Anime - Do You Get It?

Up eary this morning with my 16 year old daughter for a 1.5 hour drive into the Hynes Convention Center in Boston for Anime Boston 2008.

Anime Boston is an annual three-day Japanese animation convention held in Boston, Massachusetts and I'm posting this entry here at the convention. Anime Boston has grown considerably since the first Boston event was held in 2003. The conference is, once again (according to the conference website), presenting popular events which include a masquerade, an anime music video contest, video programming rooms, an artists' alley and art show, karaoke, game shows, video games, manga library, dances and balls, and much more...

I'll get to our experience here in a minute. Last night the conference kicked off with opening ceremonies. Conference Co-Chair Andrea Finnin, asked what has been referred to at the conference as a very frank question and a great answer. Here's both:

How many of you out there have parents who just don't get it? Brothers? Sisters? Friends? Significant others?

Well, this weekend you will all be surrounded by people who get it.... You and all the other attendees will be part of this big family who gets it!

I'll be honest - it's something I've tried to get but maybe have not got just yet. I think I came a little closer today though. We got to the convention center at 9:00 and waited in a registration line for over three hours to get in. Yesterday afternoon, many stood in line for over 6 hours, only to be turned back.....

Standing in line with thousands of teenage gamers is probably the last thing someone my age would want to do on a Saturday morning. That said, I don't think I've ever been around such a large group of respectful, complementary and helpful people - of any age. For example, I have not heard one of George Carlin's "7 words you are not allowed to broadcast" today yet! If I were to compare the adult crowd at a Red Sox game late last summer to the people that are here today..... well..... there is no comparison.

Anime conventions are held in most of the major cities in the country - maybe you have children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc...... Check one out if you get a chance and maybe you'll start to "get it" too. See my photo-blog of the conference here: http://gsnyder.tumblr.com