Favorite Cons

Go to Anime California, it is one of my favorite conventions.

I've only ever been to Animethon and Otafest in Alberta, but Otafest is superior.

Kotoricon is my favorite small anime con in nj right now. It has a lot of shit for such a small venue. Animenext at atlantic city is a big contender and while it was fun all ive exprienced was the fun rave, the HUGE gameroom and the turn based larp which honestly wasnt my thing, more of a danger room guy.

I've only ever been to Michigan cons because travel is expensive, but my favorite Michigan con is Shuto Con. I'd love to be able to travel or of state for one of the huge midwest conventions though!

>>9262206
Only been to one convention twice, Animenorth in Ontario but I'd say it's pretty well put together convention if I were to have to say. Anyone know of any other good conventions around here?

I've only been to SakuraCon in Seattle and various cons in Vancouver, but found SakuraCon to be a million times better than what we have here. I've only been going to SAK for 3 years, but I've had a blast each time and will be going again next year. I'd like travel further south and try going to a con in California sometime, sounds like lots of good stuff happens there.

>>9263576
I've been to two; Fanime five times and SacAnime once.
Fanime usually has some pretty neat panels and the crowd (as far as I've experienced) is pretty lively.
SacAnime had some damn great guests but everything else was pretty bland. I'm not sure if that's because the most recent once that I went to was just not that great or if it's usually like that.
I did go to my first /cgl/ meet at that SacAnime, got hammered around a couple seagulls and probably made a fool of myself but damn if that wasn't just a bit fun.

>>9263576
SAKURACON has been the only big com I've been to being in Montana I do,t have the luxury of big cons near by but about 10 friends all cram together and travel together making all the more memorable.

>>9263651
>SacAnime had some damn great guests but everything else was pretty bland. I'

The con center makes it pretty hard to just chill out hence why you get the large mob of people on the top floor.

Also I think that sac's emphasis on big guests and giving everyone else panel wise the shaft is thee reason for lackluster crowds.

The panels attract the young kids and they flock together. Meanwhile many people come to con just for the guests and autographs and thus walk around the place with blinders on not really paying too much attention toward the in-betweens

SacAnime is the worst con I've ever been to. Ugh. They get some surprisingly good guests, but it's not worth dealing with the crowd that con attracts. Seems to be populated entirely by 13-16 year olds whose parents just dropped them off. And it consistently has the most homestuck cosplayers of any convention I've been to, so make of that what you will. The dealer's room and artist alley are pretty terrible too :/ there's not much going for it other than that it's the only con of that size in Sac.
I'd stick with Fanime if you're over the age of 17 and those are the only two you go to, SacAnime is just not worth going to

>>9267132

>Homestuck cosplay

Did you go to Anime Central 2-3 years ago? Shit was fucking insane how much stupid room they would take up with oversized horns and other shit props.

On topic, if I had to choose a IL/WI con that I go to yearly, it would have to be anime milwaukee. Guest list isn't very great, but there's always enough people to make it seems busy but enough room to give you a resting/photo spot if you need one.

Is Anime Expo worth going to? It was the first con I went to back in 2010, but I was visiting an Internet friend in California, so we only spent a day at the con because there was a ton of stuff he wanted to show us. If it helps answer at all, I like to go to cons for AA and industry (Japanese) guests and it'seems pretty lackluster at my local cons for that.

Anime expo because me and my friend get to go to los angeles.

>>9262206
AX Because drinking con with fun random hookups. Friends and I all go down, party for a few days, crash, then come back home. Pretty fun time.

Just booked my tickets for this year, think I'll be taking 10 days off work instead of just 5.

>>9262466
Been to both of these and CCEE, CCEE is by far superior to both Animethon and Otafest, especially since Otafest moved to the Telus Convention Centre, a place surrounded by plenty of bars and thus drunk people who harass cosplayers.

>>9267132
>>9263738
SacAnime is trash and that's as someone that lives in Sac. The venue is terrible, location is terrible, and crowds are fucking horrendous. The Greek Food festival and guests are all it had going for it, and the Festival is leaving next year. The artist alley would be good if fucking broke ass lollygaggers don't hang in the row taking up space and trying to barter down the artists.

>>9270807
I find that CCEE is way too crowded. I have a hard time really enjoying myself there because it seems like you can never find a place to just chill out for a few minutes if you need to.
Otafest was ridiculous last year though. I don't know why they thought it was a good idea to place it in the downtown core on Canada Day. Assholes everywhere.

>>9263576
Sak is the only con I can afford to go to both in terms of money and time so it's my favorite by default.

>>9262783
I really like shutocon too! It's small enough that I can hang with friends peacefully but still has a sort of busy, exciting feeling? I can't explain it well hahaha

Outside of MI I've only been to colossal, but I really liked it!

>>9262206
Even though it has its ups and downs, I still love otakon.
>Gonna miss ice cold water guy though

>>9270839

Shutocon's at that perfect medium size where there are still a lot of things going on, but it's not crazy busy or crowded. Also the conchairs and staff make it a point to be able to personally connect with people and the overall atmosphere is really positive. It's definitely my "home" convention (and not just because I live ten minutes away from it)

Colossalcon's at the top of my list for cons I haven't been to but want to check out! I'm hoping to go with some friends next summer.

>>9270807
I really don't like CCEE, it's so crowded no real place to chill like the other anon said. The merch is pretty repetitive too. shrugs