US Convention Verdict General

Florida Supercon - Gets a lot of shit for being a Broder con, but is probably the best convention FL has behind Megacon. Not all the guests are the most relevant, but there's a large variety of them and you're bound to find at least a couple you want to see/meet. Nice dealer's room, standard panels, friendly people. They don't always abide by their own rules, which is usually good for the freedom of the congoers. Not the most exciting atmosphere though; if you want to party you'll probably have to find a group and do it off convention grounds.

I feel like comparing AB to AX isn't really a fair comparison. They're on different con tiers in my book even if you consider it "large".

I wasn't comparing them, just stating i've been to a variety of large and small cons.

I'd love to compile some sort of guide to US cons full of the stark honesty only /cgl/ can deliver.

Colossal Con is a blast. It's essentially the cliche water park episode all weekend. Lots of people and stuff to do and you can always just go cool off when you want.

>>9361917
I'm out of Boston now but that's totally on my wishlist. Seems like pure fun and a lot of the semi-cosfamous people that are still human attend.

is anime matsuri considered a major con?

>>9362524
i think its in the top 10 now for anime-only.

>>9362524
Sj is way more fun anyways. AM is bigger and has better guests but the organization of it makes it a shitshow

top ten in size, not for quality lol
Don't really know how much of the Texas thread drama is true or not.

>>9362576
Some of the rumors like the conhead being a pedophile are totally false. However there's a lot more than sexual harassment going on with the con. I have friends that used to be staff and the con is just a horror story of drama, miscommunication, and exploitation. Their PR might be better now but they did fuck tons of people over, especially financially.

Where does Dashcon rank in the overall list of conventions?

>>9361578
AX is the God of US Cons. Otacon, Acen, Anime North (and now Katsu) are the Emperor of cons, AB, Sakura, Otathon, and Anime Matsuri are the Great Kings

>>9361493
If CA cons were OW characters:
>SDCC
Reinhardt. Enormous but likable. Impossible to hate unless you're on the other side (i.e not in the con) in which case you get a little resentful.

>AX
Tracer. Kind of like the brand name con that has the best-known image. All over the place.

>Fanime
McCree. Used to be amazing. Got nerfed. Still pretty ok.

>ALA
Lucio. Not the best at what it does, but laid-back and a great time

>SacAnime
Torbjorn. Stays in the same place and does the same shit.

From a photography standpoint, what cons/venues have a unique thing to set them apart from other cons? I'm googling conventions near my state, I looked up AnimeNEXT and a bunch of the photos are taken outside for some reason, lots of greenery around. My main local cons are MAGfest and Katsucon and it's usually too cold to do outdoor shots like that. It seems like an amazing place to hold photoshoots. It never occurred to me that there are actually cons like this. Are there any other conventions where people use the surrounding areas, or maybe even the venue itself that makes for a unique backdrop for photoshoots?

J Pop Summit: used to be the best value anywhere (because it was free). Now costs money but still gives you a lot of music for the price.

Anime on Display: really small and worth it if you're local. probably wouldn't fly to it but they had Isuna hasekura last year. this year not much.

Cherry Blossom Festival: not a con but worth going to. Lots of culture stuff.

>>9362806
I agree with this line up

>>9362806
AX and Otakon are the gods of US Cons

Otakon in DC was the best decision for congoers in the east. Otakon is gonna gridlock DC this year with everyone in the DMV area coming in droves.

>>9362737
Top 10 easily.

>>NYCC-
packed. decent parties. not a lot of animu. kinda crappy/overpriced.
>>Animenext-
atlantic city. kinda trashy. lost a lot of appeal after moving locations. really random people go, but not that many anymore. casino-con.
>>Liberty City Anime Con-
rename to weebcon NYC. tiny convention in the heart of midtown. mostly 16yo screaming. shit panels
>>Castle Point Anime Con
Used to be con above, steadily growing into a very decent con on a pretty college campus across from the city. Cheap and cute. Worth.
>>PAX East
Games only but there's some anime stuff, few cosplays but usually some very impressive ones there. Better than NYCC imo.

As an european, what's a good con worth travelling to? We have no big cons here, and I'd be especially interested in comic cons (which we also have none of). I'm not particularly into anime these days, but would I still have a good time at Colossal or Katsu, which are the two most people I knkw attend regularly?

>>9363510
Colossal = pool park con
Katsu = take photos of cosplay con

I wouldn't fly across an ocean just to hang out but that's your call. Don't you guys have Japan Expo in France as your big show over there?

>>9363263

Ota hasn't been good for five years or so, and their badge prices keep going up. Their guest lineup sucks and it's been coasting on name/numbers for a long time.

>>9363525
This year Otakon beats AX in terms of guests since they move to DC.

The guests in Japan don't like going to Bmore.

>>9363523
Northern europe.

As far as I've understood, JE is firmly Japan, while even at anime cons in the US I see western cosplayers and fandoms. So again, comic cons would be what I'm mostly interested in. The comic cons in this continent are mostly all run by MCM it seems, and are generally mediocre at best.

>>9363510
>>9363546
Depends on your price range, but if you're interested in comic cons (or more general western culture cons) you can't go wrong with San Diego Comic Con, New York City Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, or Wondercon. DragonCon is also HUGE and great if you like cosplay.

>>9363555
I'm probably not going until 2018, so if something is worth the cash I've time to save up. I'm more concerned about being unfamiliar with customs - biggest con I've attended was like, 5k, and I've never had to struggle with hotels since most of our cons are placed in school buildings - as well as the fact that I'm not going to sit and refresh a page for an hour and then stress to get a ticket before they sell out, as I've heard is the case with SDCC. SDCC in particular I've heard is a lot of hype for not so much reward, but I could be miles off.

>>9363564
SDCC, Emerald City, and Wondercon all sell out before the day of the convention (although SDCC is really a completely different beast). Conventions in the US are almost exclusively held in large convention center designed for big gatherings of people. Most of them will have websites that give you an idea of what the convention will offer in terms of programming, guests, and events, although that may only get nailed down in the weeks before the convention. Getting a hotel can be a hassle with any big con, but since most are held in major cities you'll probably find somewhere to stay, it just might not be next to the convention center.

I guess its kind of hard to say whether US cons are worth it. Are you looking to meet celebrities, get exclusive merch, meet up with other nerds? That all kind of dictates what cons you should go to.

>>9363574
I'm a cosplayer and comic/cartoon nerd, I'm also pretty interested in nerd culture. I guess what I'm looking for is a place to really indulge in my interests. The shit you see here is really baseline as far as western stuff goes (40% batman, 40% MCU, 10% ponies, 5% everything else American comics, 5% franco comics) and I'd love to find a forum where I can talk to people who actually know MORE than I do and that I won't have to explain what Buffy is to. Does that make any sense? Also I love big cons, but most things over here are more like oversized sleepovers.
What I look for in a con tends to be lectures and panels, stage shows, occasionally Q&As but it's so rare that there are interesting guests that that's not even something I consider. Often I end up doing roleplays, as well as cosplay shoots, but when you're always the most ambitious person in your fandom and there's no established photograpgy culture it gets a bit drab.

Sorry for rant, I'm just a bit frustrated with the fact that I feel a bit alone over here, lol. I go to most of what my scene has to offer but usually end up disappointed or craving more.

I find it difficult to know what to look for in american cons, I've very little to compare to so I'm never sure what's actually worth the value.

>>9363606
Amd to clarify, I've no illusions about MCU and Batman still being the biggest franchises, but 10% of 2k and 10% of 10k is a pretty significant difference.

>>9362737
it's infamous, they did something noteworthy at least.

>metrocon
Robbie Daymond seems to be a cool guy, met him the past two years in the hotel elevator. once while i was crossplaying as sailor mars.

>>9363564
SDCC is more effort than it's worth and that comes from someone who has been going before it exploded in popularity. I still recommend people go to it at least once (well, if they are American; I wouldn't fly halfway across the world for it) but it's no longer as easygoing as it used to be. Too much time and money committed every year. It's still got the blockbuster appeal in terms of guests, happening, merchandise, glam appeal, etc, but it's just not that accessible anymore. Even once you get inside it's a pain in the ass.

>>9363606
SDCC you'll run into a lot of normies but you'll also find a lot of people who can talk your ear off. Wondercon is like SDCC-lite and infinitely easier to get into. Not as big as SDCC but you'll still find a lot of knowledgeable nerds. You might actually love SDCC because it has a lot of good panels. The bad thing is that getting into the panels requires waiting in a lot of lines. 30 minutes would be a really short wait and I'm not even sure that's possible anymore. One hour or more is the norm and for the really big panels multiple hours. It's possible to wait for a quarter of a day and not make it to what you want.

One note is that SDCC absolutely sucks for good photos. There's only a couple of places that are good that don't involve walking forever.

>>9363496
OP, wrote off NYCC a while ago, upset to hear the news about AnimeNext i was curious what the venue change would bring.

I've been to enough I think I can give a decent spectrum-

>AX-
One of the only industry run anime cons in the states, a VERY different feel. But fun in that respect, there isnt an experience like it. The cosplay scene isnt as stand out as other cons, but there's always something to do and the dealers hall is fun even if you dont want to spend money, with all the industry booths previewing upcoming attractions, photo ops, cool set pieces, and loads to see. Was one of my favorite cons of 2016. Its industry connections and money gives it a lot more opportunities than other cons. However hotels are not optimal, nor is transportation around downtown LA. And expect LOTS of lines, also not many good places to photo shoot outside of the sets provided in the entertainment hall. Crowds are also a drawback as its packed tighter than a sardine tin. Despite its flaws, I'd still highly recommend it.

>Fanime-
Bit of a crapshoot from year to year. The cosplay scene is a bit 'eh' but the party scene is very entertaining if you know the right people. Dealers hall and artist alley are large but average, not much you wont find at other cons, though the AA usually boasts better than average art and I find a lot of good webcomic artists go there. The cosplay is often pretty good, and its not as crowded as some other big cali cons, and fits the convention center space really well. Plenty of hotels near by, but the crapshoot of getting one is extremely frustrating. Plenty of good shoot locations and varied spots for scheduled shoots. Lines are meh besides the reg line which is almost always horrid. Cosplay contest was horrid, slowly getting better. Has decent programming and stage 0 usually has something fun going on if you're bored. Overall recommend if you can find a room.

>>9364077
>ALA-
One of my favorite cons. It's slowly growing into its new location though it will never have the same feel of the old hotel. If you go to a lot of Cali cons this is really a must attend- especially if youve been on /cgl/ a while. Parties tend to be epic, and there are plenty to go around. Cosplay is pretty ok most days, with a few really good ones on Saturday. Dealers hall and AA are pretty small, nothing super unique so its pretty standard. Programming is pretty good, I almost always find a few panels I end up really enjoying. Cosplay contest is really good, if not a long to sit through on the audience side of things. Plenty of near by hotels and parking. Has the most aid back feel of any con you'll ever find. The ribbon culture is entertaining if you want to get into it, and I recommend bringing a few for trading at the very least as theres bound to be a few you want from others. There are very few down points to this con. Late night programming is good if not a bit sparse. Also got to give props to the con suite, great place to chill in there and grab a free snack. The food trucks are also a great source of lunch though a bit pricy and if you go at peak hours the lines are pretty long. Fastest damn reg line I've ever had to wait in. The badge price is also affordable. Highly recommend this one, its a highlight for me every year.

>Kumoricon-
Basically Sakuracons little sibling. It cant really out shine it, and was hindered by its chair and head staff refusing to make a change and move to a bigger venue. It should have been a lot bigger by now but has finally moved to a bigger better venue that feels a bit empty at present. Its a little con that wants to be a big con. Programming is mixed, but better now that they have stopped trying to make it 4 days. Cosplay is meh, dealers hall is also un exceptional As far as small cons go its alright if its your local, but I might advise saving your money and trying out a cali con instead.

>>9364080

>Newcon/Anime PDX
Well they are essentially the same con even if PDX is only becoming a full fledged con this summer. The hotel its currently in is def a draw back. The basement location makes cell signal pretty impossible which is an annoyance. Programing is a bit lacking with most of it being made up by friends of the chair who has got one hell of a bad reputation in the local community. Though improving its honestly a miracle this con is surviving considering its past, I'm honestly impressed that its kept going and is slowly improving. Cosplay is not the best, though I hear the contest is alright from the competitors point of view. The date I always find a drawback since I have plans on new years pretty much every year. Also being in the business district can be annoying since all near by food options tend to be closed on the weekends.

>Sakuracon
I honestly dont get why this con is so popular? I cant really nail down why, but I never seem to enjoy myself that much at this con. The hotels are all just enough walking distance to be annoying, and there is absolutely no decent affordable parking anywhere near by. The convention center itself is nice and big, and the outside section has good photo spaces if the weather is behaving. Programing can be pretty fun, highlights include Zapp Branigans panels and there is good late night content. Cosplay contest is not a good one at all, from the cosplayers perspective and from the audience. The cosplay scene itself is decent but nothing super spectacular. Its a fun con, and probably the best one currently in the PNW, but thats not a hard bar to clear. On a final note, I find for some reason the staff get especially anal at this con.

>>9364082

>Katsucon
The only east coast con I currently go to, so I cant really compare it to other east coast cons but it is certainly a new feel compared to west coast ones. OUTSTANDING cosplay, good lord you see shit there on day 0 that you'd see entered in a quality masq. The hotel is a HUGE plus, it is pretty damn expensive to stay in (though there are cheaper options just across the street), but every inch is photogenic. The gazebo is an obvious draw for shooting. But the little village is also super useful, the creek, the nice wooded store walk ways and the outside locations make for a huge variety of places to get great shots. Though the lighting indoors is surprisingly poor, especially in said famed gazebo. Food options are pretty expensive, though there is a CVS for cheap foods to eat in the hotel. Programing can be a poor. I find the people to be pretty friendly and easy to get to know. The cosplay contest turns out some astounding entries that are well worth ogling at. Reg line is one of the big drawbacks however. But if you dont plan on doing panels, then you can bypass this by getting your badge half way through day 1 instead. Dealers hall is huge with a good chunk of varied content, artist alley is about average. To get the most out of this con as a cosplayer I recommend booking a couple shoots before hand, remember good photographers book up fast. The other drawback is the crowds. They pack a lot of people into that hotel and it really shows with congested hallways and the gazebo level is jam packed, scheduled shoots for popular series are extremely crowded and often dont have a big enough space to work with.

>>9364087

>Comic cons in general
It does vary from con to con, but they are a different feel from the anime cons. But they all are pretty much industry driven. Big cons like SDCC will have lots of cool programming, but it will all be a line waiting game of extreme measures. These cons live or die on their programing in the end, and it all depends in how interested you are in that programming, which is driven by what guests they get. Smaller ones cant get the same level of guests as bigger ones which makes their content less of a draw. The dealers hall have a bit of that AX feel in that you will have more than just booths after your money, and will find some fun stuff to do in there. Cosplay is 'eh?' some is pretty dang good, especially at the big ones, but as a whole its pretty average, though some may find its larger variety of western based costumes refreshing or more up their alley. Personally I dont find these ones that entertaining as I'm not all that into the panels they offer and dont want to wait in the lines for them either, badge prices can also get much more expensive. Cosplay contests run themselves very different from anime cons, often dividing themselves not by skill level but by category (tailoring, armoring, tinkering) which has its benefits and draw backs.

>>9364090
loving these blurbs. I wrote the original post on my phone but this is pretty much exactly what i wanted. I'll make a few for New England when i get home from work.

>>9364082
>I honestly dont get why this con is so popular?
Like everything else in Seattle, it's overrated.

>>9364090
Can I jump in to talk about large comic/western cons in general? Because while I wear jfash my primary interest is western comics

>SDCC
Never been, could go I guess (I have connections with what has been described as the "SDCC ticket fairy") but it doesn't seem like my cup of tea. From the people I do know who go it's more of a media event than a con, per se.

>ECC
chill af: great guests, great panels, great attendees. fantastic experience overall and I've heard nothing but the same from around the community. seems to be the best place to get commisions if you can snag a slot.

>c2e2
worth attending if you're in the mid west, very dependent on the year and the guests/panels. I always see some pretty top notch cosplay but it can be all over the place. less of a clusterfuck than acen from what I hear, so if you are picking a con and like both subjects that might be a factor? not horribly expensive for the quality of guests

>dragon con
the quintessential get drunk and fuck con. also everything that films in Atlanta is there so if any of that's stuffs your dig it's worth it. good for slutty cosplay.

>nycc
SDCC lite, but imo has more announcements pertinent to fans (merch lines, major comic announcements, details on upcoming projects, etc)

>bonus: flamecon
gay con. probably hook up a creator if you're suave enough desu, everyone who attends are really casual and chatty. worth if you can deal with talking about lgbt+ shit for a weekend

PAX EAST
A fun romp through whatever is the big trend in gaming, lots of LoL stuff is a mainstay, last year it was OW hype. A few top cosplayes among a few bad ones, but both are rare. Mostly inhabited by a lot of neckbeards and tumblerettes on their 3DSes. Panels are a long line with no reward. Dealer's hall closes at 6 and so does a lot of the fun, being located in a gentrified area of boston means food and hotels aren't cheap. Best use of this con is to meetup with old friends and crash in the console or PC freeplay. I don't MtG but there's a huge section.

>Anime Boston
My hometown con, been going since my first at 15. Its venue is its gift and curse, with cramped hallways but plenty of nooks and cranks. Connected to a cool mall that's moving upscale too quickly (deleted a plethlora of cheap food options with the food court removed) Cosplay is generally mediocre but there's a high percentage of attendees that dressup, mostly for fun. Dealer's hall/AA is large but spread out so that competitors are spread out, so high prices. Hotel scene is a disaster but most of the walking will be indoors, and so is the con. Attendees are really young and often day trippers so it gets pretty quiet after 10. I've found lit parties every other con except here, though there is a nightlife. A lot of attendes are already in cliques and aren't as social as midwest-west coast cons.

>Another Anime Con
My old favorite small con, 2016 was my fourth year and along came new managment, quelled parties and shortened hours. Friendly people, cliques you wanna join and much less drama than similar events, they also host a decent AA/Dealer's hall (especially for its size) Known for its lobbycon and J Michael Tatum panels, i genually enjoy all the programming i've attended, including the 18+ stuff. Biggest draw? The constant AMV room programming, its here my opinion of AMVs upgraded from being all shitty linkin park syncs. I'm not a good judge for 2016, but i'm hoping it can be as awesome in years future.

>Genericon
Long standing geek con at RPI (Troy,NY) like 30 years. All the new facilities aren't used, even though it takes place during spring break. Supposedly a lot of people, but you won't see many, its so spread out it feels undersized as events are hosted in different old buildings, not their top-spec theater. If you want to watch Love Live in a dusty lecture hall, go ahead, but this boring con turned me off from any events at university unless they're free.

>Animaine
Only mentions of this by seeguls has been negative. I only went on one saturday for 2015 but i could see how much of a staff circlejerk it was. Cramped, even by NE con expectations, it takes place in a small Best Western. Rave was so terrible, and the on-site bar is pretty depressing compared to the joy of the bars at PortCon or AAc. Prices weren't bad but best go to PortConMaine if you live in this area of the world. Only highlight was a staff showing off some creepy ass doujin VHS NGE porn. Pretty much the best vaporhorror i've ever seen.

Connooga?

Between SDCC and AX, which would be more enjoyable if we are not at all interested in the western stuff at SDCC?

>>9363525
Since Ota is moving, I hope it starts to become more entertaining. The last good ota for me was 2013.
>New DC convention center is over 2 million square feet

>>9366094
I think you kind of answered your own question. SDCC is basically only western stuff, even comic fans are upset that the programming is more and more mainstream.

>>9366107
True, but SDCC is, from what I understand, huge size-wise. Maybe we should look at doing AX instead.

Shutocon - Still a fun con to go to but it's a shadow of it's former self thanks to being run by a bunch of tumblrtards.

>>9366094
AX is a great con because it caters to each specific nerd deed. Its quite mainstream if you stay at south hall where all the youtubers are or the entrance to the dealer's hall but they still push a lot of things that turns the mainstream away.

Jafax- Had some missteps last year when it became a paid con. Hope they can get things together this year. I miss when it was at Grand Valley University.

Godaikocon- Not much to write home about. It's at the old Youmacon hotel this year. It's a small con and usually one of the last for the summer.

WashiCon- This was a surprisingly good free one day convention. Reminded me a lot of what Jafax used to be like.

Youmacon- The big Michigan convention. Guaranteed to have rude staff, scheduling problems, and the same 5 guests year after year. Usually falls around Halloween.

How is Animazement? I just moved to NC from FL so I'm curious.

>>9362817
What about Wondercon

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>Anime-Zap
A Ryan-run con. It's a pretty small, local con so I always go to it. It's been borderline average every single year. Tons of little kids. Scummy dealers.
>Anime-Zap After Party
Jesus Christ what was that
>Anime-Central
Basically the main con for those in Illinois/Midwest. Always has decent panels, artist alley, merch, and parties. However, it doesn't try to improve itself, to turn it from good to great.
>also the meet up schedule is a hot god damn mess

>>9366117
if you just want to go for spectacle then go to SDCC. it's got that in spades. if you want to go because you want to actually see things you like, go to AX. I go to both and as an anime fan there's a lot more to hold my interest at AX than SDCC.

>>9362737
1# for Infamy and the fact they probably scammed money.

Wait are they still around.

>>9366286
You forgot Anime Midwest, which is unfortunately another Kopf-con, but it's probably the better run cons under his franchise (ugh, that's so weird thinking about it that way).

I'd like to think of it as a chill version of Anime Central that's also more J-fashion friendly. ACen is where people show off their best cosplays and Midwest is for socializing.

>Anime-Zap After Party
seriously idk wtf they were smoking when they came up with that. Were they trying to makeup for lost income? tbqh, having them in the area once a year is bad enough. I really doubt they care about A-Zap since the quality have always meandered from mediocre small con to below average.

I'm also very curious what the turn out and quality was like. The time frame sounds a lot like UChiCon, but judging from their promotion, it sounded autistic af.

>>9366225

Animazement is ok but not amazing.

It's just about at the 15K mark for size, and it's outgrowing the Raleigh Convention center.

It's the same weekend as Momocon, Megacon, Anime North, and Fanime so very few people outside of NC, SC, and VA go to it. In years past it was a given that the Atlanta crowd came up for AZ but now it's no longer the case.

I'd say feel wise it's very similar to Metrocon minus the ridiculously choreographed Cosplay Chess, Fire dancing shows but with a much nicer and more fun "rave".

Trending much younger and more anime than western stuff at this point.

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>>9370812
Ah, I didn't mention AM because I've never been. Thinking of heading to it this summer with the BF though.

>After party
The quality was shit. The gaming and the merch was all in one small room. They only had one merch booth (not sure why they didn't ask artists to come, but hey.)

It thankfully only cost $10 to get in (but you could easily ghost it, since they only marked you with sharpies. Friend of mine didn't even bother and walked right in. )

Not 100% on the turn out, since my friends and I left after an hour to find better things to do. (Which, funny enough, was to work on our costumes for Acen.) Not sure what the idea behind it was suppose to be since there was no damn effort put in to it.

>A-kon TX
Feels very big, usually pulls good VAs and guests.
>Animefest TX
It was good until they moved it over to the other hotel, now it sucks
>Anime Expo
too big, too linecon, too poorly managed, too much, etc
>Connichiwa AZ
It was good till they moved from hotel to convention center, went from being cozy local con to shitty ghost con
>Saboten AZ
Part 1 of our states biggest anime con, Greg is a shit
>Taiyou AZ
Part 2 of our states biggest anime cons, more chill than saboten.
Phoenix comic con
Too big, too many furries, too hot, too much lines, wants to be SDCC but never will be, hate it

>>9366225
Went last year and wasn't too impressed. Location is nice and it's a mid-sized con but not much variety in the way of panels/events. Cosplay ranged from mediocre to okay, only a few really great ones.

Skipping it this year but might try again next year. It's the biggest con here so it has that going for it but like >>9370832
mentioned, there are other cons around the same time that get more attention

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>>9370832
>tfw friend i haven't seen in over 5 years can finally afford to come to our home con but isn't bc his new gf has a booth in the Animazement AA and needs a slave for the weekend
feels bad man

>>9370851
Jesus. I'm glad I saved my $10.

Kopf and co. needs to stop spreading their cancer.

Yeah, y'all should go. If anything, you can park your things at the hotel and spend part of the weekend in the city.

Oh yeah, there's also Con+Alt+Delete, another gd Kopf con, but judging from the photos and my friend's experience, it seems to sit between A-zap and Anime Midwest in terms of quality.

Speaking of Chicago area cons, how is their Wizard World compared to the other cities? I didn't realize it was such an industry chain until now. How is it compared to C2E2?

>>9362819
AoD has Lotus Juice so that means they're getting my money

>>9366225
Animazement is the 2nd best con I went to out of 30+ I attended around the US. While the cosplay may not be super amazing, the audience is the most friendly, very familiar with the most obscure anime/Japanese games thst a lot of other anime cons just do not knowm. It brings in interesting/different guests from Japan compared to the same English voice actors cons love to recycle. Convention center is very nice despite the con is starting to outgrow it. The night time is amazing outside the con center. Lots of eatery around the con. Hotels priced well, parking is cheap. Every year I go the con is a blast.

I personally enjoyed more than both MetroCon and HolMat in FL.

>>9363546
>>9363523
>Don't you guys have Japan Expo in France as your big show over there?
Frenchanon here.
Japan Expo keeps getting shittier every year, it's infested with normies (so there is quite a lot of western stuff now) and it has less and less to do every year.
Last year was too shit, I went there since 2009 but I don't plan on ever coming here ever.

>>9371886
don't waste your money, unless youre just there to buy comics. theres little to no cosplay, c2e2 is way better imo

>>9372315
/this

>>9366225
Animazement is extremely public (and family) friendly, to the point where a lot of people go just to gawk. Most people there for the anime are also very young, think high school age. There's some serious cosplay and panels, but it shares the weekend with a bunch of other conventions that soak up the "talent". Most congoers are local and I know only a few people who fly to Raleigh for the con. The Marriott is a pretty nice hotel, but almost every other hotel in downtown Raleigh is a rat trap. If you're rather close to Raleigh I recommend checking it out at least once.

>>9362818
AnimeNext just moved locations so the shots you saw were from its Somerset location. It's now in Atlantic city so the main selling point now is it's beach side. Commercial beach though so no rocky areas. Lots of people got golden hour oceanside shots this past year.

Some personal contributions:
>Jaycon
Used to be a great college con, just went to it last weekend after a few years and was dumbfounded how a con that used to have to cap its size hardly had over 100 people this year.
>Castle Point Anime Convention
Very laid back but has a good turnout of people. The campus and surrounding area is pretty and great for photos.
>Zenkaikon
Would be a nice small/mid sized convention if it weren't for its shit cost for con badges. Can't really ghost either because they badge check everywhere. I enjoyed the areas outside of the con more than the ones in it like the Saturday farmer's market.
>AnimeUSA
Used to be like a budget Katsucon with a long hallway leading to a gorgeous Victorian room and a pretty garden areabut the hotel's renovations have ruined it all. Artist Alley has been shoved away into a dungeon like room so it takes 15 mintues for a transaction on a card reader. Every year as less people come, it feels like I'm watching a convention slowly die.
>Anime Boston
Dreamed about going to this convention for years as a kid that by the time I was an adult with money to actually attend, it was very disappointing. It's very crowded with no place in the convention center to sit down at and not very cosplay friendly.