Sakura Con 2008

[AprilMarie]

Just wanted to see how many people are attending this?...because i'll be there yay! 

[DancingTofu]

I'll be there.

I think attendance is usually in the area of 4500 individuals and isn't expected to change. (so, by population:attendance ratio, Portland has Seattle beat now, with a 7,000:1 ratio for Portland metro pop:K-con and 10,000:1 ration for Seattle:S-con)

[Ren+Pocky]

I am SO TOTALLY there. *whips out old pirate costume*

It lands right on my sis's birthday. x3

[DancingTofu]

My Robo costume's gonna win.

[JeffT]

I'll be there.

I think attendance is usually in the area of 4500 individuals and isn't expected to change. (so, by population:attendance ratio, Portland has Seattle beat now, with a 7,000:1 ratio for Portland metro pop:K-con and 10,000:1 ration for Seattle:S-con)

Waahh?? Sakura-Con had 10500 paid attendees last year, according to their web site. You might be thinking of their time at the Hilton and Marriott in Sea-Tac, when their attendance was capped, before moving to the convention center in 2006.

[Cpl. Slicks]

I'll be there.

I think attendance is usually in the area of 4500 individuals and isn't expected to change. (so, by population:attendance ratio, Portland has Seattle beat now, with a 7,000:1 ratio for Portland metro pop:K-con and 10,000:1 ration for Seattle:S-con)

Waahh?? Sakura-Con had 10500 paid attendees last year, according to their web site. You might be thinking of their time at the Hilton and Marriott in Sea-Tac, when their attendance was capped, before moving to the convention center in 2006.

Ummm... yeeeeaaaahhh...

Sakura-Con hasn't been 4500 since 2005, when it was capped. Sakura-Con's Pre-reg is in the 4500 area now.

May I ask where the concept that SC was 4500 and holding came from?

[BlackjackGabbiani]

I doubt I'll go this coming year, mostly for some decisions they've made lately (primarily their decision to axe the Fan Creation Station), and also because it's gotten too big for me.

[Trumby]

I shall be there.

[DancingTofu]

I'll be there.

I think attendance is usually in the area of 4500 individuals and isn't expected to change. (so, by population:attendance ratio, Portland has Seattle beat now, with a 7,000:1 ratio for Portland metro pop:K-con and 10,000:1 ration for Seattle:S-con)

Waahh?? Sakura-Con had 10500 paid attendees last year, according to their web site. You might be thinking of their time at the Hilton and Marriott in Sea-Tac, when their attendance was capped, before moving to the convention center in 2006.

"We had 7,471 individual member attendees last year"

I don't know, maybe they just need to update their site or something.  I was thinking of the 2005 attendance blah blah.

So, can anyone clarify whether there were 7500 or 10500 people there last year?  And if there were 10500, why they haven't updated some of the official documents and demographics on their site 6 months after the fact?

[Trumby]

Here you go, this page says it all: http://sakuracon.org/history/main.php
10,500 attendees in 2007.

[ichigoxcupcakes]

I am going now [dances] tee-hee

[PhantmK]

I get to go for the first time this year. We all have to meet up. No ifs, ands or rear ends

[chibiroth]

o o me i am going to be going for sure!

[ThiefKingsHier]

 Ill be there..  All I do is complain about how much SC completely obliterates very CONCEPT of anime fandom with theyre gushtapo-esq staff and family friendly BS..but it IS The only con between now and next summer.

Ill be Renji AGAIN ( Oi I think Im good at Renji so ill do it as long as I like thankya.)
 Hopefully Ill be able to fix my bankai Zabimaru by then. What'dya know, it broke! Useless.

Also I should have 'secret cosplay' finished by then. Dont bother playing 'the guessing game' its pretty obscure.

[Mei Long]

My sister and I might be going! It depends if we can get up there, and if we can get out of school on Friday... I have an easier time since I'm in college, but she's still in high school. e.e; We could always go up later, though. I'm totally stoked though. Not really for the convention, as I kiiiinda prefer Kumoricon, but I get to hang out with some aaaawesome people and do group cosplay! (Persona 3, FF8, and MGS) S'Gonna roooock! >D If the money comes together. X_X;

[RoamingGnome]

If I go this next year I would have to find somebody to share a hotel room with.  This year killed my budget :0p

[megchan]

Of course I will be there. 9th year, baby. I am debating doing staff again though, I have the option of doing a panel instead.

[sailorspazz]

I've attended 7 years in a row, might as well go for an 8th....

[TanisNikana]

I really need to start posting moar...

Anyway, yeah, I'll be there.

[PhantmK]

Anyone have any Ideas for a good meet up spot at the con?

[Trumby]

Best place in the convention center is probably 4th floor outside in the park or first floor in the lobby type area.

[Seraph]

I'm going to have to talk to some friends on how to attend sakura.  I'm not sure if I'm going with old friends or new ones.  I may try learning to drive and going up there myself.

[Figle]

I will be there, the staff is kinda crappy at sakuracon indeed thou, hopefully it will be better this year, its gotten so huge and offical that they killed most the fun extras for a better PR look for others. I am worried kumoricon shall become the same way in time since its run by the same people. S con used to be wild with the yuri/yaoi for pizza/pocky booths and funny random events like staged battles or random contests. They even slienced the Yaoi man so he cant yell out his awesome sayings any more.

[PhantmK]

Okay sounds like a good meeting spot. 4th floor outside park... or main lobby... hmmm... decisions. Either way. we all need to plan this so we all know where to go XD

[Trumby]

Haha, well we do have 5 months until the con you know

[PhantmK]

yeah, but planning ahead never hurt anyone.

[JeffT]

I am worried kumoricon shall become the same way in time since its run by the same people.

Of the 11 board members of Sakura-Con and the 8 voting of Kumoricon, none currently overlap and only 2 have overlapped in the past, if I'm not mistaken. One of the those helped found Kumoricon and the other of them has stated publicly that he will abstain from policy votes as a Kumoricon board member for quite some time. Although there are several overlapping staff members, the organizations are completely separate.

[PhantmK]

Its true, I may know some of Sakuracon staff from Kumoricon, but I feel that the 2 will never be more than 10% integrated. so individuality will always exist.

[sexynojutsusasuke]

YES i is going ^^ i'm going as Sexy No Jutsu Sasuke and My friend is going as sexy no jutsu gaara ^^ then we're going to be looking for other sexy-no jutsu cosplayers ^^ :DDDDD msg me if your going as a sexy no jutsu chari ^^

[Kumi-chan]

I'll be attending for the sixth year...with group cosplays, finally! Already have my room arrangements made, now I just need to save up the cash and pre-reg. And finish my cosplays over the winter so I'm not working on them at the con (again). Doing Lum from Urusei Yatsura, Rin from Mermaid Forest, Akane and another character from Ranma 1/2, Miroku from Inuyasha...and something not Takahashi. Maybe Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke.

Eh, a lot of my friends staff Sakura Con. I'm not going to be negative towards them, since I know they're stressed out enough. It's gotta be tough running a con when it gets to that size, especially when you start getting parents attending with their kids who know nothing about anime or the convention atmosphere. And those parents tend to be the most vocal complainers. Which means trouble for the con. It sucks for the longtime attendees, that they've got to be accomodating towards the ignorant.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

It sucks for the longtime attendees, that they've got to be accomodating towards the ignorant.

But it shouldn't be that way. Ratings are there for a reason--things shouldn't be dumbed down for people who refuse to learn better.

[dakrum]

but unfortunately that is the way it's done a lot of time

[ThiefKingsHier]

It sucks for the longtime attendees, that they've got to be accomodating towards the ignorant.

But it shouldn't be that way. Ratings are there for a reason--things shouldn't be dumbed down for people who refuse to learn better.

\

Dont. Even. Get. Me. Started. 

*Eye twitch* Con staff are the enemy  Atleast the ones responsible for this debachory. They have NO right to call themselves anime fans.

[majinekochan]

It sucks for the longtime attendees, that they've got to be accomodating towards the ignorant.

But it shouldn't be that way. Ratings are there for a reason--things shouldn't be dumbed down for people who refuse to learn better.

\

Dont. Even. Get. Me. Started. 

*Eye twitch* Con staff are the enemy  Atleast the ones responsible for this debachory. They have NO right to call themselves anime fans.

Please don't talk about Staff that way, they are actually a really nice group of people. But there are laws that they need to follow and like the saying goes one bad apple spoils the bunch. There are lots of people at SakuraCon who aren't "anime savey" like the parents seriously think back to your First con, don't you remember how it felt like you were treading water for your life. Think about the laypeople who don't even know what anime is at these cons and cut them some slack. And if you still feel that way about the Con Staff, I envite you to come to a general meeting, the next one is Nov 18, at 1pm in the WSCC room 210.

[PhantmK]

As a member of Kumoricon staff I can tell you first hand that I as a person don't care about the debauchery. But unfortunately it is my sworn duty to up hold the laws of the con. the only reason they are in place is to protect both con-goers and the con itself from any sort of legal issues. To be honest I could see the time and place for everything that everyone wants to do. But unfortunately everyones views on situations are different. This is why the laws exist and are enforced. Sorry if I sound snobby. I mean no offense.

But outside of Kumoricon, I myself am a con-goer and will be fully ready to enjoy sakuracon to its fullest. Hope to see you all there!

[ThiefKingsHier]

It sucks for the longtime attendees, that they've got to be accomodating towards the ignorant.

But it shouldn't be that way. Ratings are there for a reason--things shouldn't be dumbed down for people who refuse to learn better.

\

Dont. Even. Get. Me. Started. 

*Eye twitch* Con staff are the enemy  Atleast the ones responsible for this debachory. They have NO right to call themselves anime fans.

Please don't talk about Staff that way, they are actually a really nice group of people. But there are laws that they need to follow and like the saying goes one bad apple spoils the bunch. There are lots of people at SakuraCon who aren't "anime savey" like the parents seriously think back to your First con, don't you remember how it felt like you were treading water for your life. Think about the laypeople who don't even know what anime is at these cons and cut them some slack. And if you still feel that way about the Con Staff, I envite you to come to a general meeting, the next one is Nov 18, at 1pm in the WSCC room 210.

I Know its just a few, but unfortunatly they seem to be the ones holding the cards. I also find them not be horirbly unprofesional.

 Heres a list of some of the things a few of the staff on the forum have said " I dont care if you dont liek it, this is con for about the staff, not you."
 " I HATE people like you your going to single handedly destroy the con I hope you never go to the con again" ) When I answered soemone question that yest here is an 'adult panel after midnight which theyre WAS yet its thread mysteriously dissapeared after the affore mentioned.
Then theres teh ever popular " IOf you domt like it dont go." This I have a REAL problem with. WHY are they telling teh hardcore fans o leave, instead of the soccer moms who dont liek anime in the first place?

Aaanyway, please forgive the rant, I dont mean any disrespect as your pretty polite about it I just REALLY dont think that additude is acceptable for people in charge. Maybe we need some blood.

Thanks for the invite, but..if I went to the meeting and people found out who I was, theyd eat me alive.





 

[majinekochan]

Please don't talk about Staff that way, they are actually a really nice group of people. But there are laws that they need to follow and like the saying goes one bad apple spoils the bunch. There are lots of people at SakuraCon who aren't "anime savey" like the parents seriously think back to your First con, don't you remember how it felt like you were treading water for your life. Think about the laypeople who don't even know what anime is at these cons and cut them some slack. And if you still feel that way about the Con Staff, I envite you to come to a general meeting, the next one is Nov 18, at 1pm in the WSCC room 210.

I Know its just a few, but unfortunatly they seem to be the ones holding the cards. I also find them not be horirbly unprofesional.

 Heres a list of some of the things a few of the staff on the forum have said " I dont care if you dont liek it, this is con for about the staff, not you."
 " I HATE people like you your going to single handedly destroy the con I hope you never go to the con again" ) When I answered soemone question that yest here is an 'adult panel after midnight which theyre WAS yet its thread mysteriously dissapeared after the affore mentioned.
Then theres teh ever popular " IOf you domt like it dont go." This I have a REAL problem with. WHY are they telling teh hardcore fans o leave, instead of the soccer moms who dont liek anime in the first place?

Aaanyway, please forgive the rant, I dont mean any disrespect as your pretty polite about it I just REALLY dont think that additude is acceptable for people in charge. Maybe we need some blood.

Thanks for the invite, but..if I went to the meeting and people found out who I was, theyd eat me alive.

Also think about the amount of time that the staff puts into prep for the con, by the time the con actually happens I'd be willing to bet that they are sick and tired of all the wining and other stuff that hits the fan that they're pretty much at the end of their ropes. SakuraCon is a "family friendly" con so they're advertising to the kids who need parental supervision thus needing parents are there as well, and there will always be people who complain. And the con has to address these issues, "Pleasing everyone and no one." Yes I think some changes are stupid, and most of my friends refuse to go to SakuraCon, but I still go 'cause SakuraCon offers somethings you can't get at smaller cons. Like the sheer volume of cosplayers that don't go to say Kumoricon, and some of the programing.

I don't think blood would help, it might make things even worse.

You should give the Con Staff some slack and the benefit of the doubt, think about the amount of work that they put into putting on this con for you.

PS If you could post a link for the "I dont care if you dont liek it, this is con for about the staff, not you." comment I'd like to know some of the context.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

There's a difference between "family friendly" and "overly sanitized". Batman: The Animated Series is family friendly. Disney going back and deleting smoking from their old movies is overly sanitized.

[ThiefKingsHier]

Please don't talk about Staff that way, they are actually a really nice group of people. But there are laws that they need to follow and like the saying goes one bad apple spoils the bunch. There are lots of people at SakuraCon who aren't "anime savey" like the parents seriously think back to your First con, don't you remember how it felt like you were treading water for your life. Think about the laypeople who don't even know what anime is at these cons and cut them some slack. And if you still feel that way about the Con Staff, I envite you to come to a general meeting, the next one is Nov 18, at 1pm in the WSCC room 210.

I Know its just a few, but unfortunatly they
seem to be the ones holding the cards. I also find them not be horirbly unprofesional.

 Heres a list of some of the things a few of the staff on the forum have said " I dont care if you dont liek it, this is con for about the staff, not you."
 " I HATE people like you your going to single handedly destroy the con I hope you never go to the con again" ) When I answered soemone question that yest here is an 'adult panel after midnight which theyre WAS yet its thread mysteriously dissapeared after the affore mentioned.
Then theres teh ever popular " IOf you domt like it dont go." This I have a REAL problem with. WHY are they telling teh hardcore fans o leave, instead of the soccer moms who dont liek anime in the first place?

Aaanyway, please forgive the rant, I dont mean any disrespect as your pretty polite about it I just REALLY dont think that additude is acceptable for people in charge. Maybe we need some blood.

Thanks for the invite, but..if I went to the meeting and people found out who I was, theyd eat me alive.

Also think about the amount of time that the staff puts into prep for the con, by the time the con actually happens I'd be willing to bet that they are sick and tired of all the wining and other stuff that hits the fan that they're pretty much at the end of their ropes. SakuraCon is a "family friendly" con so they're advertising to the kids who need parental supervision thus needing parents are there as well, and there will always be people who complain. And the con has to address these issues, "Pleasing everyone and no one." Yes I think some changes are stupid, and most of my friends refuse to go to SakuraCon, but I still go 'cause SakuraCon offers somethings you can't get at smaller cons. Like the sheer volume of cosplayers that don't go to say Kumoricon, and some of the programing.

I don't think blood would help, it might make things even worse.

You should give the Con Staff some slack and the benefit of the doubt, think about the amount of work that they put into putting on this con for you.

PS If you could post a link for the "I dont care if you dont liek it, this is con for about the staff, not you." comment I'd like to know some of the context.

Quick response ( no time) ehe I meant we need some 'new blood" Im a horirble typist. Just thought I should clear that up foremost. Ill deal with the rest later.

[Simon Young]

The Slants will be there!

[Dustin]

I might actually be able to make it, since I recently relocated from the Oregon coast to Silverlake, WA.

If I do, it'd be my first Con appearance since Sakuracon 05. (Man, it's been a LONG time).

But, thats only if some of my other friends go. If not, I'll just bored and wind up staying in my room reading manga or playing games, and I can do that at home, to be perfectly honest. >_>

[AnimeMatrix]

Well, I'd better be there- I'm the Ops. Office Manager and the Masquerade Ball Coordinator for Sakura Con. If not, I'll send my stand-in to do the work ^_^.

And on the note of rude staff members at S-Con, yes we do pour alot of hardwork and time into putting on a great show for all of our attendees. I'm sorry if some of the staffers have ever been rude or mean, but I've also met some rude staffers at Kumori Con. I've even met some less-than-helpful Enforcers at PAX, so rude staffers are not exclusive to just Sakura Con- they're present at every con. You cannot judge the performance/attitude of the con staff on just a few select instances or members.

[AuroraAcerbis]

I'm going! I haven't pre-reg'ed yet, though. Need to. Also trying to convince some people from Vegas to come up for it or K-con to see what a real con is like!!! AnimeVegas is not.

[sexynojutsusasuke]

i'm so excited, this'll be my first time at sakuracon :DDD if i get my grades up ^^;;;; (and get the money in time O.O)

[BigGuy]

I'll be there with our Kyo Kara Maoh group and a special secret Bleach group and Good Witch of the West with my GF, oh I almost forgot we're gonna be Harry Potter Quiditch players on pre-reg night...must start making cosplay

[GaaraoftheFunk]

Nyar,But the sakuracon 07 kinda dissapointed me abit.It was my first con at the time, And i thought it woul dbe great also because it was their 10th anniversary.

But it was really unorganized from my point of veiw.They had changed the schedual for a few things a bunch.And other then the concerts  and the exhibitioners hall,There really wasn't too much going on to choose from in my opinion.I never even saw panels for anything.

A few of the staff was kinda rude to me too.I accidentally ran into one of them in a large crowd,And he glared at me.o_o;

I am going for 08 though. :3 I hope its more organized and less constant schedual changes.>.> Of course i realize i am only stating the bad opinions.Other then all that though,It was great and i can't wait to go again. ^o^

[Seraph]

for the last couple of years, sakura con has been going thru some growing pains.  I suspect that their staff hasn't quite yet grown enough to handle much larger crowds of people(compared to sea tac) so many of them are being overworked.  at least, thats what I think is going on.

[Bow-]

It's very difficult to keep something so big organized. And there are a lot of behind the scenes things they're trying to organize as well, such as artist events. I know just ONE of my interviews changed rooms 4 times, and I actually got taken to the wrong place for my second artist interview...they were downstairs in the atrium, and I was taken to a conference room. But I'm sure they'll get it all under control and be better organized soon

[SageBell]

i have paid to go, no idea how to get there. where i'm staying no clue but i'm going

[Arumi]

Mm, I'm gonna try to be at Sakuracon for 2008. But that's only if my friend can get the tickets and take me with her. None of my other friends are going besides Cat, and my mom doesn't want to spend a whole three days at a convention center with a bunch of 'cosplaying weirdos and cross dressers' as she puts it.^.^;; Even though I'm one of those cosplaying weirdos. Anywho~ So there's a 50/50 chance that I'll go, and I know I'll be dressed for it, at least. (I wanna get a Komugi outfit for it. <3) Anywho, if I show up, I hope to see people from Kumoricon there!
-Roshie (Arumi)