Favorite Conventions

[Michaelangelo]

Through out the years of being online, I've been finding more and more people who go to conventions.  So I figured it'd be interesting to put the top seven mentioned conventions and find out which ones people perfer the most.  So please, do vote for which convention you like, and post why that convention is your favorite.

[Phoenix]

I'm gonna go with "Other" and that other would be DragonCon. I've only been once, but wow.... it was amazing. I suppose its almost on the scale of SanD.

[cynlee]

Of course, to be fair, the only convention on the list I've been to is San Diego-- and I think my first one was 1987.

I've been to local ones here in Los Angeles and Pasadena, and one year there was one at the L.A. Convention center-- the year that the second TMNT movie came out.  My students that I took with me that day and I got to meet Kevin Eastman.  That was cool.

But in all honesty, San Diego has become such a big commercial showcase-- I kind of miss those first few years that I went to it, when you would find Mark Hamell (sp. sorry!) selling and trading at the dealers' tables, and of course, I got to meet Stan Sakai, and Joshua Quagmire, and Larry Marder, and Sergio Aragones-- and the people behind The Tick-- and the people behind Capt. Jack, and The Desert Peach, and NEil the Horse, and the late great Barb Rausch, and on and on and on...  Equine the Uncivilized and REd Shetland...  Roberta Gregory... (though I think I met her in L.A., not San Diego, but still!)...

*nostalgic sigh*

[Brinatello]

It was a debate between Anime Vegas and San Diego.  Anime Vegas was so awesome with all the people who attended and all the friends I got to hang out with.  It'll remain a very memorable event for a very long time.  Now, the reason why I chose San Diego was mainly because of how much of it I've experienced.  Every year since 1994 has had a hint of awesome, horrid, and plain craziness.  I've enjoyed each one with meeting new (or returning) friends and new (or returning!) special guests.  It's basically a surprise every time I go.  I'll admit I can't stand the hugeness and large crowds of it, but I still go to be with the people I've known for many years.  I would honestly love to attend more conventions on the east coast and get as much of a thrill out of them as I do with San Diego.  I got a late start, but there's always the years to come.  

[OnnaRaphael]

So far the only con I've even been to is Animazement, so I'm just going to... not answer.  I have a feeling I'm going to really like Anime Next and for some reason I see it as my first "real" anime con, probably because Animazement is fairly small.  With my job though I just have never had time to take off for cons, now I have a little more time but right now I get 3 weeks of vacation/sick days a year and the silly boyfriend wants to take a "real" vacation at some point.  Pfft!  Pfft I say!  

[Lisardo]

It's hard for me to pick.  I've gone to a number of cons in the past six years of being involved in the online TMNT fandom.  As much as I liked San D I will admit I can see why some ppl shy away from it.  As some ppl have said it is very commercialized and the crowds are huge there and it's harder to get 'homey' with the media guests, like how some of you did with the VAs at AnimeNext and AnimeVegas.  AnimeNext as an alright con, but I'm not huge into anime and I mostly went to meet up with fan-friends and TMNT VAs.  I may attend AnimeVegas sometime too, but again it's mostly for TMNT meet-ups.  I generally prefer comic book cons cuz it's more diverse.

I've attended Motor City Con a number of times so I'm most familiar with it.  It's also the closest major con to me and there's usually a good assortment of guests and other activities going on, plus a few fan-friends show up  MCC 2000 was the best by far!  I do hope that someday more TMNT guests will show up at MCC but at least I got to meet Mitch from TNM and Rob Paulsen from the OS at MCC!

[Kazari]

i would so have to say..no matter how much I loved Anime Vegas..it would probably have to be New York Comic Con! Being in NYC, seeing the castle, going to Planet Hollywood, meeting the Mirage guys!

[WolfofMibu]

I have though long and hard on this topic, because honestly I attend a stupid amount of conventions. I finally went with Animenext, because it was the convention I met Mike Sinterniklaas at and it holds a lot of special memories for me.

Though honestly every Con I have ever been to has been wonderful and special for some reason  

[Kazari]

*laughs* I didnt pick the con with Sam *is shocked at self*

[CriticalCrittles]

I would honestly have to say it was very hard for me to choose between anime vegas and katsucon, but I finally picked katsucon because it was the first con I went to with my friends that I attended for meeting  VAs instead of going just to see cosplay and spend time in the dealer's room. I went for the soul purpose of meeting Mike Sinterniklaas, because my friend told me the voice of Dean Venture was gonna be there, and I had just reciently fallen in love with Dean from Venture Bros lol. katsucon was the first con I met VAs at and I loved it, it will always be special to me.

[ninjaplease!]

Most of the cons that I have been to hold special meaning and reasons why I enjoyed them.  I would have to pick Animenext as my favorite con for so many reasons.

-first con I ever went to ~thanks to Blue for convincing me to go and sucking me into this crazy lifestyle.

-first place I started meeting people in the Turtle universe.  It amuses people like the mirage guys that while I don't know that much about Turtles I have met a large number of people who have been involved in the Turtle world.

-shopping in NYC do I need to say more?

-became friends with Mike, which has been one of the coolest things in my life

[Mily]

Anime Next last year HAD to be my favorite Con EVER, because I had met most of my internet friends for the first time and we all had just a great time getting to know each other in person finally. Also the first time I even met Ivey, and another non-tmnt fan whom I still talk to,

Toronto Con and Anime North are also two cons in close second,

[Leonardo]

I have no "favorite" con. I do enjoy some more than others, and that has everything to do with the friends I am with at that con.

Thank you for pointing out "errors" in semantics to my post on this topic. So I have made my adjustment.

Please make a note it was me who brought up the "jump the shark" comment in relation to Fast Forward discussions, not Fugitoid, before Mike S. brought it up at a panel.
Amusingly fun coincidence, but if attention to detail is important, then I would appreciate that being fixed on your post.
Thank you.

[Michaelangelo]

Well I wouldn't say this topic is looking for "The Best" because that's not even in the topic, it's for personal favorites cons.  Every con is different and everyone goes for different reasons as Leo even stated.  

I enjoy meeting up with people friends and stars.  I don't shop, but I do a lot of panels.  I know other friends who go for meeting up with friends and cosplaying.  I know people who go for just shopping.  Everyone goes for different reasons.  Though I find it fun to learn why certain cons stand out to different people.  Which is why the poll does not say "Which is the best convention"

I can't agree about panels always being the same though or knowing more and so on.   One of the reasons I love panels is because even if the fans do ask the same questions, the way the guest handle it is what makes the panel a good panel.  I've gone to tons of conventions all my life, starting when I was a kid going to Sifi cons, than going to Comic Cons (which Leo introduced me too with Mid-Ohio Con 1996) and now Anime Cons.   I grew up at conventions, and I find some conventions are stronger with one thing like guest (Anime Vegas is a good example having 35+ Guest) where you know that the event itself is more for the people who do go out to meet the guest.   Though other events like "Anime Punch" in Ohio this up coming April don't want anymore than two VA guest... they're focusing more on the core subtitled fans from the look of it, so that's cool as well.   Some cons make sure to have big costume contests, while others don't even think about the cosplay contest too much.   Though every event is different, if you've been to 50... that still doesn't mean you've been to them all.

As those who went to Toronto Anime saw, two different types of panels back to back.  One with three hyper VAs, joking around and giving a great time for everyone, getting tons of laughs... that panel was followed by a more serious VA who sat in one spot and didn't just answer about the series he worked on or favorite movies but would go on about his views on how Anime is treated.  And how shows like Gargoyles did a great job with one episoide though since than it was edited and cut because of adults crying it's too violent for their kids.   It was from one extreme to the next... both were wonderful panels!   So no matter how many you've been too, it doesn't mean it's going to spoil the ones that you go to in the future.

So as the topic is asking "What is your favorite" not "Which is the best"...   it's just trying to find out personal favorites and making for an interesting topic for people to share their views and learn what friends like to do at the cons.

[Kazari]

Agreed *nods* I think there's really no best con for me. I have favorites but I don't think there will ever be a best con because that's like someone's opinion.

[Michaelangelo]

Wow it's been awhile since I looked at this topic.  And I've touched so many other conventions.  I can even now say I've been to San D.   Anime Next is still one of my favorites, though now NYC Comic Con land there too.  I really love NYC Comic Con!!!!

[Danceingfae]

AnimeNext is my favorite because it was not just my first con but the first place I got to meet up with long time internet friends. I have anjoyed quite a few cons since then... funny enough none are repeats, yet I would love to go to AnimeNext again, it's just saving up the money for getting to the East coast from the West coast is the hard part.

[Amicitia]

It's so nice to hear that New Jersey has a redeeming feature!  

[Michaelangelo]

Yeah, NJ has Anime Next which so far is still my favorite anime convention.    It's got a lot of good things to offer to it, so I highly recommend it to everyone when I speak about cons.  

I stay in NJ everytime I'm going to NYC

[Danceingfae]

On the topic of Cons, I went to one today and last night called Game Storm. A very very small gaming con but I had fun with my friends last night

Next year we're gonna make a full weekend of gaming at it

[cowabunga14]

My convention isn't on the list, but it for me, it would have to be Super-Con. It's really the first comic-type convention I've been and I went last year in June and had a great time. I like it because of the varitey of guests and personalities that attend and because it's at the San Jose Convention Center, which isn't far from where I live. Plus, it's affordable and a great convention to start off the summer with. I plan on attending this year and looking to meet Mark Evanier and Mark Texeira. Last year, I met Paul Smith and got an X-Men comic signed by Jim Lee, so that was cool.

If you're curious: http://super-con.com/

[Danceingfae]

Sounds like that would be fun, but I have a chorus competition that weekend that my chorus and I have been working really hard at.

Hope you have fun though cowabunga14!

[Michaelangelo]

Anime Next is no longer my favorite convention, NYC Comic Con.

I've loved each year I've gone!!!!!

I've made it so on this poll you can change your answer from now on.  Who knows, another con may steal your heart some day

[Danceingfae]

You read my mind! (Or heard me saying on the phone I'd like to change my vote ) Who knows

But instead of AnimeNext who I am very dissapointed with this year even though I was not planning on going. Because of that my fav convention would have to change to Katsucon. I had a blast at that convention and really wouldn't mind going again

[toyempire]

My favorite convention is hands down....Dragoncon in Atlanta during Labor Day weekend.  For me, it is because of the costuming and it feels like a four day halloween party.  They close off the streets and have a parade for costumers as well as panels in many different variety of topics, big name stars, and the celebs mingle with the crowd.  You can see them in room parties, and at the lobby bars.

My best experience for TMNT was the turtles 25th anniversary at SDCC.  Although I missed the after party, I did costume as Shredder and attend the TMNT panel discussion and ask a question to Mr. Eastman, get a few autographs, and meet Ernie the pizzaboy.  I also went to Horton Plaza and got exposed the the TMNT bus and turtle promo.  That was fun.  However SDCC itself is very commercialized and way too croweded.

I try to go to about five scifi and/or anime conventions a year and each offers its uniqueness.  Many is based on specific panels, mixers with groups, room parties, celeb meets, mdse purchased, etc.  Cant wait til a Turtlecon comes crawlin in.  Until then, lets hope every five years, a TMNT anniversary is kept alive with what they did at SDCC.

[Nightwatchersonlygirl]

My fave cons are not on the list the London Expo and the London comic con I go to both

[BubblyShell22]

I haven't been to a con yet, but I would love to go to SDCC someday. It's on my bucket list.

[Raphael]

SDCC used to be on my 'to do' list, but it isn't any more. It's gotten way too big for my liking.

[Michaelangelo]

Yeah, SDCC is way too big, it's why I like NYCC more.  It's big, but not too big.  But the smaller cons are the best.

[soliloquy]

I have the best memories at SDCC - I met my fiance there, a lot of awesome fans, comic book artists, and voice actors. Tickets and hotels sell out so quickly for the thing nowadays I've given up, and it's insanely crowded!

NYCC is awesome because New York City itself is so great. No wonder the TMNT eat a ton of pizza in the OT, because in my opinion New York-style pizza IS the best.

toyempire - that was you?? I was at that panel, and I remember you cracked me up big time! Well done!