Ask John: What Are Anime Conventions Like?

Question:
I am planning to go to the Anime Expo in Long Beach, California this summer. I was wondering what do you do at an anime convention? I have never been to one before.

Answer:
Anime conventions are ultimately exactly what their name implies- an opportunity for anime fans to convene. At a bigger convention, such as Anime Expo, your schedule may be as relaxing or as hectic as you want it to be. However, you’ll probably find that much of your time is spent either standing around or sitting around doing, essentially, nothing.

Any larger convention will have a dealer’s room and screening rooms open all day each day of the convention. The dealer’s room is an exhibit hall where anime retailers set up tables and displays filled with anime goods for sale. At a bigger con, you’ll find every conceivable anime item available for sale, and then some. If you’re a collector, you won’t have enough money to buy everything that catches your eye, regardless of how much money you bring. If you’re not a collector, you’re still likely to find a few things that you won’t be able to resist buying. There will doubtlessly be so much stuff to see that you’ll probably find much of your time at the convention spent wandering in circles around the dealer’s room.

Screening rooms simply screen anime. Screening rooms are a great opportunity to see anime that you’ve never seen before, or see anime you like projected on large or even theatrical screens, with an audience of other fans that love anime as much as you do.

Most conventions will hold regular panel discussions throughout the weekend. These panels involve a speaker or select number of guests, industry representatives and experts lecturing about various anime or engaging in question and answer sessions with fans. These panels may seem dull or uneventful to some, but may be of great interest or information to others. Panels are also a great opportunity to listen to interesting discussion of anime while just taking a moment to sit down and rest.

If sitting in a room listening to people talk doesn’t strike you as interesting or entertaining, you’ll find that many anime conventions also host a room where you can sit and play video games, or stand and watch people sitting and playing video games.

Most conventions also hold an art show and art contest in which one room is turned into a temporary anime fan art museum where you can view art, crafts and model kits from other anime fans, vote on which pieces you like best, and even bid on or outright buy pieces that you especially appreciate.

And most conventions will also sponsor special events throughout the weekend such as a Saturday night costume contest, karaoke contests, lines for autographs with guests, dance parties, meet the guests receptions and other events.