Anime Expo '07 Rife with Problems? (ANN Interview)

[Freedom Fighter]

We all know that no anime convention is perfect. This is true for the larger ones, especially since more attendees means more people that can complain about something. But when America's largest anime convention has an exorbitant number of problems, many which resulted in a huge backlash from the attendees at and after the con, anime fans from across the country - even those on the opposite coast like me - have to wonder... is such a disaster waiting to happen at my favorite/local convention?

The reason I'm asking this is because of this interview of Anime Expo's Marketing Consultant, Chase Wang, by Anime News Network's Zac Bertschy. Reading it myself, I can't help but wonder... shouldn't the country's biggest, as well as one of the longest-running, anime conventions have contingency plans for problems like these? Obviously, AX was subjected to a bit of bad luck too - one of their huger missteps, the SKIN concert - would've been bad news enough on it's own, and for the most part, the biggest reason behind the delay (stage set-up problems) is justifiable. But guests of honor complaining, another concert that went wrong, the initial AMV showing being scuttled because someone stole the laptop it was on (and there were no back-ups), and the biggest anime company in California conspicuously absent to begin with - obviously point to things just not going their way. But at the same time, it also suggests AX has been on a downswing for years now... possibly because the convention hasn't grown proportionately with the increase in attendance.

It's a very interesting read, and if you haven't seen it yet, the article is here: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2007-07-13/chase-wang-on-anime-expo-2007

Despite all the problems, many beyond AX's control, it still sounds like they could've done a much better job running the con, and they should have. How much of what happened is inexcusable? Size issues aside, why are they struggling to please attendees even though they have as many coming to AX annually as the next two largest US anime cons combined (Anime Central and Otakon)? Is there anything not only AX, but the rest of the anime cons, big and small, can learn from this?

If anyone here at TZ attended AX this year, I'd especially like to hear from you, to get a better idea from the fan side of what went right and what didn't.

And on a side issue... anyone know why Viz avoided Anime Expo this year and is planning to avoid Otakon as well - all just to put all their chips at the San Diego Comic Con, which, despite a growing anime/manga market there and an even larger expected attendance than AX, is not an anime con? What does that say about the #1 manga distributor in the country and #1 in terms of number of TV anime series available on basic cable in the US?

[Dark Fact]

I've read the interview, and from what I gathered, it looks like AX is starting to sink towards the route of bureaucracy by deciding what is best for the anime fans instead of letting the anime fans decide what is best for them. All throughout the interview, I kept reading "learning experience" this and "learning experience" that as well as "trying our best" this and "trying our best" that. Now, I can understand that some brand spanking new volunteers will face problems like this and that I can forgive. However, when the higher management (who also insist on calling themselves fans) let crap like this slide without giving previous volunteers proper training in dealing with these kinds of situations, I find that practically inexcusable. Anime Expo is a convention that has lasted from 1992 to 2007 so far. For a convention that is supposed to be 15 years old, you would think by now the people running this con would be long experienced in handling these kinds of situations. Therefore, hearing Wang's "learning experiences" for him and the higher ups comes off as nothing short of a pathetic excuse. How many more years must the higher ups "learn" before they finally get it right? Anime Expo isn't its first or second year, it's in its 15th year.

And what is this that I hear that they want to move the convention to the Los Angeles Convention Center next year? Chase's "strategy" involves giving people shuttles to get them to and from their hotels as well as having an increased police presence and deterring the homeless. Somehow, I can't see them deterring the homeless. Another thing, the area where the LACC is located isn't exactly as safe as the Long Beach Convention Center or the Anaheim Convention Center. Could you imagine cosplayers having to deal with being harassed by punks and the homeless? Scary thought.

I personally think that the AX staff have shot themselves in the foot by moving the con to the LACC next year. It's bad enough that they are risking fellow congoers being mugged or harassed by the homeless but if something worse were to happen like one of the congoers being injured or killed, the AX staff would be in serious hot water.

That said, Zac's interview with Chase was a good one as he kept pressing him with all the tough questions and kept the guy on the ropes.

[Karl Olson]

Ah yes, Long Beach was safe... wait not so much as I saw police busts almost every night within 3 blocks of the convention center. Now, all of it was related to the clubs near by the convention, but there are hotels in the direction of those clubs, and the only nearby 7-11 I could find is there too. The LBC experience this year should already spell out that if they think they can keep everything in check in LA, they're losing it.

To be fair, AX this year had some awesome moments too, but the bad moments were some of the biggest mess ups I've seen a major convention. Even the most mediocre run hotel-sized cons I've seen have had better management than AX200. Shoot, AX last year was a better convention. It was fun, and better still it was basically self-contained in one big building.

As far as what other cons from learn from this, I'd say first and foremost it'd be to have contingency plans in place for problems. Additionally, allowing the only line up to be the line to pick up / buy badges might also be advisable, or atleast setting a time for the line to start because other you end up with 1000s of people sitting around for hours, in the hot sun. Oh, do not, if possible scatter your convention over half the bloody downtown; get a decent venue for your convention instead.

[Conan-san]

I'm going with what Anime Pulse said, it realy makes me think that they're aiming for a more E3 like convention last year.

[Karl Olson]

Well, they'll basically ruin the convention then, atleast from a fan aspect. It seems clear to me that if you want to go a fan that's fan oriented, you go to anything but AX, atleast in the US. If otaku wanted E3/Japanese-style conventions (IE: only exhibitors, no dealers, industry-only panels, etc,) you wouldn't still have a plethora of hotel-sized anime conventions, let alone massive and fan-centric cons like Otakon.

[Weatherman]

Wow, this makes the worst of Otakon's problems, waiting over 2 hours for the masquerade to start back in 2001, looks like nothing. I realize the AX dude they have in the interview is the press flack, but his dodging and weavign makes an LA freeway chase look plae in comparison.


Interesting. Del Ray is coming to Otakon, probably because it's right down the road from NYC.


"First Otaku Parlimentary Debate"? Hunh? We've had that out East here for years. As long as I have been going to Cons we have had Anime Parliment.


Anaheim is not tearing down their arena. This guy is a hack. The LACC, from I have seen of it on the web, is a very nice space and I guess they'll get to use the Staples Center for the shows. but still, don't rag on the Anaheim building. It's the same size. Geez, this guy is a hack. I think they cook the attendance books too, like alot of conventiosn do with "convention days" and all that jazz.

AX is a mess.

[GWOtaku]

I'm not familiar with AX's history, but it appears that currently Otakon is better organized based on my experience there in 2006 and what I've been reading about AX. You shouldn't have to travel around very much to experience a con, one venue for the whole thing is so much better. At one point Katsucon used two hotels (albeit very close to each other) and then upgraded to the Omni Shoreham in DC for the last couple years, and the difference is a very positive one. Don't really see AX's logic, huge cons are complex enough without adding unnecessary difficulties on top of it all.

[Weatherman]

At one point Katsucon used two hotels (albeit very close to each other) and then upgraded to the Omni Shoreham in DC for the last couple years, and the difference is a very positive one.


Oh G_d Katsucon 2005. That was the worst con EVER! Every bit the snafu that AX 2007 seems has been. Split venues just don't work unless they have a non-street level connection.