Never went to the big cons but I recently went to a small local anime market. Went with a friend who goes to a bunch of those events and had a lot of fun!

Some tips if you go

• Bring water. It gets hot in there and I couldn’t find any vending machines so I was dehydrated
• Eat first. The venue had two food places and both were super crowded. Was like a 30 min wait for mall food court food
• Be prepared for the smells. The stereotypes are true. Some people smelled so bad there. I wore a mask but I could still smell some people
• Go with a friend. It was a lot of fun and way less intimidating
• Start small. Same as going with a friend. Less intimidating and more doable.

I’d imagine it depends a lot on the festival. I’ve never been to anime festivals but several comic & boardgame conventions, if you know people going to hang out with, or you otherwise like massive social situations it can be some great fun. If you don’t and don’t like crowds it can be a bit daunting and feel like you’re basically paying entry to walk through vendors and buy stuff.

I recently went to one for the first time with my adolescent son. It was a blast!

We basically went in with the mentality of being curious and flexible. For example, we had the con schedule ahead of time and had highlighted some things we definitely wanted to do, but we left the door open for opportunities that might be more interesting.

The con had some things that were always accessible like an arcade with Japanese games, a board game library, etc. It also had things you had to sign up in advance for like if you wanted to do a DnD one shot. Some things you just had to show up on time for like hearing voice actor panels and some things you have to be on time AND pay extra for like autographs and photos with featured guests. I would say my biggest advice is to make a budget with some wiggle room and then stick to it. It’s very easy to overspend because there is a lot of cool merch.

Think ahead about food options. There was a vendor on site with limited options and some food trucks outside. But many attendees didn’t realize that showing your wrist and to restaurants in walking distance would get you discounts or free items. It pays to look at the convention program to see what deals are available. Bring a water bottle because they may not allow outside food or drinks, but most places will let you fill up at the water fountains.

Also think ahead about parking if your con isn’t near public transit. We had to pay something like $25 to park in a lot that was a block away because the on site parking was completely taken by the time we got there (an hour before the doors opened).

This year we just did a one day pass though the con itself is 3 days long. We did this because we had no idea what to expect and didn’t want to overcommit. We might do more next year but we will definitely do it again. If you do decide to do multiple days consider the extra costs for food, parking, merch, etc and plan accordingly.

Aside from that, I really wish we had cosplayed. We didn’t because my son was embarrassed to, but he regretted that when we got there and saw people of every age and gender in costumes of every level of quality. A cheap homemade costume will fit in as much as a pro cosplayer, especially if you put a spin on it like gender bending or a character in a different time period. Sometimes the intentionally terrible costumes were more popular than the super detailed ones!

Yes of course, if you are into Anime.

I have been to a comic con. It was fun. You have to take a look at the schedule of events and go see the events you want to see. Also depending on the size of the con, you will have to get a ticket to get in and reserve a spot for a particular event. Most Cons take place over three or four days, so check out the schedule of guest speakers and events and go see the ones that interest you.

For example the con I went to had Wendy and Richard Pini as the featured guests. I couldn’t get a Reservation to see them.

Short answer: it depends. I used to attend Anime Expo every year but it got so big that lines became unbearable. Most interesting panels tend to be overcrowded so good luck getting in unless you want to sacrifice time for other things and get in line really early. The vendors can be cool where you can find some unique and hard to find merch but it takes a lot of walking past booths that have a lot of the same things. That said, the bigger festivals have the most interesting things to see and do just know going in you won’t be able to do everything you want.

I’ve mostly been sticking to smaller conventions and have been having fun despite the smaller scale. Tickets are way cheaper too. Maybe try a smaller event to see if you like the vibe.

I’m not sure what an anime festival is, but I’ve been to a bunch of anime conventions.

Most of them aren’t strictly anime. They will have an anime theme and a bunch of Japanese-themed entertainment, but you will find Trekkers, Whovians, Marvel/DC fanatics, Star Wars people (Warsians? I feel like that never caught on) and everything in between. People go there and play D&D, Magic: The Gathering, and other card/tabletop games. If you’re lucky you might find a more niche one like Cyberpunk or Starfinder. And those guys love teaching newcomers!

One thing I’d say is Do. Your. Research. You will want to know what amenities the hotels have. If you can find one with a kitchenette (stove and fridge), you can bring in food and cook in your hotel room/suite and save a ton of money. Yes the room will cost more per night, but you need to know two things. One, how expensive food is around the convention due to the scarcity caused by the demand. Two, how much food you’ll need. If you bring in a cooler with milk, eggs, and some other stuff, and get it into the fridge, and you can just make all your stuff? You will save a ton. But you need to know what they have. Also if they do breakfast buffet in the morning, that’s a huge plus. I would say go down there and focus on protein (eggs and meat, plus fruit juice for energy), and then throw a bunch of carbs (muffins, toast/bread, bagels) on a plate and exfil that up to your room. Snack on it throughout the day. If you’re an anime nerd, you probably love ramen. Ramen is super easy to make in a hotel room if you have a microwave. It’s not the best for you, but hey, you’re on vacation! If you do need to order, tip your delivery driver well! Driving through con traffic is hell. Better if you can avoid takeout/delivery entirely though.

Of course you’ll want to get autographs and such, but it’s better to make memories. Autographs are getting really fucking expensive. And really, what’s the point? Honestly. It costs you nothing to say hi, and at times, the guests will have no line and they’ll be bored. Playing on their phone or whatever. Go up and tell them you appreciated them in something. Strike up a conversation. If they don’t have someone with them, ask them if they wanna grab a coffee — or, if you’re feeling lucky, a drink at the bar. (Just be careful with this.)

There are people at anime cons way cooler than voice actors, though. Cosplayers themselves are generally pretty cool, but I go for the artists. Some of my favourite artists have staff, so you might not even meet the artist. Be aware of who’s staff and who’s an artist. They’ll usually tell you. I’ve met staff where the artist isn’t even there. I’ve met “staff” where the person selling is actually the mom and the dad, and what you thought was their little bratty child on the iPad ignoring you, is actually the artist! In any case, I feel like connecting with the artists is one of the coolest things you can do there. I also have way too much anime art…

No. I don’t like anime.