Sakura Con 2013

[Animusubi]

My younger sister created this year's mascot, so she had an artist alley table there. I heard she did really well. Was kind of disappointed though that this was the year they decided not to have the mascot displayed everywhere (such as banners on the streets and such) like previous years. That was one of the fun parts of having your mascot design win. So people actually came up to her table and didn't even know she was the mascot. Or that she was the artist.

Wow, really?! What's the point of even entering the mascot contest if they don't use it? :/ That's super disappointing.

It was on the book like usual. But you know how they usually have them on banners on the streets and inside the convention? Well they didn't this year. So she wasn't as recognizeable. My sister was cosplaying the mascot and people would come up and ask what she was from. My sister would point to the booklet and some didn't even know there was a mascot. Weeeird.

[usamimi]

My younger sister created this year's mascot, so she had an artist alley table there. I heard she did really well. Was kind of disappointed though that this was the year they decided not to have the mascot displayed everywhere (such as banners on the streets and such) like previous years. That was one of the fun parts of having your mascot design win. So people actually came up to her table and didn't even know she was the mascot. Or that she was the artist.

Wow, really?! What's the point of even entering the mascot contest if they don't use it? :/ That's super disappointing.

It was on the book like usual. But you know how they usually have them on banners on the streets and inside the convention? Well they didn't this year. So she wasn't as recognizeable. My sister was cosplaying the mascot and people would come up and ask what she was from. My sister would point to the booklet and some didn't even know there was a mascot. Weeeird.

Awww, lame! Yeah, they usually have the mascot like...everywhere! The banners, t-shirts, program books, fliers, on the website....that's why so many people like entering the mascot contest, lol! ;P

[Animusubi]

Awww, lame! Yeah, they usually have the mascot like...everywhere! The banners, t-shirts, program books, fliers, on the website....that's why so many people like entering the mascot contest, lol! ;P

They also asked her for two extra chibis, which she did. But this is like, the 4th year in a row people are being asked to do extra art. For free. And by this point they should make it so chibis have to be drawn with the mascot now. Because she had horrid communication with them for what they wanted. I'm really saddened that it seems like Sakuracon will never be run better, because while the mascot contest isn't as big as the rest of the con, there's so many other problems too.

[Animusubi]

So apparently Sakura-Con just closed their forums, which have been around since I've been going, due to some staff drama (apparently). Some users lost years of personal PMs and connections with friends, because there was no forewarning. This also happened with another local convention, Aki Con. I'm sad to see Sakura-Con did this to their loyal users. The site provided cosplay meetups and was a main use for the Artist Alley goers to get information, mainly because the emails are usually never answered.

I'm very disappointed to see this and I really don't think it was a wise decision. I feel the communication will now become much worse as well.

[usamimi]

wow, that's awful. :/ Man, Sakura-con really has changed since I've started going...