I have to say, I'm not too fond of Anime Expo right now. So, the last time I checked Anime Expo has bumped up to eighty dollars this year and then to eighty-five on the first of July, but they charge an additional four dollars and fifty cents fee. Your total cost would be about eighty five dollars and fifty cents to eighty nine dollars and fifty cents (almost pushing ninety dollars) for purchasing your badge online. For day zero through day four it's one hundred and fifteen dollars for badges at the door and cash only. Not only that, but they're fucking up everyone's hotel rooms, charging for industry/photographer badges, and not letting anyone have a gathering indoors.
If you were a smaller convention starting out, I understand, but you are as big and as profitable as ever! Go home, Anime Expo, you're drunk! Anime Expo in its twenty-forth year, not in its years of infancy, when it truly needed the money by charging for industry passes, but after they had haphazardly squandered last year's resources by giving away ten free industry guest passes to everyone they approved. It’s only going to get more and more expensive by the passing of time.
The price continues to rise every year probably because of inflation/demand or staff’s a little tight perhaps? The majority of staff at the convention is about one hundred and fourteen volunteers. This is what happens when a convention becomes more corporate and less fan friendly. They only care about money; a bunch of power hungry a-holes. Basically all it has become now. How much money can they get out of us, after we've spent so much on our cosplays and supplies?
Due to the dramatic increase in attendance this past year, we've had to cooperate with the Fire Marshall to move all cosplay gatherings outside of the venue. It was ridiculously crowded. Yes heat, but safety is first... little children are there and I'd be afraid if they got trampled over, but I do think they need a better way to remedy this.
I feel like Anime Expo has been going down hill lately, especially with their props policy which is absolutely retarded. No weapons made of metal, wood, or over six to seven feet and fifteen pounds, if I’m correct. Fake guns including airsoft, nerf, etc. must be painted or duct taped a neon color so staff knows that it isn't real. The trigger needs to be broken or just out right removed and the barrel corked. No baseball bats or illegal weapons.
Basically, Anime Expo is the "Do not bring your props/weapons" con. So there goes about seventy percent of characters worth cosplaying, since their identity is core to their recognizably (Saber and Excalibur, Ruby Rose and Crescent Rose, Snake, etc…) While the service gets shittier, why are they overcharging while not improving its quality?
If you believe that all Anime Expo volunteers are good people, then that is what you believe. There may be good people among them, but the majority of them, usually I've only encountered the rude ones. Like the first time I went to Anime Expo, I was hit in the face by an employee that wasn't even paying attention, let alone apologize.
I say, if the service is crap and people are standing in that long ass line in the scorching heat to receive one god damn badge, then it’s clearly not worth it. Last year on day one, I nearly passed out and they wouldn't even let me sit down in the shade because my leg was as bout swollen as a freaking grapefruit and my brain was being cooked from my heavy wig and headpiece. Not only that, it was a Monster High Lolita coord consisting of layers on top of layers. A person like me with a weak leg and a titanium rod residing inside cannot, I repeat, CANNOT take standing for long periods of time. They really should take consideration of people's needs like for example, what if they're limited of mobility or disabled? Anime Expo staff needs to take notice. Trust me. I've written reviews on Anime Expo before. Not even a year ago. I interviewed multiple people and got the same stories.
I don't have the funds nor any cosplays worth to show because none are ready. Also due to the new weapon policy: Ginna Tsukihana (Naruto OC) would be incomplete without her gunpai since the fan's base is all bamboo wood. Summer time Jack Frost (ROTG) would be incomplete without his staff because I'm 5'5 and the staff is taller than me. Sailor Aquarius (Sailor Moon OC) would be incomplete without Wind's Requiem. Xion's Organization XIII would be incomplete without her keyblade. Shall I continue? If you get what I mean, I don't feel like the character if there's something missing possibly due to the fact of me being a perfectionist. Since it's not foam, they won't allow it.
My top five reasons why I hate that Anime Expo has to be in the middle of summer:
1. The fucking heat.
2. I get the nastiest tan like I'd be slaving in the fields all day.
3. People smell more than usual.
4. The fact that there are extremely long lines doesn't make it any easier.
5. My make up smears everywhere. I feel like a fucking candle: "I'm melting, I'm meeeeeelting!"
Probably another reason I don't like Anime Expo sixty percent of the time. When the rules are that restrictive hell breaks loose to other cosplayers to find the real truth behind the curtain. Anime Expo has been power hungry, clueless, and anti-attendee for several years. I'm purposely not going this year simply because I've seen it get worse over the past years that I've been a loyal Anime Expo attendee. I'm fed up, and I'm hoping other attendees start boycotting Anime Expo as well. Maybe they'll get the hint when the attendee numbers finally start to drop. The guest list this year is really disappointing. With all the other cons and events available for cosplaying, I can't think of one good reason to waste my time or money at Anime Expo.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
