AniRevo Vancouver (Anime Revolution) 2023 Review
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(@maru.wins / @maruwins, @queenamydalacosplay, @shadelette_— photo taken by @kevingerardphoto)
What’s up my nerd fam! If you didn’t get a chance to attend Anime Revolution 2023 (or you’re thinking about attending the next AniRevo) then you’re in for a treat, because I’m going to recap my personal experience and review this convention honestly so that you can make an informed decision whether it’s right for you or not.
In this blog, I’ll go over all my personal takeaways, fave moments, and overall vibe. Keep in mind that I am a cosplayer, so I was really looking forward to getting dressed up and meeting other cosplay enthusiasts, while also attending all the cosplay panels planned for the week — so most of my review will be focused on cosplay-specific aspects of this event!
So let's dive in, shall we?
Why I Decided to Attend Fan Expo Vancouver 2023
AniRevo 2022 (last year) was my FIRST cosplay convention EVER and I had SO much fun. But in all honesty, I barely got to see the convention because I went with a Final Fantasy 7 crew (4 of us), and we were stopped every 2 minutes for photos. That was okay with me though, since it was my first official cosplay and I was loving the attention and swept away by the rush of all of it! It was the first event that got me HOOKED on that #cosplaylife.
This year, I wanted to approach it differently. I actually wanted to SEE the convention, attend some cosplay panels, connect with other cosplayers and photographers, and just generally take my time exploring everything it had to offer. I was really looking for to it. My friend, Sav and I had spent over 3 months getting our costumes ready and I bought a 3-day pass (not just a 1 day like last year).
So, with my anticipation levels through the roof, and my online ticket purchased, I eagerly spent hours getting ready, only to show up to something that I wasn’t expecting…
My first impression of AniRevo 2023 was…
The lines were insanely CRAZY 🤯 (and nothing like last year!)
I showed up over an hour earlier than the first panel I wanted to see on Friday, only to find the line curve around the entire Vancouver Convention Center.
And this line up wasn’t just for people who were buying tickets on sight. It was for people who had PRE-purchased their weekend passes too — so it didn’t matter if I bought ahead or not.
THAT was not the best first impression to be honest, but still ended up making the most of it.
So, without further ado, I’ll share my day-by-day recap and overall experience next!
Day-by-Day Review & Recap of AniRevo (Anime Revolution) Vancouver 2023
Day 1- Terra & Celes Costumes
@shadelette_ and I went as Terra Branford and Celes Chere from Final Fantasy 6/VI.
By the time we actually got into the building, and picked up our passes, it had been close to 3 hours and we had missed 2 panels I really wanted to see. We rushed to the third panel, only to be told that there was only 1 seat left (and there was 2 of us, and they wouldn’t let us both in).
I totally get it, I’m sure they were just following fire regulations, it just sucked that I did my due diligence to arrive way early, and still missed basically an entire day waiting in line. Womp Womp.
Now, I don’t want to be a total Debbie Downer, because every cloud has a silver lining, right? ⛅ We made the most of it by exploring the vendor booths and participating in the Cosplay Showcase. I will say, I did prefer Fan Expo’s cosplay red carpet — it felt more organized, alive, and entertaining.
Overall, it was a blast mingling with other cosplayers, striking up conversations, and of course, taking some photos to immortalize the memories!
Day 2: Rinoa Heartilly Costume
(Me @queenamydalacosplay & @ro.portraits capturing some Rinoa pics!)
I went solo Day 2 dressed as Rinoa Heartilly from Final Fantasy 8/VIII.💙
There were only 2 things that I reeeeeeeally wanted to check out on the schedule.🗓️
The first thing was the cosplay contest. Which unfortunately, I MISSED yet again due to the massive lineup to get in. 😫 (even though I was an hour early)
The line was sneaky this time though ... It wasn't outside (I had no wait getting into the building).
Down the escalator and into the vendor hall was where they gotcha. They said it was overcapacity which was why they weren't letting ppl in.
I was bummed yet again, but since I was on my own, I didn't care to wait.
Instead, I went outside and met up with @ro.portraits and @cosplay.vancouver for a couple quick impromptu photoshoots (which was a blast!) 📸🎉💃
I can't WAIT to see the results. It's always so fun to co-create and see everyone's unique take on a character. 🤩
After that, I was determined to catch the next thing I wanted to see (as I was 1/7 at this point over the last two days lol).
So I went 2 HOURS early to sit in line to catch a Cosplay Content panel by @fearfiction & @eavncosplays.
While I waited, I edited some photos from Day 1 that my partner took of @shadelette_ & I when we got home in our Terra & Celes cosplays (I'll share more of those soon — I think they turned out soooo good 😍)
But, I'm happy to share that I DID catch the panel I was waiting for — YAYYYYYY (about time LOL 🤣).
I loved the content of the panel. Evan and Gabby gave great tips.
Unfortunately I couldn't stay till the end cause my bodily needs got the best of me. (I was freezing 🥶, hungry, and had to pee lol) So that was a wrap for my Day 2!
Day 3: Cloud, Vincent Valentine & Tifa Costumes
(Can you tell I'm a Final Fantasy fan or what? LOL 😅)
So fun story...
I was going to go solo on Day 3 as Garnet from FF9/IX (with her short hair), but then last minute @shadelette_ had her trip to Kelowna cancelled due to the fire.🔥
Soooo we were brainstorming cosplays we could do together.
We've done Tifa & Aerith plenty of times, so that felt a bit boring.
Then we thought, well what if we switched?!
Only, when I tried on her Tifa skirt, it didn't fit.😅
So then I thought, well... I could always try on my finance's Cloud Strife costume...
Then immediately, Sav goes, "I'll be Vincent Valentine!" 💡🤯🤩
(I made her boyfriend a Vincent cosplay last year for AniRevo)
So we called up @james_mel_official to see if we could borrow his Vincent costume, and he was like "I'll come if I can be Tifa." (because he's awesome!)
So there you have it folks! That's how our first spontaneous genderbend cosplay came to life!
We had a BLAST! Dressing like a dude is so comfy. 😆I would def do Cloud again.
In regards to the actual event, the line to get a one day pass for James was non-existent on day 3 — so yay! 🎉🥳
But unfortunately we still missed a panel I wanted to see (even though we were waiting in line 25 mins early).
It sounds like the consensus this year is that "Line Con" was a real thing.
It was really disappointing to pay so much and only get to attend 1/9 panels I was interested in no matter how early I showed up to wait.
The best part was just dressing up with friends and taking photos, which I could have done for free & hung out by the fountain.🤷♀️
Lots of lessons learned I guess!
My biggest lessons from these costumes:
You can sew and/or glue a fanny pack pouch to belt loops (I just used felt strips) when wearing a bodysuit & belt — then you can have a hidden bag in the back of your costume!
Test and/or break in your shoes (or bring a spare)! Both of us wore heels on day 1, and we ended up in so much pain lol. Sav, got blisters before we even made it to the end of the line to get in and she had to take her shoes off immediately.
Choose comfy cosplay if you can. As much fun as it is to wear your favourite characters, I’ve learned that being comfy is the best option when possible! I chose Rinoa for Day 2 because she’s so comfy and it was 100% the right choice! I was lucky that Cloud was super comfy on Day 3 too.
Cosplay Panels from AniRevo (Anime Revolution) Vancouver 2023
As I already mentioned, I only got to see one panel that I was interested, but it was GREAT! It was "Leveling up Your Cosplay Content" with @fearfiction & @eavncosplays
It gave me some valuable insight into how to make my cosplay content on social media even better!
My biggest takeaways were:
Quality does not equal expensive equipment (your smart phone is enough)
TikTok can prefer content filmed in your phone.
People like authentic content that doesn’t feel too polished.
TikTok is for home movies, YouTube is for high production quality.
Edit fast transitions & build anticipation while getting them entertained waiting for the transition.
The faster the transition edit, the smoother it will look.
Exaggerate body language and facial expressions (act a little!).
It’s okay to block and delete comments that are harmful to your community (even if you don’t take the trolls’ comments personally)
It’s better to delete negative comments to keep your community safe than keep them for engagement.
My Favourite Cosplays from AniRevo (Anime Revolution) Vancouver 2023
There were thousands of amazing cosplays, but these were the ones that caught my attention (probably because they were most Final Fantasy Related lol) (Note: I’m pretty bad at remembering to take photos and videos LOL).
Sephiroth
Yuffie
Aerith
Squall (to go with my Rinoa!)
Two Yunas & a Tidus!
Cosplayers unknown. If you recognize them, please credit them in the comments sections.
And of course my friends… Vincent Valentine & Tifa!
"Areas of Improvement" for AniRevo (Anime Revolution) Vancouver 2023
There are three areas where I think could have seen an improvement.
The food was okay. It was pretty fried and greasy. It was fast though! If you have the time, I'd recommend leaving the convention and going across the street to the underground food court.
The venue got quite cold. I was shivering at one point even thought I was wearing a sweater and my arms and legs were covered. I was so cold I had to leave the one cosplay panel that I waited 2 hours to get into.
And you guess it… the lines were too crazy. I missed 90% of the things I wanted to see even though I’m NOTORIOUS for being wayyyyy early to everything. It’s unreasonable to wait in line for hours on end every day when paying $90 for a ticket.
Overall...
Final verdict… I’m not sure if I will go again next year.
Anime Revolution Canada 2023 was a mixed bag of emotions. While the long lines and missed panels left us feeling disappointed, the joy of cosplaying, meeting new friends, and capturing unforgettable moments overshadowed those setbacks!
It's a reminder that sometimes the best experiences are the ones we create ourselves, regardless of the event itself. I even had friends that went that didn’t pay for tickets and just hung outside by the fountain and had a great time connecting with other cosplayers and photographers.
So, fellow geeks, what are your thoughts on Anime Revolution Canada 2023? Did you face similar challenges, or did your experience differ? Share your stories in the comments below and let's continue embracing our love for cosplay and geek culture together! 👇
May the force be with you,
Queen Amy Dala
PPS. If you found this blog helpful, feel free to share it with your friends, fellow cosplayers and anyone else who you think might be interested! (And check out the different free and paid ways you can support me, which is greatly appreciated).
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