After receiving a press pass for the Bristol event back in 2023, I was once again afforded one for the recent Exeter Anime and Gaming Con. Only this time, my wife had one too. With that in mind, I’ll also be incorporating her opinions into this article as well. So, let’s talk about this event!
Walking the floor
First, our initial thoughts – it felt smaller than the one in Bristol. In particular, there seemed to be less vendors dotted around the building. Or maybe they were just spread around the venue a bit more, giving that impression. That being said, there was still a good variety of anime-related items for sale, anything from figures to replica katanas and kunai. The expected Artist Alley was also a treat to walk around. Illustrator duo Bo & Boon were standouts in this regard. We both adored their rat-themed merchandise, which was part of their larger Chinese Zodiac designs.
Rinabow was also an unexpected find. Although they were selling their own merchandise, the thing that really caught my attention was the playable demo of their game they had set up behind them. That game being Floating Wonderland, the Steam page of which can be found here. Absolutely adorable and intricate pixel art, alongside refreshing gravity-based game mechanics.
Performance and Cosplays
The performer stage didn’t have a dedicated room this time around, which was kinda annoying. It created a cacophony of overlapping sound when combined with the vendors trying to sell their wares. As usual, there were a variety of acts on, including Extra Lives, Mioenergy, and more. As is customary at most nerdy events these days, cosplay talent was on show almost everywhere. We saw plenty of characters we recognised and many that we didn’t. Power from Chainsaw Man seemed to be very popular, not surprising after the enjoyable anime adaptation. My partner donned her Attack On Titan scout regiment outfit, although she wasn’t modelling herself after any one particular character.
A clear improvement we noticed compared to the previous Bristol event was the layout. This time around it felt like less of a confusing warren we had to navigate. Although the space the event organisers have available is more dictated by the layout of the building, and they have to work with what they are allocated.
A bright future
I do think hosting these conventions in hotels is an odd choice. At times it felt like the halls and rooms were bursting at the seams trying to accommodate all the guests. It can feel quite claustrophobic and chaotic at times. We were very grateful that we were able to get in at 10.30am when it was somewhat quieter to begin with. I wouldn’t be surprised if these events are hosted at bigger, more dedicated spaces in future. Anime has had a massive surge in popularity over the years, and it only seems to be getting bigger. I’m sure the folks who put on the Exeter Anime & Gaming Con are insightful enough to ride this trend.
Much like a Lego event I attended, one of the biggest positives is that these cons are hosted across the country. If you can’t get to the Exeter Anime and Gaming Con, chances are you can attend one in Sheffield, Glasgow, Brighton…the list goes on and on. The events have evolved into something fairly trim and nimble, flitting from one city to another. Things like a strong and consistent brand, alongside the dedicated phone app help streamline a visitor’s experience. In short, I believe these events are welcoming to anime experts and novices. They act as a safe place for people to explore their interests, and express themselves creatively. We have nitpicks, but what event is perfect?
