Glomping: A Retrospective

[@chameleonhrt]

These kinds of stories make me glad that I didn't attend a con until 2019. Even though I really got into Anime in 2006, I didn't know about conventions until the early to mid 2010s.

[@avevee9708]

I was a homestuck in this era. So the fear of glomping was CONSTANT. I never had to deal with it, but I witnessed it

[@PotatoMufffin]

Geez, im a new homestuck fan, I hope this doesn't happen to me at a con lol

[@sesbianl3x]

​@@PotatoMufffin this doesnt happen constantly anymore :)) im a homestuck cosplayer!!

[@PreciseSpace]

I remember when the term "cosplay is not consent" first started being widespread, and it wasn't that long ago. Its insane that that wasn't the norm for so long

[@Taydenmarie]

I can’t believe we all used to just jump on strangers and accept that as part of the convention experience. I remember my first convention ever I cosplayed Hetalia and joined in on a huge glomp circle… Things were so different and weird back then. 😅

[@AnyaPanda]

Ahh the memories. 😅

[@littleregg3164]

Who is we?

[@stuckinabush]

i’ve only been attending cons for two years so it’s always interesting to hear about older con culture! i still see the occasional ‘free hugs’ sign at cons but i’m very glad stuff like this isn’t commonplace anymore 😅

[@AnyaPanda]

Me too, looking back it was very concerning. 😅

[@goldco2000]

I forget, living here, how strong Seattle's "hugging culture" is. Shaking hands with strangers feels no less awkward than hugging them sometimes. I'm glad the cons are enforcing comfort for their attendees.

[@kikihyde2299]

I was very glad this trend was replaced by 'Free hugs' signs. It felt like an added level of consent at the very least. I was always worried the more fragile pieces of my costumes would get ruined or my longer wigs could get caught on someone and ripped off.

[@charliecaturnip4438]

We had a lot of ‘free hugs’ trend and I definitely got into some uncomfortable close interaction with people and clearly would have felt even more bad if it happened nowadays

[@serenitysilvermoon]

I have been glomped once. This was like somewhere in 2014-2016, I don't remember exactly, but I was cosplaying Mami from Madoka Magica and I was kneeling down and talking to some friends in the hall of this small con at the local community college (the hallway was off to the side so it was a lower traffic area but was open to the main pathway) and while I'm talking to my friends we all hear this high-pitched squeal and this, to put it politly, not small girl dressed as Kyubey glomped me from behind. The only reason I didn't face-plant into the carpet is that I was kneeling and was able to catch myself with my hands

[@alaskacosplay]

Someone once Glomped me and I screamed in falsetto since I was so scared of my ballgown ripping and it was my first glomp.

[@Levian-the-Leviathan]

My first con I saw somebody getting glomped almost as soon as I entered the con. My friend was very surprised I wasn’t deterred by that

[@joshneilson150]

As I understand it, it still happens at Sakura Con because the area where it happens (right outside the doors!) is actually a public area and they have no control over it.

[@lordjs9726]

Thankfully 'glomping' has never been a thing in Sweden where I live.

[@Unihuahua]

As someone who hates to be touched by strangers, I hated this whole trend. I got into a lot of altercations from being "glomped" at cons...

[@DarkSailorEisblume]

omg the memories 😭😭 luckily this wasn't that popular in my circle and at our tiny cons back in the day, but it happened. I really hate physical contact with no warning and I'm so glad it's now frowned upon haha but also I love your editing style in this vid! 😄✨ my neurospicy brain really loves the visual explanation and that you're memeing everything, it gives me life 😂💕

[@AnyaPanda]

I'm so happy you like the editing! 🥹 I worked really hard on it so that means a lot. 🥰

[@DarkSailorEisblume]

@@AnyaPanda I lost it when you were like "they forcibly hug me" and the background is a car crash 😂😂 100% relatable

[@AnyaPanda]

@@DarkSailorEisblume We love a dramatic reenactment. 😆

[@DarkSailorEisblume]

@@AnyaPandait's a good representation though 😂

[@Whitney_Sews]

I started cosplaying in 2014 and witnessed some glomping, but I think it was always people who knew each other. It was like a very excited greeting to someone they knew and hadn't seen in a while. Maybe it was always friends by that point because it was toward the end of glomping.

[@viyorel]

I'm so glad I didn't experience glomping... I started going to cons at around the same time (maybe a bit later honestly... 2013-2014? Sparingly) and I am very short and small-framed and not very strong... I definitely would've been knocked over... and if it happened now, I'm no different now... I'd definitely... be knocked over and gotten hurt. Not to mention all the potential for broken/damaged cosplays! Sheesh. I'm glad you never got hurt or felt exceptionally uncomfortable then.

[@CountShaman]

Mario & Luigi Brothership really shows the effects of glomp, as it makes characters in that game uncomfortable and anti-social. Truly one of the most nefarious things done by villains in a Mario game.

[@mayalonde1138]

Thankfully this thing happened when i was in my long time hiatus in the cosplay community. I really hate it when strangers invade my space.

[@klsmuddluvr]

Im a new con goer as of 2019 so l missed out on some of the cringe times. Love you filling us in on what cons used to be like with stories like these.

[@nomaddcosplay]

I only started attending cons in 2018 and I started cosplaying in my early 20s, so I've never been glomped (and I'm totally fine with that!). Also, I really enjoyed your editing in this one!

[@AnyaPanda]

Yay, I'm so glad you liked the editing! 🥹🙏🏻

[@twistedrose]

The memories of the glomp circle at Sakura-con thank goodness its not there anymore or at least as far as I remember it hasn’t been there. I defiantly made sure I was as far away from that as possible. I think i remember one year someone dragged me into the circle but i quickly left before anything could happen. I did read in the bylaws that it says no physical harm can come to anyone or the property? Maybe they worded it differently?.

[@thegrimmestreaper44]

These diagrams are the best 😂 They're so fun! 4:36 4:42 5:10 5:16

[@AnyaPanda]

😎✌🏻

[@AnyaPanda]

Graphic design is my passion ✨️

[@theoddbody1856]

Got glommed at my very first Sakura con! (Circ 2010) I was dressed as APH Russia, and a Belarus cosplayer tackle hugged me to the floor at the top of the escalators! I had no idea what was happening and my friends that had been walking in front of me didn’t see it happen and kept on walking away (SOS guys!!). It’s luckily a positive memory as I was young and new to the community; It made me feel welcome! That said, I CANNOT imagine this being acceptable behavior today.

[@kaijunasan4497]

Omg... THE FLASHBACKS 😂😱

[@D0llqueen]

Lol not even at a con, visiting the local highschool our last year of middle school, my bestie got high velocity glomped into some big trashcans by a freshman friend. The glomper wasnt even a weeb but it was 100% a glomp. The bins didnt tip over but they were hard plastic

[@shamblingabby]

someone "glomped me" in high school outside and she actually did knock me down to the ground and man it HURT.

[@SkeletonFlower]

I always hated glomping. As an introvert with some pretty severe intimacy issues it was always the WORST. The fact that it was just a part of convention culture back then, and people like me basically had to accept it really, really sucked. For the longest time I thought I hated conventions, but it was the invasive and frankly gross culture that ruled cons back then that made me feel that way.

[@bruisedbug]

the way you told the high velocity glomp story was actually soo good lmao

[@AnyaPanda]

Thank you I tried really hard to make it engaging. :')

[@strawberrywheels]

i dont have time to watch this whole video yet but i just wanted to say that this is the most bone-chilling title to ever pop up in my suggested videos

[@TheLostTVRemote]

The only glomping I had witnessed back then were between actual friends (or at least acquaintances). Like, when they've found each other at the con and they hadn't seen each other in a while before. Luckily, I was never glomped before. Only inappropriately touched and... dry humped by someone because I was cosplaying the other part of their ship 😅 I had told them off, but it was still weird.

[@AnyaPanda]

That's incredibly disturbing, I'm so sorry. 😟

[@RuneScapeShadoma]

Man, I'm happy that I didn't attend a convention until 2014.

[@Odezu]

I was drawing and binge watching your vids and went like "Oh?...OMG" when I realized that you posted!! XDD

[@alexandershaw2341]

I remember my first Anime Boston, I was wearing Jaune Arc from RWBY (vol 4). I had just made it and was super proud. Someone I met earlier at the con said that their friend was a big fan of the character and wanted to see me, so I met up with them. This friend screamed "Jaune!" and launched herself into glomping me. I was so worried about my chest piece but also shocked cuz it was still early on in my cosplay days. So yeah, that was weird

[@allisonsroom]

I started attending conventions in 2013 and I'm so glad that I was never glomped. Maybe the convention I was attending made a strict rule early on, but glad that conventions norms have changed for the better and consent is enforced.

[@AnyaPanda]

Agreed!

[@vlander1992able]

I remember the glomp circle at sakura con, the last 2 years they haven't had it, I assume because of covid. Both years we still had to wear masks as well, I think it makes sense though.

[@bluewolf.cosplay]

Never heard of that, you learn something new everyday!!

[@yoshiiscool2002]

My first convention was anime expo 2016 so all the glomping and anime paddles are already gone by then. Ive only seen the “free hugs” signs at this time. And i think this is about the time that the “cosplay is not consent” movement started.

[@AuroraXA]

I was not a kid when I started cosplaying (didn't start until I was about 25) and I also was not involved in the anime community (I attended one anime convention and wow was the teenage crowd higher than anything I've experienced at mainstream comic cons) so I never experienced this but wow, definitely feel like I wouldn't be okay with being tackle-hugged.

[@cupit916]

See, I wouldn’t glomp, HOWEVER: one of my close cos friends moved cross country without telling us. Then he moved back East, again without telling us. So when I saw him to the first time in like 3 years I ran up, hugged him and threw him over my shoulder I was so excited. Now it’s a tradition for me to just pick him up in a hug when I first see him at a con.

[@rella543]

I'm so glad I wasn't going to conventions around late 2000s-early 2010s it sounds terrifying lol

[@AnyaPanda]

It was mostly fine, but there were definitely some things that would not fly by today's standards.

[@nicih.5008]

I once did a glomping-attack on someone! Later, When other people did the same with me, I realized how uncomfortable and inappropiate that is! I am glad I learned that early and that it is not ok anymore today!

[@soshiangel90]

I've been going to conventions since 2007 or 2008 and thankfully, in all that time, I have only 2 glomping stories and they both took place at the same small convention I went to in my freshman year of college. The first one was the most insane and happened as I was walking into the con, up a tall staircase dressed as Edward Elric. I'm talking to my then-bf when suddenly, from behind me, I hear "IT'S ED! OMG! GET HIM!" and mind you I am still on the stairs so I FREEZE, brace and have just enough time to lock into place as these two girls slam into me from behind. Then run off very happy for themselves. My then-bf just looks at me like "wtf" because, while I had been to at least 2 cons prior to this and was aware of glomping (though hadn't ever been glomped myself) this was his first convention and he had zero idea what just happened. I literally just said "it's a glomp" and moved on. I still look back at that, less like "omg I can't believe I was totes fine with strangers hugging me" and more "I could have fallen on a freakin staircase GLOMPING IS PHYSICALLY DANGEROUS!"

[@20chickens]

We've been attending Conventions since 2015 & I don't recall having a rando run up & hug me. We're in the UK, so maybe Glomping didn't take off over here? x

[@ClurBy938]

It never happened to me bc I wasn't cosplaying at conventions at that point, but I saw it happen to other people 😮‍💨 I'm so glad it wasn't happening as often once I started cosplaying and that it's banned at most cons now

[@TimmCosplay]

That really was just the way it was. XD As a young tot who knew nothing about the world, it just seemed normal. But it wasn't! Lol. Also I love the edit on this one! Super funny. XD

[@AnyaPanda]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the editing! I worked really hard on it. 🥹

[@omgsars]

The first and last time I ever saw glomping was Sakura Con, I knew of it well before, a few of the people at my school who were into anime would do it with friends as a joke so seeing randoms doing it at con, and a decade later... was a big shock lol

[@whatever9097]

Oh absolutely not. I think if someone, especially a stranger, ran up to me and hugged me I’d have an actual panic attack. I don’t like being touched in the first place, a surprise tackle hug sounds like an actual nightmare. I already have a few con creep stories, I don’t even want to think about how many more I’d probably have if this was still accepted.

[@ClarisseDeGuzman]

Omg I haven’t heard that term in so long! The trauma 😭 My first con was Evolution back in 2009 and I remember the glomp circles outside the convention centre. I had no idea what was going on but I got glomped in my Rukia cosplay by another Bleach cosplayer

[@AnyaPanda]

Oh my gosh old school Anime Evolution, what a time to be alive. 😭

[@stormyrose7265]

damn I am SO GLAD this stuff was dying out right as I went to my first convention. I would have been so freaked out.

[@MeganHitachiin]

I remember glomping and I am glad me and my friends only ever did it with each other but like the fact that people were doing it to strangers who had not consented and could both consent. I am so glad it is banned.

[@eribunnie1334]

i’m so happy i only recently started going to cons omg

[@totz_the_plaid9625]

In my opinion, as with all physical interactions, consent is key. If two people consent? Glomp away! But always, ALWAYS get consent first!

[@magicalgirl209]

I didn’t attend any conventions until 2015 and went to Anime expo which was my first time.

[@freewingscosplay]

Luckily I was never glomped, nor did I do the glomping because I didn't get into cosplay until I was well into my teens and had a good understanding of boundaries. Still, I remember being warned that it might happen to me or that I might see it when I went to my first con. Especially since I was a Hetalia fan and it was pretty common in that fandom. Definitely dodged a bullet there

[@starlite156]

I had a friend that would glomp me when we were dressed as Liz and Patti and fortunately I'm strong cuz she would just hang on me. It didn't bother me and I don't think I had strangers do it. If it did happen I didn't think anything of it. I do know friends that were glomped and they had back issues so it def wasn't a good thing. I do remember guys going around with free hugs signs which I think they have also banned

[@knoxproxy]

One of my early conventions my friends and I were in Death Note cosplay (we were about 14/15) and while standing in line to pick up our badges this girl a few years younger than us ran up to us (her Mom was with her), she was absolutely gushing over my friend dressed as Mello and asked if she could glomp her. The friend said yes but then this girl proceeded to jump up onto her wrapping both her arms and both her legs around my friend and just HUNG THERE for like more than a few minutes... (which technically I don't think even counts as glomping at that point) and when she started sliding she just re-adjusted her arms and PULLED HERSELF BACK UP. And the entire time this is happening all my friends are just making eye contact like "WHAT DO WE DO?!" (While this was happening this girl also hissed at me over my friends shoulder since I was dressed as Matt and apparently she disapproved of the Ship...) the 2010's were certainly a time 😅

[@AnyaPanda]

That is WILD OMG, 2010s convention culture was certainly... different. 😅

[@KCallia]

I once glomped my older brother in high school during lunch hour because, well, little sister things 😁 When glomping was emerging, friend A asked what it was, and friend B said: "Stay right there." Proceeds to walk away for a running start to glomp him. His life _miiiight_ have flashed a bit before his eyes. Of course, we were in high school and they were close friends 😂

[@jazzyfizzle5551]

I’m glad I never encountered that back in the day, because my reflexes definitely would’ve resulted in a couple of punched faces 😅

[@ApinyaAaa-cx9yj]

Sometimes I wish I could have been old enough to be in the 2000s cosplay scene bc it seemed less serious and stuff but actually I think in good

[@christopherburse1167]

Nothing huge, but I do remember when glomping was a thing back in the 2000s, I knew a lot of people's costumes that got destroyed from these offenders. And also it cause physical damage to cosplayers as well.

[@rosilyneparks]

Storytime: When I was younger I loved wearing my cosplay jackets with my everyday clothes.For example I was wearing a Ciel Phantomhive jacket at school.This girl who I only talked to a few times glomped me so hard I slammed into the concrete floor with her entire body weight on top of me.She also screamed "Ciel!" On the top of her lungs while she did it.DONT DO THIS TO PEOPLE.

[@grayghosts6103]

Oh the good ol days

[@honxiu]

never attended a con in the 00s but ive always heard about yaoi paddles and glomping over the internet

[@mochimarmar8225]

Oh nooo...I try to make my cosplays sturdy but glomping sounds like something that would damage many a cosplay 😭

[@AnyaPanda]

Yes, unfortunately. 😔

[@linajohannaleimbrock4901]

...this was a thing? I never heard of that before xD

[@AnyaPanda]

Unfortunately yes it was. 🥲

[@YurikArkady]

Cosplay (Hi)story Time 🐼

[@MMDNoroi]

Lowkey miss glomping but it def shouldve just been kept to like close friends or sumthin which would be more acceptable n tolerable, just to not have to disrespect strangers or defeat da purpose of a glomp by asking in advanced úwù

[@hitomichan7]

Its good glomping doesnt exist anymore these days because its something i wont want to experience especially if the person doing it is my height or bigger

[@KiikiCali1]

I’ve never gotten glopped before but I glopped my sis

[@ThE_RaNdOmEsT_PlAcE_On_EaRtH]

2nddd ahhh I love you!! Pin??

[@Devo13]

Glomping was awesome. Good times. Bring back fun...there used to be fun in the world. People weren't such wussbags back in the day...once again,good times.