This Memorial Day, there will be a frightening amount of costumes glued and sweat perspirated. Where will you be?Happy second day of Spring! While the Vernal Equinox doesn't mean much for some of us--who said we need to stop watching hentai and go outside once winter ends?--it does mark the beginning of "con season", which, in this writer's mind, begins with Sakura-Con the week after next and ends with New York Anime Festival at the tail end of September. Distinctly missing from this years kickoff is Anime Boston, which is scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, two months later than usual. While a later date doesn't really mean anything by any stretch of the imagination, it leaves the many wondering where they'll actually be going come May 22nd. Let's talk it out over brunch.
FanimeCon and Anime North are Memorial Day institutions, having held their extremely popular cons on that weekend for years. Granted, the same situation happened two years ago, when all three were held simultaneously. But since then, Anime Boston has grown nearly fifty percent and, by doing so, slung itself to the forefront of the American convention scene. And, in the face of all this, dark horse and underdog con Animazement has upped their ante by announcing a slew of hard-hitting guests.
Sean, in a perpetual attempt to get more coverage for the site, asked me where he should go. Since I'm more or less his bit--er, assistant, I made a (really) rough list of pros and cons (no pun intended there, har har) for each. Maybe it'll help you, too. Despite being a week earlier, I included Anime Central in there for kicks and giggles.
May 8-10, 2009
Attendance: ~14,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $124/night, Residence Inn
Pros: more popular event, a ton of press attends/networking opportunities, popular band The Slants are performing
Cons: not too many guests thus far, coverage potential lacking at this point (however, ACen has been able to attract incredible guests historically, so a big announcement may not be far off)
Click Here
Animazement -- Raleigh, NC
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~6,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $95/night, Sheraton
Pros: incredible guests this year, tons of coverage opportunities, closest in vicinity to you, cheap hotel rates
Cons: less popular con, less networking opportunities
Click Here
Anime Boston -- Boston, MA
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~14,500
Cheapest single hotel rate: Sold out, overflow hotel has not been announced yet
Pros: more popular con, decent guests (Kalafina and run-of-the-mill VAs), I'm there
Cons: hotel is sold out/overflow hotel rates for AB usually are ridiculous, already have coverage for the con, I'm there
Click Here
Anime North -- Toronto, ON
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~13,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $119/night, Marriott
Pros: usually attract great international guests, a lot of awesome press/networking opps, and, uh, it's Canada
Cons: farther in distance if you're not Canadian
Click Here
Sean, in a perpetual attempt to get more coverage for the site, asked me where he should go. Since I'm more or less his bit--er, assistant, I made a (really) rough list of pros and cons (no pun intended there, har har) for each. Maybe it'll help you, too. Despite being a week earlier, I included Anime Central in there for kicks and giggles.
Anime Central -- Rosemont, IL
May 8-10, 2009
Attendance: ~14,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $124/night, Residence Inn
Pros: more popular event, a ton of press attends/networking opportunities, popular band The Slants are performing
Cons: not too many guests thus far, coverage potential lacking at this point (however, ACen has been able to attract incredible guests historically, so a big announcement may not be far off)
Click Here
Animazement -- Raleigh, NC
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~6,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $95/night, Sheraton
Pros: incredible guests this year, tons of coverage opportunities, closest in vicinity to you, cheap hotel rates
Cons: less popular con, less networking opportunities
Click Here
Anime Boston -- Boston, MA
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~14,500
Cheapest single hotel rate: Sold out, overflow hotel has not been announced yet
Pros: more popular con, decent guests (Kalafina and run-of-the-mill VAs), I'm there
Cons: hotel is sold out/overflow hotel rates for AB usually are ridiculous, already have coverage for the con, I'm there
Click Here
Anime North -- Toronto, ON
May 22-24, 2009
Attendance: ~13,000
Cheapest single hotel rate: $119/night, Marriott
Pros: usually attract great international guests, a lot of awesome press/networking opps, and, uh, it's Canada
Cons: farther in distance if you're not Canadian
Click Here
FanimeCon -- San Jose, CA
May 22-25, 2009
Attendance: ~14,500
Cheapest single hotel rate: $79/night, San Jose Crown Plaza Hotel
Pros: awesome community, most populous anime convention that weekend, people really go for friends
Cons: mediocre guests, rolling the dice with "surprise guests"
Click Here
Obviously, such a list is incredibly personal (obviously, in this case, it was tailored to Sean) and people are bound to have their personal pros and cons. So let us know! And for the many who travel during Memorial Day weekend, where will you go? Where should you go? Cheers!
