By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

Last November, I had a choice between two conventions: Kumoricon 2024 and Anime Expo Chibi 2024. As many of you know, I’m a regular attendee at Kumoricon and, more recently, a panelist there. It’s a convention I love—a truly rewarding experience thanks to a staff that tirelessly puts on the event each year and a place I plan to return to this coming November.

Given the choice between AX Chibi, a relatively new convention with only two prior years, and attending Kumoricon, I would have more likely gone with Kumoricon the same way I have for the last two years. However, this year brought a new factor into the equation: my recent full-time faculty role at a small college.

Since faculty members can sometimes receive funding for conferences, research, and presentations, attending a well-known convention like AX Chibi seemed more beneficial for my professional development record. AX, being the largest anime convention in North America with an established academic track and SPJA backing, looks excellent on paper compared to a fan-run convention as well. Sure enough, my department seemed to agree.

So, with encouragement from those at my new job to pick AX Chibi over Kumo, I chose AX Chibi as a presentation opportunity, knowing it could boost my professional development record and understanding that AX Chibi programming had specifically reached out to me to submit a panel idea, which is a great opportunity and honor. Plus, I do love AX official, so giving the Chibi spinoff a chance seems only fair.

I booked my trip and set my sights on AX Chibi. However, after attending, here’s my honest assessment: if you’re considering Anime Expo Chibi, prepare yourself for growing pains and disappointment.

Accommodations / Hotel Block

Let’s start where I’ve never had to begin before—the hotel block.

As someone who usually drives to conventions and stays with friends or family, or occasionally splits a hotel with staffers, booking accommodations is rarely part of my con experience. However, since I now live out of state, and Ontario, CA, is far from my California home base, staying at a hotel became necessary and that’s where the trouble began.

Right from the start, the planning and management of the hotel block was a nightmare. I initially booked a room through the Chibi hotel block with excitement, only to realize shortly afterward that I had mistakenly entered the wrong arrival and departure dates. When I tried to update the reservation a short while after booking, the booking site offered no way to make changes both on desktop and mobile. I then reached out to the provided contacts for help—but I received no response from the hotel block management despite calling twice and emailing a few times. What should have been a simple process turned into a drawn-out ordeal lasting weeks.

My attempts to call the hotel directly weren’t much better. Although I got through, they couldn’t locate my reservation in their system, likely because the hotel block management hadn’t shared the booking information with them yet—even just 48 hours before the event. With no confirmation email, only a thankfully captured screenshot as proof of my booking, my reservation remained in limbo, unchangeable and untraceable to the hotel itself.

Considering how essential accommodations are for a smooth convention experience, the mishandling of this aspect was baffling. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning of several issues that left me questioning whether Anime Expo Chibi meets the standards we expect from the AX brand.

Size and Scale + Food Alley

The event is much smaller than Anime Expo, and not just in terms of time. The convention center itself was much smaller, though appropriate given the size of the event. One thing that was a bit confusing was having the Artist Alley outside, when it seemed as though the second floor of the convention center, used for gaming and anime viewing areas, could have been more effectively utilized to house the Artist Alley and Autograph sections. Consolidating these entertainment areas into a smaller footprint would have freed up prime indoor space for exhibitors and guests. Perhaps it would have been better to have forfeited the screening rooms altogether in favor of holding panels there instead.

Tied to this seeming misallocation of Artist Alley and vendors is that the convention maps were misleading, as they suggested that the Artist Alley was located inside the convention center when looking at them (featured below). This caused some confusion among attendees like myself who were expecting a largely indoor experience.

Regarding the food, food options were fine—mostly food trucks, like AX, with many trucks matching those seen at AX official. The food I had during the event came from “Makanai is Ready” and “Rice Balls of Fire.” Both were fresh and hot, which was good. Good weather and a fair amount of seating, thankfully. The cafe at the event center was also pretty good, although all food was pricey, as nearly every meal costed upwards of $20 for food and a bottle of water.

Given the food trucks and layout in “Chibi Plaza,” I would say that the food options at AX Chibi were comparable to those at Anime Expo on a smaller scale. While there were no reported issues like food poisoning, the prices were notably high, though still a bit cheaper than the summer event. Water bottles cost $4, for example, just $1 less than at Anime Expo, making hydration expensive for attendees, considering there were few water fountains or refill stations in the building.

Security Concerns:
Placing the Artist Alley and Autograph area outdoors raised potential safety issues. An indoor setup, particularly within the convention center, would have provided better security for both attendees and exhibitors. Moreover, that seemed like a health concern given the weather in California tends to be warm when outside under the sun, even in the winter.

Vendor Hall / Artist Alley

The autograph signing section was positioned between the Artist Alley and the convention center, also in the parking lot. This outdoor placement seemed disconnected from the main convention activities, and appeared uncomfortable given how much sun exposure the tables received during the day.

As mentioned already, it seems as if both the Artist Alley and the Autograph areas could have been relocated indoors, potentially on the second floor of the convention center. This floor was used for gaming and anime viewing areas, which could have been condensed to create space for these key activities. Indoor placement would improve accessibility and comfort for attendees and vendors overall.

The Vendor Hall and Artist Alley were where I spent the most time (no surprise there given my proclivity for shopping), but there was not much to say about this portion of the experience. Both areas were a good size proportionate to the scale of the event. Despite my comments on the logistical issues of placement, the Artist Alley and Vendor Hall were highlights of the convention. Their layouts facilitated smooth movement, avoiding bottlenecks or feelings of claustrophobia.

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Entertainment – Attendee Experience

A common complaint I heard prior and during the convention was about the lack of panels and the perceived low quality of the panels that were offered. This diminished the overall experience for those seeking engaging and informative programming, and I can’t help but agree in this section. Even my own panel, which I am thankful made it into the convention, was not one that seemed to fit well with the tone and theme of the event.

Moreover, while Anime Expo Chibi included anime screenings, likely as a nod to the traditional Anime Expo experience, it contributed to the space allocation challenges discussed in other sections.

I noticed that some artists who typically attend AX were absent from AX Chibi, possibly choosing to appear at Kumoricon instead. This difference in artist representation may have negatively influenced the perceived value of AX Chibi compared to other conventions as well.

Organization: Layout, Management, and Media Use

While AX Chibi provided an enjoyable experience in some areas, it struggled to match the value of larger conventions like Anime Expo in July or Kumoricon. For long-time attendees of both, AX Chibi felt less compelling as a travel destination and is not an event I am likely to return to soon as it seems to need more time to work out the kinks.

Final Judgments

Venue: 3/5 – Venue should be larger considering the size and scale.

Staff: 5/5 – Polite and helpful.

Organization, Layout & Management: 2/5 – Really cannot get over the outside placement of Artist Alley here and the discomfort of the outdoor experience. Despite the weather being good, the heat of the outside did not earn this category any points, although I do appreciate how well they maintained a good air flow and comfortable temperature inside the Artist Alley tent.

Organization, Media Use: 3/5 – Could have been better. I noticed a lack of tagging when promotional materials went out as well as little local advertising for the event in the weeks and days leading up to the event.

Attendance: 4/5 – Good experience, but not as engaging as I feel like it could be.

Affordability: 3/5 – Food and water is still overpriced. Ticket prices seemed acceptable given the size and scale.

Overall: 3.3/5 – An okay experience and good for first-time convention goers, but not necessarily a “must-go” event of the year.

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Copyedited by: Katherine Cañeba | @kcserinlee