Anime Weekend Atlanta

So I went to AWA, that's Anime Weekend Atlanta to all of you non-nerds out there, this past Saturday with two of my roommates and I now realize why I didn't go last year. This was my 4th time going to the con and I still could not for the life of me understand why it's so popular. Now I wouldn't mind if it was a free convention like Momo Con, but paying over $35 for one day of lots of bad cosplay, the same four or five "celebrities," and lackluster panels is a practice that is beyond my understanding. Now my roommates and I were able to get free 3-day passes via my school's anime club, so I of course couldn't pass up the chance to look at overpriced anime merchandise, but otherwise I most definitely would have skipped the con a second time.

I did, however, run into a good friend of mine and his girlfriend and younger sisters while my friends and I judged cosplayers as they passed. (As a side note, the phrase "he who judges twice as harshly burns out twice as quickly" comes to mind at this particular point in time.) They were all dressed up and we had a few laughs, but he and aforementioned girlfriend got burned out around noon, they're new to the convention life so I forgave them, and left shortly after. My friends and I hung around for a few more hours, but after walking around the airplane hangar sized dealer's hall about eight times, a run in with an old girlfriend, and lots of bad cosplay we decided to call it quits. I will probably upload a few pictures once I hook my camera up to my computer, but as for now I leave you to Google-ing some for yourselves. Just note that if you're interested in a con, check online to make sure that it will have interesting panels to attend. Walking around amongst masses of people gets tiring very quickly.

To end with a spot of humor though, I find it quite amusing that a huge baby convention takes place at the same place every year as AWA. I can only imagine what those con-goers must be thinking when they see the massive crowd of cross dressers, sword wielders, and generally unusual individuals. I can only hope that they at least reconsider bringing more lives into this crazy world of ours.