Anime/gaming conventions

JaysonFour

So the year I finally have enough money to get to PAX is the year I find out I have no chance in hell of going because my first year of college classes starts that week. As I'm SOL as far as PAX is concerned, I've decided to try to find at least one con to get to during the spring or summer of this year.

So that's where you guys come in. I'm looking for suggestions on anime or gaming conventions that you've attended, and would recommend to someone in a heartbeat.

Location's not really that important- I'm near Chicago, if you need a reference point, and it'll just cost me a little more for a train ticket.

Cost- don't worry about this. I'll plug the numbers I have to into my trusty TI-83 and figure that out for myself.

Questions: I like to shop for souveniers and other convention swag. I'm looking for cons with sizable exhibit halls/vendors of cool stuff. Info about this would be much appreciated.

Finally: If you went, and had a great experience that you'd like to share or ran into some you regret even going to, let me know. You can't hear about this stuff at the official convention website...

Please don't tell me to go use Google. I can attest to the fact that I've been using it for research since October. For example, you won't learn about Origins '03 at their website- when they neglected to tell attendees a medical trade show had been booked the same days as the con, and as a result the number of events was slashed to about 65% of the previous year's. I spent $1200 to go to a show where I didn't even go Sunday because there was no event worth going to.

Toefoo

I've been to both AWA (Anime Weekend Atlanta) in Georgia and AX (Anime Expo) in LA, both are very very good. Not sure if those would be too far for you to travel, but they were a blast.

Edit: Websites-

AX: http://www.anime-expo.org
AWA: http://www.awa-con.com/

Tomanta

If you are near Chicago - and assuming you are into tabletop gaming - there is no excuse not to try and go to GenCon in Indianapolis. It doesn't get bigger than that. Even if you aren't big on tabletop gaming there might be some stuff for you.

I wish I had gotten a chance to go when I was in IL.

DeathPrawn

The San Diego Comic-Con (http://www.comic-con.org/cci/) is ridiculously large and has quite a bit of both anime and gaming, on top of all sorts of other pop culture and comics.

JaysonFour

Gen Con? That's really just a hop-skip-cheap train ticket away from me. I've always wanted to go, so I might do that... on the other hand, I'm really looking at an anime con because I've been dying to go to one. Looking at my finances... I might be able to stretch two cons if I budget correctly. If I go to Gen Con, I could maybe afford to go to a somewhat-close anime con, though as always the almighty dollar decides all.

So now that I have Gen Con firmly slated in for my gaming con, it's time to look for an anime con.

I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up

comic con is really awesome, i have been there several times and have never been disappointed. we even spent a great deal of time on one of the trips talking to the voice actor for vegeta, who is hilarious

animale

I believe the closest anime con would be Acen. I tend to go to Otakon in Baltimore and there's 2 cons (Katsucon and Anime USA) that are a few blocks away from my apartment which I could theoretically walk to.

MushroomStick

Chicago? You're looking for acen and wizard world.