Love and Deepspace is back at Anime Expo this year, offering exciting new activations! I went on day one and am here to give you the scoop on what to expect for the cosplay meet-and-greet and the swag gift bag pick-up process!
This year, Infold offers three separate offerings: 1) Gift bag pickup (reservation only), 2) Cosplay Meet and Greet (reservation only) and 3) Official Merch purchasing (first come, first served). While I didn’t get any merch, the line did get capped, so plan to get there as early as possible so you don’t miss your chance.
Anime Expo Exclusive Gift Bag
This was a crowd favorite from last year, and they brought it back! However, this time around you must secure your spot via Eventbrite to claim your ticket. It’s completely free, but you must be Level 60 or above on your Love and Deepspace account. Make sure your game is fully downloaded, and the homescreen is booted up by the time you get to the front of the line. Reception is very spotty in the hall, so definitely don’t wait until you’re up next to get it sorted. If you can’t load your game, they will have you exit and reenter from the back. The line compared to last year was a breeze!
I actually had terrible connection issues, had to get out of line, tag back in at the end, and waited only 2 minutes to get my bag. It goes very quickly! Just make sure you’re in the correct line as fans gather around the booth to trade bags, get glimpses of the cosplayers, and take photos. It gets very congested!
Here’s what’s in the bag:
Official Cosplayer Interactions
This is where the experience takes a turn. The cosplayers draw a huge crowd, with fans camping out in the queue to record the guys. Definitely be prepared for your interaction to be recorded and a lot of eyes on you. As a shy person, it was a little nerve-wracking looking out and seeing all the cameras, but the cosplayers do a great job of engaging and taking your mind off the spectators.
I originally had a Valko meet-and-greet, but once I checked in, they let me choose who I wanted to see. Each interaction is limited to a minute, but the staff doesn’t rush to wrap up faster. There seems to be a mutual understanding between the cosplayers and the staff about when to move interactions along. My interaction lasted over a minute, and the staff kept letting Xavier do his thing even after the time was up. One thing to keep in mind is that the cosplayers don’t speak, so it’s like a fun game of charades. Be prepared to let the chemistry do the talking and go with the flow they set.
Feedback
Overall, this experience felt a lot more organized than last year’s, but the only feedback is that the meet-and-greet portions should be somewhat walled off. The crowds were massive, and the walkways were hazardous to navigate. It has nothing to do with the staff, but more so the layout. The current layout feels more like a spectacle when meeting characters; some fans were shouting during others’ interactions, content was taken without their consent, and it felt like the layout took away from some people’s moments. Also, Xavier’s meet-and-greet is at the opposite end of the exit, so having to walk past all the other 4 love interests’ meet-and-greets to exit felt really strange when others were filming content. In short, the interaction and overall experience were great; it was just the layout.
Did you visit the Love and Deepspace booth as well? Let us know in the comments how it went and your favorite moments!
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