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/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL


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8483330 No.8483330 [Reply] [Original]

So I'm looking into cons to attend later this year and next year in the Northeast and was wondering which were good and which to avoid. If you could give a brief descriptor I'd appreciate it.

Northeast Thread too (Virginia is also included)

>> No.8483359

Uhhh
Otakon, AnimeNEXT, Anime Boston, Katsucon are the bigger ones I can think of.
I'm going to Nekocon in VA in November but never been.

>> No.8483367

I go to Katsucon(MD), Anime Next(NJ), Otakon(MD), NYCC(NY) and this year I'll be attending AUSA(MD)

Katsucon was really crowded last year but that's where a lot of people pull out some nice costumes. It's became more known and bigger over the years. It's fun and chill. Bring your B+/A- game. BUT SO COLD

Anime Next - full of (possibly) underaged attendees because it's so close to the city and since NYAF is gone, most go to this one from the area. It's fun only if you have friends going. It's being held at Atlantic City next year so we'll see what happens??

Otakon - Biggest east coast con. Hot as balls. It's overpriced. It still draws people from many places so if your out of state friends go, it might be worth it

NYCC - Don't go unless you're big into comics. No place for anime people . It's really crowded and not too much stuff to eat around there. If you want a lot of free swag though, go for it

+Heard it was bomb diggity but have not gone (yet)+
AUSA - chill and a really nice location!
Connecticon - from friends, it seems really fun and its a good balance of older attendee fun and cosplay fun

>> No.8483384

>>8483367
What do you not find enjoyable about AnimeNext compared to other cons? Asking because it was the first convention I've been to and I enjoyed myself

>> No.8483412

>>8483384
There's a lot of meme yelling and there is a lack of crowd control as well as just disorganization from attendees for gatherings or places they would sit at, odd locations for pictures, etc. It was fun to see some local friends though. Most of them don't take it that seriously

>> No.8483417

definitely Anime Boston. it's my home con and idk, I think they do a pretty good job of running it, never hear about too much staff drama? there were some issues this year relating to entries and exits and lines going in and out of the convention but that was mostly due to the convention being told by the fire marshall, mall, convention center staff, etc. any "problematic" issues that arise I find mostly stem from AB staff trying to follow orders of outside staff/higher-ups and not AB trying to be annoying.

there's plenty of adults (college students, grads, older adults with jobs, whatever) but there is a pretty sizable amount of attendees who are younger middle schoolers and high schoolers.

as for cosplay, there's also plenty of really great cosplays to be seen but it's not like other cons where there's kickass cosplay every time you round the corner.

it's a pretty chill con though, you should definitely go, I always rep hard for AB. they got rid of the rave which is a plus for me because it seems like there's been a decline in asshats

>connecticon
I think this con is what you make of it...it's fun if you go with friends, I've found, but they don't try very hard to cater to anime fans (in fact if you read through threads here some of the staff hates anime) I like the con and have had a good time the handful of times I've gone but they keep increasing the badge prices and some of them are a little ridiculous considering the other things other conventions offer for the same prices. ctcon for some reason does pull in some pretty cool guests though. so yeah, if you feel like spending the money and you have some friends I think it's not a bad con to go to? some pretty good cosplays, lots of fun ones, not too many super spectacular ones though.

>> No.8483427

My opinion on the cons I've hit up:

Otakon - Biggest anime con in this area. Hot, pricey, crowded, stagnating programming but there's usually some good guests. Nobody likes this con but everyone attends because everyone else does. Moving to DC in 2017.

Anime Boston - Huge anime-only con, second biggest on the east coast to Otakon. Shitty for photos unless you go outside, but solid otherwise with good guests and themed programming. Required if you're from new england.

Katsucon - Run like a shitshow but takes place in a gorgeous con center. Mediocre programming, A+ cosplayer attendance. A must-attend if you're into cosplay or photography. The last two years have been marred by snow storms.

Connecticon - Multi-genre con that takes place in a shitstye of a city with a dysfunctional staff. Don't get mugged. Guests are top tier, game room is great, and the programming spans more than just the animus. Super overpriced with really hot weather.

Arisia - The other multigenre con in new england. Only 1 or 2 thousand attendees but most are adults. Meh guests, meh programming, but the room parties are openly posted and awesome. A good low-key con that's cheap with free booze.

Portconmaine - Tiny con in Maine. Nothing worth noting other than they hold the masq and the rave in a literal tent outside.

Another Anime Convention - Tiny con in New Hampshire. Also not much worth noting, save for the fact that everyone including staff gets hammered at night. I actually have a lot of fun at this con.

NYCC - Not for cosplayers, not for anime fans. Pricey, crowded as hell, and shuts down in the evening so you have nothing to do. Go if you like industry-related stuff.

>> No.8483435

>>8483417
Anime Boston is definitely near the top of my list after some research. My only qualm is Mid March in Boston sounds pretty cold especially since the food court is closed for good, but I don't mind that much. Which hotel would you recommend staying at?

>> No.8483461

>>8483435
The Sheraton is attached, which means no walking outside. The Hilton and Marriott are close though.

March in boston is chilly, but I think they're back to April the next year.

>> No.8483522
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8483522

Depends on your cup of tea. Can't give feedback on a lot of them, but here's my two cents from personal experience:

Ohio (home state)
>Ohayocon
Pro's: lots of hotel and food options, central location for OH locals, well established and regular following, lots of vendors in DR
Con's: badly organized and run, same guests, mediocre programming, AA bans fanart
>Nyancon
Pro's: Free, little college con
Con's: It's a college convention, what do you expect?
>MidoriCon
Pro's: cheap, amazing scenery for pics, unique outdoor activities
Con's: subject to will of weather, small, indoor/normal panels are average con fare
>ColossalCon
Pro's: easily best con in OH, "Vacation-con", fun location, open drink policy, great party con, great AA and decent DR, WATERPARK
Con's: location fills up rapidly, all other hotels are kind of far since Kalahari is in the middle of nowhere so you need a DD, the parking is made up and the lines don't matter, panels aren't anything special

Michigan:
>Youmacon
Pro's: good guests and decent programming, dealer's room/AA are spacious as hell w/ decent vendors, versatile setting for pictures, lots of hotel options
Con's: it's in Detroit (if that kind of thing spooks you), split between two buildings (by far the most jarring flaw), RenCen (con hotel building) is a nightmare for the traffic Youma brings (can anyone say elevator hell?)

Maryland
>Katsucon
Pro's: beautiful setting for pics, great cosplay scene, decent programming, lots of hotel and food options within walking distance, DR and AA is ight
Con's: shitty time of year for weather, badly run
>MAGfest
Pro's: overall age of the crowd is older (reduces teenybopper shit), the most beautiful game room(s) you've ever seen, decent DR/AA, great guests, see Katsucon Pro's for location-related pro's, Game Grumps (if you're into them)
Con's: very little cosplay/anime (it's a gaming con, not everyone's thing), people jam in the hallways and occasionally their music is shitty, shitty time of year for weather

>> No.8483533

>>8483435
it depends on what you are looking for in a hotel! personally I recommend copley house buttt

there's a handful of hotels in the area, it's off a main street of the city and also near copley sq. sheraton is connected to the convention center and prudential center mall so like anon said, no walking outside. I've stayed there twice and found it pretty convenient just for that, but, it's a pretty penny for what you're getting imo. the hotel also tends to be a bit crowded since it's full of cosplayers - sometimes elevator waits are fucking pain in the ass and sometimes people are rowdy in the hallway at night. (I don't know how late you stay up or out so this may or may not be an issue for you. it's not for me personally but I remember one time some drunk people were havin' a fuckin ball outside my room at 3 AM while I was trying to sleep, it was pretty annoying though they did chill out after someone from my room went out and asked them to be quieter/take it somewhere else)

the marriot is a walk through the mall but connected to it via a sky bridge...technically you don't need to walk outside for this one either since you can just stay in the mall or take a short walk outside across the street, nbd, but you do have to walk the length of the mall to get to it. it's not that bad, but some people might be bothered by this idk. I've stayed at it before...service isn't bad, just a regular chain hotel, nothing particularly special besides minimal outside walking.

there's the hilton too, but I've never stayed there so I have no opinion. there's some other hotels down closer to copley sq like the lennox but I've also never stayed there or know of anyone who has so I can't tell you anything.

fuck I talk too much and need a 2nd post

>> No.8483536

>>8483533
anyway

I definitely recommend copley house, though. there's various entrances at the mall, but if you walk down the street from the mall where the prudential center T stop is (and cheesecake factory) like a 5-10 minute walk down the street there is the copley house buildings. they're all short-stay apartments basically, it's not a traditional hotel with all the rooms in one building, but just apartments up and down and across the street. safe walk at night as well, just remember to keep your wits about you like you would anywhere else. in my opinion you get the most bang for your buck here.

for a premium apartment/room/whatever, I think split between 4 people I paid like $180ish for two nights, and there's 1 double bed, a pull out couch, a tv with cable, a bathroom, and a kitchenette with pots, pans, dishes, and silverware, and some appliances. a fridge as well - at most hotels you have to ask for one and at the sheraton they usually run out pretty quickly. happened one year for me, thank god we had a cooler with us and could fill it with ice so yeah fridge is a plus lol. there's a shaws supermarket a very short walk from the convention center so this past AB my friends and I went there and came back and made dinner, it was pretty fun and it definitely helped cut down on food costs from eating out all the time. especially since the food court will be closed now (and will the eataly thing be open in time for next AB??) I think this is particularly useful.

the rooms/apartments are all different sizes depending on what you get...we got a smaller premium apartment I think (we saw another friends and it was a bit bigger/more spacious) but I also think the space was more worth it than getting a room at the sheraton...the only thing I missed about that place was the no walking outside.

>> No.8483540

>>8483522
In all my autismal blabbing I forgot a few big ones
>Matsuricon
Like Ohayocon if it was good.
>Shumatsucon
New, average con fare, got fucked up on location last year which sucked, not bad for a day trip if you live near.
>Anime Punch
A step below Ohayocon. If you've been to Ohayocon you know you really don't want to stoop below that.

>> No.8483544
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8483544

Too Many Games Con is a pretty awesome con to hit up. I went in 2014 and this year and I saw quite a significant improvement as far as events at the con. Not much of a cosplay scene at the moment, but they are trying to encourage it with cosplay costumes, burlesque shows, and this year they did a smash bros themed wrestling event which was pretty silly.

>> No.8483618

>>8483384
TBH the lines and shit this year were awful. I'm hopeful for the move to AC despite people complaining about it. Still the same distance for me, just south. Plus when you're bored there's the boardwalk & we can go waste our money on card tables in cosplay. Win-win for me.

>> No.8484185

>>8483522
>Ohio and Michigan
You have a very strange concept of what is included in the "Northeast"

>> No.8484496

>>8483384
>What do you not find enjoyable about AnimeNext compared to other cons?
New Jersey

>>8484185
Not that Anon but I used to live in the PA/NJ border and cons in the northeast were just so "meh" my crew drove to Ohio to go to cons. 7-10 hour car rides to go to a convention gets pretty interesting.

Really it depends on where you live. If you're all the way up in Maine it's a bitch to get to anything that isn't proper NE, but it you're in western PA or further southern, there are some cons that aren't technically in the NE that would be worth the trip, Colossal is definitely one of those I'd say.

Ohayocon is absolutely not worth it, as they've been getting worse every year. As for the others like Youma and Matsuri, it depends on what you go to cons for. Anime Punch is basically bro-con and unless you're heavily into con parties its also not worth it.

I haven't seen Tekko mentioned here yet, but its not really worth attending unless you're only an hour or so away.

This is also straying away from NE, but Colossal also holds two cons in NC, and if Virginia is okay for OP maybe these won't be too much of a hike. There's Triad in Winston-Salem in mid March, and Ichiban in Concord over New Years.

>> No.8484507

AnimeUSA is best northeast con tbh. Really good for period costume/ballgowns/etc. because of the gorgeous historic wing. It's also just wonderfully chill.

>> No.8484912

As someone who lives in MA, heres my run down of the cons I go to/have gone too:

Connecticon- Hit or miss. Useually jussssst right in size to have alot of people and cosplay, but not be suffocated in the halls like anime boston. Sometimes has pretty awesom guests, though some of the panels are boring as fuck. Multifaceted, so anime, pop culture, comics, ect. Will find something to like. This years rythme games section was fun, but the masquerade is a fucking joke, no idea how some of these were considered entertaining.

Anime boston- Huge. This ones a big con. The main hallway (with the dealers entrance and small food court) is fucking packed and if you stop on the floor you are told to move along. Big/fragile props are in danger at this con, as plenty of rude people. That said, its got it all: anime, games, huge dealers room, artist ally, big name guests, big name performances. Great hotels around it, lots to do in the city, generally clean area. Word of warning: if you have to take subways, stay in groups. The further from the con you go, the more normies get the courage to harasse you.

Northeast comicon- Dont. just fucking dont. Its a gymnasium full of 'dealers' who literally look like they scooped shit from their shelves into bags and tried to sell it for a crap ton. No cosplay except a couple steam punk. Again, the size of a basketball court. My friends and I are avid con goers and this one we spent 98% of the time just going out to drink.

Thinking about going to otakon my self. Whats the average room price around it? from MA to there is a bit of a drive and I only want to go if its worth it, as I put a decent amount of effort into my cosplays (wont get burned again like NECC)

>> No.8484921

>>8484496
Sure, but OP was specifically asking about northeast cons, and included a map. Michigan is wayyyyyyy to the left of that map.

>> No.8484938

>>8483522
You just listed off all my local cons

>Matsuricon
Pro's: A nice warm con, in the same place as ohayocon, very chill atmosphere
con's: A younger crowd than Ohayocon, usually the same weekend as OSU's dorm move in, so traffic can be bad

>> No.8484958

>>8483330
Otakon is huge and the last time I went was 2012. Pretty fun. Katsucon is nice too, also went last in 2012. Magfest is smaller and more westernized and also nice (once again, 2012, because that's the year i stopped going to conventions)

>> No.8484975
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8484975

I'm from the Northeast and the only con I've been to is Connecti-Con because it's my home convention.
I like to see good cosplays, good guests, and check out cool dealers room booths. I'm not a big fan of over sized crowds (so no NYCC) What Northeast cons would you recommend?

I'm currently considering Katsucon, Colossalcon, Otakon, and Anime Boston, which of those are your personal favorite/why?

>> No.8485071

>>8483367
>Anime Next - full of (possibly) underaged attendees because it's so close to the city and since NYAF is gone, most go to this one from the area. It's fun only if you have friends going. It's being held at Atlantic City next year so we'll see what happens??

AN is full of underage because half the moms in New Jersey use it as a teenager babysitting service.

Moving to AC might cut down on that, not only is it on the other end of the state, but parents might not be as comfortable leaving their kids in the city as they are dropping them off in the middle of nowhere.

>Arisia
>Meh guests, meh programming

I'm surprised at this, Arisia has some of my favorite programming of any con. They have panels on tons of interesting subjects that you don't hear discussed at other cons. And they have panelists who are actual scientists and professionals.

>> No.8485097

>>8483330
There's Genericon in Troy NY, it's super tiny, and super crowded because it's hosted in RPI. It's also one of the few cons in upstate NY.

Ryu-con is in Buffalo NY, this year it was at same time as Connecticon, I've never been though, it looks like shit and it's website isn't helping any.

I know there's Toracon in Rochester, hosted by RIT.

>> No.8488418

>>8484975
Anime Boston is my home con. I really love it. Hotels are pricy, but everything's attached to the convention center. This year was off, but I've enjoyed every year I went to. Probably not your speed if you really like Connecticon's mix of sci-fi and "geek fandom" with the anime/video games though.

I'm also a big proponent of AAC in New Hampshire. It's small, but generally everyone there goes because they love it. Events are generally good and it's a great place to meet people, and thanks to the size dealers are often willing to cut deals. One let me open 5 blind boxes to get the figure I wanted after seeing me hesitate on the purchase of one.

>> No.8490751

Lunacon will be coming back next year. It's a great con, but it kinda went downhill over the decades.

Also, I-con is on hiatus, but LIcon has proven a very popular replacement so far.

>> No.8490889

>>8483427
>>Mfw I live in Maine and went to Portcon once and it was absolutely horrible..

My friend went this year and met the Lucky Yates and Amber Nash who play Pam and Kreiger from Archer and I was jealous.

>> No.8490911

>>8484975

AB's crowded but only in the main hallway. It's cheaper than CTcon and you get so much more bang for your buck, plus, if you already go to CTcon your regular con friend circle should have plenty of people going to AB so it'll be easier to coordinate rooms/rides