My first con was Anime Expo 2005. I remember having asked to go but my aunt and uncle said we couldn't because they had work. Then out of NOWHERE that weekend we ended up in Anaheim and surprise! Anime Expo. I was around 13 at the time and it was like I walked into heaven. All the cool stuff at the booths, and the cosplayers man. The fucking cosplayers. I thought they were the coolest people ever. I never thought about dressing to conventions at the time so to see my favorite characters walking around was a real treat. I took pictures of everything and anything. I was so excited and overjoyed to be there. And it was especially fun because I went with my family so it was like a big bonding experience too.

Completely and totally awesome.

SDCC '07. Friend was in a "get your comic published contest" and got a full badge for free. He said if I drove him up there for the contest, I could use his badge the next day, so I did.

The sheer size and overwhelming things to look at were beyond my full comprehension at the time. I would constantly look at something and go "OH MY GOD, I LOVE THAT, WHAT ELSE DO THEY HAVE AT THIS BOOTH!?"

I didn't realize how much of a toll it took on my body. Dehydrated and poor, I was given half a subway sandwich by a booth vendor who had one extra as the hall was closing. I still say that sandwich saved my life for the drive home. I left my house at 4:30am and got home at 3:00am the next day. Was the longest, but one of the most memorable, days of my life.

Pic related, first pic I ever took at a con.

What an awesome memory! I remember- I was about to turn 13 or 14, and my step-dad woke me up, told me to get dressed for a surprise.

We drove for about an hour or so- next thing I know I see a huge 18-wheeler with anime characters on them. And people dressed weird. I had no idea what a convention was then, but I spent the whole day there with him taking pictures of cosplayers. Never knew people could do that sort of thing, it blew my mind. He got me a few early birthday presents from the dealer's hall. I had a blast. So much fun that we went again next year, this time with my best friend. At the time we both were really into Gravitation so we kept trying to sneak a peak at the Gravitation Remix doujins while my dad was walking elsewhere. Hahaha.

That's a good memory for me, thanks for reminding me of it.

Katsucon 13 was a one day stand for me but it was the day that I was thankful that I brought my camera with me. Once you see cosplayers in a large open square you know you're in a different world. I spent almost 10 hours exploring the place taking pictures of cosplayers. I only stopped for dinner and video games.

comic-con.

how do i even describe it. it's fucking amazing. the worst part is going home (how do you adjust?). i've never had a sdcc horror story. i mean, yes, there were a few instances of drama (mostly with line business and shit), but those were all short-lived.

Mine was last year's Anime Matsuri.

It was alright, hallways were crowded, but it was awesome seeing just.. everything.
I thought it was a pretty cool con, but my friends who've been to more than one said it was terrible.

Not much to really say. I was a bit unprepared, so I spent a lot of the con just sitting and people-watching.

My first con was Anime Vegas 2004, I think (which was the con's first year)? I remember only going for one day with my Grandma and best friend at the time right after school (I was in the 7th grade at the time). I remember my friend telling me about the con and me being surprised because I've never heard of such things before (I knew what cosplay was, but I had no idea where people wore them to).

From what I remember, there was a tiny room for the dealers hall and a few panel/screening rooms. I think there were more rooms, but because I wasn't accustomed to cons I didn't know about the other areas of interest (if there were any). But, from what I recall there was always a group of weebs that hung around the middle of the dealers hall (including me), and one guy that slept/pretended to sleep in the middle of the room. My friend just played it off as something normal, so I didn't pay much mind to him. I think we did a bit of dancing in that room too, but my memory's kind of fuzzy. Uh, besides that I think I bought my friend a Kamui plushie because she really wanted it and then when I figured there was nothing left to do I went home.

But, I had fun while I was there. It was strange but really cool being in a place where there were other people that did the same things you did, shared your interests, etc etc. It was this con that really got me into the con scene, and I'm glad it started out small and relatively uneventful because the year afterwards I went again and everything was much bigger and I had a lot more to do and had way more fun than the year before. Even if Anime Vegas is a bit of a disappointment now, I wasn't disappointed when I at first got something small and came back to find something better.

>>5357751
My first con was Anime Vegas 2004 as well but I rather count Anime Expo 2006 as my real first "con" experience. It was amaaazing! Besides being sick for all of it, I had so much fun meeting new people and seeing all the cosplay. It really got me hooked on conventions.

Demicon '00. My uncle asked me to go so that I could help him put his Boba Fett costume on. I never even knew that things that that existed. I had.. such an amazing time. He didn't want me to be a mundane, so he put a tunic on me with a belt and attached a lightsaber. I put "Jaina Solo" on my badge. I saw Troops for the first time.

This picture isn't from my first year (there are no pictures), but it's from the next year. It's me and my uncle lightsaber fighting.

Anime North 2008
Did a horrible Misa-Misa cosplay
but it got me hooked

Otakon 2001. I went with my nerdy group of friends and we all dressed up characters from Eva. I was an athlete and trained/worked outside everyday. I was tan beyond tan... and I was to be Rei. I still have the school uniform my friends mom made, no charge. It's beautifully made, I had no idea until I found it this past summer.

Anyways, I was just wide eyed and taking everything in. I really wasn't a talkative person, while I've come out of my shell more as I've matured all my friends thought I was really trying to act like Rei from the series. While I watched the series, and I really like Rei as a character I didn't get what cosplay was. I only dressed as Rei because my friend was Asuka. I died my hair this grayish blue and even got it cut a similar style. While I didn't know a whole lot about cosplay I tried to look presentable (minus the tanning, I couldn't fix that).

I still have my Rei plushy signed by someone connected to Eva. I want to say the director, but I'm not positive. I've never cared for autographs.

Ever since 2001 I've been going to Otakon every other year. I'm now going to more conventions than in my youth. I won't ever have the 1st experience back, and things have certainly changed but I'm enjoying myself more now than I did in my teens.

My first con was the state's first con, too. It was a pretty decent size being its first year, and there were more cosplayers than I thought there would be, too. I wasn't into cosplay at the time, but I remember having so much fun with all my friends. The feeling is as cheesy and retarded as it would seem if I typed it into words.

>>5357441
This.
Comic Con is always a great experience, and it's like a new con every time.
ALWAYS meet new people and have met seagulls not even at meetups but from recognizing WIP pics.
Getting pulled into random photoshoots and....just....god damn I love it so much.

Anime Boston ‘08
A.K.A LineCon
>9 hours in line for 5 hours if actually walking around the con.
>It was pretty awesome to see cosplayers for the first time.
>Wicked excited the whole time.

Mfw I walked into the con.

Mine was SDCC.

I had literally never been to a con before and had no idea how huge their exhibit hall was. I met a lot of people involved with the things I was a fan of at the time, got lots of autographs, and got a ton of freebies.

I remember reading someone's advice of "bring bottled water and remember to eat!" I thought it was stupid advice, until the Saturday of SDCC where literally we ate almost nothing all day until about 8pm -- didn't really have time to eat.

I am also glad I got to attend SDCC before it got abso-fucking-lutely ridiculous. I think we paid $75-100 for a weekend pass. Now you're lucky to get in for $250. I would like to attend again sometime, but I would definitely have to save up for it.

It set the bar high for later expectations of conventions, although I was pleasantly surprised in other ways later on. Fan-oriented conventions are a completely different experience.

>>5358598
>$250 for a weekend pass
Who the fuck were you scalped by?
I didn't even pay that much for TWO weekend passes.
>mfw my military four day pass is $75

>>5358643
... nobody? I was referring to the information SDCC posts on their official website.

Just checked, the rate for 1 Adult Weekend pass is > 4-DAY WITH Preview Night $175*

So I was off by $75. It's still way overpriced, and that's the price set by the con itself.

>>5358686
Oh God, that's how much you guys have to pay?
Hahahahaha....I love my life sometimes.