturnes

the cons are majors events where it's a mix of western/japanese stuff and french mangakas around. there's always a cosplay gathering, a sort of market for everything japan related and a vidya corner with retro and games coming up. (nintendo is everywhere showcasing stuff for exemple)

Nocturnes are local events usually organised by unis association and may regroup A LOT of peoples. here it's like the cons but with more variety and more hardline cosplayers/otakus

For the cons, we're lucky to have the world's second biggest which hosts the ECG (european cosplay gathering contest) finals. and most big names comes here (we had shigeru miyamoto, cu-te, AKB48 and many more). It's called Japan Expo and it's pic related

you also have the Paris Manga, JE sud, toulouse game show and more.

For the nocturnes the best is Epitanime's nocturnes in paris we got like.. 1500 visitors or close

Finland here. We have around 4 bigger conventions (3000+ guests) during the year, the biggest one is in September (Tracon) which gets around 5500 guests. Smaller conventions are usually under 1000 guests. The convention venues are usually congress centers and the prices for a weekend pass run at 25-30 euros.

Guests of honor are usually professional people in the business such as anime directors, Japanese voice actors, screenwriters, manga authors etc. depending on the theme of the convention. The con programs include mostly lectures, panels and workshops and they are the cornerstone of the con since the value of the convention in Finland is measured usually by the quality of its programme. Just "hanging around with friends" is considered a very juvenile approach, and even two of our other biggest cons (Desucon and Desucon Frostbite) are R-18. They still get sold out because people value a clean, mature environment at conventions here.

Artist alley tables cost only around 10 euros because most artists don't make a good profit here and they're there just to have fun, to get more recognition and to make some money to pay for the con trip expenses. It's more of a hobby than a business. The volunteering workers get a free meal each day and every convention is generally ran by volunteers, not an establishment. And they do a very good job too, severe problems are quite rare.

Our conventions are pretty chill and some might consider them boring due to the no-nonsense atmosphere, but the Finns in return find some foreign conventions chaotic and primitive.

>>8896766
Is there a good manga selection? Also, do you have many bootleg figs and the like? I might be willing to brave the transport just for manga, I can't seem to find shit online or in the (admittedly crap) bookshops where my family lives.
Not quite related to cons, but I remember that the last time I went to Sao Paulo there was a small group of incredibly painful itas staggering about in the lolita equivalent of the stuff No-Face pukes up, but with more lace. Your post reminded me of that. It was a pretty surreal experience.

Any reviews on Animagic or other cons near NRW, Germany?

>>8895782
Visit Voronezh/Tanibata next time you're at it: these old-school cons are unique compared to others mostly because main program are skits which take around 6-7 hours in total (okay 5 hours save for some karaoke and défilé)

>>8896934
Many years ago, Animagic was a pretty great convention. But Germans love to chill outside the con and don't buy any tickets, so Animagic staff decided to build up a huge temporary fence during the con which totally ruined it since... 2011?
I'm even surprised they still organize it.

Ignore Animagic and go to Connichi and Dokomi instead. Connichi is the biggest con in Germany and it's pretty neat, and Dokomi is getting bigger every year, too. They are the most popular cons at the moment.

File: IMG_4563.jpg (3MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 3264x2448px

Shanghai con-goer here. I absolutely adore the scene over here. The artists that set up in the AA are super talented, and a lot of the cosplays look great.

I've got a few photos of some cosplays I snapped, but they're all off of my phone. Might dump several.~

File: IMG_6155.jpg (3MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 3264x2448px

>>8897467
Oof. Don't know why that one came out rotated like that.

File: IMG_1941.jpg (3MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2448x3264px

>>8897468
Third time's the charm?

File: IMG_3574.jpg (3MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2448x3264px

>>8897469

File: IMG_1860.jpg (3MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2448x3264px

>>8897471
Don't know what show this is from, but the glasses are adorable.

File: IMG_3793.jpg (4MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 2448x3264px

>>8897472
A cosplay I wasn't expecting was the show Two Broke Girls.

File: IMG_3784.jpg (4MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 2448x3264px

>>8897477
Will post more if there's interest.

>>8896921
Come to Rio, anon, I will show you around.

Bigger cons have separated areas for each brazilian big manga publisher, it's a good way to catch up if you missed a couple volumes. It's also good bc they have discounts, I ended up paying half price for some brand new mangas.

>>8896921
Saw a flock of itas and a man wearing a collar and leash at Liberdade metro station and then a group of nerdy looking folks training with foam swords underneath the art gallery. It is kind of comforting in a way to know that weebiness doesn't change regardless of geographic location.

Do any Brazil anons have links to lolita communities? I was planning on selling all my dresses before moving to Brazil, I guess if there are active lolita meets I might hang onto some.

Mexican Cons are similar to Murrikan ones, I've been in both

Video related

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J9yh7ztsWcA

>>8897603
>moving to Brazil

Why? That shithole is collapsing

>>8897603
If you are willing to bring them, you can even annouce them at facebook groups beforehand and sell them once you arrive.
I think São Paulo has the most active community, I'm always seeing pictures of tea parties and such. I'm a bit stranged from lolita for the past few years so I don't know much, but you can go to the "Moda Lolita - Brasil" group on facebook and you will find meetings discussions and planning. I can't for the life of me remember the name of São Paulo's group, but if you go to the main group you can ask about it.

>>8897607
Because Americans lack common sense and hate themselves for being born in a country with no cultural identity that much

>>8897477
First time I've seen cosplay of that show, that's pretty cool!
I'd be interested in more pictures, if you don't mind.
>>8897599
That sounds amazing. Is the security good?

>>8897664
Inside the cons? Yeah, never had a problem. Never got anythig pickpocketed as well. We have some people who like to lift from the stalls but it's rare.

Outside, in the city? Not so great. Violence is widespread and you have to be street smart as fuck to know where you can go and where to avoid. Depending where you are staying you will be safer or be more at risk. There are good areas and bad areas.
Basically get a brazilian friend to help you while you are here and you will be fine.

>>8897664
Gotta love the manga discounts. It's impossible to buy manga outside of cons here.

>>8897687
>Basically get a brazilian friend to help you while you are here and you will be fine.
This. And listen when they tell you to put your phone away.

>>8897607
I was gonna answer but I have to feed my pet monkey and play soccer.

>>8897603
Come sell your items at the São Paulo com please I'll buy everything.

>>8897603
Search for Moda Lolita - Brasil or Moda Lolita - São Paulo on facebook

We also have a Sales Comm, Lolita Sales ~ Brasil.

Welcome to Brazil anon! The SP Comm is very active. We have a post with all the open meetings on the Facebook group.
We do have annoying Itas, but we also have very few drama and people are really nice and welcoming. I hope you like our country!

>>8894866

Don't forget the nazi-like intolerance of alcohol.

>You will never go to a swedish con, meet some cool cosplayer friends, and then have a drink with Spiderman and Sailor Moon

Listening to a panel about the latest Tumblr fandom is cool too, I guess.

>>8898004
Lol Swedes

>>8898004
Here in Finland it's a standard to get drunk at a convention or at least during the afterparty. What a sad country you are, Sweden.

>>8894866
Sleeping in halls sounds both super fun and goddamn terrifying, since you wouldn't have any privacy from creeps.

>>8893958
Russian anon here. During last years, a lot of bigger con-style events started to gain popularity, I would recommend visiting Starcon, Ava Expo or Comic Con Russia - mostly for cosplay award shows, which are really breathtaking with lots of complicated outfits (competition spirit is big here!). Talking about cons in general, they mostly focus around cosplay now, there are attempts to invite famous guests for panels and held movie premieres, but compared to western conventions there are not much to do and less activities for a visitor.

Speaking about mostly Anime and Asian culture oriented cons (because ones listed above pay more attention to games and western shows), the best choises for fun are J-Fest and Hinode.

I disagree with >>8897461 and won't recommend old school cons for foreighners, because you definitely would not enjoy attending long-hours skits without translation, and the exact events are not that big.

>>8901802

I don't think you've ever been to Sweden. They have very different social behavior.

>>8896792
Not to mention it's rare for a panel or cosplay competitions to be late. Ever. Like, 5-10 minutes is acceptable but it was weird visiting Närcon once and nobody seemed surprised when the cosplay competitions started like an hour late... (before the year the NCC came on tv)

What else to add... Finnish people are fairly humble and this shows in costumes: they're usually well made, but fairly simple, and even in bigger competitions you don't see anything that can't fit through a door. I feel like the photographer community has developed a lot in the recent years, but there's not many widely recognized ones yet.

Most of our cons are anime-themed or have that at least as a sub-theme. That doesn't mean that there aren't fans of western entertainment: I'd say it's kinda fifty-fifty, but I'd still say the anime community is still huge compared to some other countries. There's like only fandom con, but I'd like to see a Comic con get here, or maybe a more gaming related con. Yukicon tries to be one, but well... it doesn't really show yet.

>>8904676
>>8896792
Oh! And speaking of Sweden's sleeping halls, we have those in Finland, too, but some people prefer hotels and since it's a small country, there's a chance you can crash at a friend's place, especially in the bigger towns. The congress centers are fairly reachable usually.

>>8893982
bahaha

I love it. Thanks to the anon for pointing that out.

>>8901802
It's usually fine, seems like the creepers here are somewhat less forward than the ones in other countries. Though sometimes people have sex in them and sometimes you realise how much some people snore...

>>8893958
>>8893958
Video is worth a thousand words.

Comicon Russia 2015!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cAeFH3AGOY

>>8897469
Thanks for the dump!!!

>>8897472
durarara!
Saika

>>8897604
Thankyou! I love vids like this.

From America too, but traveled to a few foreign cons.

I love Hong Kong cons, esp ACGHK. Entry is super cheap, cosplayers are really talented, and as a photog, it's great to shoot because you're surrounded by a LOT of talented cosers who're down to shoot. Obv, speaking Canto and having experience living in HK before helps.

Indoors, cosplay sets and studio strobes are free for any photogs to use. Also, unlike Japanese cons, you can shoot cosplay in the streets in HK and people won't bat an eye.

AA is also super super cheap and has cute charms and stuff. Official booths have cheaper merch than the States too, and cute booth babes, but the drawback is that queues are pretty long.

Don't go to HK cons expecting panels and programming though. They don't exist.

>>8904716
Thanks for the video!

>>8893958
Australian cons are a little sad: overly-expensive, the guests have been getting steadily worse over the years, most of the larger pop culture cons have almost completely cut out anime-related content, they're either held when it's boiling hot or freezing cold, the largest one is an absolute nightmare for accessibility and a fire hazard in the making due to overselling tickets, almost all anime cons are too small to bother with or they're in shitty locations where it's hard to find accommodation, and most locations are too small (or they don't bother to book more room at the location) to contain the growing number of fans anyway.

>>8907858
Oh, and no 24 hour cons either.