Wednesday, June 11, 2014

[Con Review] Anime North 2014 - Better, Faster, More!


Okay, it's been about two and a half weeks or so since we got back from Anime North 2014 and I apologize for the delay in getting this out, but such is the way of it at times. We had a ton of pictures and video to go through as well as a couple of other events since then. Either way, here we are and finally ready to get this out there!

This year's event, like always, was held mainly at the Toronto Congress Centre and International Plaza Hotel in Toronto, Canada. There are events in the other hotels such as the Radisson and Marriott, but the bulk of it is right across the street from each other. I could easily have a team of 10 people and still not get to everything, so as always, here's the take on what we did see at Anime North 2014.

Since this was our second year, we had a much better idea of the lay of the land and the chaos of it all wasn't nearly as daunting as it was in 2013. That said, there's still so much to see that it can seem overwhelming at times, but we just took it easy and did everything that we could and didn't sweat the small stuff. With a convention like this, it's pretty much the best attitude to have.

That said, we didn't get up onto the site until about 11pm on Friday this year. However, it was just in time to grab something to eat and to catch +Pete Ellison for his headlining set on the Otakubaloo stage, but more on that later. Either way, we still enjoyed the rest of Friday night, all of Saturday and Sunday as well.

What you see to the left is the first real glimpse of this year's event, outside of the hordes of cosplayers still out and about, that we got to witness. We still love the chaos and festival atmosphere this con gives, it's truly one of a kind.

Recommendation: Seriously, if you haven't gone yet, you just need to. Last year's event was great and while there were a few short comings in the way the dealers room were set up, they more than made up for it this year. There are a lot of improvements all over and they continue to try and make the event better each year for attendees. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but they'll keep trying until they get it right. We love this contention so much that we're already making plans to cover and attend next year already!

Dislcaimer: We were invited to attend Anime North 2014 as media, which means we get comped badges and priority access to certain events and locations so we can cover them. This is no way influences our opinions or ideas about the event, just makes it a lot easier to do what we do!

If you're looking for our pictures from this year's event, you can check them out right here or on the Con Review page!

Now, with that out of the way, let's get on with the review!

Anime North is a huge event, and is impossible to really describe just how big it is. However, take this into consideration. The convention takes place not only in the Toronto Congress Centre and International Plaza hotels, but also the Marriott, Radisson, Crowne Plaza and Sheraton hotels. That's on top of the outdoor areas in the Congress Centre parking lot. There's a lot to see and do here, but be prepared as some locations are farther apart from others. 

Pete Ellison rocking Otakubaloo!
One of the first things that we noticed this year was that the outdoor rave area, Otakubaloo, was fenced off. This was definitely a departure from last year. Not only that, but the stage was flipped around and facing away from Dixon Road as well. That likely had something to do with the noise bouncing off hotels, at least it seems the best reason. So while the fence dampers the festival atmosphere that was there last year, keeping this space a little more controlled and only for congoers is not a bad thing at all. You just don't need the problems that can come with just anyone showing up.

While Friday night was a bit light for us, we did manage to snag all of Pete Ellison's set on video and a ton of pictures as well (coming soon on that, I promise!). His sets are definitely one of the highlights for us and anyone that loves Kpop and just great music in general. His energy on stage is infectious. So, if Pete's at a convention you're going to, don't miss it! You wont' be disappointed at all.

Speaking of the Otakubaloo stage, run by the folks from Atomic Lollipop, it's probably one of our favorite areas at night and while that's not all that goes on there, it's definitely great to see. We love that a convention takes a risk by going outside of the norm and doing new things and it's truly one of the more unique things about Anime North as a whole.

Also on Friday night is the formal Moonlight Ball, a separate ticketed dinner and dancing event, and the skit competition as well. We've managed to miss both of these during each of our visits to the convention, but we're hoping that the third time is a charm and next year we'll get a chance to hit them up for some pictures and video.

The Dealer's Room (Where's Waldo?!)
Okay, so Saturday marked our return to the convention and right off the bat we headed to check out what was going on in the Congress Centre itself. Having looked at all of the maps and schedule in our hotel the night before, we saw a few things that we were eager to see first hand. First up? Artist Alley and the Dealers Room.

Holy crap was this a major improvement from last year. Not only did it feel bigger, but there multiple stages with events going on as well as smaller performance areas too. This was great to see and seemed like a popular addition with many others.

Overall, the whole area was far more easily navigated and despite the weird placement of the exit from the dealers room and the trouble getting to it at times due to crowd jamming a bit, it was a massive upgrade to last year's experience. There also seemed to be more vendors and way more artists present as well. Maybe there were or it was just the organization being better, hard to tell, but it was great to see. Another thing we noticed was that all of the artists were grouped by type and large signs helped let you know what area you were in. Definitely a nice touch and I hope that it comes back next year.

That said, there wasn't nearly as much overlap as there was last year between vendors and artists. A ton of different things were around every corner, waiting to be discovered. This was just another improvement and whether the convention staff diversified their selection a bit or the vendors and artists did it themselves, we do don't know. Either way, it was great to see and made wandering through the area a lot more enjoyable too.

Oh, before I forget, major kudos to all the artists and dealers out there that had credit card readers. That was one of our major gripes last year and made buying things so much easier this year for not only us, but many others!

Japanese Street Food (pic from 2013)
New organization and easier access seemed to be the hallmark of the entire weekend. Not only that, but there were more on location food options outside the Congress Centre too. The addition of food trucks throughout the parking lot was definitely a nice touch and a very welcome departure from just having the small collection of restaurants next door. That said, even the International Plaza had all of their food offerings opened too. However, they could learn a thing or two. They're very expensive and offering a few set menus at lower prices might help. They were dead and with what they were charging, it wasn't hard to see why.

As usual, we stopped off for some of the Japanese street food that one of the hotel restaurants puts out and it was delicious as usual. This is a great option for congoers who want to try something different than the pizza and hot dog offerings that the hotel provides in the same area. It's also cheaper at that. So, be a little adventurous and try something new when you need a pick me up, it's worth it and don't let the line fool ya, it moves fast!

After a spot of lunch and a few beers, we spent the rest of the day wandering about and snagging pictures from the scheduled photo shoots and hall cosplay. There's a ton of it out there and everything is printed right there in the convention guide to help you figure out where you need to be to catch it all. Speaking of the guide, Anime North also uses the Guidebook app for those wanting to download and keep track of things on their phone or tablet as well. We've used it both years here and at other conventions and it really is a great service to have. So, check it out if you haven't!

The big event for Saturday is the Saturday Night Masquerade, there's no question about that. However, due to limited space, get wrist bands for this one early as there's always a line and many don't get in to the room to witness the spectacle of it all. Emceed by Gravely Macabre of Castle Blood (thanks for the shout out btw!), this 2 hour cosplay spectacle is nothing short of amazing. There's always great workmanship and some of the contestants use their 60 seconds in pretty amusing ways.

Just about time for the Masquerade!
That said, this year did seem a little down on the "over the top, wow" type of costuming. Sure, there was a ton of great stuff as always, but with Costume Con being held in Toronto just two weeks before many seemed to tone it down or skip it this year. Hopefully that changes next year for some of the local big guns.

However, one thing that I still can't understand is why doesn't this ever start on time? I mean they managed to finish on time, but it always seems to start late. At least this year they didn't have the seating issue! Maybe next year it'll all run smoothly?

Seeing how it was closing in on midnight, we did a last minute cruise through the hallways for some more cosplay pictures and then decided to pack it in in for the night. Sadly we missed The 404's performance, but after the masquerade and everything else, we were pretty spent. Speaking of them, everyone that I talked to that was there, loved it and hopefully they'll be back next year so we can catch their performance!

Never know what you'll see outside on Sunday!
As usual Sunday was spent almost entirely outside checking out all of the amazing cosplay that was on display. Last year we did the same thing and it's a great way to unwind from the madness of the previous days and having no schedule is a great thing. Just wandering about the parking lot and outdoor areas just seems like the right way to end things.

Sure, we stopped into the dealers room again for some last minute shopping deals, but mostly it was spent outdoors.

In the end, we had a great time at Anime North 2014 and we once again are already planning our trip for 2015. There are a few quirks here and there that could use some brushing up and polish, but overall the entire weekend runs smoothly and with little issue. While we had a couple of problems pop up, they were either unique to our situation or not the convention staff's area. Either way, this is one convention that simply must be attended. From the chaos of the Otakubaloo stage at night, Moonlight Ball, Skit and Masquerade and the insane number of panels and other events, if you can't find something you want to do there's just no hope for you.

If we missed something that you're curious out, feel free to check out the review from last year's event and hopefully next year we'll get to cover even more!

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