Fanime and getting older

[AR-99]

I'm in my early 30s and this too is a question I've been asking myself as I do feel that the general age of the con-goers has remained younger. However at the same time, these people will be in the same situation as me in 10-20 years. The thing that I've found, and it's not for everyone, is to play both sides somewhat - follow a few of the newer series that I'm interested in but still stay true to my old favorites. Given how many series come out each season this can be quite time consuming. However I think that as long as you are comfortable with yourself and your fandom, this is the most important opinion of all, so get out there and represent.

[Sunara Ishi]

I understand how you're feeling. The main reason I go to con nowadays is because it is my local con and friends.
I feel that it isn't so much getting too "old" for con as getting too used to con. But I agree it starts getting awkward when you see cosplayers and fans so much younger. I didn't take a couple pictures because I felt like I'd be a creeper if I did. But there are plenty of older fans; you just have to look around to find them sometimes.

Most I know either join staff, artist alley, or stop going.
Of course, there's also those that really get into cosplay, gaming, etc.
But I am sure there are also the fans that have kids and experience con through their kids....

I've been seriously thinking about artist alley for a few years now. But failing that, I might look into joining staff.

[JavaMoon]

I am so glad to see a thread like this here. I'm 30 (soon to be 31) and I spent my time observing everything at Fanime this year, especially the people. It left me feeling very introspective and I felt very old. Most of the viewing room stuff that I enjoyed and saw was in the nostalgia room. The fact that it's labeled as "nostalgia" didn't help either.  ;D

It's funny....Fanime started as a place for the "misfits" (those who liked a genre of entertainment that, at the time, wasn't well known and as easily accessible as it is now) to get together and find out the latest and greatest thing in anime. I still remember "world premiere" showings of things that were just coming out in Japan and that being a HUGE deal. But with changing technology, I no longer dash to the dealer's room and load up on whatever I can because I can get most of it online at any time, same with viewing anime in the viewing rooms. It's not necessarily bad, just different.

Walking around and seeing all the younger people and very few older people made me feel like a misfit amongst the "misfits", which was a surreal feeling for me this year.

I still go to Fanime whenever I possibly can because I've been going for such a long time. It's always nice to be surrounded by those who have similar interests to me, even if I don't know what's particularly trendy that year. I must resist the urge to walk up to some of the cosplayers and ask "So what are you supposed to be, sweetie?" then hand them a piece of candy. *lol*

Thankfully some of my old favorites like Anime Hell and the Studio Sokodei fan parodies are still being shown year after year. I love those and hope they never go away. The Studio Sokodei stuff I consider to be the Fanime equivalent of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" with those in the know reacting to various cues. :)

As I get older, I experience Fanime through a different perspective which, in a way, enhances the con-going experience. It would have been better to experience it with others closer to my age since I went alone this year. Perhaps next year the Fanime veterans can arrange a meetup where we can hang out and yell at all the youngsters to "get off our lawn", so to speak.  :P

[Yuu- pon]

You know, my friend and I wre discussing at the con how the dealers hall is no longer the magical place it used to be. I almost never find anything that interestsme because 99% of it I can find somewhere else.

I suppose one thing I have mixed feelings on is the Yaoi booth is the Yaoi-con booth. On one hand, it's awesome because that was certainly not prevelant several years ago. On the other hand, I can never get anything good because all of the kids have picked through it first and I feel a little cheated.

I did not have any trouble finding older people to hang out with. All of my friends are my age. Maybe anime fans just look yung so it's hard to tell.


Tell me of this 'Studio Sokodei". I'm always looking for more things to do at con.

Someone came upto me saying the yliked my costume and gave me a lolipop ...O_O

[amused_]

I'm 28 and this was my *first* convention.  I was pretty much prepared to be surrounded by youngsters, but knew there would be a wide spectrum of ages (and personalities for that matter). 

Needless to say, I enjoyed myself and enjoyed being around so much energy.  Might be because I have no previous experiences to compare this one to.  Might also be because I act younger than my age.

I want to go again next year, but apparently one of my friends is getting married Memorial Day Weekend '14.  (At this age, you attend 4-5 weddings a year...)

[Redstarship]

I'm totally an old fart when it comes to conventions. I'm only 23, but I've been to anime cons since 2005, so sometimes I have a jaded view on them nowadays (not to mention I really don't keep up with anime anymore O_o; ).

I will have to say that it is harder when the crowd is a lot younger because they tend to stick within their circles quite a bit (Maybe they're just a wee bit shy?). At least, that's what I felt with this con. When crowds are older...it's like a bro family. Seriously though, when I was at DragonCon a few years back, I had a much better time mingling with those that were late 20s and older (the drinks helped too. Haha). I also tend to like the "energy" of a chill environment than a super hyperactive one. Yes, I'm an old grump. =_=

I doubt there's ever going to be an anime con aimed strictly for the older crowd (though I hear AX has a more mixed crowd than Fanime does), so onwards to more comic cons! Woo!

[Darkstride]

Oh god, the music was terrible. It was some mix of top 40s crap mixed with EDM beats. I like top 40s, I like EDM, but together it sounded like a mess. The DJ was terrible and kept screwing up the tempo. First it's slow, then it's fast. I really hope they're not getting paid for this.

I feel ya. I've never been to the dance/rave event so I decided to go this year...it felt like being a chaperone at a middle school dance. I hope they decide to split the ages for 18+ and 18- next year.

Ah, member when the dances actually played anime OSTs? Those were the days.

I've never known any Dj's at other cons to get payed, so hopefully not.

The addition of the rave I find somewhat contradictory. You always see people getting into a 'dance off' but Anime cons are supposed to be kind of a nerd sanctuary. One the biggest stereotypes about nerds is that they are not very athletic.

Stereotypes are not the standard, hate to break it to you.
Are you yourself not athletic? Go work out maybe!
If its not your thing, then cool.
But because I'm a runner and have some dance moves, that doesn't mean I'm not as 'nerdy' as other congoers.

[Yuu- pon]

Oh god, the music was terrible. It was some mix of top 40s crap mixed with EDM beats. I like top 40s, I like EDM, but together it sounded like a mess. The DJ was terrible and kept screwing up the tempo. First it's slow, then it's fast. I really hope they're not getting paid for this.

I feel ya. I've never been to the dance/rave event so I decided to go this year...it felt like being a chaperone at a middle school dance. I hope they decide to split the ages for 18+ and 18- next year.

Ah, member when the dances actually played anime OSTs? Those were the days.

I've never known any Dj's at other cons to get payed, so hopefully not.

The addition of the rave I find somewhat contradictory. You always see people getting into a 'dance off' but Anime cons are supposed to be kind of a nerd sanctuary. One the biggest stereotypes about nerds is that they are not very athletic.

Stereotypes are not the standard, hate to break it to you.
Are you yourself not athletic? Go work out maybe!
If its not your thing, then cool.
But because I'm a runner and have some dance moves, that doesn't mean I'm not as 'nerdy' as other congoers.

Your right. They are not standard. Not everyone who is unathlectic is just lazy.

Even though I've survived a terminal illness longer than I should have it almost completely destroyed my body. I'm fortunate I can still walk.


As for 'working out' I work my ass off, but it's just enough to keep me from getting too fat.

[Glitch]

You're all old! XD

Seriously though, I am 31 and I feel like there is always something new to explore at conventions. I am somebody who gets sick of something if I see it constantly, and I like new things. So a convention that changes over time actually appeals to me. And if the scene is stale, then I like to add to it myself(which is why I got involved in running some panels).

Now there is nothing wrong with seeking comfort with something that is familiar. I can see that point of view. I just happen to be a looney guy who changes his mind a lot.
Also, I love teenagers and people in their mid 20s. They are so fresh and full of life. I can also impart my years of wisdom(although my years aren't that ahead of them. lol).

It could also be because I watch more anime now than when I was younger. It's one of those things. I dunno.

My two cents.

[Darkstride]

Oh god, the music was terrible. It was some mix of top 40s crap mixed with EDM beats. I like top 40s, I like EDM, but together it sounded like a mess. The DJ was terrible and kept screwing up the tempo. First it's slow, then it's fast. I really hope they're not getting paid for this.

I feel ya. I've never been to the dance/rave event so I decided to go this year...it felt like being a chaperone at a middle school dance. I hope they decide to split the ages for 18+ and 18- next year.

Ah, member when the dances actually played anime OSTs? Those were the days.

I've never known any Dj's at other cons to get payed, so hopefully not.

The addition of the rave I find somewhat contradictory. You always see people getting into a 'dance off' but Anime cons are supposed to be kind of a nerd sanctuary. One the biggest stereotypes about nerds is that they are not very athletic.

Stereotypes are not the standard, hate to break it to you.
Are you yourself not athletic? Go work out maybe!
If its not your thing, then cool.
But because I'm a runner and have some dance moves, that doesn't mean I'm not as 'nerdy' as other congoers.

Your right. They are not standard. Not everyone who is unathlectic is just lazy.

Even though I've survived a terminal illness longer than I should have it almost completely destroyed my body. I'm fortunate I can still walk.


As for 'working out' I work my ass off, but it's just enough to keep me from getting too fat.

There ya go! You yourself are a testament to breaking that stereotype!
Good on ya man! [girl... I can't tell gender from post... <__<"]
Don't stop the fight!

[Lucifargundam]

About me:::::       I dont care

That being said, feel free to befriend me because- I dont care about stereotypes or how you potray yourself to be. I'll find out by hanging out with you what kind of person you really are... whether you're a jerk or someone who's cool to hang out with.

As far as being too old for anime cons... there is no such thing. If you believe so then stop watching anime and have the news be the main focus of your day.

[Yuu- pon]

Oh god, the music was terrible. It was some mix of top 40s crap mixed with EDM beats. I like top 40s, I like EDM, but together it sounded like a mess. The DJ was terrible and kept screwing up the tempo. First it's slow, then it's fast. I really hope they're not getting paid for this.

I feel ya. I've never been to the dance/rave event so I decided to go this year...it felt like being a chaperone at a middle school dance. I hope they decide to split the ages for 18+ and 18- next year.

Ah, member when the dances actually played anime OSTs? Those were the days.

I've never known any Dj's at other cons to get payed, so hopefully not.

The addition of the rave I find somewhat contradictory. You always see people getting into a 'dance off' but Anime cons are supposed to be kind of a nerd sanctuary. One the biggest stereotypes about nerds is that they are not very athletic.

Stereotypes are not the standard, hate to break it to you.
Are you yourself not athletic? Go work out maybe!
If its not your thing, then cool.
But because I'm a runner and have some dance moves, that doesn't mean I'm not as 'nerdy' as other congoers.

Your right. They are not standard. Not everyone who is unathlectic is just lazy.

Even though I've survived a terminal illness longer than I should have it almost completely destroyed my body. I'm fortunate I can still walk.


As for 'working out' I work my ass off, but it's just enough to keep me from getting too fat.

There ya go! You yourself are a testament to breaking that stereotype!
Good on ya man! [girl... I can't tell gender from post... <__<"]
Don't stop the fight!

Oh..thank you very much. It really nice to get sone recognition.

Girl  Btw ...well woman. Today is my 30th birthday. Not complain about it tho since I' m a lot older than I should be.

[JavaMoon]

You know, my friend and I wre discussing at the con how the dealers hall is no longer the magical place it used to be. I almost never find anything that interestsme because 99% of it I can find somewhere else.

I suppose one thing I have mixed feelings on is the Yaoi booth is the Yaoi-con booth. On one hand, it's awesome because that was certainly not prevelant several years ago. On the other hand, I can never get anything good because all of the kids have picked through it first and I feel a little cheated.

I did not have any trouble finding older people to hang out with. All of my friends are my age. Maybe anime fans just look yung so it's hard to tell.


Tell me of this 'Studio Sokodei". I'm always looking for more things to do at con.

Someone came upto me saying the yliked my costume and gave me a lolipop ...O_O

http://sokodei.com/

The only ones that get shown year after year are Evangelion ReDeath and Nescaflowne. If you still have a copy of this year's schedule, you'll notice that they were shown. They're only available at conventions and I've been seeing them since they first premiered.

I and other long-time fans have memorized bits and pieces of the shows and quote them out loud at the screen which is always a lot of fun. If you happen to see these shows in rotation, I highly recommend seeing them.

For ReDeath and Nescaflowne, it helps a bit to at least know the basic gist of the shows they're parodying (Neon Genesis Evangelion and Vision of Escaflowne, respectively) so that some of the jokes don't go over your head. Bonus if you know a bit of the old Macross series for ReDeath. ;)

Hopefully you'll get to experience them next year!

[RiderG]

While I love anime, manga, and video games, I feel like over these past couple of years that I've gotten too old for anime conventions (I'm almost 30, by the way). This year's Fanime made me feel especially out of place with all the teenagers and people in their early 20s around. Some of these people (not everyone, but quite a few) have the maturity levels of 5-year-olds, also, which doesn't help.

I remember back in the day (the 90s, mainly) when these conventions were full of people (mainly men) in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. I was in the minority as a kid/teenage girl going to cons. Now it's mainly teenagers everywhere. I just can't relate to the fandom anymore. Times change, I know, and anime has become much more mainstream. But boy, do I feel old and out of place sometimes.

So how old is everyone out there? Any people in their late 20s or 30s (or older) still attending anime conventions? Has your enjoyment of cons diminished over the years? When do you think you'll stop attending?

you and i are the same person. it's as if i wrote that myself.

what keeps me going at cons now is keeping myself busy, either by staffing or contributing to events or other activities. i meet up with friends i've known for a while and that keeps my attention away from the juvenile attendees. i attend cons for the events, not so much for the "kids". :)

[BunofGovt]

I agree with Lucifergundam, you're never too old to attend anime conventions.  I'm 54 this year and expect I'll be attending Fanime AND cosplaying many more years to come.  There are a lot of new series out there that I glean on to on the recommendation of my friends (the ones I attend the con with are my nephew's age, in their late 20's - very early 30's) but I'm still fond of the older ones that I grew up with.  I'm also getting into the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider live action series, so there's still something new to keep me interested.

[djmonolith]

As far as being too old for anime cons... there is no such thing.

WERRRD!

[djmonolith]

I am really glad you posted this.  I am older too and I still love going to anime and comic conventions.  I still cosplay. I still have fun.  Just like everyone else who goes, I like participating in something I love with a bunch of other people who love it too.  The energy and creativity are a huge part of it.  Spending a weekend surrounded by people who share something is really cool.

I am honestly not sure if I ever feel "out of place" - perhaps it is because I don't make a HUGE effort to meet people.  I still manage to make friends and have a great time.  I still read some Manga and watch quite a bit of Anime (I am always trying to find new favorites... for example, I am half-way through "Another" and I LOVE it). 

As a DJ and performer I find it easy to dress up and display my creativity and art.  Fanime is perfect for that!

I collect PVC figures and I am always interested in art commissions.  I also love taking photos... there is so much beauty and art in Cosplay!

When will I stop attending?  Perhaps when I go and find that I am bored.  So far that hasn't happened!

I suppose I do wish that I could have more friends to hang out with... or just have an easier time making new friends.  But, I have talked to people of all ages and they feel the same way.  I don't know if age has anything to do with it. 

Anyway, thanks for posting... I hope this topic gets tons of responses!

[eHash]

Oh god, the music was terrible. It was some mix of top 40s crap mixed with EDM beats. I like top 40s, I like EDM, but together it sounded like a mess. The DJ was terrible and kept screwing up the tempo. First it's slow, then it's fast. I really hope they're not getting paid for this.

I feel ya. I've never been to the dance/rave event so I decided to go this year...it felt like being a chaperone at a middle school dance. I hope they decide to split the ages for 18+ and 18- next year.

The DJs are not paid and half of them have to staff in order to get a DJ Slot. 
DJs at some of the other Cons get paid, but not at FanimeCon.

Ah, member when the dances actually played anime OSTs? Those were the days.

[nemuneko]

Thanks again for all your replies, guys. It's reassuring to know there are others that feel the same way as I do. I'll probably attend Fanime for a few more years, if money and time allow. Also, pre-reg being such a mess this year doesn't help my enthusiasm about going back anytime soon. I think that just put a damper on my whole con experience this year and being surrounded by so many hyperactive youngsters didn't help my mood.

I try to keep up with the newer series (thankfully I have a friend who is a major anime addict and always keeps me updated on newer series), but so many of them just don't interest me. I find many of them too moe, ecchi, or generic for my taste. The ones I've been watching lately are Attack on Titan, Say "I Love You", and Shirokuma Café. I find myself more of a video game player (mainly JRPGs) than anime watcher these days, though.

I still enjoy going to anime conventions, but getting older has changed my interests a bit. I find myself going for the panels and video rooms more than anything else and not so much the dealer's room (I used to love collecting anime merchandise, but sadly I just don't have the funds or the room anymore for it) or other events. I'm really disappointed that I missed so many of the panels I really wanted to see this year due to horrible lines and having to wait in line for hours in pre-reg on Friday. I find that more people my age go to some of the panels, so I don't feel quite so out of place there.

And yeah, the nostalgia room is pretty awesome for us older fans. : ) I remember going there last year with some friends and hardly anyone was in there. I think The Irresponsible Captain Tyler was playing. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the oldies (Sailor Moon, Ranma ½, Tenchi Muyo, El Hazard, Please Save My Earth, Magic Knight Rayearth, to name a few). Especially Sailor Moon, since that's what got me into anime to begin with. Ah, the good old days...

I think having a meet-up or panel for older fans next year would be awesome. Has Fanime done this in the past? I honestly can't remember, but I think it would be a great idea if it hasn't been done already.

[eHash]

Being non-athletic is fine. The main issue was the age of these attendees.  :o
They could have easily separated both of the dance rooms for the age brackets.

Not so easy.  We would have to have an ID check and some sort of age indicator like a tyvek bracelet.  Industry price is about .35 to .40 each, which may not seem like much, but at a nightly attendance of 2500 to 3500, this quickly becomes cost prohibitive.