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It was honestly extremely underwhelming. I didn't like the MC. He tried too hard and he kept trying to apologize for Fanime's past mistakes. I don't think the MC of the masquerade needs to apologize. Just show us that it's improved with action, not words. It also seemed very short. I did like the intermission performances and the costumes were all great. My main suggestion is, please get a new MC. If you guys can maybe get a voice actor like other cons or someone else who entertains for a living. Past MC's at Fanime have been great. I don't know that the amount of masquerade performers were in Fanime's control, but I was surprised to see such a limited number and to be out by around 7. I didn't go to Masquerade last year, but previous years have been better, mostly because of better skits. I also preferred when Fanime did walk on's first and skits after, but that's just my personal preference. Overall, it was a fairly mediocre Masquerade.

Was a great gathering. Here's some pictures I took of it. Feel free to tag if you find yourself.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152145079116725.1073741845.738591724&type=1&l=96bd8add6b

I took a whole bunch of pictures for Days 1 through 3. Here's the links:

Day 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152141276106725.1073741843.738591724&type=1&l=e645b482db

Day 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152143038451725.1073741844.738591724&type=1&l=4f037fe1f1

Day 3: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152145079116725.1073741845.738591724&type=1&l=96bd8add6b

I just wanted to say thank you Fanime for holding one of the best concerts I've ever been to. I had been looking forward to possibly seeing Home Made at some point in my life, but that was seriously one of the best concerts I've ever had the pleasure of attending. Home Made was awesome and they seemed to genuinely enjoy their time at the con and watching them interact with the audience was great. The attitude felt like it carried over into the autograph session and pictures as well. If you can, please bring them back again like you did with Flow. Maybe not next year, but some other con in the future. That would be amazing!

I was working line control for a few hours, and I actually heard some people complaining it was too short. :P

Haha, I joked around with friends that the spirit of the con had been diminished a bit because we didn't have to wait in line. I had so much extra time, I didn't know what to do.

Agreed on all fronts. This is my fifth year and in all the time I've gone, this is the best badge pickup I have ever seen. There was no line when I went to pick my badge up. Keep it up, Fanime. The reg. people deserve a cake. Heck, they deserve two.

No clue about rules for posting links in the forums, but there's a helpful guide I found online for those new to con-going. It may be helpful to you too:

http://www.candidslice.com/9-rules-for-surviving-an-anime-convention/

The key though is to make sure you stay safe, healthy, and have fun. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat at regular intervals, and drink plenty of water. If you're unsure about what to expect, stick with friends. Those are a couple tips.

I've been excited in the past, but as I've seen the con slip in the past 2 years, not so excited this year. I AM hugely, massively excited for Home Made, who I've wanted to see for years. But besides that, it's a fairly meh to me this year. The guest list is small, a lot of friends I have that normally go to Fanime are only going to AX this year, and I can't really justify spending $75 (increased from last year) for a weekend in which we are getting less than what we've had in past years. I am always at least a little excited for Fanime because of all the cosplayers and the spirit of the whole thing, but this year I think I am saving most of my excitement for AX. Hoping that next year will bring back that 2010-11 level of con that Fanime had.

I was going to refrain from saying anything, but I have to chime in and I will start with a story. Someone I know from an anime group who goes to Fanime every year, also happens to be good friends with Momoi and her management. He had spoken to Momoi's manager while in Japan just after Fanime 2011. Said manager had asked if they could come back to Fanime because they really enjoyed the con. So, the guy relayed the message back to Fanime management (someone in the management department) about this. When nothing was done and they were questioned, the excuse given as to why Momoi could not be brought back to Fanime was because Momoi was too busy, which was incorrect as Momoi WANTED to come back to Fanime.

I started going to Fanime in 2010 and 2011 and loved it. I had a blast as I hadn't been to a con since AX 07. I quickly named Fanime my new con and was excited for every year. Then, 2012 and 2013 fell below expectations set by the previous two years. Lo and behold, 2011 was also the same year that we got a second con sistering with Fanime. Could that have anything to do with anything? I've heard it's different people handling that con, but I've also heard that the Fanime top runner is also handling that con, so I'll refrain from making any hard finger pointing. But to deny that the past two-three years haven't shown a clear slide down in terms of quality would simple display blindness. I realize that this is off-topic, but the GoH situation is simply a piece of the many other things that have shown Fanime go down in quality.

Now, you may take this as me hating on Fanime, and you would be wrong. I love Fanime. For the past four years, I have gone all out for Fanime, from getting a hotel room, even though I am local, to all sorts of other expenditures, I have thrown myself at the con fully. This year, that won't happen. I will most definitely be going saturday for Home Made (thank you very much Fanime for making this happen), possibly sunday as well. But I have seen little this year that has gotten me excited like past years. And how big Fanime is I really can't buy as an excuse anymore. In 2013, Fanime was the fifth largest anime convention in the entire U.S. It makes it hard to believe and understand that Fanime has the kind of issues it has, from the incredibly small GoH lineup to a website that doesn't go up until a little over a month before the con. And my only reason for this post is because I want to see Fanime get back to 2010-2011. All of the things I've listed are reasons why most of the friends that I've gone to Fanime with in the past years are ducking out this year in favor of AX. I understand there are issues in organizing a con, but Fanime isn't the small, fan run con it was in the past. It is a major con now, one that doesn't feel like it's being run like a major con.

I did the Shadar cosplay from Ni No Kuni:

http://arolemodel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/shadar-ni-No-Kuni-Wratch-of-the-white-Witch.jpg

That was basically what it looked like. Wish I had a picture to link to of my actual cosplay, but I don't unfortunately. A few people did get my picture, so I was hoping someone might have taken it and has/will be uploading to the net. If so, please message me  :D

In the past, I've tended to get there early. But the badge hand outs were never so late. I usually have waited several hours in line as I got there early enough. I'll probably show up later this year since badges are going out later, but I'll still be waiting in line for several hours.

Was just wondering if there was anyone out there planning to do Ni No Kuni. Probably a little late to be asking, but I plan on doing Shadar and wondered if anyone else was planning on doing any other characters.

Kyle Herbert and Lauren Landen

I don't particularly care what the theme is, but if there's a theme, Fanime should really start doing some things geared towards that theme. This year was supposed to be sports, but the only thing sporty about it were the pictures on the badges. There were no sports related activities planned, no guests who do sport anime/manga, not even special showings of sports related entertainment. It would seem to me that if you're going to do a theme, then you theme the con around that theme, otherwise it's not really a theme. It's just a topic you put out there to represent the con. If we're going to have a gothic fairy tale theme for Fanime, then Fanime should try and do some gothic fairy tale stuff, like say, maybe inviting some artists who do that kind of art or having a gothic lolita fashion show with a fairy tale theme or even inviting a vis kei band to come play. It just seems weird to have a theme and do nothing at all with it.

Kalafina
Nirgilis
LiSA
AKB48

^This. You have good taste in music :D

So, I've tried emailing the lost and found section several times and haven't had any response. I lost my jacket on the last day of Fanime and would love to get it back if Fanime still has it. Can someone please get back in touch with me about it, that would be great.

Nirgilis
Kalafina
Canon x Canon
Hyadain
Angela
Yui Horie
Galneryus
Abingdon Boys School
Sid
New World Order
LiSA

To name a few. I realize this probably isn't the place for it, and I apologize, but I was pretty disappointed with the musicfest guests this year, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for next year.

Same plans as every year, but this time with a better cosplay. I actually worked on a lot of my own stuff this year, so I want to go a step further next year and do something bigger and better.

[Guests]

- Guests : Please, PLEASE tell me that some major parties fell through because that is the only way I can somehow justify how terrible the guests this year were. The music guests were extraordinarily disappointing; little known artists who did not have many songs released even in Japan. I was also disappointed that the other guests were mostly people who had already been to Fanime multiple times. The real frustration was how LATE everything was announced. I understand that the staff can't very well be like, "Everyone we wanted couldn't/wouldn't come so we're trying to get anyone we can" but if this WAS the planned Guest List, then I will probably not be returning to Fanime. Guests aren't everything but they certainly are SOMETHING and with the other problems the con is having, poor Guests just don't balance out the plane and hotel costs.

Please see my post above.

Please don't think we don't try to get some big names. Heck, there are a lot of big names even I would like to get. However there are several factors that affect both sides and things will not work out for both of us most of the time. But hey, we try again the next year. Keep in mind the timing of FanimeCon as well. The end of May is when the industry is either wrapping up spring series or working on upcoming summer series. That means many people are busy and can't add the con into their schedule. (Some of our guests this year had to bring their work with them!)

Sorry if it seems like we let you down, but we do the best we can with what we have to work with and it's hard to satisfy everyone. If you think you can help out, GR's an open department like all others. ;D

Please also keep in mind that every con operates differently and has different resources. Oh, and I work with international guests so what I write doesn't always apply to domestic guests.

I believe I read, before Fanime, that there was a common contracting company many major cons use to get guests, specifically music guests, from Japan. I think it would benefit Fanime to use something like that. I've said it before, but I will say it again, Fanime is huge now. In 2011, it was the 8th largest anime con in the U.S. That big of a con comes with expectations, including certain expectations towards the kinds of guests we will see at the con. I hope, for next year, you will consider looking into what cons like Anime Expo and Otakon do to get guests. I realize that Fanime is smaller, but it's also big enough that it should be able to bring in major guests. Heck, if a smaller con like Animazement can get Kotoko, then I have no doubt Fanime can repeat the fantastic musicfest of 2011 with Yuya and FLOW.

Forgot my jacket at the Gainax panel. I'm sure Fanime staff/Convention Center has it. It's a cream color jacket with a hood.