r/animeexpo

Regardless of how your AX was this year, please take some time to do the survey! They just posted this on their socials, so the link is straight from there. SPJA does read these, and they could be important for future improvements to the con experience going forward. AX has changed a lot in the past decade, and a lot of the good changes have been in part due to attendee feedback. Please write and share your thoughts, criticisms, what was done well, and what you might like to see for future AXs.

This was the worst AX, post-Covid, in my opinion. I do think that SPJA needs to hear about a lot of the frustrations circling this year in particular. Some of the things I personally noticed were issues include: the event staff being incompetent, severe lack of volunteers who are familiar with the con, poor transparency of information for panels, autographs, tickets, etc., not having shaded outdoor lines, AA issues (looking at you, does A-D), and overall lackluster stuff from industry (interesting or exclusive merch and panels).

While I did overall have a good time, as I always do at AX, I can’t say that this year was nearly as good as previous years. I expect better for the cost, and because I have been going to this con for such a long time and know it can be better than it is.

Please do the survey! Also linked as text below:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=-G5tTxiSmEGSUUD5RQA6j\_y4CiiwrN9HkqnD9D-89nJURFJRWkpLSlNNNUlaNDA1WlFJNE1TR1MxVS4u&or

supposedly a "rare" black butler figure. never walked away from a booth so fast.

I remember my first AX. It was incredibly fun. Everything was new. I could have easily spent all 4 days doing something.
When it ended I had convention fever and couldn't wait for next year or other anime conventions.

That was a decade ago.
Since then I've been to many, many anime conventions.
Nothing has changed since then. Same booths, same artists peddling the same things in AA, same merch, same exact stores, etc. Same stuff.
Actually, the only thing that has changed is there are less and less anime, and more and more emphasis on Chinese gacha "games".

Nowadays, one day pass is more than enough to do everything.

I'm 33 now and I've gone to AX twice in my early 20s. Right now getting the craving to go to other anime conventions but I'm worried about how the experience will differ as once gets older.

I do not have trouble socializing but the friends that I used to attend AX don't attend conventions anymore. Just don't want to feel out of place being slightly older than anyone else!

Do you guys keep to yourself? Do people make small talk with you despite being younger? Attend the panels or do you just prefer to walk around the con to take in the cosplay and the atmosphere? Do you cosplay?

Third year, trying to get the miku playmat from ultra pro. We tried over three days, each day getting up earlier and earlier.

Day 1 in line at 930

Day 2 in line 0700

Day 4 in line at 0340

Day 4 we were first in line at Max gate, first to get scanned through and first to legally enter the West hall (the closest to ultra pro). We get inside and the line is already wrapped around the booth with ADA and exhibitors. Miku was sold out before we even got halfway through the line.

It shouldn't be impossible to get something if you put in the effort.

Did you have a fun time? Did you witness anything crazy?

I really liked last years, this years exhibits weren’t as good IMO. One year I’ll go check out the panels

For reference this was my first time attending. Although it was super crowded I noticed myself saying sorry and excuse me a lot and people actually listening and responding in a kind way. OPPOSITE to other events I’ve attended. It really put me in a perspective of how kind and respectful the anime community is. Don’t get me wrong there will be those people who are rude and weird BUT so grateful I got to meet some of the kindest strangers.

It was not okay for you to be harassing the staff at the LADS booth and spray bubbles at the staff's face while heckling and cat calling the cosplayers. She was raising her hands to stop the bubbles from getting into the cosplay area so she couldn't protect herself.

It's not okay for you to cuss out the people who told you to stop.

Be better and do better.

1. You know more about the convention than the security guards. Seriously, they’re contractors. When they give answers, they’re just guessing based on what they’ve seen in the past—they don’t have the event app or anything. If you have questions, find an actual AX volunteer member!

2. Don’t be sheep. There were MULTIPLE funny times when a group of my friends would be standing around and talking, and then we’d notice a bunch of people had lined up behind us. Some people just don’t question things and follow the crowd haha

3. If you refuse to plan, give up on attending any events outside of the Main stage ones. You’ll be much happier by wandering the artist alley, exhibition, outdoor performances, ticketed events, etc.

4. Use washrooms on the 2nd floor or in less busy areas. They’re cleaner and mostly empty!

Make it better, please, you're paid 600k every year.

During the 2020 COVID shutdown, the CEO made ~$339k while the organization lost $5 million. By 2024, his compensation had nearly doubled to $610k.

By 2024, SPJA had amassed $35.3 million in net assets on an annual expense budget of $19 million. This means they are hoarding nearly two full years' worth of operating expenses in reserve. From a purely corporate standpoint, it's strong financial management. From a non-profit standpoint, having a that much assets that large is sus about whether those excess funds should be reinvested into the community or used to lower ticket prices... and this is a Non-Profit?

Every year for the past almost decade was this crowded. Artist Alley was always this crowded, and South Hall was honestly more walkable this year than previous years. Entering the con has never been easier and faster (previous years it would legitimately take 3-5hrs just to ENTER from outside). They did a good job shutting down the entire section of road when previous years did little to nothing to prevent car and pedestrian accidents. The security did a great job keeping crowds moving and dividing the hallways for traffic.

Only complaints I agree with are the on-going lack of places to rest, the over-selling of badges, and ppl constantly getting yelled at for taking a breather, even in places that are completely out of the way. That and them moving 18+ to the basement resulting in crazy stagnant hot air and the basically halving artist alley.

Other than that, lines were long for events and big tickets panels, but they always are. Lines for booths moved fast more often than they didnt (remember 2023's horrible line issues in the exhibit hall).

Yes AX is corporate now, it has been for a decade at least. Idk why every year is new complaints about how AX doesn't feel cozy anymore when in reality it hasn't since before most of these posters were old enough to attend. It's the biggest anime convention in the western hemisphere and draws massive crowds from all over the globe, its going to be big, crowded, and impersonal. It's going to cater to big industries.

AX, like many things in life, is a case of fun my vary, and you get what you put into it. If you can tolerate heat, crowds, and waiting, it's a blast to attend. You can find anything you're looking for if you give it a chance. If you want a cozier feeling, try chatting with booth runners or artist alley sellers, more often than not they're huge enthusiasts also looking to gush about their interests. If you want to mingle with con goers attend some of the cosplay meet-ups or after-hours events where people are more open to friendly chatter and the hellish crowds associated with the main halls are gone. Lot of smaller panels also host open mic Q&As with basically no lines to get up and converse.

Basically, yes crowds suck and lines suck, but this is crowd and line con, it has been for years, and honestly it's immensely better than it was say 4-6 years ago. The runners *do* learn and improve on their crowd management in every consecutive year, believe me. AX is the biggest beast an anime fan will face without a passport, but if you can go with the flow it's still the funnest experience you can have, loaded with money or on a shoestring budget.

Hi. Today my friend and I were pick pocketed (our phones taken) at artist alley coming from the 18+ area at 4:45-5 pm. We reported it and many people came in with the same report. Two people said the suspect(s) was a chubby brown Hispanic woman with red shirt and short sleeves and possibly had her black hair pulled back. She was with another brown skin black hair Hispanic man in a grey shirt with a whale decal. When we reported the worker said this has happened throughout the weekend. Seems like they’re on a spree. Someone had 1500 cash on them and that was taken as well. Maybe a group effort. So much was stolen. Please let me know if similar experience or if you know anything. We need to bring awareness to this. No one is talking about this. Please spread the word