A few unforeseen things happened this year but not enough to bring down this popular convention
SacAnime has been an event is Sacramento, CA since 2004. It began as a small event in Sunrise Mall with a few guests where fans of Anime could come and hang out, get autographs and have fun. For many years it was at smaller venue known as the Scottish Rite Center and was a two day event. But since then SacAnime has only grown in size to such an extent that two years ago it moved to the Sacramento Convention Center. Here not only is the exhibit hall larger and there are a lot of different guests here for all types of fans to meet and get photos and autographs with them. This year was one of the biggest they have ever had. Here is what this writer thought of SacAnime Summer 2015.
The convention had a lot of different things going on all 3 days. There was a big exhibit hall where people could buy all kinds of memorabilia and signed artwork that was both awesome and intriguing. There were all different kinds of Q and A panels and even had two nights of speed dating. This writer took a peek into the speed dating panel Friday and although wasn’t what was expected it was one of the cooler panels they offered. It was silly at times but the moderator did everything he could to make it fun and it paid off. It was a good place to meet new people, make new connections and find people to hang out with during the festivities going on all weekend.
There was also an Electronik dance that happened Friday and Saturday. It was a bit packed but the music was bumping and DJ Hitomi knew how to work the room. I went to it on Friday and had a ton of fun. There was a variety of music they played and you didn’t need a partner to have a good time. People were never sure what was going to happen here next but it was always a welcome addition. It was the perfect end to a great night and should not have been missed.
There were Futurama panels all 3 days, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Legend of Korra and many others for fans of all ages to enjoy. People had the chance to ask the tough questions and get a better understanding of what this work is like and why these people do it. There was also a chance to learn some great facts about these shows and gave encouragement to anyone who one day wants to be an actor. The panel members had fun and made sure everyone in attendance did as well.
But the best panel of the entire convention was Chillin’ With the Voice Actors. It has become a tradition and has been going on for many years. Jim Cummings the newest voice of Tigger and Winnie the Pooh was there and made this show one of a kind. There was also Zach Aguilar, Erika Harlacher, Erica Lindbeck and Max Mittelman who are all well known voice actors for video games and Anime. All of these actors got together to read War of the Worlds. For those who don’t know this is one of the most famous radio performances ever and in its day caused a huge amount of controversy. These people found a way to turn a tragedy into a hilarious performance that made all in attendance laugh until it hurt. Once it was over they all got a rare standing ovation and people like me wanted more. It was the must see panel this year and was a shame if you missed it.
The closing ceremonies was a great chance for attendees to bring their concerns about what was good and what was bad this year and also was a chance to make suggestions for possible guests for the next show. It ended with a presentation of the winners of the AMV contest which was both beautiful and magical. The categories were drama, comedy, romance and action. There were awards given for first second and third place. I personally want to thank everyone who won this year it was a great finale for an overall good convention.
But it did have a few flaws. There were a number of times where the guests did not show up for a scheduled panel and this did tend to drag the experience down a bit. The volunteers many times were little to no hep when asked where something is or how to get somewhere. The program itself did a poor job of labeling where panels were and this made them an adventure and a nuisance to find. The photographer also cancelled last minute which made it harder to get photos with guests but on the plus side it was cheaper. There were also supposedly many instances of people getting groped which damaged the experience for people and something should be done next year to prevent this from happening so much.
SacAnime this year gets 7/10. It was overall a very fun convention with so much to do and so many opportunities to meet people and make lasting connections. There was never a dull panel and so much to do up into the late hours of the night. There was also an enormous amount of people in cosplay that was original and very well thought out. There were a lot of people there this year and I could tell the majority had an absolute blast. From kids all the way to old people there was something for everyone here to have fun.
If you had fun this year now is the time to sign up for the next SacAnime. It is coming back January 1st-3rd 2016 and will be at the Sacramento Convention Center. There is a good deal on the whole weekend right now and if you register before September 13th you will also get a free VIP upgrade and a discounted stay at the Sheraton. the guest list is still being built but rest assured it will be worth the price of admission. It is a great place to see with the family and meet people you watched on your favorite shows growing up and gives your kids a chance to see them too. Check it out this coming winter you will not regret it.
View the highlights here:
video courtesy of sonicJKevin
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