Post by LadyRiona on Apr 16, 2007 21:33:33 GMT -5
Hi everyone! Okay I'll say up front I am not the most experienced con goer in the circuit but I'm slowly learning the ropes. Anyway. Welcome to the Anime Convention section of Novice Writers. 
And by the way, anime isn't the only type of convention like this. There are also comic book conventions, such as *gasp* ComicCon in San Diego, California! How difficult a name, eh? heh Anyway! In this board, we can discuss anime conventions we've been to, would like to go to, et cetera.
What I would love to ask of everyone is to please be discrete about your location. On NW we care about your privacy and we would really hate to see anything bad happen to ANY of our members. And even when talking about your personal information, if it is aimed at one person please discuss it over PMs or a messenger service if applicable. Any posts containing material that is deemed too personal by mods and administrators will be modified without prior notice.
That said to keep safety in mind, feel free to talk about conventions you'd like to go to, have attended, or would just like to know more about before attending!
Please ask any questions you have in this thread and I will answer them best of my knowledge. Periodically, I may delete posts but I WILL put the question and answer in this post as a FAQ.
Anyway a quick overview:
What is an Anime Convention?
An anime convention is usually held over a weekend anywhere in the United States and other countries. There is one pretty much every weekend, SOMEWHERE. It is a place where fans of anime, n00bs and otakus alike, come together to make friends; buy anime merchandise, anime, manga, clothing, weapons, artwork, etc; sell things as vendors; LARP (Live Action Role Play); meet voice actors, anime directors, musicians, and others; and generally have a good time.
There are Panels held about different things concerning anime, whether it is an anime or manga discussion, held by a voice actor or someone else, a workshop, or just about interesting things, they are nearly every hour and there are multiple panel rooms. In workshops, people are instructed on how to make things and the know-how on things such as cosplaying (dressing up as a character from an anime, manga, or J-pop or J-rock band, sometimes well, sometimes not so well). There are also video rooms that play anime well into the wee hours of the morning, sometimes subbed (in the original language with English subtitles) and sometimes dubbed (in English). Most conventions have a game room for people to sample the lastest video games, or games that have been out for quite a while. There are tournaments held for games like Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, and other games like one-on-one fighting games.
Guests, such as voice actors (American and Japanese alike), directors of anime, and musicians are at conventions. There are sometimes concerts held by musicians, and there are panels held by voice actors and directors, and autograph signings.
Cosplaying is also a usual thing at anime cons. Some people put an extremely large amount of work into their costumes, working for months and even years to perfect a costume. Other people...well, you can tell if they just threw it together overnight. But still! They receive credit for doing it and having the guts to walk around in a scanty outfit in the dead of winter or heavy layers in the middle of summer. There is usually a Cosplay Competition where cosplayers are judged by craftsmanship of their costume in three or four categories. The more awards you have won, the more categories you can enter. People also put on skits with other cosplayers that are written and rehearsed prior to the convention, and those are also judged. If you're the shy type, then there is a Hall Cosplay Competition which is significantly smaller than the regular competition where you "strut your stuff" in front of the judges.
Some conventions have modeling, for action figures. So if you like to make miniature figures then check the conventions near your that you may attend for the possibility of modeling competitions!
Artist Alley and the Dealer's Room are where people buy and sell items or artwork. Vendors must be 18+ to have a booth. But this is where people can buy anime, manga, weapons (must be 18+), clothing, plushies, playing cards, figurines, keychains, cell phone charms, Japanese snack foods and drinks, wallscrolls, and many, many other things. In Artist Alley, people sell prints and commission drawing, keychains, buttons, T-shirts, and anything else that they make.
Some conventions have LARPs, Live Action Role Plays. If you have ever Role Played online with people, then LARPing is similar, except you are acting out the role play with numerous other people! There is usually a predetermined plot or two by the people who are running the LARP, but leave it up to the LARPies to reach those plot points. There are "duels" settled by games of "Rock Paper Scissors" (the Japanese name, I don't remember...it's like Jai Kan Pon or something...if someone knows let me know please). You can "buy" from and "sell" things to other LARP members (which are pieces of paper, in actuality...) and plenty more. Most conventions websites have more FAQs on them, and you receive a paper at the LARP meeting.
That's all for now. I'll be adding things frequently and answering questions as much as I can so check back occasionally! Thanks!
~Ri
And by the way, anime isn't the only type of convention like this. There are also comic book conventions, such as *gasp* ComicCon in San Diego, California! How difficult a name, eh? heh Anyway! In this board, we can discuss anime conventions we've been to, would like to go to, et cetera.What I would love to ask of everyone is to please be discrete about your location. On NW we care about your privacy and we would really hate to see anything bad happen to ANY of our members. And even when talking about your personal information, if it is aimed at one person please discuss it over PMs or a messenger service if applicable. Any posts containing material that is deemed too personal by mods and administrators will be modified without prior notice.
That said to keep safety in mind, feel free to talk about conventions you'd like to go to, have attended, or would just like to know more about before attending!
Please ask any questions you have in this thread and I will answer them best of my knowledge. Periodically, I may delete posts but I WILL put the question and answer in this post as a FAQ.
Anyway a quick overview:
What is an Anime Convention?
An anime convention is usually held over a weekend anywhere in the United States and other countries. There is one pretty much every weekend, SOMEWHERE. It is a place where fans of anime, n00bs and otakus alike, come together to make friends; buy anime merchandise, anime, manga, clothing, weapons, artwork, etc; sell things as vendors; LARP (Live Action Role Play); meet voice actors, anime directors, musicians, and others; and generally have a good time.
There are Panels held about different things concerning anime, whether it is an anime or manga discussion, held by a voice actor or someone else, a workshop, or just about interesting things, they are nearly every hour and there are multiple panel rooms. In workshops, people are instructed on how to make things and the know-how on things such as cosplaying (dressing up as a character from an anime, manga, or J-pop or J-rock band, sometimes well, sometimes not so well). There are also video rooms that play anime well into the wee hours of the morning, sometimes subbed (in the original language with English subtitles) and sometimes dubbed (in English). Most conventions have a game room for people to sample the lastest video games, or games that have been out for quite a while. There are tournaments held for games like Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, and other games like one-on-one fighting games.
Guests, such as voice actors (American and Japanese alike), directors of anime, and musicians are at conventions. There are sometimes concerts held by musicians, and there are panels held by voice actors and directors, and autograph signings.
Cosplaying is also a usual thing at anime cons. Some people put an extremely large amount of work into their costumes, working for months and even years to perfect a costume. Other people...well, you can tell if they just threw it together overnight. But still! They receive credit for doing it and having the guts to walk around in a scanty outfit in the dead of winter or heavy layers in the middle of summer. There is usually a Cosplay Competition where cosplayers are judged by craftsmanship of their costume in three or four categories. The more awards you have won, the more categories you can enter. People also put on skits with other cosplayers that are written and rehearsed prior to the convention, and those are also judged. If you're the shy type, then there is a Hall Cosplay Competition which is significantly smaller than the regular competition where you "strut your stuff" in front of the judges.
Some conventions have modeling, for action figures. So if you like to make miniature figures then check the conventions near your that you may attend for the possibility of modeling competitions!
Artist Alley and the Dealer's Room are where people buy and sell items or artwork. Vendors must be 18+ to have a booth. But this is where people can buy anime, manga, weapons (must be 18+), clothing, plushies, playing cards, figurines, keychains, cell phone charms, Japanese snack foods and drinks, wallscrolls, and many, many other things. In Artist Alley, people sell prints and commission drawing, keychains, buttons, T-shirts, and anything else that they make.
Some conventions have LARPs, Live Action Role Plays. If you have ever Role Played online with people, then LARPing is similar, except you are acting out the role play with numerous other people! There is usually a predetermined plot or two by the people who are running the LARP, but leave it up to the LARPies to reach those plot points. There are "duels" settled by games of "Rock Paper Scissors" (the Japanese name, I don't remember...it's like Jai Kan Pon or something...if someone knows let me know please). You can "buy" from and "sell" things to other LARP members (which are pieces of paper, in actuality...) and plenty more. Most conventions websites have more FAQs on them, and you receive a paper at the LARP meeting.
That's all for now. I'll be adding things frequently and answering questions as much as I can so check back occasionally! Thanks!
~Ri
