>London Anime Expo
GTFO RIGHT NOW

Ensure you have plenty of deoderant, conceal your money well, don't attempt to hug people with expensive costumes, you will be abused. If you see a Shinsui Kyoraku that looks bad its probably me and if you are female you should hug me, if you are male you can hug, but no gropes.

Stay clean, don't wear much, have fun.

>>2251210
Don't be mean. :3
>>2251211
Noted, thanks. I'm sure your cosplay is better than you think!

Different anon here, is it true that girls are all sluts?

>>2251210
wait wat?

London Expo is a glorified convention dealers' room that you have to pay to get into. You will be queuing for a long time to get in, unless you've bought fast track tickets (or turn up quite late). It will be *extremely* busy and cramped. If you get hungry, your options will be to either go to the food booths in the ExCeL Centre (which are expensive) and hope you can find a seat, go to one of the handful of restaurants that are in the immediate area (which are expensive), or make your way into Central London to get something cheaper (but the travel is expensive). Oh, and speaking of travel, check the London Underground website to see what the engineering works are like - the ExCeL Centre is in the arse end of nowhere and while there is a DLR stop right next to it, the DLR is usually either out of service or on a limited service when Expo is on.

Cosplay is generally of a lower standard than the likes of Aya/Ame/Minamicon, and since there's no lower age limit and it's cheaper to get into than any of those cons, there's a higher number of young and/or stupid people. They will probably be carrying "free hugs" signs. Do not hug them under any circumstances.

It's not advised to try taking money out from the cash machines at the ExCeL Centre - there will be enormous queues, and if there aren't any queues then it's because the machines are empty (which usually happens). If you can, take out your money in Central London and then hide it well. Buy some bottles of water while you're at it since the vending machines in the ExCeL Centre usually run out and you will need to drink during the day.

Enjoy!

It's not a convention, don't get your hopes up.

What I would've liked to have known before I went to Expo.

>>2251241
What's the difference? Don't really know anything about this sort of thing.
>>2251236
Helpful anon is helpful and informative. Interesting.

>>2251225
here we go again.

why not hug the free hug people?

anyone going to nekocon?

>>2251283
People who go around with "free hugs" signs tend to be the weird, socially awkward type who don't have any other idea of how to interact with people. These people are also the sort who don't understand things like basic hygiene. At best, they will stink. At worst, they will give you con AIDS. Which you may well catch anyway (after last year's October Expo I developed a case of tonsillitis that was worse than every bout of flu I've ever had in my life), but best not to increase your risk of exposure.

>>2251241
Another anon that's never been, I go to comic-cons a lot, so this definitely isn't a convention? more of a cosplay-fest?

Also, is it all anime? eg will popular sci-fi film costumes be seriously out of place?

Are you all elitist unhelpful fags?

>>2251313

>>http://zip.4chan.org/cgl/imgboard.html

I swear we had this /exact/ thread at the start of the year.

>>2251299
It's no more anime-centric than anything else. If anything, there is more of a focus on video games. Not that it is a video game event either, it's a fairly even mix of the three (games, anime and sci-fi) but I feel it does lean slightly more towards games than anything else.


But yeah, basically it is one big dealer's room. I'd be tempted to even call it an industry event, though it's not /quite/ there.
It is not a convention, it is an exhibition. It's for the few publishers who can be bothered to turn up to show off a couple of up-coming releases and to sell their current releases. The guests are there for the sci-fi crowd and they do pay lip service to cosplay for the anime crowd. The merch stands sell everything for anyone.

>>2251338
Very helpful, thankyou.

>>2251299
> Also, is it all anime? eg will popular sci-fi film costumes be seriously out of place?

London Expo has actually historically been a sci-fi and fantasy con first and foremost. About five years ago they announced that they were going to have an "anime village" with a few things for anime fans to do, including the introduction of a cosplay masquerade. As time has gone by, though, the anime cosplay has pretty much taken over and most of the attendees seem to be young anime fans.

There are still plenty of stalls selling general sci-fi and fantasy memorabilia though, and most of the special guests are sci-fi/fantasy-related.

>>2251313
Hey, all the advice I've given has been cynical but helpful.

>>2251298
Tonsilitis from hugs? You know what a hug is right?

Where in England, especially London, would /cgl/ recommend going instead for a better overall experience?

Where does everyone go after? I know there's a cosplay 'party' thing but that finishes at 12, I wanna hit the town in costume, at the same time, not in just a small group of six of us in costume out of fear/embarrassment.

>>2251365
Soho

>>2251380
lol

>>2251380
NO U

>>2251365
I reccomend getting your costume on and Hitting Peckham High Street, It's like camden is for rock, but for cosplay

Hit Peckham anytime any day for a great cosplay experience.

>>2251390
utrollme

>>2251348
I didn't hug anyone. I make a point of not hugging anyone.

It's still possible to catch diseases without physical contact. These people aren't the sort to cover their noses and mouths when they cough or sneeze and you have to stand in *very* close proximity to thousands of them at Expo.

I purchased my costume from a shop, fuck you bastards.

what are the odds of me getting a blow job at expo? do they increase or decrease if i cosplay?

>>2251417
HAHAHAHAHAHA you fucking under-age dickhead

IM GONNA BLOW YOU SO FUCKING HARD

>>2251367
You'll be murdered.

>>2251365
During Expo? Wait for the evening booze-ups. In general? Nowhere in London, the core UK cons are Minami (Southampton), Amecon (Leicester), Ayacon (Warwick) and Kitacon (Northampton). I guess there is the 'International Cosplay Ball' that's in London too, but that's nothing like a convention, it's a formal ball for the community. minami and Ame/Aya (they alternate each year) are the main ones, anyway.

>>2251422
just answer no need to be a dick about it

>>2251417
Depends how low your standards are.

if you bring drugs you will get unlimited bjs

Take it to /cgl/ you faggot

>>2251441
my only demand is that they not be fat

>>2251447
Then you have seriously reduced your chances.

Where does everyone go to get smashed afterwards? Is it worth going along or should I not bother with that, sounds like it could be fairly entertaining.

/cgl/ must have more advice, or general anecdotes.

>>2251472
It's a non-event, there's not much to say.

>>2251241

LOL. I find funny how anyone can think its a convention. Just a quick glance at the website shows you its a general showcase.

this will be my 3rd time going
the first time wasn't too bad but after the 2nd time it was so over crowded - i did make a few friends the first time round and i met them the second time
it's alright - it's just a day out really something different

but yeah I can relate that some of the glompers and people with hug signs do get annoying after the 100th time - only hug the cute ones, if you're a guy

>>2251492
>implying someone who has never been before would know the difference

>>2251497
I don't get it, what is actually there that you can see, do or buy?

>>2251520
like other people have said theres video games there, but it would be very difficult for you to get a chance to go on them, if you wanted

theres manga to buy some dvds; there was also a place where you could watch anime, just like a single epsiode of an anime with barely anychairs there, guess it was advertising - I mainly went to meet the people really, i went with some friends i met online the first two times who i didn't excatly know

and as someone said before the queues are bloody long as hell, last time it went around the whole building it was insane - luckly I got there early and got in quickly - you just got have friends you can go with and have a day out with them

Where go after? must be someone on this board over 18 that can answer the question?

>>2251549
I would also like to know, because the last time I went I just went home after.

Expos are a giant trade show, cosplay has been made a bigger deal recently as the organisers know this will increase people through the doors. Essentially the event started off as an oppertunity for autograph collectors to by tat they couldn't find or were too ashamed of to by on their local high street.

Every single retailer artificially inflates the prices over expo, something that would cost £10 on a companys own shop/website mysteriously ends up costing £15+ at Expo as they know it will be packed with idiots with all thier saved up pocket money.

That said no one goes to expo for the event, they go to catch up with old friends, have fun in cosplay and party for 3 days.

>>2251549
Expo is quite isolated, nearest clubs etc are a DLR/bus/taxi ride into central london. Most people have room parties.

>>2251561
you're confusing 16yo jap fags at a con with 18+yo having fun at a music festival

It basically sounds like a weeaboo Reading Festival to me.

>>2251564
room parties?
where?

>>2251596
Hotel room I imagine.

>>2251601
closest hotels to the expo?

Any loners going and want to meet up

>>2251632
;_;

>>2251605
There are like 6 adjacent to Expo, most popular are the Premier Inn, Custom House and Novotel/Ibis

This is the fellow from
>>2251211
One my costumes generally suck so no worries there, two don't go to Ibis, the french guy who works in the lobby tried to sex me up last time. And to any who went last year, I was the Stein on a budget, I went on stage for some reason.

>>2251313
are you a random american 13 year old? methinks so.

>>2251461
i dunno about the others, but a group of us are gonna hit china town for food, sake and kareoke. we're gonna get wasted in cosplay and then stumble back to the hotel at god-knows what time!

>>2252199
I really fucking hope you get lost on the tube on the way back. Cunt.

>>2253022
It's okay, a bunch of drunk cosplayers in inner London are a nice target for muggers, druggies and rapists.

Most definitely make sure you have got money out beforehand; finding a free cash machine at the Expo is a nightmare. Same goes for food, pack your own lunch or something, cause the cafes/food areas are horribly overpriced.

Also, don't spend too much on general anime merchandise, it's really overpriced. If there's something you know you want and are hoping to get from the Expo, check eBay or Forbidden Planet first, chances are it'll be a lot cheaper.

Also, pic related. Will be me.

>>2253022
bawwing at fun are we? oh well, enjoy being boring. oh and btw, pretty much all the people i'll be with live in london so i won't be getting lost. Thanks for your concern though, underage dipshit.

>>2255514
Lol a couple of expos back one of my friends got his head kicked in by a group of youths while walking around in cosplay, he'd gone into London too for that shitty namco place, fucking idiot. Hope it fucking happens to you too.

>>2255523
I keep saying this to various people and as per usual, cosplayers are naive eejits who think they're the exception to every rule.

It doesn't matter how well you know a place or how long you're there, crime can and will happen, it can happen to anyone at any time in any place. In some places, it is more likely to happen than others; and if you make yourself stand out, it's more likely to happen to you.

No, not every person who travels through inner London for ten minutes is going to end up gang raped, mugged, stabbed and left for dead in a wheelie bin. But that doesn't mean it will never happen either. You're drunk? Easy target. You're in cosplay? More obvious target.

Here in Bath, we don't get many murders, but we do get a disturbing amount of rape and we've got a serious drug problem. I've lived here all my life, but I still wouldn't walk through certain parts of town at night, especially not if I'd been drinking, never in cosplay and even if I was with a few friends. And we don't have anywhere near the crime statistics that the vast majority of London has.

>>2255523
>>2255779
ok, what did i do to deserve this abuse, all i said was we're goin out n having fun and you're being really twattish. to say i deserve to get my head kicked in. ok, say it to my face and see what happens. oh wait, i forgot. you wont will you. even if i told you who i am you'd slag me off in here but be nice as pie to my face. Also, seb its me foo, i'm talking about us lot and how we usually go out in london during expo weekend and i'll probably be the only one in cosplay if kell isn't there too. sigh.

>>2255836
>sayittomyfaceandnotontheinternet.jpg
Lol

>>2255842
it seems like you must be a very sad and lonely individual to be so horrible about other people. i hope that one day you can find someone who makes you happy, then maybe you can become a better person.

>>2255836
... Who are you?

Either way, it's nothing personal. This is just one of many instances when I've seen people go "lol it's okay for me to walk naked through Brixton at 2am, it'll all be FINE."
I don't know what it is about the cosplay community but everyone seems to have an invincibility complex.

>>2255514
>>underage

For starters? No.


>>2255836

Family owns a shop down Gerrard Street, since you're so bitterly curious. Do you know how Goddamned annoying it is to see so-called 'cosplayers' parading around like utter idiots up and down the avenue? You're a fucking embarrassment and only serve to amuse the shift-workers who can see and hear you making prats of yourselves.

Chinatown? That's some nice casual racism you've got going on there, choosing that as your hotspot. Jesus Christ, get a life and piss off to Camden where there are at least decent bars, weaboo.

bring cash, and food for meals if possible. make sure you get permission, even if it's just a nod, to take photos of people. if someone is posing for a picture that someone else is taking, it's okay to join in.

the temperature at every con is always either too hot or too cold, even though they are supposedly held indoors in buildings that claim to have air conditioner or heat. dress accordingly. never been to anime expo, so someone else will have to tell you which. usually it's too cold for winter cons and too hot for summer ones.

if there is even a remote chance it will rain, bring an umbrella. even if you're not in cosplay, you can share it with an attractive cosplayer who doesn't want to get messed up in the rain.

people will randomly try to touch or hug you for no reason. there is no avoiding this. if you wear a "don't hug me" sign, it will make people hug you more. therefore, leave your ninja instincts at home and try to bear it with good grace. if you don't want to be hugged, it's okay but just say "don't hug me please." don't be a dick about it.

These comments are making me glad I decided to save my money and not go.

Yeah I agree

>>2251206

Don't carry around knives, or the fuzz will give you an ASBO.

WANKERS ALL OF YOU