Monday Night Updates and Lesser-Known Anime Titles!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Lesser-Known Anime

Before we bring you some well anticipated updates we wanna start by apologizing that we weren’t able to deliver you guys, the fans, our usual dose of samurai action titles and Hall of Fame inductees. We’re hoping that this coming weekend you’ll dig in to what we’ve got cookin’ for ya in the D&A kitchen!

Now that that’s settled let’s get down to what’s coming up next! As we mentioned before in our previous filler post, we’ll be debuting some fan panels of our own at some upcoming cons in 2018; starting with AniMore! AniMore is the birthplace of D&A Anime Blog, and was the first anime convention where we (A. Goldman and I) made our first ever public appearance. To celebrate our upcoming two-year anniversary, we’re going to bring you some awesome fans panels that we have officially created!

D&A Anime Blog (Twitter Profile)

Panel #1: The D&A Anime Panel! (Q&A with D&A)

It doesn’t get more simpler than that, right? It’s our official fan panel where you guys get to ask us questions about anything; from how we got started as D&A Anime Blog, to what anime titles we have seen. This panel is dedicated to all of our fans who have supported us throughout the launch of D&A Anime Blog, as well as shown us some love during our 2017 anime convention tour! 🙂

Panel #2: How to make Electronic Music using MAGIX Live!

This is our second fan panel that we hope to bring to you guys during our 2018 anime convention tour. It’ll be about how to make Electronic Dance Music using the music making software (DAW) known as MAGIX Music Maker Live! If you’re familiar with other programs like FL Studio, Reason, Cubase, Ableton, Logic, Pro Tools, or Garage Band, then MAGIX is similar in nature just like FL Studio and Ableton is. MAGIX is great for anyone at any skill level; whether you’re a novice beatmaker who’s just starting out, or a pro music producer who’s been around the block. Either way you’ll be able to do it all with the new MAGIX Music Maker Live.

Yours Truly will take on the DJ/Producer moniker Groundzkontrol, as I show you guys some tricks and tips on how to mix and master your own tracks! We’ll even put together a live demo track with the help of you guys, the fans! 🙂

Panel #3: D&A’s Live Anime Trivia Panel!

In this panel, we’ll test your knowledge of anime through a series of multiple choice questions embedded in multiple choice categories. (Using a new type of “UNO” game known as Blackjack UNO.) We pick two teams as they try to see which team has the most knowledge about their favorite anime titles and characters. There will be two phases; the Draw Phase and the Question Phase. (That’s where the UNO cards come in to play.)

The Draw Phase is where one of us will draw two cards at random, and place them in the proper hand where they belong (i.e. if a Red-3 is drawn, it will go in the Red Hand). The first team to get ’21’ in all four hands (meaning all four UNO colors) will win the game, as well as some free D&A T-shirts (and possibly a gift card.)

Also, don’t forget to check out our lesser-known anime title of the day known as Paranoia Agent! If you’ve never seen it yet be sure to check it out on FUNimation, Crunchyroll, or you can find it on YouTube! Ciao my friends! 😉

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D&A’s Cosplay Consent: The Do’s & Don’ts of taking cosplay pictures at Cons!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

As a fan of anime and manga, you know how excited you get when the date for an upcoming anime convention arrives. You’ll get the chance to go to panels, workshops, see your favorite voice actors and actresses from your most beloved shows, and of course the biggest reason of all; cosplayers. These are the kind of fans who bring your favorite character, waifu, or husbando to life through some well designed costume planning, and some serious skills behind a sewing machine.

Going to anime cons and seeing cosplayers dressed as anime characters like Hestia, Soul Evans, or even Moka Akashia, is like stepping into the anime wonderland that you’ve always dreamed of going to. Of course whenever you see cosplayers at cons you’re bound to ask them for a picture, so we at D&A Anime Blog are going to show you the rules of Cosplay Consent through our eyes.

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The “Do’s” of Cosplayer Consent!

As we mentioned before, it’s fun when you get to take pictures of the person who is cosplaying as your favorite anime or manga character. However there are some rules and guidelines that every anime convention has whenever you take cosplay pictures. Many of those rules are listed in the guidebook that they give you, but we’re gonna break them down for you guys right here on the good ol’ blog! 🙂

DO: Ask the cosplayer for permission to take their picture. You can ask them to do a character pose or a general one with you if you wish.

DO: (If you’re a cosplay photographer and want to market yourself) After taking the cosplayer’s picture, make sure you ask for their permission to post the picture on your blog or album website. Don’t forget to give them a business card.

It’s nice to remember these rules whenever you head off to an anime convention. There may be some cosplayers that may say “no” when you ask for their permission to take a picture of them, but 95% of the time they’ll say “yes”. Never be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure about what to do when taking cosplay pictures at cons, cuz’ it’ll help you big time in the long run! 😉

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The Don’ts of Cosplayer Consent!

Now it’s time for the opposite. These are some of the things that you should NOT do, when asking a cosplayer’s permission to take their picture. Not only can these things throw a monkey wrench in the overall experience of the con, but in some serious cases it can even get you removed or banned.

DON’T: Ask for any pose that’s going to make the cosplayer feel uncomfortable. This also means keeping your hands to yourself, you baka! (We’re kidding, we love you guys. We just don’t want you turning into perverts.)

DON’T: Take the picture in the middle of on-coming con traffic. (Unless you want a flattened Death the Kid as your featured image.)

DON’T: Sneak a picture of a cosplayer after they already said “no” upon your first attempt at asking for their permission. You may think you won’t get caught but trust me, ‘karma’ knows where you live…

DON’T: Ask for the cosplayer’s phone number and try to get a date out of them. (Nine times outta ten they already have a girlfriend or boyfriend…most of the time.)

DON’T: Chase the cosplayer around the whole freakin’ con if you missed them the first time. Just wait until the opportunity comes around when the two of you will meet either after a panel, or before the end of the night to get their picture.

Remembering these rules of cosplay consent help keep us con goers and cosplayers safe while continuing to make the overall experience enjoyable. If you notice something out of the norm at an anime convention that you don’t like, don’t be afraid to ask a staff member to investigate the situation. Don’t forget about the con-buddy system because it’ll help ease most of the strain and tension that comes with con drama.

Oh, and one more thing…HAVE FUN!!! Cuz’ at the end of the weekend, that’s what going to anime cons is all about! 😉

Another Friday, another chance to catch some D&A Friday’s!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog D&A Segments

These weeks have been blowing by like the wind, but one thing’s for sure, we’re still gonna bring you the best in what the anime and manga world has to offer! There are hundreds upon thousands of titles out there in the world, but with so many titles comes so little time. Not to worry anime fans, when it comes to something of this magnitude we boost our power levels to the MAX to bring you the latest and greatest from our dear friends at FUNimation, and Crunchyroll!

If you’re on the look out for a romance, fantasy, and adventure title, then might we suggest a little two-season series called Spice and Wolf. The title is about a 25-year old traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence who peddles around goods that he gives to any of the towns that he happens to be passing by. One day he suddenly discovers a wolf goddess named Holo in the form of a 15-year-old teenage girl, except the wolf ears and tail are still visible. She travels with Kraft while giving him wisdom on how to increase his profits in selling goods to various townspeople, however his relationship with Holo causes controversy among the people of the church.

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Holo the Wise Wolf in “Spice & Wolf”

If you’re a lover of anime OVA’s then you might want to check out a three part crossover OVA entitled; Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman. Both 009 and Devilman cross paths for the very first time as they begin to have some sort of a conflict with each other. Various new characters join this three-part OVA trilogy as 009 and Devilman duel one another to see which one of them is the strongest.

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009 and Devilman fighting each other

We’ve got more excitement and more updates about what’s new with D&A coming up in a few weeks, so don’t be a Snorlax and sleep through all the fun we’ve got planned! Until tomorrow night anime fans, this is Yours Truly and A. Goldman saying, “Keep making D&A a part of you, and we’ll keep making you a part of us!” 😉

Filler Post: The 5 Hurdles that the average Anime and Manga fan faces Almost all the Time!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts

Fans of anime and manga come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and with its ever growing popularity from North America to third world countries, there’s always a few challenges that come along with being in the fandom. There have been situations where people have ripped into a certain fandom or series so bad, that the fans of that said series or fandom may drop the overall experience all together. To us that’s sad to hear, but don’t worry my friends, because there are heroes and heroines among our ranks that are fighting to protect us against the dark side of the fandom that we love.

1st Hurdle: Haters

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of anime, manga, superheroes, music, or anything else that gives you joy, there’s always going to be a group of individuals that will despise any and everything about the fandom that you love. (That even includes the fans of said fandom.) We’ll let you in on a little secret; haters travel in packs and are never solitary towards the person, fan, or thing that they hate. Although there’s no real remedy against this kind of thing, just remember that you have friends (like us) that you can confide in, as well as the powerful anti-hater guilds all around the world and North America. A. Goldman and I have been in your shoes and we know what it’s like to be hated on because of what you love, but remember this; you are not alone in this fight.

2nd Hurdle: The (Cosplay) Fashion Police

This one’s definitely for the cosplayers. Whenever you make the decision to cosplay as one of your favorite characters and head down to an anime convention, there’s always a slight chance you’ll run into some individuals who will point out the inaccuracies of your cosplay in general. People work very hard to make these awesome cosplay outfits for their character, and it’s a crying shame when you can’t even enjoy wearing what you’ve created just because a few people said that it looked “wrong” and inaccurate. Don’t let people control how creative you want to be when it comes to cosplay, let your hair down and go for it!

3rd Hurdle: Ridicule from the “Outside World”

Let’s be honest, the world can be sooo judgemental, especially when it comes to the fans of anime, manga, superheroes, cosplayers, etc. Whenever someone who doesn’t know what anime or manga is asks you why you’re dressed up (cosplaying), you usually tell them that you’re on your way to an anime convention that’s happening in their area. This hurdle is not as taxing or difficult as the previous two, but it can potentially carry the same amount of weight depending on the type of ridicule that you face. There’s a large percentage of people who know what anime is and a larger percentage of people who don’t (and that may include your family). So instead of getting heated about the ones who don’t know what anime or manga is (or even care about it), we can educate them on what it’s about and the positives that it has done for its fandom, as well as the world.

4th Hurdle: Fanservice

We’re going to tread the waters lightly on this one because this is a hot button issue. As many of us are aware, ecchi and harem titles are being cranked out on almost (if not) a monthly basis, and there are some fans out there that either find these shows too predictable plot-wise (little to no plot at all), or that fact that the male (and female) characters are being portrayed in a negatively stereotypical way. For this kind of hurdle we have to remember that North American slap-stick comedy is different than in Japan; what they find funny and hilarious overseas may be a bit shallow and offensive to us (and vice-versa). There was a time where the anime production companies produced shows based on what the Japanese audience wanted to see, now they’re producing more shows and content based on what WE want to see. That of course can be a great blessing, and a horrible curse at the same time. (It only depends on what side you’re on.)

5th Hurdle: B.M.B. (Black Market Bootlegging)

Piracy is a BIG (and seemingly unstoppable) problem for production companies all over the world, even for the ones in Japan. This kind of hurdle can effect the way we see anime plot-wise, character development-wise, and production-wise. When certain companies get robbed of profits it can have a trickle-down effect; meaning smaller budgets which can lead to the animators not getting enough pay, and when they don’t get enough pay, that can lead to quality issues in low-budget anime titles. For every dollar we spend on buying anime box sets, some of that money is going back into the budgets of Japanese anime companies as well as our favorite voice actors, animators, and more. Bottom-line: support the industry.

Well guys that’ll about do it for now. We all face these hurdles some of the time if not all of the time, but as long as you have a great support system, you’ll be able to overcome anything that comes your way.

 

 

Filler Post: D&A’s Mid-Tour Recap and what to expect in 2018!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Filler Posts

It’s literally had to believe that only six and a half months remain until 2018, and it’s even harder to believe that time can fly so quickly when you’re on the road. While we’ve been on this tour we’ve met some stunning people that work in the anime industry; such as voice actors Steve Blum, Sonny Strait, Alexis Tipton and more. (Don’t worry Jamie and Monica our paths will cross one day.) Although we’ve said this over a thousand times already on the blog and social media, we thank you (the fans) from the bottom of our hearts for the love and support that you’ve been giving to us over the past 17 months.

To all of our fans overseas we thank you from the bottom of our hearts too! It’s always awesome to find other fans that love anime, cosplay and manga as much as we do. We’ve built a lot of great friendships while we’ve been on this little anime convention tour of ours, and based on our first hand experience of doing this tour, we wouldn’t trade it in for anything else in the world. There are only two stops that remain on our 2017 D&A tour; SaikuCon in Allentown, PA happening August 18-20th, and Anime NYC in New York, NY happening November 17-19th.

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As we mentioned before in one of our twitter posts, we’ll be hosting three possible fan panels at next year’s AniMore at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore, MD. We also mentioned that we would be giving you some more details about them, so without any further delay, here we go! 🙂

The first panel will be our official panel known as The D&A Anime Panel! You can ask us questions like how we got started, what our favorite anime titles are, who’s our favorite voice actors and everything else in between.

The second one will be about how to create electronic music using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) called MAGIX Music Maker Live. It’ll feature Yours Truly under the Music Producer and DJ moniker; Groundzkontrol. I’ll cover the basics on how to use MAGIX to produce, mix and master your own tracks like a pro. (Time allowed that is, though we’re pretty sure we’ll have enough time.)

The third is actually going to be a live trivia game where we have four teams playing against each other in a game show-like fashion, as they try to see which team knows their anime like the back of their own hand! The winning team will receive a free official D&A Anime Blog T-shirt and three mystery gift cards that can range anywhere from $10-25.

If things go well we just might bring one of these three awesome panels to any (if not all) of the anime conventions that are on our list for our 2018 tour. (Which will be posted in November.)

This has been quite an amazing journey and experience for us while going around to these various cons. We’ve met some great friends, hardcore D&A fans, and other friendly otaku who love the industry and the lifestyle as much as we do. As long as you continue to be a part of us, D&A will always be a part of you! Long live otaku!! 😉

Filler Post: How To Survive Your First Anime Convention!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

Just to let you guys know, this post is for anyone who has never EVER been to an anime convention before. If you’re a con veteran like us then we beg you to share this post with anyone who’s never been to a con before. With all that being said, let’s get started with the basics!

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Rule #1: Do your Homework! (In other words: RE-search!)

Make sure that this is the number one thing that you do before proceeding to the next few rules that we have for you. Homework can be a pain in the butt; especially when you’re in grade school, but for something of this magnitude you’re gonna have to get on your boogie board (or surf board) and surf the web, daddy-o! Finding out where and when an anime convention starts will put you on the path to success when it comes to preparing for your first time. (Relax, we’re not talking about sex…yet.)

Rule #2: Book the Hotel, ASAP!!!

One of the worst things that can ever happen to a con goer is waiting until the week of the con to book a hotel. Remember, you’re not the only one going to the anime convention, you’re going to be there with at least 10,000+ other people who are just as enthusiastic about anime and manga as you are. That also means beating the hotel traffic in order to make sure that you and your anime-lovin’ friends, get the first discount-rated room that becomes available. As for when to book your room, make sure that you do it at least 3-4 months before the actual month that the con is scheduled to start. That way it’ll give you enough time to save up the money because depending on the con and its location, the hotel prices can be a little bit up there. ($150-$275 a night isn’t bad as long as you’ve got two or three friends o split the bill.)

Rule #3: Take What You Need, and not what you Don’t!

Over-packing can be the bane of anyone who’s going on vacation for the first time, so treat this as a vacation from reality and the rest of the world. Pack soaps, toothbrushes, deodorant, you know, the basic items for basic hygiene. No one wants to take a picture with you if your breath smells worst than Togami’s butt. (If you can guess where we got that reference from, then kudos my friend! ^.^) Technology-wise just bring your camera and/or video camera, just in case you decide that you might wanna document your first experience at a con. Finally, take some extra cash if you plan on buying some wall scrolls or other anime merchandise while you’re there.

Rule #4: Need a Ride? Let Uber, Lyft, or your friends be your Guide!

Okay, not this part can be a little bit tricky, but no worries we’ve got you covered! Depending on where the convention is located, you’re going to need one of the three methods of transportation that we’ve mentioned in this rule. If you’ve got friends who happen to have cars then you’re in good shape, because this will save you the trouble of asking mom and dad for a ride. (Of course with friends you won’t have to chip in that much for gas as opposed to your parents.) If you and your friends don’t have a car, then you can grab the Uber or Lyft app on your iPhone or Android (if you have one), and tell em’ to pick you up. (Make sure you get UberX because that’s the least expensive.) If your convention is less than 10 miles from your house, then mom and dad shouldn’t mind too much. (You’re still gonna have to pay them for gas though.)

Rule #5: Raid the Con! (Actually, don’t do that. Just walk around and check out the awesome atmosphere!)

When going to your first anime convention it is easy to get lost when you’ve never been inside the actual con before. After you’ve paid for your con badge make sure that the con staff has given you a map/schedule of the con, because this will cut down a lot of the hassle that comes with being an anime convention virgin. (Minus the sex. Sorry, sorry! T.T) If there are no panels going on during the first two hours of the con, take that time to plan out which panels you and your friends want to go to. Establish a meeting place if you and your friends decide to go to different panels, and don’t forget to make time to eat too! If you make sure that all of the conditions of the first four rules have been met, then you should be all set! 😉

FINALLY, just have fun! Take pictures with other fans who are cosplaying as your favorite characters from your favorite series. Go see your favorite voice actors. Head down to the con’s rave party and dance the night away while listening to a progressive house remix of Sailor Moon. (The DJs at these cons are pretty good, of course Yours Truly plans on throwing his hat into that ring pretty soon.)

Well, I hope that this filler post helped you out. If this is your first time going to an anime con and you don’t know what to do, just look back on this post and relax.

HAVE FUN!! 🙂

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Never be afraid to be yourself at an anime con! They’re a great place to meet other fans who love anime and manga as much as you do.

Love & Dessert: A Heart-Warming Combination!

Aside D&A Anime Blog D&A Segments, Lesser-Known Anime

Ice cream, chocolate cake, strawberry sundaes…those are the kind of sweet treats that are no fun to eat alone. Love and dessert almost go together like salt and pepper (the condiments not the female rappers, though we love them too), PB and J, and anything else that might make a great combo! Of course for your Monday night treat my friends, we’re giving you more than just something sweet to snack on with your significant other. We’re giving you some lesser known anime titles to enjoy as well! 😉

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If you’re looking for an anime title about love, rejection, and acceptance, then you’re gonna want to check out this lesser-known title called ef: A Tale of Memories. It tells the story about a boy named Hiro who comes across a girl named Miyako, who borrows his bike in order to catch a purse snatcher during Christmas Eve. After crashing his bike Miyako and Hiro end up spending their Christmas Eve together, and soon discover that the two of them are actually in the same class, much to the dismay of Hiro’s childhood friend Kei (who secretly likes him). There’s more to the story than what we just told you, so check it out and stream it on Crunchyroll, or any anime streaming site that’s legal and has permission to post it.

If you’re on the hunt for something delicious, then might we recommend the snack known as Mont Blanc. This chestnut pureed snack can be found in not just Japan, but also places like Hong Kong, Romania, Italy, and Spain. If you ever find yourself heading towards those places, be sure to ask for this particular snack!

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We’ll have some more awesome filler posts coming later this week, as well as new updates on the remainder of our anime convention tour. Plus, new developments regarding the future of D&A, and what our plans are for the years ahead. That’s all coming next time on D&A Anime Blog! It’s a part of you! 🙂

In The Month of May, the otaku will Play!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Con Locations

It may have taken us a little longer than expected to deliver some of the best anime convention locations to you guys, but huzzah! Here they are! the cons that you’ll be looking for are located in the Northwest, Southwest, Westbound, and Southbound regions of North America. If you’re looking for where and when the next anime con is being held, then Cons Near U is your one-stop place to check out where the latest and greatest conventions for anime, manga, video game, and comic book enthusiasts, are going to be held!

We’ll have more updates on our possible early launch of our music playlist page, as well as which anime cons we’ll be heading to for our 2018 tour. All that and more next time on D&A Anime Blog! It’s a part of you! 😉

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So It’s Monday, Huh? Don’t Worry, We Got You Covered!

Aside D&A Anime Blog D&A Segments, Lesser-Known Anime

Here we are at yet another Monday night as many of us are coming home from work through that awful rush hour traffic. Now you’re probably wondering what to do after you’ve thrown off your work clothes and put on your ‘play’ clothes, right? Well not to worry, cuz’ the boys at D&A got everything your anime-loving heart desires! On this awesome Monday night we’ve got lesser known anime titles as well as some of the most delicious Japanese snacks you’ll ever lay eyes on. So if you’re looking to see what we’ve got cookin’, check this out!

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If you’re looking for an awesome lesser known anime title filled with action, fantasy, and some mystery, then we suggest that you check this show called Rokka: The Braves of the Six Flowers! The plot deals with six people who have been named the ‘Braves of the Six Flowers’, and are called by the Goddess of Fate to fight against a demon god. However during the actual gathering of the heroes seven show up as opposed to six, making the others think that one of them is a spy for the demon god, as well as an impostor. This title is subbed as of now, but you can check it out on any of the legal anime streaming sites like FUNimation and Crunchyroll.

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Looking for something delicious to sink your teeth into, then you’re gonna want to check this Japanese snack out! It’s known as a Yatsuhashi, and it’s made out of a rice gluten flour that’s sprinkled in cinnamon and sugar. (Not to mention that this snack is served as a confection souvenir or a miyagegashi.) This is a must try if you get the chance to travel to Japan, and if you do, don’t be afraid to tell the locals or your travel guide that D&A sent you! Cool? Awesome! ^.^

If you haven’t noticed yet we’ve decided to step our post game (no pun intended) up a little bit to give you guys (the fans) the full experience of what D&A Anime Blog is all about! So far you guys have been showing a lot of love and support for the blog/site thus far, and for that we can’t thank you enough. We just hope that we’ll be able to continue this awesome thing that we’re doing for years to come, and that you’ll do your part to keep the anime industry alive and well.

For the rest of the week we’ll be working on posting some anime cons for you guys to check out this month, and continue to update you on some more awesome additions and pages that may be coming to the site in the near future! 🙂

Filler Post: How To Successfully Plan for an Anime Convention

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

If you’re a hardcore anime fan who loves anime almost more than life itself, but never been to an anime convention before, then the information from this post is gonna be quite beneficial to you. A. Goldman and Yours Truly have been going to anime conventions for over eight years, and let me tell you, the things we’ve seen happen while we’ve been a part of them, are memories that no one in the ‘real world’ can take away from you. So to help you enjoy the full experience of an anime convention (cosplay, merch, voice actors, etc.), we’re gonna unlock the vault containing the biggest secrets on how to successfully plan for an anime convention!

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Tip #1: Find the Con!

Everyone’s gotta start somewhere, right? So why not start by surfing through the web. If you google up anime conventions you’re bound to find hundreds of different ones all across the U.S. as well as the UK, South America, and even Africa (which I didn’t even know they had). If you’ve gotten past this step then the next is to find a con that’s either in your area or state and head to its website. Check out the con’s history and see what events they have there, and if they’re to your liking (and we’re pretty sure they are), then look for the convention’s hotel tab and book it, Dano!** 😛

(**Make sure you take some friends who love anime and cosplay with you if you plan on going to your con. Hotels can be expensive depending on where you stay, but if you got a buddy or two to split the cost with, then you’ll be alright!)

Tip #2: Prepare for the Con!

You’ve booked it, so now you have to prepare for it! Going to an anime con is just like planning for a vacation; you got to pack your clothes, your toothbrush, your electronic gaming system (in this case a 3DS or any other handheld gaming device will do, trust me, you can leave the PS4, Xbox One, or whatever gaming brand console you’re into at home, cuz’ you’re not gonna be in the room that much anyway), and anything else that you think you may or may not need.

The next step after doing that is finding a way to the hotel/convention. Nine times outta ten your mom or dad might be happy enough to take you and your friends to your hotel (convention), but that all depends on these three things: location, location, LOCATION!

If your hotel or anime convention is no more than 45 minutes away from where you live, then your parents shouldn’t have a problem taking you there. (Unless you’re over 16 and got your own car, then you can cut mommy n’ daddy out of the equation.) However if your hotel is either 2-3 hours away or even in another state, mom and dad might say you’re shitzu-outta-luck. Not to worry though, because thanks to the advancements of technology, we’ve got Uber and Lyft!

Just make sure you’ve got some extra money saved up to cover the cost. Heck, you can even divide who pays going to the hotel/con and who pays coming back. (Like we just did for Zenkaikon.)

Tip #3: Set Some Ground Rules

We all know the old saying; “It’s all fun and games until someone ends up in the corner crying–or something to that effect!” In other words just lay down some ground rules on what goes on while inside your hotel room. We’ve heard a lot about con drama happening at almost every anime convention, and when it happens, it can (sometimes) kill the whole happy vibe that you been having while at the con. I’m not trying to sound like your parents/guardian(s) but setting these ground rules can help you enjoy the full extent of the con without having any tense moments.

Those rules can range from the sleeping arrangements to if your roommate/friend decides to indulge in some after con hours activity (i.e. drinking or sex with his/her girlfriend/boyfriend/best friend, though we won’t judge about that last part). Remember, it is better to be safe at a con, then sorry on the way back home.

Also, if you plan on going to the convention’s rave party (or shindig), keep an eye on how long you stay out at night. I dunno what it is about midnight, but bad things always happen after midnight. (Unless the convention is inside the hotel itself, then in this case party on you party animal! ^.^)

Tip #4: Let The Map Be Your Guide

There is never going to be an anime convention that doesn’t give you a map on how to find a Q&A panel for Sonny Strait, or where the next showing of Dragon Ball Super is. If you’re traveling in a group then this tip is going to be quite crucial for you, especially if the events or panels you want to check out might not be the same ones that your friends wanna check out.

For this tip it would be in your best interest to mark the panels and workshops that you want to check out while at the con in advance. This tip also refers back to Tip #1, so if you and your friends already have a good idea of which voice actor(s) you want to see or which panel you want to go to, then you should be a-okay! Also as an add-on to this tip; make sure you set up a meeting place on where you should meet up, should you and your friends take off in different directions for different panels. (Don’t forget to put in some time for food, cuz’ otaku can have a Broly-sized appetite.)

Finally, just have fun! Make new friends and awesome geeky memories that will last a lifetime. Who says you only have to go to just one anime con a year, go to multiple ones so you can enjoy that happy con feeling over, and over, and over again! As long as you follow these tips that we’ve given you, you’ll know what to do if you plan on going to an anime con; whether you’ve been going to them as long as we have, or you’re just stepping out to one for the very first time.

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