By: Shereena Sakhrani

For anime fans in the GTA, there is nothing more exciting for the month of May than Anime North, Toronto’s very own anime convention. From Naruto to old classic Sailor Moon, anime fans have a lot to be excited about.

Every year, thousands of fans attend this convention, and it seems to get even better and more popular every year. Toronto’s annual anime convention has gained popularity over the past few years. Not only do guest from Toronto attend, but also guest from the US, Asia, Europe, etc.  Other than Halloween, when and where else in Toronto can you dress up in your favorite anime character or even your own original character, walk around, and see a bunch of other people dressed up in their favorite characters. Whether you’re a hardcore anime fanatic or just fascinated about it, Anime North has many activities and events to offer. It definitely is a fun weekend for everybody to enjoy.

From personal experience, I would have to say Anime North is definitely worth going to. Seeing my old favorite cartoons like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Rayearth makes me feel like a kid again.

There are fun activities and events like costume and manga contest, fashion show, workshops and dance parties. The formal Moonlight Ball is one of the fun events you can attend and enjoy. There are also many cool prizes and freebies.

If you’re into games, there are a wide variety of games to play. There are card games, video games, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and game shows for you to take part in and play against other players. This is a great place to show off your skills in a little DDR battle with friends and other guest.

Not only are there fun activities and events, but you can also meet and greet with special guest. You get to meet with voice actors and artist of actual anime series.

For those of you looking to do some shopping, you can go to the dealer room and purchase items like comic books, videos, posters, figurines, and video games just to name a few. You can find rare items being sold like Sailor Moon mangas and other rare mangas that are not being produce anymore. You can also find things on new series straight from Japan that are unreleased in North America. What’s great about buying items in the dealer room is that items are usually discounted compare to buying them from comic book stores. And, you can try to bargain with the dealers.

Not only will you find really popular anime shows, but you’ll also find artwork from independent artist. Anime North is a great place if your wanting to get a sneak peak and more information on upcoming anime releases.

And to prove that this anime is indeed a craze, I dared asked few anime fans like Stella Sacramento on why she loves attending Anime North, and her response was, “I’ve been going for a few years now and there are just so many things to do. One whole day isn’t enough to see and do everything on my list. This year, I’m going to take full advantage and attend all three days. I’m really excited about the parties, performances and seeing crazy costumes. I like the discounts, contest, and free stuff. I’m really looking forward to Cosplay events. I’m going with a group of my friends and most of us are dressing up in costumes. The costume I’ll be wearing is actually an original my friend made for me. It’s so much fun and so worth it. My advice is, if you can make it, make it.”

You’ll be fascinated by the diversity of guest who come and attend this special event. Seeing people from different cultures, age groups, and people in their anime clubs makes it feel even more welcoming. It’s a fun way to meet new people and realize how anime is such a big part in our community, and the number of people who love it. Anime North helps us appreciate art in a very fun, cultural, and youthful way. If you’re an anime fan, do not miss this event.