Another year in the books at Anime Weekend Atlanta, celebrating their 30th year of Anime fandom fun, Christmas style!
Although I didn't go on all four days (I went on a Saturday), I had a wonderful time!
Anime Weekend Atlanta has become my yearly end-of-year convention, and I like to attend with my daughter Lauren to end the year with a bang!
Thankfully, Lauren was able to attend, as it was hard to get off during the holiday season. I'll share my displeasure with the timing of this convention in a moment.
Since they moved the venue to the Georgia World Congress Center, I appreciate their effort to improve space and hosting capacity, which I think benefits everyone.
I still think it was a smart move given the space and the ability to host more events.
There was never a dull moment at the con!
In a way, it felt like a smaller MomoCon, but Anime Weekend Atlanta stands out because it mainly focuses on anime, making it a must-visit for dedicated fans.
Lauren and I had a game plan before attending the convention. We downloaded the Guidebook app, marked the panels we wanted to participate in, and arrived at the convention early.
But not early enough to get to our first panel on time, since we still needed to buy tickets. I highly suggest buying tickets online in advance to save time and avoid long lines, though the lines moved quickly.
The first panel we attended was Forty, Fifty, Sixty Years Ago: Anime 1965, 1975, 1985, which looked back at Japanese animation over the years and how it shaped anime today. We also learned which creators of the eras are still with us today.
Even though we arrived late, it was fascinating to see how anime animation evolved.
And, what was even cooler was seeing the person conducting the panel was one of the founders of Anime Weekend Atlanta! What an honor! Check out Dave Merrill's blog here, as he shares about anime classics.
There were so many great panels this year that they overlapped with the ones we wanted to go to. Here are the ones we managed to attend:
- Game That Tune- Video Game Music Trivia
- Is Your Favorite Anime Character Going to Jail?!
- Dance Royale: THE MAIN EVENT
- The Anime Weekend Atlanta Burlesque Show! How The Grinch Got Isekai'd
- Great Anime Titles You May Have Overlooked Year 3!
Oh, and guess what!
We went to our first Burlesque show! With Lauren now an adult, we can participate in events for a more mature audience.
I'm thankful that it was tastefully done, because it had me worried for a moment since I'm not into this kind of show.
You know we can't go to a convention without attending the vendor hall! Usually, it is our first stop, but with so many good panels this year, it was one of our midday stops.
What I noticed with the vendors this year was once again high prices.
I asked a vendor about business, and he shared that the timing of the convention, just before Christmas, is hurting sales and attendance, which I understand can be frustrating.
Having the convention a week before Christmas is hurting vendors due to fewer attendees, higher booth rent, and higher hotel prices, so they have to pass those costs on to attendees.
If you're looking for low price anime merch, I suggest checking out Amazon and eBay.
This is why I do not like that Anime Weekend Atlanta is held during the holidays. Many of the attendees are young adults who work jobs that don't allow time off during the busiest shopping season of the year.
I wish it would return to the Halloween schedule again; however, it is not in Anime Weekend Atlanta's control, and the dates depends on what is available that year.
But, I see 2026 will be November 19th-22nd. Not during Christmas, but unfortunately right before Thanksgiving! Ugh! It's like they can't catch a break!
As long as Lauren can get the day off, we will be in attendance!
I'm grateful that Anime Weekend Atlanta offers more PG-rated options at night, giving families like ours safe and fun late-night activities.
Could be because of the new venue, or AWA didn't want all the ruckus anymore, but whatever the case may be, thank you! It gives families late-night options for fun things, too.
Job well done, Anime Weekend Atlanta crew! We look forward to many years to come!
Make sure to check out the first year we attended Anime Weekend Atlanta, back in 2017, when it was held at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel and Cobb Galleria Centre.
No comments: