Posted in: Cosplay, Recent Updates | Tagged: anime convention, AniMore, cosplay

Small But Mighty: AniMore 2017

Published Wed, 25 Jan 2017 17:00:32 -0600

Let's tale a step back to the year 2000. Anime was starting to take over American pop culture more than it had ever done before. Toonami was a big deal for young fans, and still remains a positive point when it comes to anime in America. But I'm not here to talk about that. On Friday, January 13, I made my way to Downtown Baltimore to check out one of the newer anime cons in the con circuit, AniMore.

AniMore is only in it's second year, but it's clear this will be a successful con. By Saturday afternoon they already had over 800 attendees, which is no easy feat. The only drawback this con really has, is when it's held. During it's first year there was a major blizzard in Baltimore. This past year we had a minor ice problem Saturday of the con. But that still didn't stop 800+ people from attending. On Friday the crowd was small, but that gave the feel of a tight knit family. Everyone was there to have fun, and it showed. Just in the few hours I was there I played video games with people I'd never met before, shared a drink with now a new friend, talked to dealers and artists, and went to two panels. Being able to move through a con without getting stuck in traffic is huge. Seriously, how many panels can you reasonably fit in one day at say, New York Comic Con?

The dealers room/artists alley was impressive for a second year con. There were roughly 50 total vendors, and a good mix of merchandise to pick from. A few of the dealers I spoke with on Friday were overall happy with the turnout on the first day. Between work, school and the weather no one was really expecting a huge crowd on the first day. Opening ceremonies drew a sizeable crowd, with the heads of the con going over the weekend activities. It was a personal feel, and they were more than willing to interact with the whole audience.

Overall I enjoyed my one day here. Had it not rained ice the next day I would have gone back, but you know. Winter sucks. I'm looking forward to next year, and many more of this con!