[Sir Gibby]

In two short weeks, ACen 2012 will be here! As I have been since I started going back in '06, I am pumped, jazzed, excited, and ready for this convention! And sitting around thinking about the things I'm excited for, I started to wonder about you, my fellow con-goer, was excited about most for this year. Are you a newbie, and just can't wait for the overall experience? Do you rock the photo shoots and can't wait to see all the new costumes this year? Is there a special piece of swag you hope to score in the dealers room? Or do you just like chillin' in the viewing rooms watching anime with your fellow aficionados?

Share what you're most excited for this year at the convention! Who knows, maybe someone will share something we've never thought to do at the con before?

[skinnyneko]

I can't wait to buy many many things, meet new people, and see all the cosplays and take a bunch of pictures.

[KirbyFanOne]

For it to be over. I'll explain why.

For lots of people, this is probably their first time going, and the select handful who have probably lasted all 15 years of Anime Central's existence. While I can easily relate to those fresh-faced attendees, I've gotten to the point that I can't fathom going to the same con for 15 straight years. And for all intents and purposes I won't.

I'm not entirely familiar with ACen's 15/100ths of a century's worth of history, but it's been in the same place all 5 times I've gone, seemingly attracting the same people year in and year out. As a man currently living in the middle of a cultural wasteland, anybody I meet and talk with dare not be from near where I currently reside. For the time being, after this I need to find another con to spend my time with.

That's not to say I'm going to make it absolutely suck; I'm going to do everything in my power to enjoy myself but ACen represents to me chapters in my life that are bookmarked. It will be nice for me to move on and start living a new life in a new place and meet new faces that (hopefully) won't live 300 miles away from me, and allow me to continue reading this book called life with a lightened mind o3o

[vipstancecom]

Are there really that many people from far away that are attending? I don't know. It's my first year. I'm just hoping there will be something Initial D related over there. Otherwise, this is sort of my long needed vacation away from regular life.

[dorkatlarge]

Regarding con plans and expectations...

* Definitely looking forward to Artist Alley.
* Will browse dealers room, but won't be spending all that much. I need to have money for mortgage, car maintenance, and other needs.
* Will attend photoshoots, but I will strive to pace myself. Last year I got awfully tired from walking.
* I'll make efforts to spend time talking to people at the con.

Over the last few years, I've spent a good amount of time every spring preparing for / anticipating ACen. It can certainly be an enjoyable weekend. But I shouldn't stress myself about it. And my expectations going in tend to be a bit too high. (For a comparison point, see MLP:FIM episode 26, "The Best Night Ever.")

[Mullenkamp]

Looking forward to Tiger & Bunny photoshoots, and cosplaying Get Backers again. I cosplayed from Get Backers way back at my first ACen, in 2003, so it's all nostalgic, even if I'm doing it with a whole new group of people this time. And Tiger & Bunny is the first anime I've really truly loved since that time, and I discovered it the WEEK AFTER last year's ACen... have cosplayed it at every other con I've been to in the last year, and met awesome people and had so much fun at photoshoots, so I know it'll be a blast at ACen too. =)

(Also hoping against hope that the dealer's room will have SOMEONE with a S.H. Figuarts Wild Tiger. I've managed to nab Barnaby, Rock Bison, and Sky High - but I still need my dorky Tiger!)

[HarajukuGirl]

This year for me, I can't wait to meet my bf friend from new york. I will be cosplaying and have tons of fun. Its gonna be me, my friend, bf and his friend in my hotel room. I love going to anime cons. I have been to nekocon and sakura con so yeah I have traveled alot.

[Sapphy]

ARTIST ALLEY!

It'll be my first year running a table there and I likely won't get to see much of the rest of the convention, but I haven't been this pumped for ACen in YEARS. In addition to running the table I can't wait to really browse Artists' Alley myself--In past years I'd always hit the dealer's room first and spend too much of my spending money, so I would never have cash leftover for the Alley.

I've already got a few tables scoped out that I'm going to be stopping by, which may not be good for my wallet but will make me very happy. :3

Quote

I've gotten to the point that I can't fathom going to the same con for 15 straight years. And for all intents and purposes I won't.

I'm not entirely familiar with ACen's 15/100ths of a century's worth of history, but it's been in the same place all 5 times I've gone, seemingly attracting the same people year in and year out. As a man currently living in the middle of a cultural wasteland, anybody I meet and talk with dare not be from near where I currently reside.

This comes off as being pretty cynical and I hope this year you find more enjoyment from the convention and the people it attracts. I completely understand having to take a break from the convention having drifted away from it a little bit myself. Until last year I had attended every Anime Central but for a few years had kind of stagnated in how I enjoyed the con. After taking a year break last year, I am pumped to be back and I think taking the break was a good part of why I'm excited about the con again.

You only get as much enjoyment from the con (or anything, really) as what you put in--if you're only doing something out of routine or tradition, then it's bound to become tiresome and droll.

I do hope you have fun at the convention. Try something you haven't really done before! Strike up conversation with people you don't know, or go to panels/events you normally wouldn't go to. You might surprise yourself!

[Monica Rial #1 Fan]

Well this will be my first con, and what I'm most looking forward to is meeting some of my favorite voice actors and actresses in the flesh. Very excited to get to meet the people behind the voices. Most notably...


Brina Palencia
Chris Cason
Christopher Sabat
Johnny Yong Bosh
Ian Sinclair
Jamie Marchi
Joel McDonald
Mike McFarland
Todd Haberkorn
Vic Mignogna

That and seeing what anime I can find and pick up, that may be rare and hard to find elsewhere.

[Iris]

For me it's mostly not having to work and getting to go on 'vacation'. It only happens like once a year so it's always a treat. The 4 hour drive, the whole 'hotel room experience', and playing around in the pool/getting to hang out with friends that I don't get to see often is as exciting for me as the actual convention.

Convention wise though I'm excited to see some excellent cosplay (Acen is always a step up from the small conventions I go to when it comes to people that go all out with their costumes) and maybe snag a good deal in the artist alley or dealers room.

[Nara]

I'm looking forward to showing a couple of con virgins around...and keeping them in line. I love my friends to death! I'd sacrifice a small pig for them, (and they know how much i love pigs) but they are a rowdy and not very tamable bunch. I guess i'll be playing the roles of "mommy/leader" the whole weekend.

But i'm pretty sure we'll have some fun and avoid a situation that involves IRT having to step in.

[Ashori]

I'm looking forward to the three days away from work and the normal stresses of life, since I'll be with my best friends and at my favorite place on the planet. XD

I'm definitely looking forward to running my first panel, hoping to complete more of my anime and manga collection by shopping around for deals in the Dealer's Room, collect more buttons in the Artist's Alley, act as the funny substitute "mom" for my friend (it's a joke we have from last year when she attended for the first time last year and her mom told her to stay with me at all times), and pretty much just have a good time. XD

[KirbyFanOne]

Sapphy, on 14 April 2012 - 08:43 AM, said:

I do hope you have fun at the convention. Try something you haven't really done before! Strike up conversation with people you don't know, or go to panels/events you normally wouldn't go to. You might surprise yourself!

Cynical yes, but as I stated it's a problem I and only I have to face alone. I think maybe I just need new people to hang out with at this thing because there were some personal things that happened and right now it's in that awkward territory for me.

I also don't cosplay as many characters, mostly now due to money constrictions. Been trying to think of characters I really really like and how to do them effectively and on the low cost side, but I'm okay with who I dress up as right now. Just kind of disappointing not finding many people who dress up as characters I really like now.

I do thank you for the words of encouragement. Like I said I'm going to make sure ACen doesn't flat out suck eggs like it did last year. If that means I have to go travel around alone for a couple of times, so be it. I like being unrestrained.

[woozle]

Artist Alley (i didn't spend as much time there as i would have liked last year), a few panels, and the dealer's room. Also looking forward to getting pictures of photoshoots and just having a good time in general

[STVO]

I could write paragraphs of what I'm excited for but in short: friends, cosplays (both mine and others), The Crystal Ball, lots of laughs, and even the last day of the con because a group of friends and I will be going in cosplay to the WWE event.

P.S. Have fun everyone!

This post has been edited by STVO: 15 April 2012 - 10:57 PM

[Kii]

Looking forward to:-Meeting a couple guests-Getting a few items I've been looking for in the dealer's room-Taking plenty of pictures-Photoshoots-Seeing old friends and making new ones
Can't wait, guys!

[rondo]

I'm excited to be on vacation and to get the heck out of central Ohio for a little while.

[Ekqo]

Mullenkamp, on 14 April 2012 - 07:39 AM, said:

Looking forward to Tiger & Bunny photoshoots, and cosplaying Get Backers again. I cosplayed from Get Backers way back at my first ACen, in 2003, so it's all nostalgic, even if I'm doing it with a whole new group of people this time. And Tiger & Bunny is the first anime I've really truly loved since that time, and I discovered it the WEEK AFTER last year's ACen... have cosplayed it at every other con I've been to in the last year, and met awesome people and had so much fun at photoshoots, so I know it'll be a blast at ACen too. =)

(Also hoping against hope that the dealer's room will have SOMEONE with a S.H. Figuarts Wild Tiger. I've managed to nab Barnaby, Rock Bison, and Sky High - but I still need my dorky Tiger!)

I, too, am REALLY hoping that Tiger will be there! The only piece of official merch I have is the poster from the Shonen Jump magazine, which I don't even really care for since I don't actually like Katsura's artwork. I really want Tiger...! But I've never bought a figure before so I have no idea how much it'll be. ;____;

As for the con, I'm excited about the people since I'm not really into panels~. After seeing some of the stuff in the threads, I fear the Artist Alley will be a dangerous place for me if there isn't a Tiger figure in sight...........

I'm hoping people will come draw with us, too. (:

[DioxideIL]

Above all else, making friends. I am also looking forward to a couple of panels, hanging out in the tabletop gaming area and shopping the artist alley/vendor areas.

[SeikoMiwarui]

I'm excited for all the merch, some photoshoots, meeting up with some con friends, actually going to panels this year and also actually going to see some guests.

Oh, and photobombing the crap out of people if I manage to find some cardboard and white paper. I'm going to be making some background people Haha.

[Mullenkamp]

Ekqo, on 16 April 2012 - 08:14 AM, said:

I, too, am REALLY hoping that Tiger will be there! The only piece of official merch I have is the poster from the Shonen Jump magazine, which I don't even really care for since I don't actually like Katsura's artwork. I really want Tiger...! But I've never bought a figure before so I have no idea how much it'll be. ;____;

As for the con, I'm excited about the people since I'm not really into panels~. After seeing some of the stuff in the threads, I fear the Artist Alley will be a dangerous place for me if there isn't a Tiger figure in sight...........

I'm hoping people will come draw with us, too. (:

I think they had ONE Tiger figure at Youma last year... for $100. I know the folks who bought it. XD It's going for about $80 on Amazon these days, but I've gotten the other figures for around $50-60 (suggested retail price for the S.H. Figuarts is $59.99), so I'm hoping maybe the price at-con will have come down on him too. If he can be found at-con at all... I've not seen the figure at a con since then. Except on one table in Katsu's artist alley, which had him riding a hippo figurine for no apparent reason. XD

[Defyplums]

Like most of us, looking forward to some vacation time from the job and the sweet little kid. I'm really excited about the Artist's Alley and Masquerade. Can't wait to see the hallway cosplay. It's just nice to be around people who are as excited and passionate about the nerdy things you are, even if it's just once a year (I mean, can you imagine trying to talk to the people you work with about this stuff? I'm an insurance underwriter...nuff said!)

[Gabichox]

Looking forward to photshoots
and LM.C
Also hanging around with my friends since we haven't been able to hang out for a while.

[Ekqo]

Mullenkamp, on 16 April 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

I think they had ONE Tiger figure at Youma last year... for $100. I know the folks who bought it. XD It's going for about $80 on Amazon these days, but I've gotten the other figures for around $50-60 (suggested retail price for the S.H. Figuarts is $59.99), so I'm hoping maybe the price at-con will have come down on him too. If he can be found at-con at all... I've not seen the figure at a con since then. Except on one table in Katsu's artist alley, which had him riding a hippo figurine for no apparent reason. XD

Wow! That gives me hope then; if I can't find him at Acen, maybe I'll just buy online, eh? This is good, because I'd rather buy things I can only get at a con (like.......fanart of Kotetsu! Fufufufufu). Thanks for the tidbit

[Grimmons]

My best friend comes in from Toronto to hang out with me and go to acen. It's easily one of the best times of the entire year for me. These next few days are going to be the longest EVER.

[Sayuri-chan]

EyeShine & LMC. I missed Eyeshine's concert back when they were at Youmacon, and I don't want to miss them again. LMC is just the win on the cake. My big moment this year though is going to meet Chris Sabat. (KUWABARA!!) The YYH fangirl in me is quite pleased. Generally though just getting the heck out of northern Indiana and getting to go to Mitsuwa, and eat sushi with friends makes the trip worth it.

[SprinklePuff]

I'm excited for EVERYTHING! Especially the AP tea party.

[TheStrongJaeger]

Video Game Orchestra is one of the big things I'm wanting to go to this year. Other than that the usual seeing friends from out of town, neat panels, dealers room and wacky late night hijinks.

[YoungBirdcall]

TheStrongJaeger, on 17 April 2012 - 04:27 PM, said:

seeing friends from out of town, neat panels, dealers room and wacky late night hijinks

THIS

[A True Elsewhere]

People watching/cosplay watching yet again!
Photoshoots to practice with my photography!
Seeing my best friend's Metroid Samus suit cosplay~~
LM.C concert! Last year Flow was soooooo much fun... And I like LM.C too!
Dealer's room, although I'm trying to tell myself not to buy anything...
Seeing great, kind people everywhere. <3

Yaaay acen!