When talking about anime conventions, it typically elicits a number of different responses. Some otaku will swear by conventions as the high point of each year, while other, more jaded fans will look down on them with disgust citing that it's just about the only place where you'll see overweight, middle-aged men in Sailor Moon attire. Both these opinions hold a lot of truth, and while conventions aren't necessarily for everyone, they are something that every anime fan should at least experience once. This lecture is designed to be a guide for first-time con goers to help you get the most out of your time at an anime convention. While the information contained in this guide is applicable to just about any convention, it is written with large-scale conventions in mind, because it typically takes a bit more work and preparation to attend.

Creating a Battle Plan
The popularity of anime conventions has skyrocketed over the past few years with America's two largest anime conventions, Otakon and Anime Expo, both boosting over 20,000 attendees in 2004. With this increase in attendance, planning ahead is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of going to a convention. Making plans early will help to make your con experience as smooth as possible and will help to avoid any last-minute snafus.

First things first: before doing anything else, you should figure out how you're going to be getting to the convention. While some people are lucky enough to have major conventions in their hometowns, getting to a convention will involve a bit of leg work for most people. Depending on the circumstances, train, plane or automobile may be the most convenient means of transportation, so be sure to look into all available options. If you plan on driving, carpooling with friends and fellow otaku helps to keep costs down, and it never hurts to have a little company on long road trips.

Now it's time to register for the convention. Most conventions offer pre-registration at a discounted rate. If you are sure that you're going, take the time to act early and pre-register. You'll save a few bucks, but more importantly and in many cases, you'll be able to bypass the gargantuan registration lines on the first day. It's also worth noting that many conventions are being forced to set a maximum number of attendees due to size constraints. Nothing would be worse than going through all the planning and effort to go to a convention only to arrive and find out that it's sold out. So, do yourself a favor and be sure to pre-register.

Once registration is out of the way, next up is finding accommodations. There are a number of possibilities when trying to plan where to stay. Most conventions offer "official" hotels right by the convention center. These are incredibly convenient because of their proximity, but they also tend to be pretty costly. If spending a bit more for a room isn't an issue, or you don't plan on having a means to commute back and forth from another hotel, then the official hotels are a good option. Just remember to reserve your room early because the official hotels tend to fill up quickly. For those on a tighter budget and don't mind doing a little driving, doing a little research will often uncover better deals at surrounding hotels and motels. While these other accommodations might not be the Ritz, you'll be spending most of your time at the convention anyway, and it's one of the easiest ways to save money.

While it may not come to mind, anyone that has been to a convention can tell you that it's a good idea to bring some snack food along with you. Most convention centers have contracts with food service companies which gives them exclusive rights to selling food within the convention center. This of course means they can charge astronomically high prices for food that is mediocre at best. Packing a lunch or some snacks will make your day a lot easier and won't cost you an arm and a leg. Of course, there are always outside dining options if you don't mind leaving the convention center to get your meals.

For many fans, the dealers room may seem like heaven on earth. Within a relatively small space, there is everything from DVDs to import CDs to expensive resin models to wall scrolls to rare merchandise from Japan. It seems like a dream come true, and it is easy to spend all your hard-earned money within a few hours. While it may be impressive seeing so many anime goods in the same room, it's important to exercise some self-control and be a smart shopper. Many of the "special convention sales" aren't really deals at all, and the products can often be found cheaper online. It helps to have an idea of what you are looking for before going into the dealers room to avoid impulse buys. Also, be on the lookout for pirated goods because, although most conventions prohibit dealers from selling unofficial products, there are always a few items that slip under the radar.

So Many Things to Do, So Little Time
For first-time con goers, conventions can be a bit overwhelming with so many things to see and do. Deciding between anime screenings, autograph sessions, industry panels and the dealers room can be a difficult decision for even seasoned convention attendees. It helps to have an idea of what are the key events that you're interested in beforehand rather than trying to decide on the spot. Most convention websites post their schedule of events prior to the con, so you have plenty of time to decide what are the most important events.

From personal experience, here are a couple tips if you're having trouble deciding what events to attend or if you're torn between multiple events scheduled at the same time. As tempting as it may be see anime being played on huge screens, this falls low on the priority list for events because aside from the size of the screen, it's nothing you can't experience from the comforts of your own home. Some activities like perusing the dealers room can be done at pretty much anytime during the convention, so plan to do these during downtime between main events. Industry and fan panels are a great way to see the people behind the anime industry and learn some new, interesting new things. Japanese and musical guests have always been the highlight of my convention experiences, so I highly recommend making the effort.

After deciding what events to attend, it's helpful to figure out where they are taking place so that there isn't a last-minute scramble to find the room. Not everyone is lucky enough to have press passes, so if you're going to one of the main events for Japanese guests, musical performances or cosplay contests, be sure to arrive early (especially if you want good seats) because these typically have the longest lines of any of the events.

All of these tips are intended to help you get the most out of going to a convention, but the most important thing is to have fun. Anime conventions are a rare occasion where anime fans of all types come together and celebrate their common interest. Sure, it may attract some "interesting" people (i.e. Man-Faye), but anime conventions offer a unique and fun experience that every anime fan should at least experience once. Good luck planning your trip, and we here at the Anime Academy hope to see you at a convention sometime soon!