With sugar surging through my blood waiting for the main entree to arrive, I was amused with spurts of sporadic dancing and tamborines/crystal microphones being handed out to willing participants if they weren’t already clapping. Each one was decorated with pieces of Kit Kat, Pocky and syrup you could also add M&Ms if desired. Every slice was hand-decorated by the maid/butler servicing your table. Instead of a cupcake as indicated on the menu, everyone received a slice of cheesecake. What’s a maid to do? Serve dessert first of course! The catered food provided by an outside vendor was late. Where was the food? The group at my table had already played three board games and were starting a round of Apples to Apples. Halfway through the service it appeared that something was off.

Service lasts for approximately an hour, then they rush in another group of anime-loving attendees. The menu consists of your choice of drink (water, black or green tea and lemonade), one of two entrees (chicken katsu bowl or vegetable yakisoba) and a cupcake personally designed by your maid or butler. So in theory, there’s essentially something for everyone. Women are usually dressed up as French maids - and if you’re thinking this is all just for the men, there are also butler cafes with, you guessed it, men dressed up as butlers. (Regular admission to Anime Conji was $25 for one day and $45 for all three days.) Mochi Cafe is a take on the traditional maid cafes seen in Akihabara, Japan, where patrons are waited on hand and foot by cosplayers. But I quickly changed my tune when I saw a maid cafe as one of the side events.Īn extra $13 allows you entry to Mochi Cafe. So it’s no surprise that I usually dismiss Anime Conji, a annual convention dedicated to all things anime (held April 12-14 at the Town & Country Resort this year). But when confronted with anything anime-related, it’s all Greek to me. I know the difference between Marvel and DC characters and on geekier level, pre- and post- Crisis continuity. For nearly two decades I’ve been both an attendee and exhibitor in San Diego as well as around the United States. Attending comic conventions aren’t new to me.

Anime conji 2019