Anime Conventions Have Changed: What You Need to Know

[@ebcballa13]

I also attended my first Anime Convention in 2011(Ohayocon) and one change I've noticed, which is unfortunately negative, are the expenses. The prices of rooms and badges have gone up dramatically. And since cons are bigger than ever, it's harder to find a room in the block. Also, hotels have become more strict about how many people are allowed in a room and price each room accordingly with usually a max of 4 on a standard sized room.

[@ConventionReviews]

Wow this is a really really good one to mention that I totally missed! I did notice this as well but totally over looked it when writing this video! This is probably the biggest negative change I have seen.

[@InuMiroLover]

I agree. I remember when paying $65 for the weekend was the price you paid if you missed the early bird rates. Nowadays, I see weekend badges go upwards of $100 or even more, depending on the con. I go to about 3 cons a year, and the cons I go to range between $80 and $100 for the badge. And with hotels, I do like that alot of cons do work with neighboring hotels to get good rates for the attendees, so that you're not completely SOL if you can't get the main hotel. But yeah you basically have to work fast if you want a room, especially since some cons are just notorious for their hotel rooms being gone in seconds. Im going to Katsucon next year, and I got ridiculously lucky getting a room at the main hotel. However, there's alot of complaints with the rooming situation (and has been a thing for years) about the rooms being sold out the moment the room block opened. I checked the website early to see that the room block was live before it was supposed to, and got my ass a room right then and there. And since Katsucon only works with one hotel, and the other hotels in the immediate area being 400+ a night, the con is basically only feasible if you were lucky enough to get a room or willing to commute.

[@s-wo8781]

​​@@InuMiroLoverI didn't realize the hotels around Katsu were that high. Good thing I live in the city. Also Magfest went from being $65 in 2020 to $125 and goes up by ten dollars for every month you wait so it can be $155. It's ridiculous and I don't believe their excuse for a minute for the price increase and crazily people on Discord are defending it. It went from being the cheapest con in the area to the most expensive when it's not even that popular of a con compared to Katsucon or Otakon.

[@alissadolan7017]

Some large cons are still staffed by unpaid volunteers even though the prices+profits go up each year, which is a bit ridiculous. I've also noticed at my much smaller local cons that the prices of tables keep going up, a lot of artists I know just don't think it's worth the financial risk of selling at them anymore if it's not a big event. So a lot of table space is instead occupied by people selling overpriced stuff from aliexpress, even stolen fanart. Makes the artist alley feel less like a fan event and more like walking into an HMV

[@TheDemonDeuce]

Oh the years when Ohayocon was actually a great con. Nowadays.... They're a horrible, union busting anime con with a director that has a power trip and fired most of her staff for a very petty reason and is looking to get rich. From the ashes of that trash con comes Isshocon coming soon.

[@tinymittensdesign]

I've been going to cons since 2006, and god I'm so glad glomping stopped being a thing. Also the rise of Cosplay is Not Consent, and people actually being punished for randomly touching people.

[@ConventionReviews]

Haha I'm glad I never really experienced the height of the glomp era. I remember I was scared of it when I went to my first con.

[@lastsunofkrypton7950]

I’m a geezer Otaku. My first anime con was Animecon91 and a year later AnimeExpo 92 when they were still held at the Red Lion Inn in San Jose. I stopped going to anime cons before the turn of the century because life stuff. Now that I have kids who are old enough to appreciate current anime, we started going to local cons. The biggest new thing to me is all these cosplayers. I know this was a thing for years now but having been out of the loop for well over a decade I was still actually surprised by how many people dressed up. In the first two cons i mentioned the ratio of cosplayers was like 1 in 50 with an attendance of less than 2k.

[@bimirabu]

Oh, that’s awesome!! I feel like your generation helped us have what we do today, so thanks for paving the way! I’d love to hear more of your thoughts about returning after all these years. Did you like it?

[@lastsunofkrypton7950]

@@bimirabuSorry for the late reply. I never got a notification that my post had a reply. Lol. But yeah, it brings a smile to my face to see the younger generations get into anime. Even the young kiddies. Now as for if I liked going back to modern cons, generally it was pretty fun. It was different from my younger days, but still fun. The most important thing for me was if my sons liked it and they did. But it was so weird when I didn’t know half the characters or anime that people were cosplaying as or what was being sold in the dealers room. I be like where are all the Macross fans? Bubble Gum Crisis fans? Ranma 1/2 fans? Dirty Pair? Akira? Who the hell is Freiren? What is a Bocchi The Rock!!?? This “oldtaku” felt a little out of place. Lol. And does no one sell any original cel art anymore. Like original cels from actual anime? Or even custom fan made cel work? When did that fade out?

[@The-Shadow-Realm]

@@lastsunofkrypton7950firstly - shout out to the Bay Area! Secondly, I’ll just say that I’m 28 - but “Akira” was the first anime that I ever saw (when I was 6 or so), as well as “Marcoss” and “Bubblegum Crisis” soon afterwards - which are all awesome! Anyways, a lot of the merchandise has radically changed over the decades and even singular years, honestly. Clothes, collectibles, and cosplay-related items are really what have been “hot sellers” these days. With that said, you’d be surprised how popular classic anime from the 1980’s to the 2000’s is today - so I wouldn’t be surprised you if there’s a resurgence of some sort in cosplayers tapping into anime characters from those eras!

[@TheMabiNerd]

A lot of my friends use conventions as a place to build up that resume for videography or build up clientele for photography. Its imo a harmless and pretty good way to sharpen your skills, meet new people and make some money!

[@RickySama240]

Another recent change I've seen now is in the form of famous V-tubers coming along as guests for conventions now. We've come along way from cons inviting a variety of artists via voice actors, bands, DJ's and other public figures. Now it seems that V-tubers are filling in that same spot as a potential visitor for the cosplay community. 😇

[@s-wo8781]

I've been going to cons since 2014. I've noticed from this video and others that people forget is the increased diversity. There were no black owned cons back in 2011 when you started and now while there still isn't a lot black cosplayers have some options now with Blerdcon, Dreamcon, J-1, Urban Nerd Con, and then there's also event throwers that make events for black cosplayers like PlusUltra Entertainment, LAN Party, Shonen Pump, Sailor Boom, Trap Sushi. None of these existed ten years ago except for J1.

[@bimirabu]

Dang, I’m black myself and forgot this. 😂 Yes!! You’re super right. While it boggles my mind that there’s still a small undercurrent of “cosplay characters within your skin tone” that just won’t die, there’s just so many more of us and other folks of color making up the demographic at these cons that I don’t even think about standing out anymore. I’m glad that cons more accurately represent the diversity of the American fanbase now.

[@matty6878]

been to AX since 2010 and i feel like i got to witness the tail end of an era. 'net culture' was a thing but people still awkwardly tried to express that in person. it def feels more relaxed now and i dont miss the cringe aspects to it at all but i felt there was a better understanding of each other and interacting of each fandom within the anime community. know its gotten so much bigger that it feels less like a community and just people who like japanese cartoons and maybe some other kind of media.

[@carlosb.9032]

Overall the community is older than i thought it was in the past. I was about to stop going due to feeling like it was a bunch of people less than 21 years old as i was getting close to 20. Feeling like the cons are keeping up with the older fan base like me makes me feel like still going. This is also why vendors halls are more expensive, but with the catering to older fans people are still buying vs back in the day when i swear not many people could afford to actuall buy too many things.

[@bimirabu]

Yep, what you’re feeling is correct. Our generation of anime fans (namely those who grew up during the anime booms from 2002-2005 and again from 2007-2012) are pushing the age of attendance older. There have always been older anime fans, but by sheer quantity due to increased access to anime over the past 20 years, there’s just more of us. And with near-instant access to Japan’s anime industry nowadays, it’s not like there’s any external factors that would cause anyone to “age” out of the hobby at a certain age, so people keep watching and people keep getting older. I am so happy about this honestly. Going to anime cons at ages 30 and 40 plus no longer bats an eye and I’ve no doubt that within our lifetime, the anime crowd is going to start resembling comic con crowds in terms of generations represented. 🤗

[@yunoyukki7344]

tbh I just went to one that was 2/3 12-15 year old girls

[@carlosb.9032]

@yunoyukki7344 that's probably a small con. The bigger the cons are the higher the age of the average attendees but that's also because they are more expensive and you gotta have a job for the most part to afford them.

[@TwoFrameStudios]

These are great talking points, very well elaborated! As a videographer myself I love seeing other videographers/photographers at cons, as I will often start a chat about our hobby. It's a great way to make friends and in my perspective that means the community is growing. Sure you'll also see more people trying to be famous but generally you are going to see more of every type of people because of how popular anime has become and it won't stop growing. I welcome everyone to conventions, come to be famous, come to show your craft, art, come to make money, spend money, show off your skill, talent, passion, come to make content for youtube, come one, come all! (Except creeps, they can stay in their basement)

[@Cannibal_Cos]

Just watched this over again and completely agree, saw you guys earlier on the escalator at Matsuricon! Glad you decided to come. I’d love to talk to you and the others. I asked a while back if you guys were coming and my dream came true. I’m a more recent con vlogger now and I’m happy this is how it’s going. Love u all and have a great Matsuri! ❤❤❤

[@ConventionReviews]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you had a great time as well!

[@carlosb.9032]

I'm from Illinois. I went to a convention in New York. It was a blast. I went again with a group of friends 3 years later. It is now just a glamorize photo shoot place. Everyone was on Instagram, snapshot, or some other social media. ACen this year showed me not all cons have changed to that point though. I had a blast

[@SapphireGladeComics]

I started to go to Anime Conventions in 2006. I attend them regularly for about 12 years as attendee. Now I either attend them as a vendor or I'm helping out on Staff. It also helps that you can buy anime merchandise just about anywhere now. I did do some basic level of cosplay in my early years. Never wanted to get famous or be recognized, just wanted to go there and have fun and see everyone's hard work on their costumes.

[@AntagonistVisionII]

@ 2:13 I think I know which dude you're talking about. He had done that with many cosplayers, and it happened with a friend of mine at the time. I had to call him out on it, and he teared up. His friend tried to make excuses, but I had to call him out on it, too. Today, whether he attends conventions or not. I don't think he does it anymore.

[@InuMiroLover]

My first con was back in 2008 and con culture really has evolved since then, for the better imo! I see it as we were a bunch of kids who just really really really liked anime so it was kind of a wild west atmosphere back then. (Who remembers the yaoi paddles?) But we grew up, saw that the weird things we were doing wasnt cool, and saw that we needed cons to grow up as well. And also, I think to add that alot of cons are more family friendly now is because of sponsors and advertisers. Alot of cons are seeing important, industry sponsors so having the con be more approachable to families and widen the demographic is going to help both sides. Plus you know, cons for the most part are non-profit so sponsors are going to help with much needed cash flow. And I also think with the rise of social media and smartphones really helped to cement the "cosplay is not consent" movement. Smart phones and social media were just barely getting off the ground back in the late 2000s, but as it got more and more popular a few years later, you can easily put someone who's acting a fool on blast and everyone knows about it.

[@bimirabu]

Agree 100% on all points! My first con was in 2007 and I don’t think I’ve seen anyone explain it better than you what our mindset was back then. 😂 Literally, there was suddenly a bunch of us (products of Toonami, et. al compared to the 80s and 90s fans) and we had no concept of regulation at these events. I guess no standard, either. 🤭 The lines between reality and anime frequently blurred and that’s how we got things like glomping, yaoi paddles, and Naruto running in public spaces. 😂 Going mainstream was a good thing lol. I’d feel much safer taking younger fans to an event nowadays. 😊

[@sammydelorenzi]

So glad to see the channel back, love all of the new content Cody!!

[@kaijunasan4497]

My very first anime con was anime expo 2008 I was only 15 The days of the GLOMP was fun as hell 😂 but the more I thought back to it it was pretty weird so it only made sense to me it be done with your best friends especially when conventions were the only time you saw em. AX has definitely got worse with the crowds and pred@tors are too everywhere .. things need to change ✊

[@ConventionReviews]

Yeah I did head AX wasnt great this year lol

[@fuzzypanda2804]

I miss glomping ngl. It was just so weeby. Didn't need to be in cosplay to get glomped, happened alot because for alot of nerds the only friends they may have they see only once a year at cons and bam, big hug. The increase of kids at cons is because the "nerdy" kids are now adults and bumped ugglies with other nerdy adults and so now have kids they can indoctrinate into the cult...I mean fandom.

[@tiezoc757]

I'm half and half on cons getting better because it really depends on the conventions you go to. I know you do a lot of east side cons, I do mostly southwest cons. I live in New Mexico where we unfortunately don't have as many anime conventions anymore. I used to go to conventions run by Monkey Paw Entertainment. They run Sabaku Con in New Mexico, Saboten Con, Kikori Con and ConNichiwa which are located in different cities in Arizona. I use to love their conventions, but over the last couple years the owner has become welll... a jerk. Other than his baby con Saboten- his other cons have gotten stale and boring. It's the same thing every year and he ignores any suggestions or constructive criticism. He use to be supportive of other local conventions. Now he's just vitriol towards them and acts as though his cons are the best. Communication is also atrocious, I've pretty much come to the point I no longer want to support his cons which really sucks because we don't have much else around. NDK and Colorado Anime Fest have their issues, but are pretty good Colorado cons. Anime Banzai in Utah is also pretty good. But here in New Mexico ConJikan stopped due to covivi, ABQ Comic Con is garbage and the new Anime New Mexico already has negative community feedback with how they treated Artist Alley and their high badge prices for such a small con. I will be going to Game On Expo in Phoenix, Arizona for the first time this year. I've heard great things about them, so we'll see how it goes. I definitely would like to see you attend and review conventions in the west side. Maybe take a trip for any I listed. Would very much love to hear your thoughts.

[@ConventionReviews]

Hmmm that's really to bad to hear. Of course my point of view is all based on cons here and its very general. I hope i can go to some of them at some point to get a better idea of what these cons are like.

[@twilightrosa-u3v]

my first anime convention was yama con 2019 best memories i've made in my life my cosplay of choice is tv shoe ' movie ' video game and book characters how i get my hair done for wigs tying it in a crown halo braid

[@ConventionReviews]

I'm glad you had a great time.

[@barbara832001]

I went to my first anime convention in 2000, Animazment in Raleigh NC. I do remember them always having Japanese guests, especially for a smaller convention, which was part of the appeal. I would special order subtitled anime to avoid watching the dubbed versions. I stopped going to anime conventions around 2010, but I still go to other conventions like Dragoncon. I just outgrew my interest in anime over the years

[@chilwil07]

It's crazy how animecon videos used to just display average folks and like you said now everyone has at least an instagram if not an OF to advertise and the content of a lot of con vids reflect that although you can still find a lot of raw walkthroughs with features from cosplayers not seeking a social media following/career and even male cosplayers which seems like a rarity in a few of the higher sub/viewer count cosplay highlight videos from cons

[@RedDragonM1]

Tsh, please. I've been going to Otakon since 2001! I remember glomping...I got glomped two times...because I was cosplaying as Hero Yui from "Gundam Wing". This girl just went.."HEEERO!" and ran to me, and BOOM knocked me down! I was mad! "Get off!! Why did you attack me!?" I shouted. "I was glomping you." "What's that?" I asked. There was also "Yaoi" and "Yuri" wooden paddles...those were banned. People with signs saying "free hugs!" those were banned...roller blades...banned.

[@kas966]

remember watching this channel years ago happy you're back

[@tabithagant9371]

Hello I remember my first convention 2009 at Zenkaikon valley forge, PA. It was everything you said about the voice actors not being coherent and a lot of behind scenes shown up front. Granted they did not have the space and they use what they had to their best ability. Like generally small conventions at the time. When going to the hotels and checking in they were wary of these groups coming in. Now if a convention has been established for more than two or three years at a location the surrounding areas around the venue is super excited and they tend to make sure they have extra supplies if there are store. Some give discounts if you have a badge. That wasn't a thing 10 years ago. I'm at the same convention at a different level of going. The attendees don't see as much of the background so they tend to enjoy it better. And it's no longer a taboo thing. Back in the day they were still confusing anime conventions with sci-fi conventions in and how worried they were of those people. Which in factor quite nice and reasonable (the con goers). Speaking of the hotels when I started going there was no hotel block You're paying full hotel prices for the weekend. Now they have a discount running with the convention cuz they know they're going to be pulling all those numbers especially if they have a built-in restaurant inside.

[@blueberrypitbull87]

The cosplay is not consent movement seems to be one-sided though. They never really focus on the male cosplayers who are sexually harassed by women and it's a shame. Both men and women deserve equal respect. It's not just about us, they deserve respect as well.

[@chilwil07]

Some highlight channels on youtube made me feel like male cosplayers were a rare breed until I found one that wasn't so much of a made by and for instagram/of models that featured a lot of quality male cosplays

[@SlashinatorZ]

I tried to go to Weebcon last week but i barely got in on Friday then on Saturday it was so overpacked there was nowhere to park. I had to drive back to Houston since i couldnt go. That con was very poorly planned

[@bimirabu]

Cody, I agree with you on the things you said changed anime cons. I especially credit increased access to the Japanese anime industry (in my opinion, this was largely an effect of Crunchyroll’s business model-what do you think?) and Cosplay is Not Consent. I remember 2 vivid breaks in my con attending experience and that was: post-2008 after increased streaming access to anime and circa-2012 when Cosplay is Not Consent started showing up as panels and signs at con events. Honestly, those two things needed to happen for the livelihood of anime cons. Without those things, I’ve a feeling anime cons would have either died off or remained in obscurity after Toonami/Anime Swim’s anime block ended.

[@ConventionReviews]

Yeah I agree. If these things didn't happen anime cons would not have been able to become what they are today. Also yeah absolutely the impact Crunchyroll has had on the anime and con world can not be understated.

[@johnnysama]

I first went in 2006. I go way back. I'm mostly on the west coast, and it is still fun as ever, even though so much has changed.

[@Otaku-Emin]

Photography and videography have increased a lot. All cosplayers get there pictures done.

[@royalratvanguardd]

Just wanted to comment and say holy shit it's insane, I had the same experience with a guy picking me up from behind when I cosplayed Yoko. it's not the most egregious thing that happened during my time cosplaying but it's just crazy to know someone else had such a similar experience to me.

[@ConventionReviews]

Did you really? Maybe it was the same guy 🤣🤣🤣

[@NebuzaTrackz]

Yup cons have changed fyi I started late 2018 still conning Anime California

[@12me91]

The only negative change for me is I've noticed all my local cons have been pushing to be 100% family friendly and turning away from the raunchy fun that built them. Like sure make the day time family friendly sure but even as someone trying for a baby i don't think turning your back on what made you js a good idea.

[@ConventionReviews]

Even at night? That sucks

[@darealpapajon]

I know some cons have no camera areas

[@UnholySama]

Great video man!

[@ConventionReviews]

Glad you liked it!

[@adamokoriscant8500]

It's to be expected young gun. My first con was the very first Acen. Even then there were old heads with something to say about how it didn't stack up to college meat ups

[@emperorremus8409]

19 year old you looks too cool, Cody 😎 We could have gone out for a BEER together way back then 😂🍺 On a more serious note, I'm still watching the video here, but I hope you touch base on how the you know what made it so that ALL ANIME CONVENTIONS REQUIRED you know what after ever since "2018", do you catch my drift? Edit: Actually wait you would just get demonetized if you mentioned you know what. Haha. Sorry. Plus I'm guessing this isn't that type of video. You could probably make a whole separate video on that particular topic.

[@TheMutantssolosyourverse]

Cons are ass now it use to be about love now everyone wanna be famous

[@honxiu]

vtubers 🙄