The First Time Attendee:
If you have never attended an anime convention before, Sakura-Con would be like jumping into the deep end, but in a good way. There are roughly around 25,000 attendees every year, but it feels like much more than that because of the sheer amount of hype and youthful energy given off by its attendees. The TGYK team was introduced to anime conventions by the ones held in their hometown of Vancouver, which were quite small at the time. So when we decided to drive down to Seattle to check out Sakura-Con for the first time 6 years ago (our first “big” convention), we have yet to have a year where at least 2 of our members has attended this convention. It has become one of our yearly pilgrimages because it holds a special place in our hearts. You will definitely make many treasured memories at this convention.
The Convention Hall: New Anime, New Trends!
Sakura-Con has all the staples of a big convention: cosplay, exhibitors hall, panels, artists alley, celebrity guest signings, etc. So instead of listing the usual content, we decided to make a list of the unusual as well as some helpful tips
exclusive to Sak-Con!
Masquerade Ball!
This one is definitely a show-stopper! Being at convention, there is already a reason to dress up, but now there a reason to dress up LIKE A FANCY PERSON. The Masquerade Ball is a family-friendly, formal, social dance and it usually has a theme that is announced before the convention so you can tailor your outfit accordingly.
Huge Gaming Area!
This is something Theo & Seb use to it’s fullest, not for fighting games or anything competitive, but for rhythm games! It is open 24 hours and all the games are free to play!
Panels!
I know I said we would not touch on the staples of conventions, but there are some instances of cool panels specific to anime conventions such as, AMV contests, Study and Work in Japan panels, and entire day of just mecha model content!
Manga Library!
There is a 24/7 free manga library! It is pretty self-explanatory. You must check in your bag, which makes sense, but free is free! Now get to readin’!
The Nightlife: Surpass Your Limits. Go All night.
We have dubbed this con “The Springtime of Youth Con” because the TGYK Boys always seem to find the strength to party all night long and do it again for 2 more nights. There is no lack of Afterparty events to attend mainly because everyone is looking to have a good time. There is the classic Sakura-Con Rave on Saturday as well as the Kickoff party and Annual Afterparty. If you make friends there is bound to be someone hosting some fun almost every night. Luckily we can classify ourselves as seasoned veterans in the Sakura-Con game and have made great friends willing to host us all nights of the convention. Our biggest problem is deciding which events to attend! Remember to party safely and always have a group you feel safe with or at least a responsible partner in crime!
Cosplay!
Check out our latest Cosplay Spotlight of Sakura Con 2019!
Never feel out of place with your costume, regardless of how obscure it is. I have seen some very specific costumes that I would never have imagined someone would do, but I recognized none-the-less. I am talking about a person I saw cosplaying as the Tales of Symphonia Nintendo Gamecube game case from 2003. That Specific.
