I just returned from Anime Expo 2017

[madoka]

- It's a little less mismanaged every year. Now it's somewhat professionally run as opposed to run by a bunch of volunteer teenagers.

- Massive crowds where everyone is just packed in there. They still put all the popular stuff in one concentrated area instead of spreading it out more around the Convention Center.

- Too much (male) nudity. Some guys were just walking around in g-strings.

- You'd think that guys dressed as French maids or Japanese schoolgirls would be played out by now, but judging by the dozens upon dozens of guys dressed that way, it's not.

- Bought a dozens of professionally built Gundam models (1/144th scale), like these:

Is there a good way of displaying/storing them?

- Also bought a bunch of animation cels. What's a good way of storing them?

- Found that I could save $25/day in parking if I parked on the street two blocks down from the Convention Center. Unfortunately, wife refused to park there since those two blocks are filled with homeless encampments.

- Cosplayers have reached some ridiculous levels now versus 20 years ago. They must spend all year making some of those costumes.

 

[Cappuccino]

did you cosplay kanna chan?

EDIT -
Madoka cosplaying Kanna chan the T.H.I.C.C loli dragon!

 

[zinfamous]

this is the type of thing where I would expect pics of scantily clad young women.

so, disappointed.

 

[digiram]

My daughters into anime, took her and a friend to anime north in TO last year. Seemed pointless to me, but if I were still in my late teens and early 20's and still in the hunt. Would probably be a great time I suppose.

 

[RichUK]

Much geek / sausage party.

 

[Aikouka]

I've never been to a huge anime convention, but I've been to some smaller ones. I think that's pretty much the reason why I don't have as much interest in going to them. The smaller ones seem to be catered a bit toward a few niche interests (e.g. pokemon, voice actors, etc.) that I just don't have any interest in. Also, the anime viewing is usually dubbed unless only a sub is available, which is a big, emphatic no thanks from me. It may seem strange, but I just don't feel like I fit in at anime conventions. I'd rather just visit the vendor area, and then leave.

I do remember one time I went, and there was this game show thing going on. I tried to get on the show, but I wasn't chosen. That led to my annoyance when the contestants knew almost none of the answers, and I knew all of them with the exception of the question about English voice actors. 😳 How can you watch anime and not know the Japanese word for "green"? 😛

Bought a dozens of professionally built Gundam models (1/144th scale)

You can buy stands for Gunpla on Amazon. ("Gunpla" being the nerdy term for Gundam models.)

Cosplayers have reached some ridiculous levels now versus 20 years ago. They must spend all year making some of those costumes.

For some people, it's literally a huge part of their livelihood. They get paid to come to a convention, show off their outfit(s), and usually either judge the cosplay contest and/or host a panel. For some, it's just for fun, and they can spend a really long time working on their outfits. I've always been intrigued by the idea of making cosplay props, but trying to add some sort of fancy flair to it. I don't have much interest in costume crafting though.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I'd rather go to the real deal at Tokyo Big Sight 😉
(aka NatsuComi / FuyuComi)

Though that would be a lower priority for me than visiting 竹原市 for 憧憬の路 :

 

[SketchMaster]

- It's a little less mismanaged every year. Now it's somewhat professionally run as opposed to run by a bunch of volunteer teenagers.

All Anime Cons are like this. It's hard to find grown adults who will deal with all the tweens and over-dramatic drunk twenty-somethings that roam the halls. Also, "Con Funk" is real and it still claims victims.

#endconfunknow

- Too much (male) nudity. Some guys were just walking around in g-strings.

Honestly, nudity has gotten out of control in general. Most cosplayers are part-time porn stars on patreon/instagram. Maybe I'm just arrogant, but if you're cosplaying something just because you get to show off skin you're stripper without a pole.

- You'd think that guys dressed as French maids or Japanese schoolgirls would be played out by now, but judging by the dozens upon dozens of guys dressed that way, it's not.

Eh, they pay their taxes.

- Cosplayers have reached some ridiculous levels now versus 20 years ago. They must spend all year making some of those costumes.

Try years, and yes, they do it full time. I know a few people that make a living from commission work for people that don't have the time/equipment to make what they need. Some even go into movie/theater work.

 

[Cappuccino]

I'd rather go to the real deal at Tokyo Big Sight 😉

Though that would be a lower priority for me than visiting 竹原市 for 憧憬の路 :

Pay for my travels and we can go together 😀

 

[Cappuccino]

All Anime Cons are like this. It's hard to find grown adults who will deal with all the tweens and over-dramatic drunk twenty-somethings that roam the halls. Also, "Con Funk" is real and it still claims victims.

#endconfunknow



Honestly, nudity has gotten out of control in general. Most cosplayers are part-time porn stars on patreon/instagram. Maybe I'm just arrogant, but if you're cosplaying something just because you get to show off skin you're stripper without a pole.



Eh, they pay their taxes.



Try years, and yes, they do it full time. I know a few people that make a living from commission work for people that don't have the time/equipment to make what they need. Some even go into movie/theater work.

I went to Comic-con Birmingham last year and it was kinda boring. The cosplaying wasnt that great too. What put me off is how EXPENSIVE the merchansise cost. A freaking totoro backpack cost £40... I cried because I wanted it so badly because it was so cute!!! 🙁

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Shoukei no Michi festival in Takehara :
(this is the setting of Tamayura)

 

[Cappuccino]

Shoukei no Michi festival in Takehara :
(this is the setting of Tamayura)

silly question - Is the candles scented? i love scented candles I have like 10000 Yankee candles in my room 😀
take my money!

 

[Ns1]

is ManFaye still a thing?

 

[uhohs]

Don't think ManFaye has been seen in years.

Also heard badge pickup on Day 1(Saturday) was 5 hours wait. lol, Anime Expo is terribly run/organized. I only go if there's a guest/act I really want to see and manage to get a press badge.

 

[sdifox]

silly question - Is the candles scented? i love scented candles I have like 10000 Yankee candles in my room 😀
take my money!

Fire hazard...

 

[Exterous]

Also heard badge pickup on Day 1(Saturday) was 5 hours wait.

There are very few things I would wait in line for 5 hours for and the list pretty much ends with water or food if I were in danger of dying

 

[madoka]

Also heard badge pickup on Day 1(Saturday) was 5 hours wait. lol, Anime Expo is terribly run/organized. I only go if there's a guest/act I really want to see and manage to get a press badge.

I had a cousin that went on Saturday as his first con of any type. Two hour drive and four hours in line to get in, so by the time he did get in, he was already too tired to enjoy anything there. 🙁

However, I remember when AX was run almost ENTIRELY by teenage volunteers who would otherwise not be able to afford a ticket to get in. Now that's not a pool of the best/brightest to begin with, but the people in charge were total nitwits to boot who had no business managing a con.

 

[madoka]

Much geek / sausage party.

Actually the anime cons have way more females in them than comic cons.

 

[Aikouka]

I had a cousin that went on Saturday as his first con of any type. Two hour drive and four hours in line to get in, so by the time he did get in, he was already too tired to enjoy anything there. 🙁

Sounds like he got to experience the worst part of cons... being a giant line simulator. 😳 I went to BlizzCon one year, and I had planned on going to Disney Land on Sunday since I have never been to any of the Disney parks. However, I ended up being too wiped out from standing and walking around all day to spend another day doing that at Disney. It didn't help that I chose a hotel that was a little further away; it looked fine on Google Maps, but walking it was quite arduous! (Ended up getting that Star Pass thing.)

 

[madoka]

You can buy stands for Gunpla on Amazon. ("Gunpla" being the nerdy term for Gundam models.)

Thanks for the suggestion. I got a couple of those stands, but my house is dusty and there would be no way of cleaning them. I would need something that covered the models.

 

[sdifox]

Thanks for the suggestion. I got a couple of those stands, but my house is dusty and there would be no way of cleaning them. I would need something that covered the models.

Just a shelf unit with glass doors. Add accent light if you wish.

 

[Cappuccino]

Thanks for the suggestion. I got a couple of those stands, but my house is dusty and there would be no way of cleaning them. I would need something that covered the models.

Do you collect other nerdy stuff besides Gundam?

 

[gorobei]

Thanks for the suggestion. I got a couple of those stands, but my house is dusty and there would be no way of cleaning them. I would need something that covered the models.

go to TAP plastics, they have acrylic bell-jar and cube display boxes for collectors (base/foot/basket ball sizes). the foot ball ones should handle a 1/100. there should be an equivalent online if you need bulk, tap is just retailing another company's product line.

ex
http://www.collectingwarehouse.com/...ar-Acrylic-Box-Display-Cases-with-Black-Base/

 

[sdifox]

Do you collect other nerdy stuff besides Gundam?

Guns

 

[madoka]

Guns

Hey now, she said "nerdy" things!