ANIME CON 2009

ipsofacto · Post by **ipsofacto** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:49 pm

Well to start I have to say that without a doubt, our trip to the 2009 Boston anime con was a complete failure! First off I thoroughly checked the website to make sure that the guests would be signing and the website gave the days and hours along with a guest list. I am an avid convention attendee and I know the routines. Anyway, I decided to drive my wonderful 14 year old niece the 6 hours to Boston just so she could obtain an autograph from "Travis." Upon arriving we found a great parking spot and entered the building with ease. I was great to see how secure the building was. We then continued to the line to pay for admission and then entered the convention. It was very early so we decided to walk around and try to make a game plan for the day. As I said before, she only wanted to get an autograph so we tried to occupy ourselves until they started signing. Here's the trouble..... We asked the 2nd floor "help desk staff" where and when "Travis" would be signing today, (Being Sunday) and they told us the room number and time. Great we thought. We would walk around a bit and sight see then wait in line to get the autograph and head back home. So we did just that... we found the room after looking at some art in the gallery and proceeded to form a line as we were the first one's there at 1 and a half hours early! After about 30 minutes another "fan" joined our line. Not only was it hard to wait that long but now we are being bombarded with craziness from a starstruck fan who would not stop talking to us. Her language was extremely vulgar and she seemed almost the fatal attraction type. My niece was happy to be there for the autograph but it was getting very hard to deal with our new occupant. By vulgar language I mean really nasty and especially not for the ears of a 14 year old girl. F' this F' that every word had to start with F**king this or F**cking that including the sexual acts which she described she would love to do to some of the anime writer. We were on the verge of vomiting. After induring a further hour in line with her, we start to get threats about not having a ticket to be in line? I can't get anyone to explain what they mean by a ticket... others are now joining the line and whispering about us not having tickets... etc etc. Finally a staff member walks over after seeing us in line several times and since the line has started to grow, he proceeds to now to use his authority to tell us that we can't be waiting in line like this. 30 minutes before the signing is supposed to begin! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? He walked by us for the last hour and NEVER SAID A WORD! I ask him if he can explain the whole ticket thing to me and he informs me that the line I am in is for people with overflow tickets from the night before who didn't get a chance to get an autograph but were in line. No biggie , so they get to go first right... ok. That's fair enough. Well then he begins to tell us that we can't even get an autograph because we don't have tickets from the night before... WHAT!!!! Then he also tells us that "Travis isn't signing in this room" WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!! We ask him where he will be and he just replies, "I don't know, go ask the help desk!" At this point I am really getting frustrated! SO we step out of the head of the line after waiting for an hour and proceed BACK to the help desk and try to get everything straight with what is going on! We are then told a different and very disappointing saga. "Travis isn't signing today, the only autographs happening are the overflow from Saturday and you would have to have tickets." I told them I had just asked them an hour or so ago and they told us the room number where Travis would be and such. He proceeded to apologize and then quickly turned his attention to the next lost soul behind me trying to ask a question. I waited until everyone was helped then lost it. I asked them why this information was NOT posted on the website! I drove all this way to bring my niece for an autograph and he isn't even here today!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! NOWHERE on the web page did it give hours or days of the autographing, just the days and hours they would be operating. Even in brochure they gave you upon entrance,was lacking details. I was and still am furious! I wasted all that time and money to drive all that way for what I thought would be an amazing birthday gift to my niece just to get slapped in the face by a bunch of scatterbrained staff members who couldn't tell me anything useful! I have never felt so used in my life. I spent a lot of money there and to get there just to find out that the only reason we came was non existent! VERY VERY LAME on the part of whoever put the lousy convention together. If the locals had a great time, that's wonderful, but they also had the advantage of being near where as I drove 6 hours to get there. I am very disappointed and will NEVER ATTEND this convention again. I will make sure everyone knows how awful our experience was so that someone does not make the same mistake as we did.

TinyLittleTohru · Post by **TinyLittleTohru** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:25 pm

You really should have asked around. Alot of the sunday signings are overflow.

Next time, don't rant. Calmly explain.

Hinamori_Momo · Post by **Hinamori_Momo** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:45 pm

The schedules tend to change often so signings and panels change from anywhere to a different hour or day. Ask people around you, we know whats going on most of the time. As for the women, did you ask her to stop? Having a young niece with you I can understand why you were so upset on this.
Im sorry you had such a bad time, Anime Boston is one of the high lights of mine and my sisters year and it really is a great experience!

SimplyRose · Post by **SimplyRose** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:54 pm

From reading your story, I understand your frustration, but for one thing I would like to point out that Anime Boston does not guarantee autographs to every attendee. In fact, only the first 100 people in line are actually guaranteed an autograph. Now, to address the first part of your complaint about the attendee with "vulgar language", this is hardly an issue with the convention but rather the conduct of a few individuals who attend this convention. Although I'm sorry you had a bad experience with one fan who didn't know basic etiquette, you should know that you find these kinds of people all over the world, not just at Anime Boston. Secondly, as far as the staff working at the Help Desk, it seems that there was a little mix-up about locations and quite frankly, human error is bound to occur plus going off on a staff member hardly helps anyone. The fact that you arrived on Sunday (when most autograph sessions are overflow anyway) and then proceeded to condemn the whole convention due to the fact that you didn't get an autograph (that quite frankly you were never guaranteed in the first place) is more than a little ridiculous. The whole issue about not knowing that you weren't supposed to line up until 30 minutes before a signing is also clearly stated in the rules (which can be found on page 15 of the convention booklet) as well as the whole ticket system. In short, although I understand your frustrations over putting a lot of time and money into attending Anime Boston, I'm somewhat surprised that you yourself didn't look into the autograph signings more. I mean if that was the whole reason for your visit, it simply seems natural that you would familiarize yourself with the convention rules on the matter and also check to make sure that you knew when the autograph sessions were going to be. (Plus autograph sessions are known to change if a guest has to change plans due to travel or otherwise and these changes aren't often put straight onto the site when the convention is in full-swing). Anyways, I just wanted to point out those little bits and I hope that you might reconsider your decision to never attend Anime Boston ever again based on one mishap on the last day of the convention.
-A fellow fan and attendee

(P.S. - Sorry if I overstepped my boundaries here in regards to whether or not this should have been handled by a staff member.)

drorain · Post by **drorain** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:22 am

i can understand ipsofacto's frustration because of the drive, it is a problem if the help desk can't really extend the help they are supposed to give, and directions/time are the most rudimentary of the jobs given at the desk. I don't know that chastising ipso on the process is really going to help the situation either, I understand that the website is going to be reworked, and a better schedule online might be something worth looking at.

Sunday is quiet enough that even being in line that early I think someone could have made concessions for her and the niece, especially since help desk screwed up on them.

Post by **Siefl** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:50 am

What did you expect out of a con? Its a huge place with lots of events that can have some malfunctions in the timing. Travis was singing saturday btw. for the girls who were swearing, you couldve said something. Its barely a problem at the con, its free speech here. You ARE the guardian of your niece during that time, and the staff n schedual was whacky. It didnt change much from last year cept less anime watching panels, and more workshops. -well to me-. Exposing a 14 year old? I dont think if anyone else saw that marching group of 10 year olds trying to get a hentai book or sneaking into the older panels. -dont look up hentai DX- and for the line ticket part...LOTS of people got booted from the auto graph line for no reason. my friend was one of them because she wasnt touching the wall >.>. you shouldve made a complaint to the staff, if you could. Sorry for your bad expirence btw.
~A fellow cosplayer

Kusuguru Usagi · Post by **Kusuguru Usagi** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:30 pm

[quote=SimplyRose]Secondly, as far as the staff working at the Help Desk, it seems that there was a little mix-up about locations and quite frankly, human error is bound to occur plus going off on a staff member hardly helps anyone. The fact that you arrived on Sunday (when most autograph sessions are overflow anyway) and then proceeded to condemn the whole convention due to the fact that you didn't get an autograph (that quite frankly you were never guaranteed in the first place) is more than a little ridiculous. The whole issue about not knowing that you weren't supposed to line up until 30 minutes before a signing is also clearly stated in the rules (which can be found on page 15 of the convention booklet) as well as the whole ticket system. In short, although I understand your frustrations over putting a lot of time and money into attending Anime Boston, I'm somewhat surprised that you yourself didn't look into the autograph signings more. I mean if that was the whole reason for your visit, it simply seems natural that you would familiarize yourself with the convention rules on the matter and also check to make sure that you knew when the autograph sessions were going to be. (Plus autograph sessions are known to change if a guest has to change plans due to travel or otherwise and these changes aren't often put straight onto the site when the convention is in full-swing).[/quote]

First, I just want to say to ipso facto that I'm very sorry to hear you had a bad experience when you came to AB.

I just wanted to mention, that on the forum here, the days/times of the autograph sessions were posted in this thread here:

showtopic.php?tid/8076/

Also, in response to SimplyRose's reply, RE autograph session times changing if a guest has to change his/her plans, yes, I remember, I think it was last year, when my boyfriend and I were waiting for autographs for Mike Sinterniklaas & Monica Rial on a Saturday, one of the security people announced while we were waiting in line that it was going to be Monica Rial only. It turned out Mike had a layover, and his session was re-scheduled for the next morning (Sunday).

And, this year, I remember, on Sunday I got confused RE the FMA: The Symbolism Of Alchemy panel. When Sean & I went upstairs to where the panel was scheduled, it showed on the board that an Evangelion movie was scheduled instead. So, we went to the info desk, and I inquired about it. They told me it really IS supposed to be the FMA panel, and they apologized for the confusion. In fact, when we went back up to the location of the panel, a short while later, a staffer came by and corrected the board by crossing out the Evangelion movie & changing it to the FMA panel.

Fetch · Post by **Fetch** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:47 pm

Going to a 3 day con on the last day? Bad Idea.
The 2nd day is always the best day to go if you can only go for 1 day, since it is usually the only full day (1st day doesn't usually start til afternoon, 3rd day usually ends by 6pm)

RC · Post by RC » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:45 pm

*blink* Well, I like the convention and the best day is always Saturday...

...but goodluck with that...

Post by Vu » Sun Jul 12, 2009 6:34 pm

[quote=ipsofacto]Not only was it hard to wait that long but now we are being bombarded with craziness from a starstruck fan who would not stop talking to us.[/quote]

[quote=ipsofacto]By vulgar language I mean really nasty and especially not for the ears of a 14 year old girl. F' this F' that every word had to start with F**king this or F**cking that including the sexual acts which she described she would love to do to some of the anime writer. We were on the verge of vomiting.[/quote]
Did you ask this fan to stop talking to you, as it made you uncomfortable? And did you let them know that your niece is fourteen years old and did not need to hear that type of language?

If you did and they did not stop, feel very free to get the help from a Staff member and they will assist you. This is for future reference.

In addition, I would advise to not go on Sundays of any convention. Most conventions use Sunday afternoon as a time to breakdown and cleanup as the convention comes to a close. Even for autographs, some of our Guests had to leave early to catch a plane, i.e. Troy Baker. Most of our Autograph sessions take place on Friday and Saturday.

Yes, your case was most unfortunate, but insulting the Staff will not be tolerated. You said that you are "an avid convention attendee and [you] know the routines," yet you did not read our Autograph Policy, which was accessible on our website and in the Program Guide.

I do apologize for your experience at Anime Boston 2009. The times for the Autograph sessions with our Guests were accidentally left out of the Con Chowder. This will be fixed for next year. We do hope that you may reconsider and attend in the future. If not, then good luck and I hope you enjoy the other conventions!

Zigfried · Post by **Zigfried** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:57 am

Also, if you were checking the website for updates on the schedule on Friday and Saturday, you wouldn't have seen anything under any circumstances. All staff is on site a few days before the con for setup, leaving no one to maintain the site. This is clearly stated all across the site and forums.