Convention Reviews

Alcon

Alcon is a fun and friendly anime convention running on Friday 4th - Sunday 6th September 2009 at De Montfort University in Leicester. It’s just £25 for three day entry, and just £21 a night for accommodation. Bolstering a dealers room, anime screenings, artist ally, roleplaying, card-gaming, video-gaming, a cosplay cafe, DDRing, events, panels and much more, there is something for everyone, with more special events than you can shake a stick at!

Status: Finished, nothing announced for the next one

Amecon

Amecon, as the logo indicates will be in Leicester Uni Campus, the place to be in summer! What’s all so awesome is that it’s all organised by a fellow uni-based anime society! What’s even more awesome is that’s just the down the road from us. So there aren’t any excuses for skipping out on this one.

Status: Finished, next one in August?

Auchinawa

Auchinawa is a Glasgow based anime con. These guys have goals as they are striving for the con to be more an ‘Otaku Con’ instead of an ‘Anime Con’ and they are going for the largest Convention/Expo in Scotland, the first of its kind. The past two dates dates were the 23rd-26th of November 2006 November 3oth-December 3rd 2008 and and the stage is set at the Glasgow Moathouse Hotel.

Status: Finished, nothing announced for the next one

Ayacon

Ayacon was held at our very own Arts Centre on the 19th-21st of August 2005. The event was the largest anime convention to date in the UK, with in excess of 1150 attendees. A handful of our members went and they have reported that it was the awesome! The con is making it’s amazing comeback on 14-16 August this year.

Status: Finished

FuyuCon

FuyuCon ran from 23-25 October 2009 at Park Inn in Northampton, with 310 of 500 spaces sold - perhaps because it unintentionally coincided with the 38,000-attendee MCM Expo in London. A comparatively small con, FuyuCon had continuously operating computer game and video rooms, but in some other places the schedule was a bit sparse. Run in a hotel, with most attendees' rooms are just a lift ride away, giving a convenient place to socialise with friends; but with many attendees behind closed hotel room doors, there's less opportunity for socialisation with people you don't already know.

With three night-time fire alarm false alarms in two days, some attendees reported that onsite accommodation was not as restful as it could have been.

Unlike some other conventions, FuyuCon has no qualms about playing western music at the con's parties, with the schedule including a J Rock/ Rock Party and an AMV Disco. The schedule also included a cosplay ball, complete with an enforced dress code and ballroom dancing lessons given beforehand.

Costs: £45 registration; on-site accommodation £65/night for a double room with breakfast. Hotel bar drinks and food were expensive for what they offered, but with the city centre's several food outlets within walking distance, lunch and dinner could be had at reasonable prices. The venue was within walking distance of Northampton train station, so you can get there from Coventry with an off-peak return train ticket, costing £13.60.

Summary: A good con to attend with friends; and ideal if you've ever wished for a con that offered more western and rock music. Let down somewhat by its unfortunate clash with MCM Expo.

Status: The committee have announced that 2009 was the last FuyuCon - but some committee-members are planning a new event, so watch this space.

Kitacon

Kitacon is a brand new UK anime convention that will take place in Northampton. Kitacon is a convention run by fans for fans. The convention will be held over the last weekend of the 2009 Easter holidays, April 17th to the 19th at the Park Inn Hotel Northampton. The venue can be found only a 5 minute walk from the train station and with easy access to the M1 motorway. A full range of activities will be on offer including parties, panels, games, dealers room and of course regular anime showings throughout the day and night, plus a few events we are keeping under wraps for now.

Status: Still open?

MCM expo

The MCM expo (movies, comic and media) is held four times a year on the weekend in the excel centre at the London docklands and the Telford International Centre. This is a hugely popular event for fans and families alike, with vendors catering for interest from movies to card games to anime. These expos are often easier to attend than the conventions as you do not necessarily need to book tickets and it is often cheaper. This is a good option especially for those of you who are still a bit new to the anime and manga scene, but many of our members have been attending this for years and it never disappoints!

Status: Over for this year

Minamicon

Minamicon has a long history and has been going since ‘95, making it the longest running con in the country! Jointly organised by London Anime Club & Minami Anime the overall theme for this con is cuteness. Southampton is where it’s happening on the 27th-29th of March 2009!

Status: Sold out

Nomi Con

Nomi Con, hosted by Y.A.T.A a Leeds-based Yorkshire Anime Club, is somewhat unique in that it has an emphasis as being a social convention. The only one that I know of that beer is allowed. The place to be for some fun, optional drinking games and of course mandatory anime watching. It’s all about anime and beer at the University of Bradford Students Union Building from the 8th till the 10th of September 2006.

Status: Finished

Tokonatsu

Tokonatsu is an outdoor 3 day event in the summer month of July from the 31st July-3rd August. The venue? Woburn, which is only 20 minutes from the M1 & Milton Keynes Train station. Where will you be then? There, of course!

Status: Finished