FanimeCon 2007 Report

FanimeCon 2007

San Jose, California. For five years Fanime has been one of the fewest conventions that have always been on the map. No other convention in the world can compare to the atmosphere Fanime has to offer with its wonderful attendees, gatherings, game room, dealer's room, live programming and video rooms. This year Fanime has promised to make this Fanime the best Fanime of all times. After spending the past five days in San Jose for day zero, that promise was kept. No other convention kept its promise like Fanime did; we thank Fanime and its staff for putting on the best convention in the history of our attendance. Let’s start our report on our sixth year here at Fanime! Arriving on the scene via the CalTrain at the San Jose Diridon station, awaiting the shuttle to arrive at the convention center, emotions started rushing towards many people who have waited one whole year for this convention to return for another weekend vacation at the most well known convention in the bay area. The pre-registratiation line has started up as more and more people slowly crowd into the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, awaiting the greatest convention in the world.

Now that you've finished picking up your badge, what is there to do on the first day? In Fanime's Pre-Registration day, you were given one of two options, there's the fabled Swap Meet where fans are selling their personal belongings that could be your own personal treasure. If you don't find something you like, there was the ZZ concert that took place across from the Swap Meet room. Music Fest, Fanime's Musical Concert department, offered fans a huge standing room to listen to concerts ranging from ZZ, Crack 6, Mari Iijima, akai SKY, and many more, all scheduled throughout the weekend. Each day was filled with bands of different genre of music that any music fan can enjoy. Let’s stroll back to the Swap Meet room really quickly, spot any cosplayers? Certainly! Cosplayers have been spotted on that Thursday evening, what better way to get ready for a convention by cosplaying till the hour of convention time begins. With the evening slowly drawing to a close, attendees slowly make their ways back to their hotel rooms and rest for the evening. Knowing full well that the convention is about to start, many other attendees spent their time in the convention center meeting other people, hanging around, and of course have conversations about what to expect this year at Fanime. Time is drawing near, for FanimeCon 2007!

Friday morning, Fanime has officially begun. Fans coming from all around the world are slowly making their way to the convention center being greeted by cosplayers, staffs, and fans alike. The video rooms are now playing the videos that have been scheduled in each room. Wait, what schedule? Where are the program books? It appears that in registration, the program books have not been made for the convention. Something doesn't seem right here, stay tuned for the end of the report for why there are no program books. As you continue to walk around the convention center, waiting for the dealer's room to open up, you'll be spotting more cosplayers as you walk around. Don't feel like waiting around for anything to open up, or have no video you want to watch? Then stop by Fanime's Stage Zero for entertainment in the middle of the convention center that's dedicated to entertain you while you wait for that video, dealer's room, music videos contest, or just go there to hang out. With wonderful MC's who are dedicated to make the fans enjoy their stay here at Fanime, you'll be treated to a wonderful show that you will never receive at other anime conventions who have nothing to entertain you while you wait for that one event you want to go to. Hey when was the last time you won free prizes from this event's games? You'll certainly leave with a smile on your face.

Who's up for a little gaming? Videos games? Cards? Anything? The newly designed game room at FanimeCon this year showed more than just electronic gaming. This year Table Top, Console, PC, and Arcade were fit into one exhibit hall this year, giving gamers of every type the chance to play all their favorite games against other gamers who share the same interest. Multiplayer action on the consoles and PC's are always the best way to go for gamers who enjoy games like UT04, Warcraft 3, Quake, Smash Bros., Halo 2, Guitar Heroes, and much more. Finished wasting away your opponents? Let’s walk next door to the Dealer's Hall where your wallet will now take more damage. This year's Dealer's Hall seemed to be smaller this year than last year. Although the dealer's this year wouldn't mind knowing full well the items they have brought with them will always give the fans what they want. Also this year as an exclusive, BowenDragon1 offered swords with a special "FanimeCon" logo engraved on their swords giving sword collector's a real run for their money. As day becomes night, we take a walk around the convention grounds; it seems like Fanime this year has brought a new meaning to the term "Night Life" in the anime convention world. What can we say? This year's night life at Fanime was much different from the past five year's we've covered.

The night life at anime conventions can seem like a whole new world to many people. This year the term "Night Life" was taken to a whole new level. Cosplayers brought out their secret night time costumes ranging from Elite Beat Agents (Pictured on the right), Spartans from 300, and strange creatures from unknown series. Lets get this party started shall? Walk over to the loud bangs you hear as you come into the meeting rooms; treat yourself with a dance that'll rock the night away with Fanime's Raves & Dances. So what if you’re not a dancer? Are you over 18 years of age? Walk past the security staff checking ID's and join YaoiCon's Hot Yaoi Nights for all you Yaoi people out there for bishie's stripping for you as you play Yaoi Bingo. Don't like that either? Ok lets walk next door to Hentai Nights and laugh at all the stupid jokes and bad puns with other people as they enjoy the bizarre, the ugly, and the inhumanly possible videos that Hentai has to offer. Not over 18? Don't fret; Midnight Madness has your name on it with parodies ranging from the famous Evangelion ReDeath to Nescaflowne to even videos that just make no sense at all. Don't like parodies? Sheesh what are you? Got a good voice? Let’s see you try out Fanime's Karaoke room and sing your favorite song on stage in front of other fans. Tired? Well go back to your hotel room and sleep in. We'll see you tomorrow.

Saturday morning, you've woken up and are still tired from whatever it is you did last night but can't remember. What you do know is that it's still Fanime. Today is a busy day for cosplayer's because guess what? It's time for the gatherings! Every convention will always have a gathering of some sort, whether you’re a fan of the series or cosplaying from that series. Let’s take your friend who loves that one particular character and see more of that character they love and have them take their picture. With special gathering's announcements made by the wonderful MC's from Stage Zero, there's no way you can miss gatherings when there's a huge crowd in the front of the convention center where everybody is dressed up from the same series. This year's two biggest cosplay gatherings are none other than Naruto & Bleach proving once again that you can't keep these series and cosplayers from growing because there will always be more and more cosplayers cosplaying from those two series. Once you get tired of attending these gatherings, let’s talk a little walk through the newly designed Artist Colony. Formerly known as artist alley that took place all around the convention center, this new design was much like the Dealer's Room itself but in the form of artists who wish to sell their artwork at anime conventions. Very unique idea for having its own exhibit hall.

Once again night time has fallen upon us, but this night however was much different from last night. Fanime presented its first ever Black and White Masquerade Ball. Is it like prom? No this ball is full of waltz and slow dancing and retro 80's music that have thought to be unpopular. In this day and age, old school music still proves to be a very popular type of music. Dance the night away as dancer's show off their moves to their dates, what better way to celebrate the night away. The success of this ball from its number in attendance shows great prospect for next year and the year after. We look forward to the Black and White Ball next year and hope Fanime will keep it! Remember, if you’re not a fan of certain type of dances, this ball will introduce you to a whole new level of dances filled with moves you can learn so easily. You will see what we mean when you attend this event next year. We've come to yet another night life here at Fanime, this time it's filled with "NotN's Hallway Hobo Rave", people trying to keep a pokeball up in the air for as long as they can without having it drop to the floor, graduation party dedicated to someone who has just finished college, Spider Man's arch nemesis Sandman & Venom raising havoc among convention attendees, and more late night video room viewings! Saturday Night Live is definitely the atmosphere here in FanimeCon. Tomorrow is another day waiting to happen.

Sunday morning, we're now in day three of FanimeCon. Waking up to more cosplay gatherings but this one particular gathering differs from the rest. Cosplayers singing the songs from our childhood as the Disney gathering bringing back our memories from when anime didn't exist in our time while we were still young. We all can't forget our past, we grew up with these fabled Disney characters that brought us stories about happiness that made us who were are today. Lets walk back into the convention center to find something to do while we wait for the Masquerade to begin later tonight. Fanime's panel selection should easily open you up to new ideas and learn about things you've never heard of before. Whether it's about cosplay, photography, gatherings, shopping, and even Masquerade 101. With so many panels, you’re bound to find one panel that will help you out with what your heart desires. We certainly weren't disappointed with this year's panels. Every panel had so much interaction with the panelists and attendees giving them a chance to learn more and more about anime conventions and what to do for you next costume. Fanime has always been about panels and will continue to bring more and more panels every year as Fanime grows more and more! Look at your watch real quick, what time is it right now? That's right; it's time for the Masquerade.

Fanime's Masquerade was given a new location this year at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. This venue was best known for having popular shows such as "The Lion King", concerts, and so forth. How will Fanime's Masquerade take advantage of this huge venue change? Well this year's Masquerade was by far the most well organized and more entertaining Masquerade since the last great Masquerade back in FanimeCon 2002. With a new host this year, fans were treated to a whole new level of Masquerade MC since Brian Dolan's departure as MC last year to take care of his family. With a cup of rum, apple juice cosplaying as rum for safety reasons, the MC joked about many of the skit's and giving some bits of fan service by taking off his coat with fans screaming for more. Many skits consisted of dancing, costume display, parodies, crossovers, and singing. With a opening kick off performances by Kevin Kmetz & Carl Schnaitter (Shimasen & Guitar Performance), Nathalie Ferare (Fanime's Karaoke Contest Winner) & the Martial Arts Experts Loopkicks to get the crowd on their feet and a wonderful half time opera singing by the lovely Melanie O'Connor who received a huge applaud by the crowd after explaining opera singing in anime giving knowledge about American movies and anime having background music from opera. Fans weren't disappointed at this year's show.

We now come to the last day of FanimeCon 2007. The Monday morning air dawns as fans slowly awaken themselves and begin to pack up to make their departure from Fanime. While making their last minute purchases from the Dealer's Room to watching their favorite videos in the video rooms. We take one final walk past the game room and spend the last bits of enjoyment with our friend's enjoying the end of another great convention. There are still cosplayers gathering around the convention center so lets get that camera ready one more time for one more round of taking pictures. As the day comes to an end, we walk to closing ceremonies and listen to the Convention Chair explain the success of FanimeCon and finally take one last look at the convention center and say farewell FanimeCon. We look forward to seeing you again next year. This past FanimeCon was definitely the best Fanime up to date. There has never been so much excitement put into this Fanime than the last FanimeCon's we have attended. The incident with the lack of program books was due to a shipping error that has left the programs back in someone's house as posted on the Fanime forums. Despite that incident, Fanime did its' best to keep the convention on it's feet and keep the fans happy. We would like to thank FanimeCon for presenting us with a press badge and we will keep attending Fanime for the rest of our lives. There is no convention out there that can beat Fanime for what it has represented. A passion.

If you would like to see pictures from this show please "Click Here" til then,

See you at the next Convention!