Okay, it wasn’t THAT bad.
But when you consider the length of the line to get inside the expo hall, a whopping 400+ tables at Artist Alley, and the lack of polish on a few basic things, Animaga 2024 felt more like a shopping trip than it did an actual convention.
I want to preface all of this by saying, I’m not a cosplayer. If you are a cosplayer, Animaga has a LOT more to offer you. The cosplay competition was great fun to watch, and there were some amazingly talented photographers ready and willing to snap professional pictures all weekend. If you were a general attendee though, there was a little less to spend your time on.
About halfway through Saturday morning, they started having to make people queue to get into the expo hall. I’m unsure if they had simply oversold on tickets, but people were waiting A WHILE to get in. Potentially a few hours, from what I’ve heard but I can’t be sure. All I know is every time I walked past or wanted to go in or out, there was a massive queue of people all waiting to be let in, and it was consistently packed every time.
Artist Alley
Would you believe me if I said more than HALF of the ENTIRE floor space of the expo hall was Artist Alley? After a long, long walk through the rows and rows of tables at the Artist Alley, and having the opportunity to speak to a few of the artists themselves, it was clear to me that the decision to have this many tables was... Maybe not the best?
A lot of the artists I spoke to all had very similar opinions on the layout, and the feeling that since there were so many of them, a lot of them were really missing out on the foot traffic they needed for sales. I walked past a table who had been, more or less, shoved into the very back corner, and they looked absolutely miserable because they had sold next to nothing that weekend, because nobody even knew their table was there!
Trying to explore and experience all the artists was exhausting, especially for someone like myself, who has physical issues and often needs to use a cane to help support myself. Walking up and down the rows and rows of tables that saw no end was just... A lot. It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of people gave up halfway, or specifically sought out their favourite artists and just ignored the rest.
As great as it is for many artists to have a shot at selling their work who might not be able to make it into some of the other conventions with less spots for tables, having TOO many could affect the chances of a new artist who is tabling for the first time from wanting to do it again, if they have a less than positive experience at the convention.
Shops and Booths
As well as the Artist Alley, there were of course the storefront booths, of pre-established businesses selling products such as figurines, plushies, manga, Gundam's (which you could build at the tables they had set up specifically for building your models) and collectible cards. There was also a stall where you could pick up a replica weapon from your favourite magical weapon fighting anime!
Unfortunately, a lot of these stores were selling very similar, if not exactly the same items. I picked up a lovely Hatsune Miku figurine (as I usually do at conventions like this) and then saw the exact same figurine at three different stores, all within a dollar or two of each other. Obviously, it’s not the stores' fault, I just think it would have been nice to have a more diverse range of products to purchase, as I’m sure the direct competition with each other made the convention harder for some stores.
There was a fun booth with a unique experience, where you could get fitted for a traditional Kimono, which I did, and it was pretty fun! They definitely force you to have good posture though, cause those things are done up TIGHT.
Maid Cafe
Ah, the Maid Cafe. One of the biggest selling points of the entire weekend. A sit-down experience, with delicious food and delightful drinks, all while being charmed by the Maids and Butlers who live to entertain.
At least, that’s how I imagine it would have gone.
Despite being asked specifically to review the Maid Cafe by management and trying to organise with them several times over the two days to be able to actually experience the Cafe, I was ultimately unable to even get a seat, let alone a meal. There seemed to be a major lack of communication with the management staff, and while I don’t hold that against any of the performers AT ALL, it was a little disappointing considering how much the convention hyped up this experience.
Oh well, there’s always next year I suppose.
With all that being said, the Maid’s did come up to the main stage during the Cosplay Competition to perform some dances, and they were pretty fun to watch. Though, the Maid who announced them onto the stage... Let's just say she didn’t seem like she was having a very good weekend.
Which is a perfect segue into the Cosplay Competition itself, and the technical issues that would have been SO EASY to fix, if things were properly prepared in advance.
Cosplay Comp
During the Cosplay Competition, each Cosplayer was announced onto stage with an image appearing on the big screen behind them showcasing the name of their character, and a few reference images. These slides looked like they’d been thrown together in a word document twenty minutes before the convention. They were messy, unflattering to the Cosplayer, and didn’t include any of their social media handles so that someone might be able to find them later.
I can't recall a single name of any of the competing Cosplayers, except for the ones I personally know, despite the hosts of the competition calling them by their online handle. It would have been so nice to have the ability to take a photo of the stage, have the cosplayer in frame, and their socials in the background for later reference for those who might have struggled to catch the names of the cosplayers during their short time on stage.
Whoever worked the stage screen really seemed like they were struggling. They kept flicking to the wrong slides during the walk-ons for the cosplayers and starting music before it was time. It was just very jarring, and it took away from the overall experience.
Apart from the issues stated above, I had a really good time watching the Cosplay Competition, and I truly believe my enjoyment had more to do with the actual Cosplayers than anything. These competitions are held at a large majority of the conventions that happen during the year, and they’re always a good time.
It’s so fun to see everyone showcase their hard work and talk about their craft in a way that really shows just how much heart and soul people put into this hobby. Something about seeing some of your favourite characters come to life on a stage is just so heartwarming.
Closing Thoughts
All in all, Animaga 2024 was... Fine?
I had a great time catching up with some of my friends who I only get to see at events and conventions, and it was great to see all the cosplayers coming out to show off their crafts.
But... I think, more than anything, no matter how rough around the edges a convention might be, the community is what makes it special.
Everyone gets together to share their love of anime, or video games, or music, or art, or any other hobby or thing they enjoy. Making friends and getting to feel like they belong in the space; THAT’s why we enjoy going to conventions. Seeing all the cool new things coming out, or buying cool new toys is great and all, but it wouldn’t be the same without the people and the community that it brings.
I hope they can polish things up, take on the feedback they’re given and that Animaga 2025 is an even better experience.
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