Old Anime Conventions were CRINGE! (Retrospective) | ALIM0RI

Did you forget how cringey old anime conventions used to be? They were the best! Today we are going to dive into the humble beginnings of anime cons and how they've evolved over the years.
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About Anime Conventions:
Did you know anime cons had their start way back in the 1970's? They snowballed in popularity between the late 90s and early 2000's and evolved into what we know and love today. They're the best Conventions are a great way for people with common interests to come together and celebrate what they love most. From Cosplay, cringe, yaoi paddles, and much more! one of my favorite past times was watching vlogs of anime conventions to see if my cosplays could be spotted in the back. Some conventions to make note of would be nycc (New York Comic-con), katsucon, anime central, anime expo, momocon, holiday matsuri, anime Boston, colossalcon, anime north, mcm london, Otakon, comiket, and connecticon Anime conventions play a huge roll in anime history, especially here in the west. Everyone loves a good anime con and cringe culture!
About this Video:
ALIM0RI dives into the cringe world of old anime conventions in this compilation of stories from over the years. Follow us as we delve into the history of anime conventions, and how they came to be. Going back in time remembering the cringe past and everything that came with early 2000s anime cons. Come enjoy the history of anime conventions by ALIMORI.
#anime #retrospective #history

[@AnimeGirl4891]

I’m actually kind of glad they got rid of glomping. I’m sure it caused a lot of injuries back in the day. Now we have “Shake my hand in Character.” Which is a lot nicer and family friendly. 😊

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

jay free hugs are the best thing ever, but glomping is more risky XD (I still free hug a 1000 people + every time at my fav con every 3 months. It never changed. Its 100% like 2009. xD)

[@AnimeGirl4891]

But free hugs isn’t a thing anymore either. People found it too creepy.

[@robinflanders3752]

I miss the early 2000s cosplay vibe. Like, it's so cool to see really nice fancy cosplays, but I feel like there's way more pressure now to have a perfect body, cosplay, wig and makeup instead of just the celebration of dressing up and being a weird nerd.

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

If you're in europe, come to mondocon in Budapest. It's 4 times a year. You'll love it. Trust me XD

[@sakai_sukistudios4157]

Where are they now 🤔 the og cosplayers not the modern ones

[@schwarzerregen9338]

I do Miss when Cons didn't have 8 diffrent booths full of Funko Pops

[@angstycola]

Just got recommended this by the algorithm. I attended my first convention when I was 17, in 2002. I really do miss the feeling of scrappiness and excitement around the old con scene. It's cool that anime is more accessible, but it feels a lot more commercial now - of course there were always opportunists making money off of crazed otaku, but with the big companies involved and AI art in the artists alleys, I do feel like the idea of identity as consumption has reached an all time high in nerd culture for about the last decade or so. Still, I have a ton of good memories, and even as I approach middle age I love going to my local con every year and always wish I had more friends with more free time so I could attend more.

[@lastsunofkrypton7950]

Hmm. I was an attendee of Animecon 91 and Anime Expo 92. I wish there was a way to actually bring the feeling and memories of that era to those of you curious of what it was like for the beginnings of anime cons in the US. It was a fun time and not super overcrowded. I mean we always had our share “deodorant less” fans but at least there was breathing room. I just recently looked at some 2022 or 2023 Anime Expo footage and that gave me some anxiety just how much people are there. lol. I just recently started going to local cons in 2022 because now my kids are old enough to enjoy most anime. They always roll their eyes when I keep telling them how good they have with the internet and anime being pretty much everywhere and mainstream. Never mind their dad only ever had Nikaku Animart and SJ Books Kinokuniya for official anime merch. Lol.

[@matty6878]

its wild seeing younger people who look at cons from 90s-early 2000s like they missed out on something. yeah they were wild for what they were but i do not miss paying $30 for a single volume of a bandai anime series dvd lol

[@lastsunofkrypton7950]

@@matty6878 That’s why we “sailed the Grand Line” even back then. The prices for official merch was much higher and more scarce. The malls didn’t carry this stuff. We were satisfied with viewing fuzzy 3rd generation English fan sub vhs tapes of Kimagure Orange Road and such. lol. There is always a trade off with the older generation and the younger. The younger folk have easier access to anime and their merch is generally cheaper. Older folk have bragging rights of being there first. lol.

[@PocketLeaves]

As someone who was into anime in the early 2010s but didn't start going to cons until 2016, it's so fascinating to hear about the earlier days of cons! Especially things that seemed to influence anime fan culture as a whole online during those eras!

[@aLaMode298]

FREE HUGS!!!!

[@ALIM0RI]

YES!!

[@yogabear7140]

I feel so old when I say this but back in my day haha, as a kid anime was so scarce and it blows my mind how it’s so popular now. I was obsessed with anime as a kid and went to my first convention when I was a teenager. I still remember the butterflies in my stomach excitement I felt walking into Animazement for the first time. I remember all of this stuff you talked about in the video too. I haven’t been to an anime con in many years now and I’m not into it any more but it’s still a fond memory. Great video, thanks for the walk down memory lane!

[@np6822]

Animazement was my very first con too! I'm 32 now and still very much enjoy anime and my next con will be momocon in Atlanta. I agree it's strange to see how popular anime is now. Strange but a good strange

[@EllyG]

The way i got so nostaglic watching this video. I started going to conventions in 2010, NYCC was my first con. Seeing all of that talk about it just made me want to reminisce with others.

[@sneakygengar6741]

Ayyy let’s go! So excited for this second channel! Keep up the awesome grind Alex! Looking forward to all the new content 😁💜

[@juanguzman2611]

Great video! Loved your energy. The throwback pics were a fun touch.

[@ALIM0RI]

Tysm!

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

6:11 WHAT?????????? every and I eman EVERY anime convention in Europe has a masquerade. Almost all have MULTIPLE. Animecon, the biggest one here in the Netherlands, has like SEVEN per con!

[@connoravery5692]

Loving your vest in this one! Also loving your new channel because you can see you are passionate about it!

[@ALIM0RI]

Thanks so much!

[@shinycollector]

I love this video! I didn’t start getting into anime & conventions until I started watching in 2016 and went to LA Anime Expo for the first time that same year. It’s so fascinating to hear how they were before and have continued to grow & develop along with the anime fan culture. Awesome video Alex!

[@ALIM0RI]

Omg ty bestie 🥹🫶❤️

[@originalkingdomhearts]

I don't miss the horrible stuff like glomping which was creepy. Nothing is more disturbing than a random adult glomping a teenager. But I miss random dancing, talking to your fellow nerds and just having fun. Now it's so over saturated that it's impossible to make friends anymore.

[@Dr_Robodaz]

Oh my sweet Summer child.... Old is 1991 gathered round the black monolith of AnimeDay. 🤣

[@IsekaiRecruiterTruck-kun]

This boomer will never forget the one time I got glomped... In front of my wife. In public. OUTSIDE the convention hall. Cosplaying as Commander Ikari. Glomper was a teenage girl cosplaying as Kyo (cat form) from Fruits Basket. After she ran off, my wife and I looked at each other, chalked it up to immaturity, and went about our day. [This was about 20 years ago.]

[@FakeProjectNo2]

Great video!

[@Momo_Miraculous]

OMG your first convention was also MY first convention! Funny how despite the convention scene ever expanding, it remains a small world. You’re absolutely right though, cons back then were SO different. I like to call those days the Wild West since there was way less structure back then and also way less rules. Hell, the reason half of the rules exist nowadays (especially yaoi paddles) is BECAUSE of the early 21st century con scene.

[@Misaxskull]

would love to hear more anime con stories !!

[@randompickle4057]

honestly, my favorite sign I ever saw someone holding at a convention recently, was a "free shrugs" sign. I thought the concept was hilarious, and wish I could see more of them in the future.

[@Wyrdwad]

Don't mean to be "that guy," but the otaku in me can't help correcting: just FYI, it's read as "Galaxy Express three-nine," not "Galaxy Express nine hundred ninety-nine." Be it '70s or no, I highly recommend at least watching the first Galaxy Express 999 movie, as it's a Leiji Matsumoto classic! And you'll never say the name wrong again if you do, after you hear Godiego's iconic theme song, featuring a perfectly pronounced English chorus: "The Galaxy Express three-nine will take you a journey, a never-ending journey... A journey to the stars!" (This video was a nice nostalgia trip overall, BTW!)

[@lilmikeegee]

Nerd❤

[@lucasinsertknifeemoji3941]

thank you for so accurately describing this time period i have such fond memories of cons in the early 2000s 😭🖤

[@isaacjohnson3674]

Fun fact about bluey: The artist are homestucks which is known due to them hiding respectively colored prospit and derse signs in a short animation

[@RogerSmith2004]

Video got recommended to me randomly. I did not go to any conventions until NYCC 2010 when I was a kid due to family members getting tickets (I think it was the last year of NYC Anime Fest before it just become Comic Con entirely). I wasn't much into anime or manga at the time (I had kind of fell out of love for it for a few years), so it didn't quite catch my interest. Before that, I had only seen anime cons via KZbin vids and iirc some channel on TV was reporting about an anime convention around 2007ish but I don't really remember the specifics. Something about conventions at the time felt a little off putting to me. I think stuff like the glomping and the free hugs you mention kind of explains it well, but even beyond that, something rubbed me the wrong way. That being said, I dunno, nowadays I kind of appreciate the convention scene a lot more (though the glomping and the free hugs I'm glad aren't a thing anymore). I think about this a lot, but I feel like it's become "cool" over the years to act ironic about your hobbies, and while sometimes the stuff at old conventions was kind of cringey, it had this sincerity to it that I much prefer over people pretending they are too good for their own interests. I go to conventions every now and then due to family members, but generally speaking, I'm not huge on the con scene just because I tend to not like big crowds very much. But it is still cool to me to see some of the Japanese guests. Anyhow, thanks for the vid!

[@DustyGogoat]

This was really interesting. The time before social media is weirdddd lol

[@ALIM0RI]

I miss it tbh LOL

[@Anon21486]

Something that Anime Boston used to do was have someone in the hall scream Marco and everyone will say Polo. Although that has died down... I did hear a Marco Polo this year at AB 2024. Now onto anime dances. I do not remember anyone doing the Hare Hare Yukai dance.... However, I do recall when Funimation was at Anime Boston one year with a live stream and chat style similar to that on Nico Nico Douga. Anyway, people started doing the Caramelldansen dance and being the techie that I am, I queued up the song on my phone and put it near the camera mic. We had a blast. lol

[@DonDoc40]

Related so much to the shouts of THE GAME really helped me get out of my shell and have fond memories of going to my first anime con!

[@ALIM0RI]

I miss the game so much LOL

[@orrangeuglad]

actually blown away that ctcon was also ur childhood con, i also wanted nothing more than to go to the rave but alas

[@s-wo8781]

Huh the free hugs signs have been banned? I haven't heard about that, but I've seen an influx of women with signs with I'll Step on You or Use You as a Chair signs. I still see deodorant signs at Katsu. I don't see how they're really predatory they're a thing even outside of cons. People men, women, and children do them at random things like festivals and protests.

[@blazeblitzx988]

Unfortunately, I've only ever been to 3 anime conventions when I was a freshman in high school and gosh I miss the feeling of going. They are so freakin fun, and it's a great way to meet people/new friends if you're like me who normally gets uncomfortable around people.

[@ALIM0RI]

Awe man you should def try to go to More! I made a lot of my life long friends at con’s :3

[@danielbloomquist9810]

If only we could have realised between 2000-2009 that we rode astride the crest of a high and mighty wave, the high water mark of anime conventions. The flawless blend of old with new generations whose union resulted in that era of con culture striking a perfect balance between the wholesome and the hedonistic. I made lifelong friends hailing from far off places and more than once, found love that I still can't believe was ever mine to know. I didn't wind up with a collection of con friends. I found my chosen convention family, and you may not have heard of us but if you had? Well, we wouldn't be very worthy of calling ourselves the League of Disposable Ninja now, would we?

[@Strife99Gaming]

Saw this and it peeked my interest 😊😊🙂

[@ALIM0RI]

Thank you!

[@DeMart501]

2010’s is when geek culture changed to mainstream. By the time Anime cons got the attention of Hollywood they already had taken over Comic Con. I also blame the Free Hugs thing on Sick Puppies for making it go viral.

[@WilsonSum]

6:25 wait your telling me you guys didn't have voice actors back then?

[@jaimemccoy6909]

Video is amazing but you causing all the viewers to lose the game was cruel 😂

[@ALIM0RI]

LOL

[@gligarguy4010]

Glomping brings back bad memories 😰

[@ALIM0RI]

It does 😭

[@clubstep8244]

Back in the days where you got bullied for Liking anime or ( and god forbid) bringing a manga to school These Conventions were a holy Place to me. People yelled jutsu names over the place, danced and hugged and idk it was just so lovely. Sharing umbrellas when it Rained with people that you never met before and never saw again after, Battling out 6v6 pokemon fights on Nintendo DSes everybody brought along, low budget cosplays... now where anime is kinda Popular a lot has changed, i still love the anime community, but the old one felt more like home. But thats just nostalgia

[@lilmikeegee]

I helped start Otakon. I got hooked by anime in the early 80s at Trek conventions. A small club would take over a hotel room, get filled with VCRs copying copies and we all watched untranslated anime on tiny tvs. In the late 90s my wife and I had a Vash count because there were so many Vash the Stampede cosplayers everywhere. I remember there were free Pocky people. The vibe changed to a more corporate feel in the 2000s so we stopped going.

[@lifeofbekahh]

I’ve only recently just started getting into anime, I’ve only gone to a few anime conventions, my favorite anime are sailor moon, black butler, kamisama kiss, OuranHighSchoolHostClub, steins gate and spice and wolf, I’ve gotten to meet a few voice actors, j Michael Tatum, Tara Strong and in April Jack de sena from avatar the last airbender 😊

[@Killer_Kotomibro]

God I miss the self-aware "yep we sure are degenerates and it's freakin great" side of the convention scene. Like, yeah, Yaoi paddles and glomping were objectively bad but the real degen memes breaking containment were the best. I still catch the faint whispers of that part of the culture anytime I see someone cosplay Chris Chan but haven't seen a Pedobear costume in ages and miss that sumuma. Also, so many of those hall shots coming from Otakons at the Baltimore Convention Center! B-more baby!

[@lucaskincanyon7393]

I think I did my first con in 2011 and it definitely is different than it is today. WAYYYY different lmfao.

[@PolishRepublicYT]

tf2 spy: hehehe they dont know im here

[@Motavian]

I miss the anime conventions of the 2000's. Remember how everyone and their dog sold perler art of 8 and 16bit sprites from video games? I was wondering why that's no longer a big touchstone at conventions and I had an overwhelming sense of my own mortality as I realized that what NES and SNES were to me, PS3 and Wii are now nostalgic to most convention goers these days. Through the years, there would always be those hardcore elder otaku that would make their way to the convention and last year I realized that I am now carrying that torch. It's like watching a recorded performance of the Macross DYRL theme on YT and reading nostalgic comments from 50+ year old Japanese men that carry such a torch for their youth and the shows of the late Shōwa era.

[@ClubRebelScum]

Congratulations, the thumbnail alone gave me PTSD. Those yaoi paddles....

[@ALIM0RI]

LOL that’s the goal!

[@s-wo8781]

I kinda hate how anime has over taken nerd conventions. Geek conventions started with sci-fi and comic books, but when people talk about a con now they always say anime convention even if they're talking about Dragon Con or NYCC. Even in this video you mentioned PAX East and NYCC even though they're video games and comic conventions. And when I ask people about getting into cosplay they saw they're not into cosplay like cosplay isn't like literally anything. Games, anime, comics, movies, tv, sci-fi, ocs, memes, celebrities, even a CVS receipt. Anime has just taken over the whole nerd culture which I don't like. All branches of nerdom should be highlighted.

[@Deneteus]

It's not that anime has taken them over. The promoters wanted to make money so they just kept adding fandoms.

[@castorvolkCH]

the first con I ever went to was Fanime back when it was at the Santa Clara Covention center next to great america. "The game" was basically "ANDY'S COMING" for weebs.

[@InuMiroLover]

Another likely reason why the "Free hugs" sign is banned is because it could fall under solictiation depending on local laws. It sounds innocent, but Ive personally saw a growing use of signs (mostly coming from girls of questionable ages) that said things like "$1 for a kiss!" which more than likely stemmed from "Free hug" signs. Now its not as innocent anymore, ESPECIALLY if you're approached while holding such a sign by another con-goer who's looking for more than kiss or a hug and is willing to pay for it.

[@MahouShoujoTomato]

Just a tiny nitpick, but the name of the series is Galaxy Express Three Nine, not Nine-hundred and ninety nine. Yes, I know it's weird, but...Japan. lol Have a good day! :)

[@ALIM0RI]

Ty for letting me know!! :3

[@BlackKoi321]

YAOI VS YURI!!!!!!

[@TruInferno]

hopefully, there's no PoGo event that'll keep me away from Youmacon next year lol. Youmacon being the biggest anime convention of them all btw lol

[@ALIM0RI]

Hope not!

[@otakonlover10]

been going to anime cons since 2008 but ngl cons suck now anime cons use to be about love now its about trying to get the most followers and make money its lifeless now i went from going to 7 cons a year to one or two and i only go now just to hang with old friends and drink but the cons i use to love now are lifeless and nothing but money grabbiing events

[@Trauson]

And dont you think current anime cons are not cringe either? Is just basically a lot of loopholes that we keep making patch after patch

[@neubro1448]

13:00 No!

[@darealpapajon]

Please take showers when you go to conventions

[@emocobra666]

i went to my second ever ctcon this year

[@TheFlauschig]

Banning free hugs signs must be an exclusive american thing. They are everywhere at german anime conventions.

[@lucaskincanyon7393]

We had free hugs thing at Anime Midwest in Chicago , so this must be an Expo thing.

[@Deneteus]

#animefansubs I went to conventions before 2000. What we lost was the freedom from being around fake fans and clout chasers. We also had social media before 2003. AOL and forums existed, Yahoo and Geocities existed. We had anime on IRC. Some people were cool with being glomped and literally wore signs. You all really go out of the way of making anime conventions seem like it was just darkness and predators without y'alls moral intervention. People went to conventions to be around like minded people for a reason.

[@TheYoungVulnerableAnimeGirls]

Sell us your Yaoi paddle.

[@gloomi8195]

man i wish ppl were still cringe now.. everyone's so embarrassed of being themselves nowadays it js sucks :P

[@manlyanime]

these new kids just don't know lol man faye, clomping, the yaoi paddles, those hug signs oh the dancing and over done groups of death note, fml, hetalia, cosplay