Anime Conventions Pro and Con List

The anime convention season hasn’t official started yet (or maybe it has and I am just a weirdo for thinking it starts in the summer) but I felt like doing a convention post. Especially after finding out that there were three big anime conventions on Easter weekend alone I felt as if the convention bug as bit me.

I decided to compile a list of convention pros and cons because 1) you can only try to catch MewTwo so many times before you want to throw your DS at a wall and B) as much as the convention bug has hit me there are certainly draw backs to going to conventions. XD Not that I should let that ruin a good time but I just want to warn people it is not all fun and games and kittens and rainbows. That and I am in a snarky mood.

So behold fellow convention veterans and convention virgins! Here is a list of things we all look forward to and the things we cringe at the thought of. Maybe if we accept the crazy/bad things they won’t seem like a big shock when they happen. That and maybe if people have reasonable expectations of what happens at an anime convention there won’t be letdowns laters. Snark with me people.




+ Being surrounded by like minded anime fans. Dressing in costumes doesn’t seem weird to this crowd.

- Being surrounded by crazy anime fans. While we would all like to argue that we aren’t THAT crazy anime person they are out there. And they are sitting right next to us being annoying and smelly.

+ Able to buy anime merchandise with no shipping fees. Bigger cons have huge rooms filled with a good variety of products. The ability to bargain in person is always an option.

- Higher prices to offset the convention fee. More obscure items might be harder to find as dealers try to gauge what is the popular series of the moment.

+ A weekend full of anime fun, cosplays, and silly antics.

-A weekend full of people who don’t shower, stupid internet memes, and possibly dangerous antics.

+ Spending tons of money on anime merchandise.

- Being poor for the next 3 months because of said convention.

+ Taking long hot showers in the hotel room and being able to walk out of your room and step into the anime scene.

- Sharing a room with 6 people and 5 of those people are hogging the bathroom putting on their cosplays.

+ Seeing how dedicated people are to their hobby when they put long hours into one cosplay.

- Next to those dedicated people are people wearing a cheap Naruto headband and jacket that they bought off e-bay and they expect me to take their pictures too.

+ Buying hard to get Japanese treats and drinks from the Dealer’s room.

- Spending a buttload of money on expensive and overpriced convention food because the nearest McDonalds is too far away.

+ The travel time to the convention. Full of excitement and woohoo no work/school.

- The travel time back from the convention. Full of crap back to the real world thoughts.

+ A fun filled weekend packed with panels, events, and shopping.

- Lines. LINES!

+ The chance of being exposed to new and exciting shows and products.

- The chance of being exposed to con funk and random flues at the convention. Bring that vitamin C people.

+ A chance to catch up with convention friends and maybe make some new ones.

- Getting caught up in con drama if you circle of friends is huge and unpredictable.

+ A huge variety of events and panels to attend.

-Some of your favorite events and panels clash causing you to make some tough decisions.

+ Being in a new area and having fun being a tourist.

- Being in a new area and being charged out the bum for being said tourist and being lost all the time.

I think that is a pretty good list. I think to minimize possible cons one should save enough money in advance, bring as much food as they can, and be mindful of times and their own situations. To maximize the pros hang out with your friends as much as possible so the stupid things other people are doing won't matter as much because you are too busy doing your own thing. It's hard to stay mad at some random freak in the hallway when your friends are cracking you up.

Happy convention season to everyone. Be safe and wear deodorant!!!