I’m a strange duck when it comes to anime conventions. I’m not into panels or cosplay competition, but I love the colorful sea of fans, the dealers’ room, artists’ alley, and of course, the anime, which is why I really go to anime conventions in the first place. Sure, I can always watch anime on my own, and I frequently do – and there’s plenty of online streaming content that makes that task even easier now – but there’s still something about enjoying a well-animated drama or comedy in a room full of people who are into the same stuff that you’re into that you can’t experience on your own.

That’s why, when I knew back in April that I was coming back to San Antonio this summer, I went online and bought a ticket for San Japan: Samurai 7 at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center.

The San Japan x Nine-Tails Mini-Mini Con
Where: Wonderland of the Americas Mall, San Antonio, Texas
When: Saturday, June 14th, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

It was a hot humid San Antonio day outside, but it was a different matter in the air-conditioned confines of the Wonderland of the Americas Mall in San Antonio, TX this weekend. Nine-Tails, a unique anime and J-Pop culture shop set up in 2010 by co-owners Justin and Nati, in conjunction with San Japan, a local fan-run organization, held a “mini-mini con” for fans of anime, manga, and cosplay to come out, show their support for the upcoming San Japan: Samurai 7 anime convention, and pre-register for the main event coming in July at the HBG Convention Center in downtown San Antonio.