Anime North 2023 feels like a distant dream now. It was my first convention with a partner and my first time doing a couple cosplay. Honestly? It was everything I imagined and more. When I look back, the highlight that flashes first is the Rollerpony x Anime North rollerskating party. It happened on the Thursday night before the official start of the convention weekend—and yes, it was as fun as it sounds.
Kicking off the fun with patties and skates
We started our adventure with a trip to Pattie World Bakery (highly recommend). We grabbed a delicious spread: ackee and saltfish patties, beef patties, and callaloo patties. Fueled up, we made our way to Rollerpony (RIP, you funky little rink). My partner and I laced up our skates dressed as Zuko and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Surrounded by other cosplayers on wheels, it felt surreal in the best way possible.
Cosplaying with my partner had been a bucket list goal of mine for a while, so that night already felt like a win.
Friday: panels, passes, and parking victories
Friday was when the Anime North 2023 cosplay experience kicked into high gear. We met up with friends, grabbed our media passes, munched on onigiri, and bounced between panels and the vendor’s hall.
That year, I had just upgraded to the Sony A7III camera. I was itching to test it out along with my shiny new gimbal and drone. The drone never even made it out of the bag—Anime North sits right next to a major airport.
The gimbal? Let’s just say it was more of a learning experience than I anticipated. (Pro tip: “learning curve” is an understatement.) Using the camera, though, felt amazing. I had a much better handle on that and captured some great shots.
Also, a special shoutout to my past self for snagging early parking. I rolled up at 2 PM before the heavy crowds hit. Glorious.
Saturday: cosplay photoshoots and panel hosting dreams
Saturday was intense in the best possible way. I picked up my friend from the TTC station bright and early, and we rolled into Anime North by 8:30 AM for another elite parking spot.
Our little crew of four spent the day filming, snacking on (more) onigiri, and taking in the convention vibe.
My partner and I split off later in our Zuko and Katara cosplays for the Avatar photoshoot outside the Delta Hotel. Hosting and participating in that shoot was a blast.
But the real pinch-me moment? Later that afternoon, I co-hosted the Avatar: The Last Airbender panel at Anime North.
It was my first time on a panel in ages, and it pulled a massive crowd. Turns out, the love for Aang and the gang never fades.
Sunday: winding down with photos and pizza
Sunday brought a much-needed slower pace, which I welcomed with open arms—and very sore feet. I met up with two of my girlfriends, spent the day diving into cosplay photography and honestly? I loved it!
The only downside of my Anime North 2023 cosplay experience was the post-convention grind. Editing both the recap vlog and full photo galleries was exhausting. Plus, as many younger cosplayers don’t have the budget to pay standard rates, it felt a little underpaid for the effort involved. Still, it was a valuable lesson with zero regrets.
We capped the weekend with a chill meal at Pizzaville. Honestly, it was the perfect way to wrap up a whirlwind weekend.
Final thoughts on my Anime North 2023 cosplay experience
All in all, Anime North 2023 cosplay experience easily lands in my top five conventions. And considering I’ve been attending for over eight years, that’s saying something. It had the perfect mix of chaos, creativity, and community.
Would I do it all over again? In a heartbeat. (With better gimbal skills next, next, next, NEXT time.)
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