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What are your experiences with anime conventions?
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I've been to a few with friends, although I'll say I'm more of a casual anime dabbler than a full on fan. Normally, I don't much care for social gatherings or large of events of any kind. I found I didn't have much issue with the conventions though, as everyone was really focused on their own things, costumes, interests, etc.
There was one time I went in cosplay with a friend, as a sort of pair. It was not a cosplay I created, but a really well-made loaner. Anyway, while walking down a hallway someone sprinted, running up to me and jumping completely onto my back... clung to me like a wild gibbon or something! I had no idea who they were, what they wanted, and just sort of stood there confused / shocked.
So anyway, that's when I learned what a "glomp" was and that some people get really into the anime characters and stuff. ๐
TIL what a "glomp" is. That sucks - people really ought to remember cosplayers are people.
What did you do other than walk around and cosplay? Spent too much? ๐
Yes, I did not approve of said "glomp" and it was super uncool to just leap onto someone. I was too stunned to do much, but other people told them off. It didn't stop them from following me around the con for some time after, but I didn't let that ruin things.
Unfortunately, I did mostly walk around, haha. Actually didn't end up spending too much, as I was part of one of the con's performances, being part of the aforementioned cosplay pair. I ended up befriending a group of people seemingly outta nowhere who invited me back to their hotel (I promise it doesn't get bad lol). They were all using this big room as a sort of hub to meet up, do costume repairs, swap out cosplays as some had 2-3 planned per day. A nice person bought me food and the evening ended with 4-5 of us sitting around on this patio outside the hotel sipping fancy drinks and beers.
It wasn't bad, and I feel like I got to experience people more like me than not. Somehow I didn't get the "con crud" so that's cool.
Yeah, no, the fact they followed after that really sucks. Sorry to hear that
That sounds really fun though, AFAIK loads of people in a single hotel is pretty common - gotta save up for the rest of the purchases! What kind of performance did you do?
By "con crud", I'll assume what we call here post-con depression and I feel it personally. I mostly walk around myself though I like to meet up with friends and look at the dealer's room. Last time I did go to a few panels and got a signature from Hirokatsu Kihara!
Sorry for late reply!
"Con crud" is this apparent illness where you cough up gunk. Idk if it tracks regionally but where I was from it was a thing and absolutely terrible. Also wow, that's great! Hirokatsu Kihara wrote two of the Ghibli movies I recently introduced my partner to!