Con season is definitely upon us. We have been blessed to attend different conventions between the Midwest and the East Coast, and MomoCon did not disappoint!
First and foremost, thank you to MomoCon for blessing me with the press pass to attend! Everyone looked amazing as per usual, and I was even able to meet up with a few out-of-town friends and make new friends along the way.
Venue
Just like AWA, this convention was located at the Georgia World Convention Center, just on a different side. So, all the preparation I thought I had to go through this con with confidence was out the window, but it charged me up for a good adventure.
I’ll also note here, while MomoCon can’t fully control the parking situation, I feel like there should be a conversation between the larger cons that use GWCC about parking. It is always encouraged to use MARTA ( Atlanta’s metro ), carpool, or Lyft/Uber; those who don’t have that luxury are still subject to daily parking rates as high as $60.
Registration was a smooth process. The preparation of lines was apparent, but not needed for my Saturday arrival. My friends were able to get in and out just as fast as I was able to – a total of 15 minutes more or less. The first thing I did was make myself acquainted with the Press Room after getting my badge. I got to see just how big this side of the con was, multiple floors, escalator lines, and other telltale signs of a con rush.
The Press Room overlooked the artist alley and industry area, which brought about my favorite meme of the White Ranger overlooking the con. Shout out to MomoCon for making us welcome in the room! Creators also had the opportunity for interviews with the guests who attended, from voice actors to professional cosplayers.
I got the chance to talk to a few people waiting for the elevator, and I want their voices to be heard for this con and any other convention held at the GWCC. Please make sure the people using the elevator need the elevator. A lot of people were waiting in long lines, and by the time it was their time to get on and the elevator door opened, there would be people on the elevator either going the wrong way or just using it to avoid lines. Obviously, the ones who needed it did use it, and often, while pushing ‘down’ would only ever get ‘up’ as a response. I’m certain every con has this issue, but seeing stressed-out parents try to maneuver was very frustrating and sad to watch.
A huge shout-out to the volunteers! At the bottom of one escalator, there was a volunteer hyping everyone up and complimenting every cosplayer. It’s small, but it made every single person smile. While on topic, I did see someone attempt to get physical with the convention center workers, and I’ll add here that no matter who you are, these people are trying to make the con safe. If you ever happen to see things like this at a con, please report it with as much information as you can!
Panels
It was my first MomoCon, and while I had a vision, I really only went to one panel and Maid Cafe and spent the greater part of my time there roaming and meeting with other creators, dealers, industry, and the like.
I did, however, attend a panel hosted by The Anime View Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Peggy Sue Wood, titled Introduction to Anime & Manga Studies. A wonderful panel that inspired each person in attendance. As someone who recently got my Bachelor’s in Arts in Psychology, seeing how I could incorporate research outside of higher education and in graduate school was inspiring for what I’d like to do going forward for myself, and this blog!
It was my first Maid Cafe! I was excited that they had space on a Saturday, and jumped right into it. It was a delight, and I felt a piece of my inner magical girl ignite. There was also a Deadpool dressed as a maid who had the chance of a lifetime and took it. A wonderful experience, and I appreciate the Maids that came out and gave us a wonderful show!
Vendors
The vendors were amazing! From Artist Alley to the Industry Area, the transition was seamless and easy to navigate. The How to Train Your Dragon booth had a giant Toothless that reacted when you touched it, and honestly, I’m not gonna lie, I cried. I hold a very special place in my heart for that movie.
Personally, when maneuvering between the two locations, I take the time to pay attention to cosplays since there can be a lot of stop-and-go traffic in these areas. There was an amazing Sally Face cosplayer (that I did not get a photo of), which is so unique! In the six years I’ve been to anime conventions, I have never seen a Sally Face! There was also a beautiful Forger family cosplay at the vast area surrounding the Trilogy Shop, which is always my favorite place to go. I was able to snag a book from the Citi exhibition about Manga and its cross-cultural appeal.
My biggest excitement was the after-con content. There were plenty of videos that I had the pleasure of watching from content creators and con-goers alike.
Being one of the biggest fan conventions in the Southeast, it brought in an amazing number of participants, welcoming more than 59,000 attendees. There is certainly something for everyone at MomoCon. It is not just an anime convention, but a convention for anime, K-pop & J-pop, gaming, comics & animation alike.
If you haven’t attended before, definitely let this convention be on your radar for next year!
Happy 20th anniversary!
Religiously Nerdy 
[…] Once again, thank you to MomoCon for the opportunity for press. […]
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Glad to hear the deadpool mash -up hasn’t died. But sounds like you had really nice time. I’ve never been to MomoCon but always seems like a nice time. Thanks for letting me tag along.
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Of course! It was so fun to watch, they asked who wanted to volunteer and when people raised their hands, he stood up. It was a very clear option lol. I definitely recommend coming next year! They are looking to expand!
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