Starting a convention on a Thursday allows fans travel time but also brings opportunities to meet their favorite guests for autographs on a quieter day of the con. A Thursday at AWA can also bring the unique opportunity to see Japanese rock band, FLOW, dominate the stage. Known for their opening anime themes (i.e., "GO!!!" and "Sign" and from the Naruto series' and "COLORS" from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion), FLOW has been a staple in the anime music scene since 1998 and continues to have global reach. They just finished their largest world tour yet, "ANIME SHIBARI," and decided to still grace AWA attendees with their first Atlanta appearance.
While GOT'S was unable to attend, the four members - KOHSHI, KEIGO, TAKE, and IWASAKI - gave a jam-packed setlist to fans and expressed their gratitude and joy throughout the performance.
CONVENTION REVIEW
The rest of the weekend, lends itself to even more performers, countless hands-on opportunities for gaming (PC, console, and tabletop alike), and panels & shopping galore. Any given day of this four-day convention has an artist and vendor hall that is filled to the brim with fandom merchandise and passionate fans looking to deck out their bag with a new keychain or elevate a cosplay with a new prop. Being in the vicinity of multiple convenient hotels, AWA lends itself to being accessible and spacious. The layout of the convention seems to expand each year, keeping the major floors dedicated to the large arcade and Itasha display, panels on each level, and the Main Events stage where fans can see the cosplay contest or a new musical act. This year's Saturday concerts, Rolling Quartz and MADKID, kept the energy buzzing for hours and featured VIP options and autograph meet & greets throughout the weekend.
AWA is the overnight place to be with activities like "CozyPop! A J/K-pop Sleepover" running from Thursday night until Friday at 1AM, and Saturday night's main event rave ending at 4AM on Sunday. The schedule each year showcases how eventful any time of the day can truly be.
Fans are an essential element to conventions, not just for attendance but for the genuine sense of community and even education that cons can provide. Panels like "Be Blexed: Where Blerds Thrive and Blackness Expands" and "Fellow Travelers: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Culture & Connection" ensure that fans are coming together creating safe spaces that uplift one another whether it be in authentic discussions on inclusion or throwing a dance party to share joy of a community.
K-pop and music-focused fandoms are thriving at Anime Weekend Atlanta; This year even featuring a fan-hosted variety games panel with photocard prizes and 18+ panels like "Idols After Dark." The opportunity to share the dance floor for an random dance play (RDP) or pop in to a kandi-making or photocard trading event, means there is room to meet more fans or just take a breather from the busy con schedule.
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