Convention Appearances 2018

Conventions and other events, fandom, stores, manga-ka, animators, and other people, etc
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Akage
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by Akage »

Looks like I'll be going to ACEN as well. The guest list, combined with the fact that I had to already reserve the time off work to go to Animazement, made it worth it.

My friend's company, Sekai Project, are the ones bringing over Yokota and Yoshimatsu. They'll probably have commission slots.
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DKop
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by DKop »

Man back to back weekends at cons, you got a busy month ahead of you! I'll see you at AZ for sure.
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Akage
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by Akage »

I have an insane amount of leave that I need to burn. So this and the Japan trip in late October will help. A couple of the AZ peeps are in the same boat. And if you think my schedule sounds hectic, Preston not only is doing both cons, but going to Japan at the end of April.

I'm looking forward to seeing you as well. I have a new SakuraCon story to tell :lol:
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DKop
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by DKop »

Oh boy, well we got lines to sit through and drinks that night to talk about about it. I got a friend I think is coming with me, but if that doesn't work im sure we can work out something where I can crash with the guys that weekend. Im good for covering my cost.
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labsenpai
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by labsenpai »

Akage wrote: Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:38 am Looks like I'll be going to ACEN as well. The guest list, combined with the fact that I had to already reserve the time off work to go to Animazement, made it worth it.
My friend's company, Sekai Project, are the ones bringing over Yokota and Yoshimatsu. They'll probably have commission slots.
Indeed, the GoH list is massive now; I hope the signing sessions don't overlap. Thank Sekai for me, missed that pair when I gave up on Detroit last year. I'll be in line for as many as one can finagle, outfitted in my shirt & otaku pack from last century...
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DKop
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by DKop »

Can't tell what I want more: The Eva or Gunbuster Keychain...
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usamimi
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by usamimi »

labsenpai wrote: Sat Apr 14, 2018 1:51 pm
Akage wrote: Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:38 am Looks like I'll be going to ACEN as well. The guest list, combined with the fact that I had to already reserve the time off work to go to Animazement, made it worth it.
My friend's company, Sekai Project, are the ones bringing over Yokota and Yoshimatsu. They'll probably have commission slots.
Indeed, the GoH list is massive now; I hope the signing sessions don't overlap. Thank Sekai for me, missed that pair when I gave up on Detroit last year. I'll be in line for as many as one can finagle, outfitted in my shirt & otaku pack from last century...
Aww lots of super cool stuff on that bag! :D
*:・゚・✧ TwitterThe Anime Nostalgia Tumblr & Podcast ✧・゚・:*
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labsenpai
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by labsenpai »

Roughly one day till the ACEN trip; this will be the first one for me that includes the additional venue beyond the hotel. Having the dealers right in the middle of everything must have worked out. The guest signings require a staking out of a ticket booth every day, fortunately everyone has multiple autograph times. Looking at the online schedule there are some disagreeable overlaps, but catching everything old-school is too much for one person.
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Akage
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by Akage »

I'm leaving tomorrow morning as well. Still have to pack, but I'm so used to doing this last minute that it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Wish I had more time to have better prepared for the guests, but then again, from what my friend has said, a couple of the guests will not be drawing. So, low expectations all around on this trip. It's a shame ACEN doesn't have a charity auction. I could really make it rain this year. Oh wells...I guess more money for AnimeFest.

It'll be ACEN's first year handing out autograph tickets. I wonder how it's going to go. I've heard their line management is poor and staff is generally very clueless, so I am going in with low expectations here as well.

It'll be my first time in Chi-town, and I'll be catching Charmanders on Saturday due to it also happening to be Pokémon Go Community Day.

I'll be more interested in seeing what happens with a few of their guests. We'll see if my compatriots in ORD do their jobs. :lol:
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labsenpai
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Re: Convention Appearances 2018

Post by labsenpai »

My three days in Chicago for ACEN are over, and I feel like Indiana Jones after his trip to Cairo. There were no late night video panels or dancing for this sore GenXer. The venue was adequate, once you oriented yourself to its funny triangular layout. I did not stay at a connected hotel, but the parking garage was also linked to the con by a skybridge. A nice feature given that the weather turned unseasonably cold and damp. I don't think any of the guests cancelled, but it was impossible to see everyone. The guest/industry panels were run casually like I'm used to, but line control was a draconian experience. Like a mini-military, where and when you could stand was under scrutiny and subject to change from the prior day. Since I was there mostly to meet GoHs, this was the only time I was interacting with staff or other autograph seekers (no Akage spotted?).

As mentioned in an earlier post, getting an autograph (without delay) required a ticket. However, the distribution of tickets was done at multiple times, so that a ticket for a morning activity may have only been offered the evening before. On the weekend, the number of tickets you could acquire changed from "one per guest session" to "one ticket per trip through the line". This forced everyone to prioritize/bail without notice. Naturally, some autograph sessions had extreme overflow, but this occurred more with the US guests. Aside from the inability to secure tickets and some guests declining to sign particular items, I had no serious disappointments. Although, being lucky at JAN-KEN-PON helped win me some stuff I would've struck out on. :D

The exhibitor hall was full all day, but the variety of merchandise offered didn't totally appeal to me as an older fan. There were a lot of booths selling the same figurines and kiddie plushes. Seeing more corporate participation was good; who doesn't like free crap and life-size models? Shockingly, the large Artist Alley was equally crowded with buyers. I remember the days when you could nap in the fan art room. Call me outdated, but I prefer artists selling original media and not high-resolution prints by the dozen. The only problem with the pair of vendor halls was that the GoH signings were conducted in a room in between them. Thus, the autograph you wanted required a pushing match through about 500 people...

The pics of stuff I looted will probably go into a separate post, with commentary about the guests.
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