[Zyl] London MCM Expo 2011

Bank Holiday Weekend Warrior

I don't play computer or console games; I haven't read comics since Lucifer ended its run in 2007; I don't watch Hollywood movies unless I'm taking a long haul flight (and I've already seen all the anime and Chinese movies in the inflight entertainment system). So, given the impression of the general lack of anime-related attractions on the London MCM Expo 2011 website's featured events, I wasn't so sure if it would have been worth my while to attend.

However the chatter on Twitter indicated that some of the UK-based anibloggers that I follow were looking forward to this; Hanners, 5scamp and Hana were all travelling to London from other parts of the UK to attend the Expo. Since I'm already in London and getting to the venue was a matter of negotiating the London Underground and Docklands Light Rail (note to self: don't take the DLR to ExCeL from Bank - it was much easier for me to get on the DLR at Canning Town), my initial reluctance turned into: "Why not?"

This was my first time attending a UK convention so I was also curious how this would compare to my experiences in the US (Otakon 2000), Japan (Yuricon 2005, C72, C77) and Singapore (AFA08, AFA09). First off, while I did not encounter any long queue times, I was initially surprised by how admissions were controlled by having a numbered wristband (top-right of the photo) attached to you. The stewards in the ticketing queue stressed repeatedly that if it was removed or damaged in any way, we would have to pay the full admissions price again. Showering a tad awkward as getting it wet was not recommended and the stickiness of perspiration between the wristband and skin made for occasional discomfort. Comiket did not charge attendees so there was no such issue. IIRC all the other conventions I attended before issued passes (hung around one's neck). The Expo's organizers probably wanted to prevent transfers though I'm not sure how much revenue loss this measure actually prevented. I witnessed an instance of distress from an attendee who arrived in cosplay with long gloves but a compromise was eventually arrived at with the wristband being attached loosely enough for her to be able to remove her glove but not the wristband. It was an incident like that (and, as a wit remarked in a Tweet, an excuse for some not to shower) that I hope the organizers will consider switching to a pass system in the future.