Eight Reasons We Love Anime Los Angeles

See more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery "Anime Los Angeles 2011."

Over the past few years, Anime Los Angeles has become a special convention for us. It was the first convention one of us attended and, after that, the first Shannon Cottrell and I covered together. This year, it became the first con where we sat on panels.

Shannon Cottrell

​ We think ALA, as it's often known, is an important convention for more than personal reasons. Though the con has grown (according this year's program, they were expecting over 3000 people), it has maintained a strong identity and sense of community. Below are a few of the things we love about ALA. While we know that not everything here is unique to this particular convention, we think that the combination of elements is what can make a con truly a wonderful experience.

Shannon Cottrell

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Shannon Cottrell

​ 8. It's a convention by and for fans.

ALA is volunteer-run and has a convention family vibe to it. You'll likely see Chaz Boston Baden, chairman of ALA, walking through the hotel and chatting with guests. The staff does a great job of creating an environment that says "everyone is a fan here." They even have signs outside of the bathrooms that read "Fan Boys" and "Fan Girls."

7. It's low on advertising.

While we love the big conventions, sometimes we get annoyed with the bombardment of advertisements. When we go to ALA, we know that people aren't going to be trying to sell us stuff outside of the designated Dealer Hall and Artist Alley. The signs on the trash cans were created by ALA artists and the posters that line the hallways are photos taken by attendees (even a few of Shannon's shots were posted this year). It's nice to go to a place and know that just because you're a fan doesn't mean that you're targeted as a constant consumer.