Starting in 2008 at the old Crowne Plaza hotel, Saboten Con held its first convention. Skip eleven years later and in about a week; they will be celebrating their eleventh year as Arizona’s biggest anime convention. Taking advantage of the holiday weekend, Saboten Con will be at the Phoenix Downtown Sheraton from Friday, August 31st until Monday, September 3rd.
This year, it seems Saboten Con hasn’t held back at all, their eleventh anniversary is looking like it is going to be a blast! Come and see notable guests in cosplay, music, voice acting, gaming, art, and the who’s who in the industry. This includes legendary artist and character designer Masami Suda!
Along with the chance to meet some amazing guests, come for the best place for anime goods! Saboten Con is sporting a huge vendor hall and artist alley, expanding the space that they had last year. Or, if you’re looking to sell some old goods that have been collecting dust, check out Otaku Closet, where you might just find that special thing you were looking and make some extra cash!
Programming has always been one of my favorite things about Saboten Con. If you are looking for some informative panels on how to improve your cosplay building, photo taking, nerding out, or anything else under the sun, Sabo is offering a wide array of entertaining panels you and your friends can check out when you need a break from shopping and meeting guests. This also includes the famous masquerade contest, where cosplayers of all skill levels get to show off their stuff! Seriously, one of the best things to go to, check it out on Sunday, September 9th from 7:30 to 10:00. Get there early! Seats start to fill up fast!
I’ve been attending Saboten con since it started in 2008, and I’ve always had a blast. If you are looking for something to do Labor Day Weekend, I highly suggest checking it out. Tickets are still available on their website, $55 for the full event, $20 for Friday, $30 for Saturday, $30 for Sunday, or $15 for Monday.
