Upon passing by the Santa Clara Convention Center yesterday, I realized that the old home of Fanime, the Westin Hotel, is no more! They changed to the Hyatt Santa Clara. I don't know if it is of any significance for anyone here now, unless FC moves back there.
Hyatt or Westin, it'll always be known as the old home of Fanime, and the place where I first attended an anime convention.
Wow, who'da thunk? I think that venue had more character than the SJ Convention Center, but there are obviously other perks afforded by the current location.
The now-former Westin is home to some of my best con memories. My favorite Fanime of all time was probably 2002. Good times.
Awwww! I agree, I felt it had more character (or was overall just more fancy-schmancy upscale). Pity, I loved the Westin. They had such a great hotel and the beds were deliciously comfortable... Aw, well. Wouldn't be staying there again anyway, most likely. ;)
I say Yay?
:D
That's good news to hear, I liked the place when I attended fanime from 2000-2004, despite the idiot employees at the Westin. I'm glad that they changed the name of the hotel and hopefully, replaced all of the bad seed employees as well.
I enjoyed the free parking but the wealth of restaurants within walking distance at our current location makes up for it.
The nice thing about the old place was you can walk from one end of building all the way to the other and back again several times and not feel sore by the end of the day. The same cannot be said of Fanime's current home.
Yeah, that'd be true~
2003 was my first time, but I used to drop off my brother there all the time, it sure means something though. I guess it's convient having it in SJ Convention now, but surely, as you mentioned before, the Santa Teresa will be known as it's old home~
Never felt sore myself walking from place to place (and I usually stay at the Hilton) but maybe that's because I'm not staff. You guys are probably running all over the place all the time, right?
Generally speaking, I like the new con center. I liked the luxuriousness of the old con center, quite true, and I ADORED the outdoor passing areas where you could get some air (be free of the fanboy/girl/etc stench) and just enjoy the weather, but... I'm used to the new con center now. It works well enough.
Some of the best Fanime's did happen over there. Kinda amazed at how long ago it was though... But the con outgrew the old venue... This little crab needed to shed its old shell and take on a newer, bigger, comfier one.
Fanime 2003 I was my first anime convention ever, I thought 2004 was going to be in the same place but moved it to San Jose but I remember that.
Quote from: astroboyI enjoyed the free parking but the wealth of restaurants within walking distance at our current location makes up for it.
The nice thing about the old place was you can walk from one end of building all the way to the other and back again several times and not feel sore by the end of the day. The same cannot be said of Fanime's current home.
The free parking is gone at Santa Clara, it is charge by the hour now....
Bummer...
Craige...
i'm sorry but i never really liked the santa clara too much. my most fun days at fanimecon were the foothill days.
who with me?!
i felt there were a lot of video rooms and a movie theater. also the dealers room had good deals back in the days, lots of live programming and tons of pannals. thats just how i feel. thats why i'm trying to bring back that feel in my video programming.
mabe there should be another con agian at foot for old times sake.
I have many fond memories at foothill... but one sums it up best:
There was this one cosplayer who dressed as Ryouga from Ranma 1/2 at the last year at Foothill. He would go back and forth between rooms, asking for directions and, true to character, would walk in the opposite direction of whatever advice he was given. That's in-character cosplay for ya. I also recall seeing Nausicaa at one of those years, don't remember which and, of course, Death and Rebirth. Those were the days. ^_^
I'm with the Foothill group, too. Gosh, I feel old ^^
Fanime 2003 was my best Fanime at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Everything was close together. Although today Fanime has outgrown the Santa Clara Convention Center. And I liked the free parking back then.
BTW, I'm curious, what is the latest of the founder of Fanime. I forgot his name. Is it James? I do remember he was married and played the piano, if I'm not mistaken :)
Ahhh I remember the good old days when the Registration section used to be in the hotel side until that one year when it moved to the SCCC area. I didn't know about the move so imagine the long walk I had to endure. For some weird reason pre-reg night closed the earliest (which I didn't know either) so the place was closed by the time I got there. Bwahahahaha! *wipes a tear* Oh nm I didn't like those memories. *shakes fist at SCCC*
Quote from: ININFanime 2003 was my best Fanime at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Everything was close together. Although today Fanime has outgrown the Santa Clara Convention Center. And I liked the free parking back then.
If I got the years correctly I think 2003 was my best year, too! By some stroke of dumb luck I was only able to attend Fanime on Sunday. I felt uninspired to take pics when I got there and so ended up with only a half dozen shots. lol. At least I got a pic of the Kuroneko-sama plush doing it with the Ein plush at the Fanime booth....
I liked that one also... The SJ one still feels odd to me though its more convienent... >.> (also started going when it was at the sccc...)
I miss the anime rooms... It was nice to have them so close together.
They had great placement, the placement that anime rooms at a con should have... XP
I think my fave was either the 2003 or 2004... /hmm... (I only went one day in 2003.... >.>)
I still have my tote bag. XD
Those were the years where I spent the most money, too... >.>
And learned my lesson as a n00b... >.>
Quote from: gmontemAhhh I remember the good old days when the Registration section used to be in the hotel side until that one year when it moved to the SCCC area. I didn't know about the move so imagine the long walk I had to endure. For some weird reason pre-reg night closed the earliest (which I didn't know either) so the place was closed by the time I got there. Bwahahahaha! *wipes a tear* Oh nm I didn't like those memories. *shakes fist at SCCC*
I remember that. It was a lil annoying... >.>
Quote from: astroboyI enjoyed the free parking but the wealth of restaurants within walking distance at our current location makes up for it.
The other thing I remember.. ^.^;; I was OMG! There's nothing around except by car but I have no car= cryz... The food at con was ok but not that good... I think I just went the whole day w/o food.... >.>
Damn....This is getting nostalgic. Just like the KOR Movie working title. 8)
sigh.......they charge for parking now???? wow, see what happens when the Hilton sisters takes over!! :shock:
Quote from: Mach5MotorsportDamn....This is getting nostalgic. Just like the KOR Movie working title. 8)
sigh.......they charge for parking now???? wow, see what happens when the Hilton sisters takes over!! :shock:
They need money for new purses and strips of fabric they call clothing...
Quote from: gmontemAhhh I remember the good old days when the Registration section used to be in the hotel side until that one year when it moved to the SCCC area. I didn't know about the move so imagine the long walk I had to endure. For some weird reason pre-reg night closed the earliest (which I didn't know either) so the place was closed by the time I got there. Bwahahahaha! *wipes a tear* Oh nm I didn't like those memories. *shakes fist at SCCC*
You too?? When I went in 2003, I assumed it'd be in the same place it was in 2002. It only made sense to me. So my friend and I hiked all the way over to where it had been only to realize that it'd moved. I felt so stupid! She ended up asking for directions and we got back to where we were supposed to be, but yeah... And pre-reg did close so early back in those days.
Quote from: LeishuI have many fond memories at foothill... but one sums it up best:
There was this one cosplayer who dressed as Ryouga from Ranma 1/2 at the last year at Foothill. He would go back and forth between rooms, asking for directions and, true to character, would walk in the opposite direction of whatever advice he was given. That's in-character cosplay for ya. I also recall seeing Nausicaa at one of those years, don't remember which and, of course, Death and Rebirth. Those were the days. ^_^
Wow. I remember this as well. I attended fanime when it was at the Foothills College. damn. Now I feel really OLD.
I also remember Foothill. I attended my first two (or was it three) Fanime cons there.
I actually prefer the San Jose site as I find it easier to maneuver between panels rather than having to dash around like at SCCC. And last year the con had me do a pile of panels, I loved it (You hear me guys - grin).
Of course a Peets Coffee on site helps.
Gilles - happy to be attending again this year - Poitras
I'm an old school Fanime attendee. My first Con was 1998 at Foothill College. I must say though that I was not the least bit sorry to leave the Westin. 2K was the only years my friends and I were not unduly harassed or mistreated by hotel staff. The staff at the Marriott are far more attentive and polite.
I've attended Fanime since 1996. I really miss the intimacy of the Foothill campus and the cheap eats at the snack bar.
At the Santa Clara location, I remember this guy named Peter who was dressed up Ranma-chan. He asked me which restroom he should use. I had no idea what to tell him.
Ah, but who here remembers the original FanimeCon at that weird place in Hayward? That was where I got my first taste of Macross Plus and the Street Fighter II movie.
I still like FanimeCon a lot, but I kind of miss the intimacy of the way it was at Foothill. I remember for some reason me and a friend of mine wound up hanging out at con ops, and we saw Deiter before he became a staple of the convention.
I remember my first fanime. 1999 at the downtown san jose hotel wingram or something.. Right across the street from House of Genji! Hehe. Good times!
If you miss the small time anime cons check out Recca con in Concord.
Quote from: drallcomeI remember my first fanime. 1999 at the downtown san jose hotel wingram or something.. Right across the street from House of Genji! Hehe. Good times!
If you miss the small time anime cons check out Recca con in Concord.
recca con is still around? Their site, reccacon.com is dead. What happened to having it at LMC?
Quote from: joshnessQuote from: drallcomeI remember my first fanime. 1999 at the downtown san jose hotel wingram or something.. Right across the street from House of Genji! Hehe. Good times!
If you miss the small time anime cons check out Recca con in Concord.
recca con is still around? Their site, reccacon.com is dead. What happened to having it at LMC?
Well havent been there since their first year.. I hope they didnt get shut down. :(
*sigh* the good ol' days.. Fanime is the one con I've been going to the longest, year after year. I remember FanimeCon when it was first at the Hayward College in 1994 and 1995, and then moved to FootHill college until 1998, then moved to the the Wyndham hotel in 1999 (and used the Santa Clara convention center for just Der Cosplay) before going to the Westin (and SCCC) from 2000 to 2003, and finally moving to the SJ Marriott and convention center in 2004. :)
Back when it was at Hayward college there were mostly guys attending, no cosplayers, about 4-6 dealers in a small room, most of the anime shown was fan-subbed, and no video-game room. :shock: Fanime's definitely come a long way since then.
Reccacon isn't happening this year and it's hard to say if it'll return in 2007. It definitely won't happen again at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg due to conflicts between the Reccacon staff and other staff of that college. Unfortunate, tho cos it was a good convention for the 4 years they had it. :D
I'm not really sur eif I'm old school or not. But I went to Fanime during 2004, and I think there was quite a few people. I don't remeber it to well. I was about 15 or 16 when I went and I only could stay for two hours. (cause my mom drived and she didn't wanna go =_=') I'll have to look into that when I get home from work.
Quote from: Eurobeat King on May 02, 2006, 10:31:06 AM
*sigh* the good ol' days.. Fanime is the one con I've been going to the longest, year after year. I remember FanimeCon when it was first at the Hayward College in 1994 and 1995, and then moved to FootHill college until 1998, then moved to the the Wyndham hotel in 1999 (and used the Santa Clara convention center for just Der Cosplay) before going to the Westin (and SCCC) from 2000 to 2003, and finally moving to the SJ Marriott and convention center in 2004. :)
Back when it was at Hayward college there were mostly guys attending, no cosplayers, about 4-6 dealers in a small room, most of the anime shown was fan-subbed, and no video-game room. :shock: Fanime's definitely come a long way since then.
Reccacon isn't happening this year and it's hard to say if it'll return in 2007. It definitely won't happen again at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg due to conflicts between the Reccacon staff and other staff of that college. Unfortunate, tho cos it was a good convention for the 4 years they had it. :D
Eh, this was also back in the days when Anime was pronounced wrong by general retailers or throwin in with random Sci Fi or foreign and also slapped with a 18+ sticker.
Now that Anime is considered main stream, things like fanime doesnt seem like our private little meetings of dorks. :P
We have a small city (what was the attendee count in 07?) in the SJCC who live, eat and breathe this stuff.
It's freaking amazing how much we've grown. :D
VHSes in sci-fi sections, Suncoast, Fanime 2k, ... those were the days.
I miss those days. Makes me feel old.
Ah yes, I too am old-school. Went to my first con in '98 at Foothill...I felt so confused and lost back then as a newbie. '99 was a bit chaotic, considering the location change, my first time cosplaying, and having to take the SAT's that same weekend (btw, I ended up scoring higher than my previous one...coincidence? I think not!).
I have to agree with Haruka about being mistreated by the Westin staff (considering I experienced some of the said harassment >:() and am very glad that we out-grew that location.
Man, the sccc was a pretty cool place. I only went to one Fanime there, but it was my first convention and it rawked. I think it was back in 03, the first year they had the hentai room. I remember looking for a friend in there, a sweaty ass room because for some odd reason there was no A/C. My friends and I drove down the road to Denny's and I got food poisoning from the chicken strips. I haven't eaten at a Denny's since then.
I remembered in 1999 when everyone had to scramble for rides to get to the convention center for the masquerade. Yea, tell me THAT didn't suck. Oh yea, I'm bumpin' an old post because I'm sorta old school myself...and sorta old.
i wish i was an old schooler. i heard about fanime up at the college in hayward when i was growing up and watched Evangellion, Dirty Pair Flash, all purpose multicultural catgirl Neko Neko and some other one on public tv here in Hayward... this is my third year actually going though.
I don't remember how I got to the SCCC and back for the masquerade back in 1999.. like, if I drove or if my friend drove. ??? I recall how the line to the dealers' room that year at the Wyndham was sooooo long. :P
2003 was my first year, and we only stayed one day, so I relaly don't remember it well. :/ Too bad.
I envy those that went back in 95 and beyond. I was in no way financially capable to going to a con back then(I was 13). All I knew was these strange cartoons that popped on my satellite channels. (This was back in the day of satellite dishes catching channels that flowed freely from above.unlike direct tv and such.) Now a days pre-teens have it much easier with anime all over the place.
My first con was in 2001. Back then it felt like this giant and divine thing from the mystical far east.Lol. A few years from now will be my tenth anniversary of visiting fanime, and I will throw one bitching party before the con. ^^
This thread got me searching...
1996 (http://web.archive.org/web/19961104122348/http://www.fanime.com/)
1997 (http://web.archive.org/web/19970413011807/http://www.fanime.com/)
1998 (http://web.archive.org/web/19981205084641/http://www.fanime.com/)
1999 (http://web.archive.org/web/19990208013103/http://www.fanime.com/)
2000 (http://web.archive.org/web/20000621191142/http://www.fanime.com/)
2001 (http://web.archive.org/web/20010224174751/http://www.fanime.com/)
2002 (http://web.archive.org/web/20020124120148/http://www.fanime.com/)
2003 (http://web.archive.org/web/20030423021314/http://www.fanime.com/)
2004 (http://web.archive.org/web/20040519101233/http://www.fanime.com/)
2005 (http://web.archive.org/web/20050518090843/http://www.fanime.com/)
2006 (http://web.archive.org/web/20060517202027/http://www.fanime.com/)
2007 (http://web.archive.org/web/20070308002100/http://www.fanime.com/)
2008 (http://www.fanime.com)
Fanime has sure come a long way.
God, the flashbacks. I don't if I mentioned it before, but I looked at the catalogue from my 2001 trip and noticed it boasted having 4 video rooms. How far fanime has come.
I remember Foothill. The last time I went to Fanime was in 1998 for my 17th Birthday...my Dad took me.
*hee hee* Long time huh? I still have the button I was given at reg, i'm gonna wear it this year. My how this convention has grown in the 10 years since i went there. Now I feel OLD!