By Carol Chao
After finally attending my first Anime themed convention, all I could find myself thinking throughout is "Wow, this is great!". Following years of frequenting comic book, horror, sci-fi and other pop culture based conventions, the one thing missing from my list of experiences was a full blown Anime event. From countless amounts of creative high-quality costuming efforts to vendors offering unique one of a kind products that one wouldn't be able to find elsewhere, I often times found myself contemplating a shift in nerd perspective. While sifting through the Artist Alley I was witness to an array of wonderfully talented creators from varying Asian-influenced art backgrounds. I didn't expect to see so many other different styles (considering it is a predominantly Anime occasion), there were some more recognizable Western style work that generally would occupy American Comic conventions. The talent was top notch regardless of the focus and I must say these Anime/Manga artists were really growing on me and I became an instant fan.
Usually (I admit), not being the largest fan of the genre, my interest was peaked after various conversations with some awesome costumed convention-goers. Much time was spent loitering the outer halls watching people bring their originally fictional characters to life. I saw epic duels, cute posing, skillful wizardry and downright great acting from people faithful to their characters. As an admirer from afar, I used to think that I was somewhat in-tune to the rich, diverse culture, but nearly every time I had inquired as to what character a certain individual was, I was met by titles of series that I have never before heard of. It was at that point that I decided to make a list and now plan on sitting down and learning about what I have missed out on. It is for this very reason I can honestly say that I would recommend to anyone who may be die hard fans or even just casual nerds who want to meet interesting and interested individuals and to check out something new, venture out to Sacramento California's SacAnime events, but come prepared with a cameras fully charged because you just never know what kind of awesome memories you will want to share with anyone who isn't cool enough to know about these types of events!
convention, long beach, comic con, comic expo, cosplay, comics
