This past weekend I embarked on a quest to the New York Anime Festival.  It was my first time going to an anime convention and I found it a fun and entertaining experience.  Even though I’m no expert I felt this was a well-run and skillfully organized festival.  The panels were quite interesting and the events were terrific.  I felt they were quite intelligently thought out and put together to provide something different for all types of anime fans.  You can check out the varied offerings on the website. But most of all, the crowds were awesome.  There were thousands of anime fans in attendance, 18,399 to be exact (according to the staff blog). It was certainly a sight to behold.  Here’s a shot of the main hall from above but it’s only a portion and doesn’t really do it justice:

I would estimate that at least half of the attendees were in costume, probably more.  Many of these costumes were quite elaborate and detailed, so walking through the throngs of cosplayers was a bizarre but exciting experience.  It was also a fun crowd.  Everyone seemed to be having a blast and enjoying themselves and most were very friendly and welcoming.  It was a diverse mix and there were plenty of people my age or older there.  The ratio of male to female seemed about 50/50, or pretty close.

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