These conventions are special because of the people who attend them, and nothing drove that point home more than when the author took a Sunday evening stroll through the area where Anime Weekend Atlanta had been held. In place where crowds of fans had gathered were now empty tables, blank spaces and bins full of trash. All of the life that had been generated over the weekend was gone; it was a lonely feeling to see the area after it had been drained of the convention's energy.

That feeling didn't last long, though. A chance meeting with a costumer in the lobby who wanted to see this page's pictures led to a nighttime dinner trip with a group of friends from the U.S. and Japan. That fellowship over food brought back the point that anime fandom grows and anime conventions thrive because of the wonderful people who attend these events. The videos and dealer rooms help to make the show, but the conventions would be nothing without the enthusiasm of thousands of fans. There's always a huge difference between the animosity and anger often seen online, and the joy expressed by the people who climb from behind their keyboards and travel to the events. The worst thing about the conventionsis that they have to end and the real world beckons, all too soon.

This page started three years ago at Anime Weekend Atlanta. There were barely ten anime conventions in North America in 1997. By contrast, there will have been around 30 conventions by the end of 2000, and four new events were announced for 2001 before the end of September of 2000. Three years ago, AWA was by itself on the convention schedule. In 2000, there was another convention on the same weekend, Ani-Magic in California - and AWA was expected to have to share its 2001 dates with Nan Desu Kan in Colorado (this page's next convention trip in 2000).

Most of that convention growth has come south of the Mason-Dixon line, from Maryland through Virginia and the Carolinas. You can go to more conventions in the South than in the West, which says something about anime fandom's growth outside of California and its large Asian population.

Anime Weekend Atlanta drew around 2,700 people in 2000, roughly double the convention's 1997 attendance. That growth is leading convention organizers to move the 2001 event to a hotel and convention center near Hartsfield International Airport, which is said to have enough room for the event to grow for years and years.

Over the last couple of years, Anime Weekend Atlanta got the reputation as a party con that has more enthusiasm than organization. Did the event's sixth edition match that reputation? Yes. This author heard a few grumblings about the way the convention was run (some of the complaints were made by a man wearing a dress, of all things) but can't agree with the complaints. Everything started late and a handful of guests didn't show, but those guests who were on hand - and the fans who gathered to greet them - made for a memorable event.

One of the big changes in the convention came with the costume contest, which was switched from a parade of skits to a fast-paced series of walk-ons. The author had doubts about the change, but it worked. The long show of 1999 turned into a quick procession in 2000, and everyone enjoyed the change. After the main contest was over, the stage was left open for those who wanted to present skits, but the audience had left by then.

Another one of the changes at AWA was the start of a separate programming track and area devoted solely to music videos. The author regrets not getting to any of the production panels to learn more about the art of making those videos.

The author owes a large debt of gratitude to the fans who recognized the page from the name tag he worse. There were many people who showed appreciation for the efforts on this page, a response that makes the time and expense worthwhile. 

Things got interesting over the weekend when the tables were turned, and the photographer became the model. A costumer presented this author with the gift of a fur, tiger-striped cap with kitty ears, the closest thing to a costume this author has worn since high school days. The author wore the cap in gratitude, and found that people walked up to him, said "That cap is cute" and took pictures. Well, it's only fair that after posting thousands of pictures of costumers, that the author was the subject of some of those pictures (although he wonders why anyone would want to post those pictures online for fear of scaring someone).

The future appears bright for conventions and fandom, and only a few things could derail the momentum of the last few years. The author looks at the conflict in the Middle East and wonders if that could lead to serious trouble; glances at the politically-driven criticism of "violent entertainment" and worries that anime could be the next target; and watches the shrinking earning reports of major corporations and asks if that could lead to a recession which could blunt the affluence that finances conventions and fans.