This was my first trip to Chicago and while there were ups and downs I really enjoyed myself. The two things that really stick with me about Chicago are the pizza and the people. The attitude of the people at Anime Central was what the attitude of people at west coast events used to be. I had no trouble getting into conversations with people, I saw no obvious cliques, and everyone was there to have a good time. I enjoyed being there so much that I cannot wait to return to the Midwest for another event.

The one aspect of my trip that bothers me more than anything else is my experience at O’Hare Airport. As a warning to anyone flying into O’Hare the airport is fine, but do not be surprised if there are delays on your flight. This does not influence my perception of the convention, but it is something I will consider while taking my next trip to Chicago. However, I do like the free shuttle to the airport and the airport staff was very friendly and helpful.

The location is great and it has plenty of space for events and programming. Everything is within walking distance and there are plenty of places to go for food. Also the sky bridge is a nice way to get around if you want to avoid dealing with crossing the streets. While there was a large amount of people at the event, I rarely ever felt claustrophobic. The only major problem with the location is that there are often more people that want to attend an event than room at the event. This can only be dealt with by offering overflow space and closed circuit TVs. Sadly, that is a very expensive option and not a very realistic solution to the problem of event attendance versus space.

Anime Central had a great line up for events and panel programming. There were plenty of options to keep attendees busy. The attendees also seemed to enjoy the line up and it was rare to find a panel that had a small audience. In addition convention staff was always close at hand to make sure everything was running smoothly. Due to the way panels were run, I would love to run a panel next year. There was little to no technical problems with the main events and even the late night programming went on without a hitch.

I was very impressed by the quality of the game rooms. Not only was there plenty of space to play table top games, but the extensive video game room and well managed arcade made this a great gaming convention. The video game tournaments brought out a crowd and being able to play some great old school games made my day. There are very few game rooms that compare to the set up at Anime Central.

Another major highlight of the convention was the Hardcore Synergy dance. I have gone to many convention dances (both ballroom and rave) and this was one of the best convention dances I have ever attended. The live DJs were great and had a nice mix of music. I really loved the light show and the addition of ambient visualization screens made the atmosphere for me. Beyond the great work of the dance staff there is also the energy of the attendees. There was a nice groove to the dance and it allowed everyone to have fun and enjoy the show.

The dealer hall and artist alley were both held in the convention center. The artist alley was very big providing many options for the art seeker and quite a bit of competition for the artist. One of the best parts of the dealer hall was the large space between booths. There was more than enough aisle space to accommodate for the numerous attendees at the convention. There was a good variety of booths including: toys, clothes, anime merchandise, and hentai. The size of the hall in addition to the aisle width made this one of the best dealer halls I have seen in years.

I had a very fun time at Anime Central and I finally understand why so many people speak highly of this convention. There was plenty to keep me occupied and the night life is second to none. The staff was very professional and the security was non-invasive and helpful when we needed guidance. I sincerely hope that the crane project was successful and our prayers go out to Japan and everyone affected by the disaster earlier this year.

I would like to thank Patti Gould, Michael for the room, the Anime Central press staff, all who worked on the crane project, everyone at the Sailor Moon and Pokemon gatherings, Michael Sinterniklaas, J. Michael Tatum, and the IRT. No thanks go out to the construction crew that felt it was necessary to be as loud as possible while I worked on this report. If you have comments or questions feel free not to e-mail me (Jared –at- scarlet-rhapsody.com). Until next time give my love to the windy city.

The List:
1. Looks like the world didn’t end
2. Wait, people remember Akira and Bubblegum Crisis?
3. I better not find pictures of me as Austria on the Internet
4. Sane cosplayers, what a nice change!
5. Table top RPGs, let’s rock!
6. Zombies Ate My Neighbors!
7. Note to self: Get a Doctor cosplay
8. Oh my God, pizza!
9. They got Da Capo!
10. Next cosplay: Drunk Russia
11. Midwest ladies, not bad at all.
12. Believe it or not: A well done hentai panel
13. ORD, sigh…
14. High Five
15. This is the energy, the vibe of a convention
16. I should have stayed in Chicago
17. RE: 16 – Or jumped on the flight to Boston
18. GO BULLS!
19. Here’s to the future, here’s to a new world!

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