~Taking a break from regular convention reviews, this article will be more of a tribute to my years at Anime Central, rather than a review of the 2010 year. Warning a head of time: I attended very few events this year, including the Masquerade, so I’ll be able to give little thought on events like that. ~
This will have been my (Sam) fifth year at ACEN.
Just looking at those words causes a flood of memories to bombard me in my desk chair. Without a doubt this is the convention which is nearest to my heart, the don’t miss event and the most highly anticipated weekend of my whole year. I’ve enjoyed other conventions, but Acen is like a first love. It ushered me into a world of fandom from which I’ve never looked back and exposed me to more anime, video games and blips of subculture I couldn’t have dreamed to find on my own. This convention is also a family affair; my brothers and mother have been my hotel room companions each year at the Hyatt, as well as a team of my closest friends. Perhaps most significantly (at least in regard to the publishing of this article) Acen is where I first met the Enthusiasts. When the seasons change and costumed folk with bulky swords and brightly colored hair swarm into Rosemont, you can be sure I am among them. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.
This year was different for several major reasons: One was that I was not battling a school schedule leading up to the convention and had proper time to prepare for the weekend as oppose to rushing to make everything work. This meant I could arrive at our hotel room in the Embassy Suites early as well, giving time for relaxation and hot-tubbing. Another significant difference was that Saturday the 15th is also the date of my birth, meaning my 21st birthday would be celebrated at the con. As if the greatness of Acen could be expanded, this would be the year. We were ready. And we got there on Thursday.
