The First Time Attendee:
If you think you have been to a big anime convention you have literally seen nothing yet. In 2018 Anime Expo (AX) placed first amongst anime cons with the most number of attendees at 110,000 with Anime Matsuri coming a far second at around 40,000. With this many people coming to an event there are a few things you must be prepared for especially if you are a first time attendee:
1. Prepare your schedule using the program guide.
Luckily for us we do not have to guess when/where events are occurring and trust me when I say there are a lot of them. The TGYK team suggests that if you are lucky enough to be there early on Day 1 of the convention, use your day to get your bearings and get to know where things are located so you do not get lost trying to get to things you really want to see!
2. Be mindful of the weather!
This year was not very hot (although we did have 2 earthquakes), but the year before there was a heat wave in L.A. so make sure you have plenty of water and you pack/plan your cosplays accordingly. The convention hall itself is well air-conditioned so if you want to carry the warmest parts of your cosplay to the convention and get dressed there that would be a good alternative.
3. Set aside time for meals and shopping!
If eating and shopping is all you were planning on doing at AX you have plenty of time, but if you are planning on cosplaying or attending more of what the convention has to offer you must prepare for long waits at food trucks and slowly walking through crowds while shopping. TGYK found that L.A. is very spread out and you will have to either Uber or walk quite far to find a specific food you want, unless you plan on eating near the convention center and waiting a while for your food. As for shopping, you will have to take your time and go through Artist Alley and exhibitors multiple times because there is 100% chance that you missed something that you would have wanted to buy.
4. THERE ARE MULTIPLE ENTRANCES!
IT’S TRUE. There is the big scary line at the front entrance of the convention centre, but there is also an entrance at the back with a much shorter line! Remember to use the map in your program to locate all the entrances and exits! Having options will reduce the amount of time you have to spend waiting in line.
EXTRA TIP: If you do not have any plans to attend an early morning panel/event, we suggest you grab a nice breakfast/lunch and go to the convention center around 1PM. There are significantly less people in line to get in and you will have a much more pleasant experience.
*If you guys have any other tips or tricks, please let us know so we can update this article!*
The Convention Hall: Anime Galore!
Anime Expo is the premiere North American anime convention. Many of anime’s head honchos show up to the convention and premier new episodes of anime, exclusive movie releases, and more! The hall is made up of 3 major parts: The Entertainment Hall, The Exhibitors Hall, and the Artists Alley. This does not include all of the other events that take place in nearby hotels!
This year there was an abundance of streetwear and cool anime themed clothes. TGYK is a huge sucker for well made, subtle anime clothes and there was plenty of it. Save up and buy some exclusive gear!
There is not much to say here aside from explore all corners of the convention. If you have been to another “big” anime convention in North America, AX is easily 3 – 4 times bigger. Be prepared to walk 5 – 10 miles a day because these halls are no joke. There is so much to see and do you must refer to your program to CHOOSE what you want to do because it almost feels like 4 days is not enough!
Good luck, friend!
The Nightlife:
The nightlife was easily a highlight for the TGYK team! There is no shortage of afterparties and AX sponsored/themed events which all run late into the night. The biggest problem here is choosing which event to attend. Although there are many events to attend tickets can be quite expensive averaging to about $30USD per event. If you plan to go out every night and make the most out of your trip, the expenses will rack up quickly. Tickets to these events also do sell out, so get ‘em while they’re hot! The TGYK team suggests either going somewhere prior to grab food and drinks before heading to one of these events because there are not always bars there and if there are, there is usually a heck of a long line.
We wish you good luck partying and remember to party responsibly!
