Messages

2013 - North of 25k
2014 - North of 27k
2015 - Many more people than 2014 :)

We're still working on the official numbers but we're settings some records. Anecdotal evidence suggests more people this year with the crowds doesn't it?

Yea my badge ID# was some number in the 26,000 so I figured that many people...crazy how big its gotten (been going since '99) 

I'd like to say how well this year's event was held and to say thanks to all staff for another year. I don't have any complaints as far as staffing or venue related issues. I can't speak for people like dealers, swap meeters, and artist alleyers, but the event itself seemed like to be pulled off without any major problems.

Other than issues before the con, like housing, website updates, guests, artist alley registration, etc., the con itself ran as smooth as I ever seen before; and I've been to 16 straight Fanimes.

I hope that Fanime can continue to grow into an even bigger gathering of fans and continue to be well-run like this year.

out of curiosity what was the final attendee # and how has it been over the last 3yrs?  Up or down?

Seriously post-con depression never happened to me in the 15yrs ive been going.  I've only gotten depressed about not being able to attend AX anymore after 10 fun years

Going for only 2 days next year...I guess my attention span is failing as I do more of these.  So I did Day 0,1,2,3 this year and was too burned out for day 4, really was done on day 2 and pushed day 3 only for AMV's. 

[Guides:]

Overall I applaud you staff and all the hard work you do. I've witnessed several years of it and am grateful for it.
As always... the Dealer's Hall, Artist Alley, Video Rooms, Gaming Hall, etc. does an excellent job.
I'll address some issues:

Guides:

• Can you please not use black text on a dark gray background? It is really hard for those of us with vision problems and/or tired to see. Especially when it is also small text. Also makes it too easy to overlook guest panels (since those were the ones in that color.)
• Please list all major events. Swap Meet wasn't listed for Thurs. And I don't think it was listed for Fri. either.

Accessibility to cosplay gathering areas

• Finding the exit, to the cosplay gathering area next to the Hilton, was rather confusing and no signs were put up. The upstairs exits were supposedly alarmed and un-usable. The only exit I found was through the Hilton restaurant; which isn't ideal. I know you can't do anything about the existing structure of the building but signs would've been nice.

More Cosplay-related stuff

• It would have been really nice if Peace-bonding and the Cosplay Hangout were closer together. Ideally, it would be awesome to have Peace-bonding, Cosplay Hangout, and Item check all in the same area. It would save time for those cosplayers that have to run all over the con (for peace-bonding, costume prop/fixes, item check, etc. )before a gathering...
• Next time, can you make some note in the guide/program book that there is a second peace-bonding station?

Staff & Safety

• I noticed this during Thurs. night (it may not be true for all of con.) but the Staff on Thurs. let con-goers to bang on the tent walls, for hours, until I said something. Which I said, after someone on the opposite side, had hit me on my head. This should have never got to this point. Perhaps the girl was new and/or understaffed but usually dangerous behavior is seen by staff & addressed faster.

Video Rooms

• Personally, I'd like to see more variety of types of shows. I liked someone's idea of having a room that showed a few examples of each genre. I personally would love a room that showed Shoujo/series based off Dating Sim games...
• It seems like the number of video rooms have actually decreased over the years? I would have sworn there was a year when video rooms took up a lot of the Marriott and the opposite side (where they are now)? More video rooms again would be nice.
• Bring back more Jdrama rooms. The Asian film one is nice but I would love one that showed Jdrama series. I hardly get a chance to watch many anymore and it would be fun to watch some during con.

Artist Alley

• That entrance.... It was really obscure and hard to find at first. Wouldn't one of the two exits, have made a better entrance? They ended up closing off one of the exits but for awhile it was "That's an exit.. that's also an exit. Where is the entrance? Eh????"
• Although I think artist alley was good this year, it felt really crammed. (I think it was the shear number of attendees this year.)

Other

• Panels: It would have been been nice if you could've gotten that hotel across the street again for panels. That was nice that one year. The Fairmont seems really far to go for panels; it makes it tempting to skip that area and stay within the main building.
• Also panels: I would love more cosplay/lolita/prop panels. And not just guest ones. Specifically, more obscure/technical ones like molds.
• Space issues: There were a gazillion of people this year. It is really too bad the con center doesn't have a true 3rd floor (or 4th) or was twice as big... I really wish there was something the con could do about this because it really didn't feel safe. I kept getting bumped with props/items or people bumping into the bruise on my arm. I kind of worry about those with more serious issues. It also seemed like some rooms were crowded while there were also several areas that seemed unused?
• Water fountains: What was going on with the water fountains? Some of them were turned off halfway through the con. Or had barely any water. Did the con center reach its water limit or something?
• Signs. This doesn't affect me but affects friends: There should be signs for the Lines for Parents with young children or more mention of the accommodations offered to them. I forgot about this since it didn't affect me & I think my friends were unaware of it: There should be more mention/signs for the New Mother's Room.
• More stuff to do: If I'm being honest, I would prefer more stuff to do over stuff to buy. Sure, Dealer's Hall was awesome this year but I didn't quite realize how much it cut into Video Rooms. Unless you can magic a 3rd & 4th floor, I don't know if we need quite that large of a Dealer's Hall.

Guests

• I still would like more Japanese guests. I would've attended more autograph sessions but I stupidly forgot my item to be signed 6+ hrs away... -.-; But I'd love more variety of Japanese guests. Though I admit the Chalk Twins were actually pretty cool in person.
• More music guests. I would like to have two music guests again. I understand if you get someone huge but...

Dealer's Hall, Gaming Hall, Reg

• You're good. Don't change anything.
• On second thought, a couple more food venders inside if Dealer's Hall remains that huge? And I'm not talking pocky and mochi. (Though I still wish that Sesame Mochi was actually the Cookie Dough Mochi I thought I saw out of the corner of my eye...) Actually, a vender selling Ice Cream mochi would be awesome... or Green tea ice cream.

I think that might be it for now. Unless I think of something I missed.

About the water...You do know California is facing a severe drought right?

I live 4 minutes away but I want to stay in the hotel... it sucks having to drive and park.  Plus I miss out on all the all-night crazy.

I live next to the four-points, just a 2 block walk, was nice just taking the 24hour shuttle.  Stopped paying for the hotel convenience once they started that service.

^ Any chance I could get the best of 2014 AMV's from It was held on the last day? I had posted a request last year and got no response...hoping you could dig this one up Otaku God...really wanted the last 10 songs played!

Thanks

Videos were awesome this year...had a tear moment when the Oasis song/ FLCL video came on.

I'm going to be a broken record and make the exact same feedback I made last year:

It would be really helpful if attendees could know if something being shown was a dub or a sub without having to go all the way down to the room to check it out. This could be as simple as putting a (S) or (D) after the title of something in the programming and would be helpful to many people, as I know lots of folks tend to prefer watching either dubs or subs.




Also, the subtitles on one of the Asian films being shown were REALLY messed up, like displayed subtitles were 45 seconds ahead of the video messed up. I don't know if this just wasn't brought to anybody's attention, but it didn't seem great that a film had just been left running like that. It was pretty much unwatchable because of that, unfortunately. :(

Asian Cinema room was jacked everytime I showed up to watch something, either subtitles were off, or the visual quality kept glitching as if the file was corrupted.

Would agree on the user who said you guys should note if a anime or movie is dubbed.

FMV was awesome good work on that. 

Nostalgia Room: Great Work love the 4:3 format at times

There is a reason they give you a neck strap for the badges you know ???

Blu-ray video sets
Resin figures
Swords
art books
shirts
side bag

Greetings, all!

Here is the list of finalists in the contest:

AntaresHeart07
BB SNYPUR
Camichan19 [x2]
CJEJTHEDJ
drewaconclusion [x3]
GuntherAMVs
James Blond [x2]
Kireblue
Maboroshi Studio [x2]
MoonieAMV
MycathatesyouAMV [x3]
Nekokitkat
Nicolio1313 [x2]
OnyxAMVs [x2]
Ookami [x2]
PieandBeer [x2]
Rider4Z
Sayoria
SerenityAMV
shorisquared
Straw Buggy
Tarage
Unlucky Artist [x2]
xDieguitoAMV
Xophilarus

If you don't see your name, you may still be played in the pre-show. We'll list the pre-show videos that were played post-con.

Interesting some of the names have a youtube account with the most likely entry for the contest...just in case you may want to see some of them before the contest

There was no line on Day 0 last year hopefully the same today 8) Fanime fixed up from the great registration debacle of 2013

I was there last year and the year before. There was a wait there last year, but only for those who actually showed up extra early. So far, it seems like fanime is already setting up their pre-reg, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I got there last year at 7-8pm...no line at all. In my 16yrs of con attendance 2013 was by far the worst and most terrible!!! after waiting in a non-moving line on Day 1 for an hour I found out that the Double Tree had the Clockwork alchemy registration with no line at all...got my badge in seconds. 

There was no line on Day 0 last year hopefully the same today 8) Fanime fixed up from the great registration debacle of 2013

^need to buy some new shoes for the mass amounts of walking but other that I'm a go after work today
<Can't wait for the AMV's
>Energy drinks stocked
v you think anyone will do a 10 hours walking around Fanime as a Cosplay parody this year?

@ EDM ...

About to celebrate my 16th yr at Fanime  :o  went to 11 AX's and I'm still in my early 30's

Some things I'd love to share that I have noticed over the decade that keeps Fanime worth attending.

1.  I've never, nor will I work as staff for the con.
2.  The Real fun happens with the volunteering members...no commitment = positive vibe
3.  I've definitely had arguments with Rovers for trying to hard to abuse their power of badge taking
4.  The Dance Dj's are pretty good most of the time and the Dances are really fun
5.  The AMV's are long but there is always a golden video or two worth watching (they could use a better sound system tho)
6.  Cosplay ball got really bad in 2004-2005, have not attended since
7.  I've had the pleasure of meeting many many guests, I'd recommend doing the meet and great at least once.
8.  Going at it alone is recommended as friends may be lazier than you and will sleep a day away >:(
9.  Get your badge Early as possible...I've only had to buy a badge on a sunday once ...usually get mine on day 0 or day 1.
10.  Buy something that will give you good memories for that year.
11.  Attend as much as you can in what little time you have
12.  Realize that this is probably one of the few places where you can actually let go of your ego and raise self esteem.
13.  As I've gotten older I've saved more for the con and end up spending less than the year before...this year I think I have $4000 to blow...probably will only spend $300 ???

Got a $1200 tax return...most of it will be spent at fanime 8)

Any chance anyone can post the best of 2014 AMV list.   I know Fracture -M83 Midnight City was the second to last, but I really want to know what that last one was.

whaaa No 80's outrun... >:( Im skipping out this yr

80's

This

-Edit:  Bubblegum Crisis