So Otaku World Expo Looks Like a Disaster Waiting to Happen

by on October 28, 2019 at 2:53 pm
Posted In: Blog

So Otaku World Expo is a first year con that looks like a disaster waiting to happen in every single way. Like even if Vic Mignogna wasn’t being invited, and the official twitter wasn’t tagging in known jackasses to promote it.


First off, let’s talk about their website. It is, as the kids say, “terrible.”

This isn’t 2004 anymore, and when I see a site like this it means one thing: they aren’t paying attention to the small details. If a con’s not putting effort into their first point of contact, what else are they dropping the ball on? I mean, look, first year cons having terrible websites isn’t super uncommon — but this is at a level that’s really only still acceptable if your con is a free con being run at a high school. Or like a free con at a university.

I mean, “free” or “less than $10” entry is what this site screams. And if that were the case, I’d be more forgiving.

Spoiler: This con costs a lot more money to attend.

You read that right — $40 for a one day pass, and $70 for a two day pass. Those are the preregistration prices. For a first year con. For contrast, prereg for a 4 day badge at Anime Expo is $85. A 3 day badge for Acen, prereg, is $63-$80 depending when you do it.

Those were big cons. Medium sized cons like Daisho Con or Anime Milwaukee charge $50 for a three day badge. But hell, SMALL anime cons, like No Brand Con, charge $30 for a three day badge at prereg. $40 at the door.

And make no mistake — these guys will be lucky to hit AMKE’s numbers.

Cons are plentiful on the west coast. Even if no one else ends up on that weekend, there are other places for attendees to spend their money.

As in, spend less money for more con. Cons that are likely to be run better.

And finally, the one thing that I always find concerning is when a convention doesn’t tell you who the hell is running it. There’s no owner listed. No parent organization. Nothing.

“Otaku World Expo” is not the name of a corporation or LLC legally operating in California. So either it’s owned by a company with a different name (which is fine but it should be listed), or is being run by an individual. If it’s the latter, it’s just hilarious. Like if a con is run by an individual it should still LIST THAT PERSON’S NAME. The first rule to first year cons is never trust an event that doesn’t tell you who is in charge.

But if the con is just being run by some guy, it also means the con owner is personally liable. Like if someone sues. Or, which is way more likely, if the con tanks and can’t pay the bills

Even if people show up, first year cons often lose money. And they’re relying on people still caring about Vic Mignogna a year from now. Like this is going to make Wine Country Comic Con’s numbers look good.

(If you don’t know about WCCC, google it — and they failed with Vic as a guest BEFORE any victims came forward)

The first rule to starting a con is always be prepared to lose every penny you put into it the first year. Some cons get lucky, most don’t. And if the prices are this high? Dude is not prepared for how much this might cost them even if people DO show up.

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