Newbie Guide

Are you new to anime conventions? Don’t really know what to expect if you go to Genki? Well, lucky for you, we’ve compiled this awesome guide to help you out and to tell you a little bit about what Genki has to offer. You may also want to read our FAQ or check out our forum if you have any questions or take a look in our wiki, Wenki, if you are just looking for facts and historical data.

Index

What is an anime convention?

Long story short, an anime convention is a convention that focuses on anime, manga, and Japanese culture. They come in all shapes and sizes and with varying numbers of guests, be it in the hundreds or even thousands for some. Certain anime conventions may choose to focus more on a specific aspect of Japanese culture than others though, so no two anime conventions are usually the same.

A little something for everyone

Rather than focusing on a single aspect, Genki tries to keep focus relatively broad, but without sacrificing the quality, so that we can have something for everyone, including you. So we want to show as wide and honest an aspect of Japanese culture as we can, and we even get backed by the Japanese Embassy in Denmark.

When in doubt, ask the staff

If, at any point during the con, you have any questions, feel free to ask any of the pashiri or Genksters (organisers). You’ll be able to spot them by the T-Shirt or badge that they wear. In case they don’t know the answer to your question, you can always ask in the reception. If you have any questions prior to the con, you can ask via our info-mail, info@genki.dk, or in our forum.

What actually to expect at Genki

Genki has many of the things that people consider standard at an anime convention, but apart from that, we’ve put a Genki twist on life and made some events that are either completely original, never seen in Denmark, or simply an old idea that has been Genkified. For specifics, check out our events page.

Curious about what the “standard things” are?

No worries, here’s a short summary:

•Artist alley: Artist alleys invite local and distant artists alike to set up a stand and sell art they make themselves.
•Anime cinemas: Cinemas that show anime or Japanese movies so you can catch new features that you have never seen or relive some past adventures on the big screen.
•Panels: Panels are presentations of varying length and can be about any topic thinkable. After, or sometimes even during, the panel, the audience can ask the presenter questions about the topic or state their own opinion about it. Panels are not exclusively made by the con organisers or special guest speakers, and this year, Genki will be presenting several fan-made panels as well.
•Manga lounge: The manga lounge is a chill-out zone where you can sit back and enjoy reading some of your favourite manga publications.
•Game room: The game room is a room filled with traditional games and video games. Try out the latest releases or classics from when you parents were young.
•Dealer rooms: A dealer room provides a venue for all types of stores to come and set up shop to sell anime merchandise, DVDs, T-shirts, and lots of other crazy stuff (hurrah for crazy hats).
•Workshops: A brief, intensive course on how to do something, e.g. draw a manga character or make something with perler.

Growth spur

Genki has grown by a lot in a very short amount of time with 200 guests in 2009 to 800 in 2010 and to make a convention we have hundreds of guests, staff and helpers. With so many guests and with panel rooms in various sizes, we will not be able to cram everyone in to each event. We will however try to get as many people in to each event as possible and make sure that there is something to do for everyone at all times.

Like death and taxes, screw-ups are sure to happen

Our convention has certain activities that run non-stop as well as events and panels that happen only once during the entire weekend. Being that Genki is getting larger and more people are involved (all voluntarily) convention changes are bound to happen, unless by some unforeseen will of the anime gods everything goes off without a hitch. Examples of this at other conventions are dealers having their merchandise held up by customs, equipment burning out or going missing, and not to mention Godzilla-related issues. So be prepared and stay informed when at the convention.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

So what’s with all these costume lovers? All types of fans show their love for anime in all kinds of ways. Some dress up in cosplay and portray some of their favourite characters. For some, this is just a pure form of love, but some have spent a whole lot of time and work on their costumes. So always ask before you hug them or at least think twice before you decide to touch costumes. People might get angry if you mess up their costume.

Schools; you sleep there anyway

Genki takes place over a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, and while we commend people who are able to stay awake for 50-something hours to soak in all the Genki goodness, we recommend that people get at least a few hours of sleep during the con. So for this purpose, we’ve rented some sleeping locals relatively close to the venue and there’s a spot open for everyone. So don’t forget to bring your sleeping gear!

Bring munniez, and lots of it.

You’ll be surprised over the amounts of totally awesome stuff that will be for sale during Genki. Stuff will be sold in the artist alley, the dealer rooms, at the auction, and even from Genki’s reception, not to mention you have to buy food and stuff! So before heading off for Genki, sit down, make a rational budget of how much you think you’re going to spend during the con, and then bring twice that amount. If you’re not comfortable walking around with that much money, there are a few banks within walking distance (5 minutes away) of the con.

Do you know where your childre-I mean stuff is at?

With so many guests, one can unfortunately never avoid a few shady characters, even with security people. Therefore, always know where your stuff is and take care of your valuables at all times since the convention usually isn’t accountable for that you left your super expensive camera on a table for 30 minutes only to come back and find it missing. Don’t leave your stuff unattended. If there’s stuff you don’t actually need during that day at the con, leave it at the hotel, your friend’s place, the trunk of your car, or some place safe. We also have a wardrobe where people can store their stuff, if needed.