8,407 · 3:06pm Aug 5th, 2013
...that's how many attendees were at Bronycon this year. Over double the amount from last year, with 6,049 showing up just for preregistration on Thursday. And the best part is, I got to be a part of the whoooole thing ^^"
I've been to many an anime convention, since I'm just as much an anime fan as I am a brony. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I figured it'd be pretty much like any convention I've been to thus far. Watching people meet up, wandering from place to place nonstop, walking around the dealers room without any money on hand just so I wouldn't be tempted, hanging out in the game room, going to panels, ect. You know, something I'm used to.
...holy Celestia, was I wrong.
It didn't really sink in that this was the biggest brony convention in the US until I finally got my things settled in my hotel room, got something quick to eat, and made it to the floor. I mean first of all, the venue was pretty huge. My legs are still pretty sore from all that walking. Second, unlike anime, which is a medium rather than a genre, every attendee is celebrating their love for a single show. Now don't get me wrong, I love anime too. Anime conventions are good because they're all-inclusive, it doesn't matter if you're a gamer, watch sci-fi, read manga, play D&D, LARP, it doesn't matter, you're accepted. But the problem (or at least a problem on my end) is that people tend to stick with with their own friends and groups. It might just be me, but I honestly feel like I can't socialize with anyone without feeling like I'm annoying them or butting in, and every single time I've left an anime convention, I've always had this sense of being unfulfilled. Like I either missed doing something, or I did so much that I missed out on doing something else. But at Bronycon? I could talk to anyone. I got to see and meet people from all around the world. Hell, first thing I did Saturday morning was talk to some bronys from France. Another group from Holland was talking with my friend and roomie Gezibing about how awesome the con is. Apparently they've recently been to Comicon, and were talking about how organized the event was compared to here, which brings me to my next point.
Bronycon was crazy ~
There wasn't a moment's time when something wasn't going down in the halls. Best example, and probably my favorite moment was when karaoke started in the Salt Block lounge. When I got there, I thought it was kinda lame. I mean, it was just people gathering up and singing pony songs for an hour with no music. I come back some time later though, and I realize that they didn't really stop after the time was up. Matter of fact, the crowd just got bigger. They ran from one end of the con to another over and over again like an angry mob, but without the angry and more smiles and singing. They did this for a whole n'other hour till they disbanded. Also, I probably had at least a 15 minute grace period when I didn't hear people chanting "Fun! Fun! Fun!" somewhere in the distance. Stood in a line for a panel? There was a 100% chance you were gonna hear it. Or crush, kill, destroy, swag.
But my most favorite and beloved part of Bronycon was the sense of togetherness we all seemed to share. Now, I've seen some people who call themselves Bronys act pretty caustic on the internet. That wasn't the case here. I'm not sure if people were just holding those negative feelings back, but the atmosphere I got there was nothing but smiles and sunshine. Like I said before, I could talk to anyone. Just like anime conventions, this was all-inclusive. I mean, I saw Wesker, Soul from Soul Eater, Lightning from FFXIII, Optimus Prime, and a friggin' Halo Spartan gussied up with Luna colors. Another brony voiced his disappointment that he didn't see Twilight Spartan ^^"
But yeah. Bronys are just good, decent people. When we winded down to closing ceremonies, the head of security came out and said that this was the best con he's ever worked for. Being security, he has to be that guy, the one not to tell you to stand here, or to not throw things there, you know, things he needs to do to keep everyone and everything safe. And to my knowledge, everyone was compliant. No one gave him any sh**, and everyone was willing to work with him. Even during the Bronypalooza concert, everyone stopped jumping on the third floor when asked because the basement was reading a 1.6 on the richter scale. You see, these are the kinds of things that blow my mind.
Bronycon was, in every sense of the word, Magical. And I came out of closing ceremonies feeling something I've never felt after leaving a convention. Closure, and satisfaction. I'm going again next year, and I implore anyone reading this blog to do whatever it takes to come to Bronycon 2014.
In short, I haven't gotten any writing done for four whole days ^^;
I'll get on that this week ~
Don't you love it when you make the same post twice for some odd reason? Happens to me all the time.
Otherwise:
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