An anime convention (“anime con” for short) is a formally-organized gathering of anime fans, who get together for a few days at a hotel or city convention center and share their enthusiasm for anime.
Anime cons can range in size from a few hundred people to thirty thousand or more. The size of the show depends on a number of things: the geographic location, the venues available, whether or not the convention has corporate support, and so on.
Conventions charge a sliding scale for admission, typically based on the length of attendance. A patron might buy a badge for a single day, or the whole weekend. Some conventions are moving towards a single-admissions policy where there is only one badge type. Others might charge a separate premium for admission to special events such as concerts. Travel and booking hotel rooms is the responsibility of the patron, but many conventions do offer discounted room rates at nearby hotels.
Conventions come in roughly two basic incarnations: fan-organized and industry-organized. The former are created primarily by the fans themselves, and while they tend to be smaller, they’re also that much more oriented towards what fans are interested in by default. Industry-organized cons are sponsored more directly by the anime companies themselves, and are often that much larger. But they also tend to be that much less intimate, and not always feature as many fan-centric activities.
So what happens at a con?
Screenings. It wouldn’t be much of an anime con if there wasn’t any anime to be seen, and so cons will set aside several rooms for nothing but anime screenings. Shows on the schedule might be as-yet-unreleased shows direct from Japan, classic titles waiting to be rediscovered by a new generation of fans, hidden gems that don’t get enough attention, and so on. For conventions held in a hotel, many screening rooms are open 24 hours a day while the convention is running.
Guests. A major attraction of most any decent-sized convention is a roster of guests from all corners of the anime industry: American and Japanese voice actors; artists, producers and writers from the various anime studios; long-time industry commentators and critics; comedy troupes; performers, both professional and amateur, Japanese and domestic; and many more.
Shopping. Most conventions sport a dealer’s room, where merchandisers can sell anime-related goods. Not just the shows themselves, but most everything associated with anime: T-shirts and clothing; props and mock weapons; theatrical posters; books; Japanese cultural goods (chopsticks, kimono, etc.); electronics and video games; and much more. It’s often possible to find discounts in convention dealer rooms that are not available elsewhere.
Panels. Anime cons often feature themed discussions, where a given expert on a subject (or a whole slew of them!) can talk about a given subject and receive feedback from the audience. Some examples: religion or Japanese historical figures in anime; playing Go (the board game that is far more complex than chess); art and calligraphy lessons; game shows where audience members test their anime trivia knowledge; debates about best/worst/least-known anime; interviews with industry luminaries. Many anime production and distribution companies also hold panels of their own to talk about new and upcoming releases, or will have exclusive screenings of new shows.
Arts and crafts. Because anime fans tend to be highly creative on their own, a con may feature an “artist’s alley,” where fans can show off or sell their own artwork and creations. Everything from independently-created comics to handmade toys to promotions for other conventions can be found here.
Cosplay. It’s fairly typical to see many people at the convention in costume (“cosplay”, as it’s called in Japan), dressed as their favorite characters. Many conventions run competitions for the best costume, or for the best skit as performed by players in costume.
Role-playing and video games. The overlap between anime and video games is strong: many of each are adapted from the other. Small wonder most cons feature a sizeable video-game area, where players can either fight head-to-head or enjoy classic gaming from consoles past. In the same vein, a con may also feature a live-action roleplaying game (LARP), where people can participate in an anime-themed adventure by playing their favorite character in person.
Lounges, food and social areas. With all that running around, you’re going to want to find a place to put your fee up for a few. Anime cons typically have at least one lounge space (sometimes outfitted with a karaoke machine!), and may also set aside space for vendors who provide Japanese snack foods—ramen, Pocky, or other treats.
This isn’t a complete list of what you might find at a given con. At every convention you’re likely to find a good deal of spontaneous fan activity—after-hours get-togethers in a hotel suite; photo opportunities; socializing; game-playing.
