Fanime 2008
This is Fanime Con in San Jose, May of 2008. Cosplayers are covered extensively in the cosplay section. Fanime is Northern California's largest Japanese Anime convention. In any Anime Convention, the star of the weekend is it's events. Fanime's events have always been a crowd favorite. Each year includes crowd favorites such as Dealers Rooms, Guests of Honor, Cosplay Events, and Anime screening rooms, but also include new and inventive events such as Game Show and The Maid Cafe. (Yukie usually works in the maid cafe, check her out).Fanime is always a frendly local event at San Jose, California. While it is not as big as AX 2008 in terms of number of attendees, the atmosphere of the con is very friendly for con-goer. Things are not as rush rush as other cons from asia or big cities. It is a true con run by fans for fans.
Quick Review:
- Con Administration - Good
- The registration line length improved a lot compared with other years. We only waited for 15 min before we got my pass. Staffs are friendly in general with a few exception doing line control for special events/concerts. However, if you drive in from local areas, the parking is pricey ($20-35).
- Cosplayer Quality - Good
- The signatures of cons are all here. Check them out in the picture sections.
- Dealers Room - OK
- Dealers room are only OK. Somehow we find the prices in the great LA area is much better than what they can offer in northern california. If you check Internet prices, most of the time is better on the web. By then, if you really fish around, you can still find some good deals. Jlist, however, also did not make it this year.
- Artist Alley - Good
- We enjoy artist alley the most in the con. You can find very original items by local artist. The only downside is that they seems to have a free professional artists (that mostly do DC comic types of stuffs) that somehow is assigned to artist alley instead of dealers room.
- Guests of Honor -
Good
- Fans of Devil May Cry and the Resident Evil series will be happy to meet the voice actors of Dante (Reuben Langon) and Vergil(Daniel Southworth) from DMC and Albert Wesker(Richard Waugh) from Resident Evil. Reuben was also a solo guest from last year. Having all three at one con was a special treat.
- Anime Screening / Showroom - OK
- Mmmm, it is a mix bag here. Most of the rooms are pretty empty most of the days. The room is only filled when there is a popular series showing (such as Naruto, etc.). Maybe more description/introduction on all anime showing will be good to encourage people to see something new.
- Video Game - So-So
- Man, the arcade games are expensive. As a result, not too many people are playing them when I am there. 50 cents a pop just does not work. Also, there is a kid cryging after spending tons of money into that "lucky" draw machine and try to get a "free" DS without any success.
- Maid Cafe - Good
- You can be a true otaku and enjoy a drink and snacks from the Maid Cafe. Just make sure you have enough changes for the food :) You will find out when you are there.
Fanime Con is fun. Come on down if you are around.
The artist alley. I really enjoy the setup, things that are sold and how friendly everyone is.
The t-shirt people.
This looks like school station or newspaper in the works.
The staff is nice enough to let me entered (with a press pass) a little early to take a few pictures when everything is brandnew waiting to start.
I am never a knife or kitana collector. Are you?
Name the character on the right.
The manga people setting up to rock.
I am not sure if I am correct. But I found the gunpla in AX is lot more cheaper than in Fanime. Am I missing something?
Taiko time!
Did you attend the event with Gainax?
This is the line for the concert.
Sweet and Cute.
What is the movie playing here (in this converted xbox)?
The line for cosplay masquerade wrapped all the way around the tech museum.
I believe someone told me this is the professional guy in the artist alley.
Yes, I asked them to draw while I shoot the pics :)
Real hair?
Ar, I missed the fanimaid cafe last year.
This machine is not easy to "win".
Hope these pictures bring back some good memories.
Don't forget to checkout
The cosplay section or
The travel section.
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