Atlanta Anime Day 2009 - One Man's Review
Being a local to the Atlanta area and having the morning off all to myself I decided I would check out the 2009 Atlanta Anime Day to see what this small, inconspicuous con had to offer. The convention seemed to be a lesser known, super-miniature version of Anime Weekend Atlanta, which had over 11,000 attendees in September.
My business partner Traci put it on my radar a month or so back as part of a promotional tour we've been doing to support our new site. From that point on I had been really looking forward to this day. We are getting into the season of Con withdrawal. Where all the big conventions have passed us by for the year and we must fill our time with more localized, less well known cons.
At $3.00 for a full day admission it was just too good to pass up, even for a small con. I arrived at 11:00 am or so and quickly found a parking spot at the Crowne Plaza with very little trouble. I knew I was in the right place when I saw my first Avatar the airbender strolling through the parking lot. I grabbed my camera, some promotional materials to distribute, and headed inside. Harijuku fashion, colored wigs, and cute stuffed animals were the order of the day. As I made my way through the entrance I felt instantly a tinge of past conventions roll over me, seeing the everyday travelers unaware of what was going on in their hotel mingle with the purple haired vixens and weapon toting heroes in all their glory.
The registration line was non existent and I waited barely a minute to get my hand stamped and make my way down the hallway. The vendor room was relatively small and held only six or seven vendors at most offering everything from replica jewelery pieces, costumes, weaponry, a large selection of manga, movie posters, stuffed animals, backpacks, and the list goes on and on. Prices were very fair and the shopkeepers friendly and helpful. A few had even joined in the cosplaying.
Me personally I had come for the cosplayers and I must admit with a con this size my expectations going in were rather low. I am pleased to say that my expectations were unfounded. Everything from Dragonball Z to Death Note, Trigun to Sailor Moon and beyond. The cosplayers showed up in force to represent their particular fandom very inspiringly. Pictures were taken, smiles exchanged, conversations sparked. There was a very friendly vibe to this convention and its attendees. I almost feel that this con was limited by the small venue it inhabited, it had the heart of a much bigger con only jammed into a small space. Anyone in attendance as well I am sure would agree.
From a room of anime fans watching their favorite shows splashed across a 100" projection screen, to the cafeteria area serving up high priced food and drinks, and back down the hall to the vendor area one could stroll the length of the venue, see everything, and do everything in 30 minutes or less. This convention was not about peddling wares. Not about promotions or agendas. This convention was about the fans and having a good time. I must say that it was a wonderful oasis in the barren con desert we call the holiday season. And I for one will be back next year.
Jason L. Bohannon is the co-founder and creative director of GirlsOfTheCon.com, a website dedicated to convention girls and bringing the creativity and Inspirational fashion and design of the sci fi, fantasy, gothic, steampunk, horror, and alternative cultures and genres to the eyes of the often over critical mainstream. Contact Jason at GirlsOfTheCon.com