SacAnime

Attended both Summer ’15 and Winter ’16. San Diego Comic-​Con-​level guests at much cheaper con prices and smaller crowds. Very good con with lots to do and see and something for everyone. If you are into animé/​popculture/​games/​etc. go for the full weekend the price is cheap and WELL-​WORTH it especially if you are cosplaying. What happens at SacAnime stays at SacAnime :). Management/​staff is mostly volunteer so while some panels/​processes can be handled a bit rough, overall most things go smoothly. If you are going for autographs with celebrities go during the Winter expo as the convention takes place entirely in the convention center. During the Summer show the autograph row is squished to one side of the main hall and thus can be VERY crowded and confusing! Expect to get between 2 – 4 at most of your favorite celebrity autographs, anymore and you won’t be able to enjoy the con. Vendor hall prices range from pricey to sometimes not a bad deal, especially on Sundays. Artist Alley is amazing and expansive, such a top-​notch amount of artists and artwork, you’ll spend more money there than the vendor tables! Sheraton Grand is a beautiful hotel and great location for hang-​outs/​gaming events, etc. Be kind and courteous to the many amazing cosplayers. Really a well-​balanced con with many activities, and lots of friendly fellow attendees, worth the drive as it’s one of the best animé cons in NorCal. Hotel rates can be a bit pricey so buy early or buy-​in/​stay with friends. There is a Starbucks/​smoothie stand on premises as well as multiple ATMs which are convenient. In the middle of downtown Sacramento, well-​lit, safe (just keep your common sense about ya) area with lots of great restaurants nearby! Decently priced parking garages, at least three within walking distance.

Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy this con compared to others I’ve been to. I felt like this was very unorganized.
I was looking forward to meeting Johnny Bosch, who was participating in the free autograph signing. This was my first SacAnime so I wasn’t sure how they did their thing. We had asked the workers and nobody knew where to wait for the free autograph signing. Some workers said to ask the people in the yellow shirts. Too bad the people in the yellow shirts didn’t know either. And yes, they were the event workers, not some random people wearing yellow shirts. When we finally found the line, it was wrapped around the convention center! Eff! They had cut the line only a few people ahead of us. So, if the workers knew where the line was and this convention was more organized like other cons, I would have gotten to see Johnny. Unfortunately, that wasn’t so. I totally wanted a refund because the sole reason why I came to this was for him, but I knew my bf wanted to check the stuff out, so we decided to stay. He knew I was totally bummed, so he tried his hardest to make me feel better. I did have «fun», just because my bf made the effort to make it enjoyable.
The thing that pissed me off was that none of the workers knew what was going on. I stood waiting to talk with one of the workers, and he was also attempting to answer another guest’s question, but he didn’t know how to answer it either. If I remember correctly, it had to do with her friend being in a wheelchair and seeing if there are services available. He didn’t even know that answer…
Overall, my first experience at SacAnime wasn’t a good one just because of the lack of knowledge the workers had about the event that they were working at and the lack of organization. Please train your staff better so they can assist guests more efficiently and be more organized. Thank you.

To be quite honest, it’s not the craziest con a nerd can imagine, but it’s definitely up there. It’s like a diet San Diego Comic Con.
The art and toy exhibit is the highlight. They’re got gorgeous paintings, toys, statues, weapons, and other trinkets in the downstairs exhibition hall. Check it out.
I’m not much for animé, but they have some pretty cool videos that various people made that they synced with their own soundtracks. Not too bad. They also have game competitions like Legend of Zelda and Magic the Gathering. Have fun with that.
When I went there, the legendary Peter Cullen was a guest speaker. Yeah, the dude who voices Optimus Prime and the Predator!
Dress in costume! My friends and I went as Batman villains and totally owned it. The more awesome your costume, the more friends you’ll make and the more people will want your picture.
Get the 3 day pass early on. It’s only $ 36 for Fri, Sat, and Sun if you get it early enough.

Sac Animé has a little something for every fan. Gaming console rooms, viewing rooms, card trading, karaōke rooms, ballroom dancing rooms, live concerts, AMV contests and autographs from special guests. My favorite part were the costumes. Fans are so creative with their costumes, some elaborate, others colorful and crazy. The only thing I would add to the venue is more food options.