Author: Tania Escobar
As an avid con-goer, this year was my first at Animé Los Angeles (ALA). Obviously, this means it was my very first time experiencing the fantastic world of badge ribbons! I’ve seen a badge ribbon or two at San Diego Comic-Con, usually the collectable Dragon-Ball Z ones, but never to the incredible dedication and passions of ALA’s loyal fans that return to this con every year. The con-goers of ALA themselves have made it a tradition and a con activity with an infectious vibe.
Now, this event took place during the LA Fires that ravaged my lovely community. I can’t even begin to explain how this disaster (still ongoing as of this article) affects me personally as a native Angeleno. The con was held at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, which is in Long Beach, California. For those outside the state, Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, but given how southern it is from the main parts of LA, it’s often joked as the between point of LA and Disneyland (Anaheim). In this case, the convention center was 46 miles from the largest fire, The Pacific Palasaides.
This convention, and the subsequent ribbon mania, was honestly a reprieve for me, amongst the chaos of various levels of evacuation orders, toxic air quality, videos of fleeing wildlife, and flames visible from my home. I was on alert and acutely aware of the danger (I even had my belongings packed in my car, just in case).
I also craved the normalcy that a convention brings. I wanted chaos that made sense to me. I needed to feel safe. So, in case you ever needed more mental health reasons to go to a convention – let the fact that it could be a safe haven during a disaster be one of them.
Now, hear my tale of badge flare acquisition.
When I walked into the exhibit hall, I noticed these cool and pretty-looking strips hanging off con-goers badges. Some of the badges had 4 to 5 strips, and eventually, I saw con-goers with so many ribbons their badge needed to be wrapped around their body like a belt. I ran into a vendor with several ribbons for sale for $2, and all of them were pretty funny. I mustered up the courage to ask the person next to me to see the ribbons they had. I saw one that ignited my hunt to start looking at every ribbon at every booth in Artists Alley.
Once I learned a little more about them and spoke with other con-goers, I learned that most vendors sell, trade, or give them away. ALA has an entire area dedicated to ribbons called the Ribbon Station. It was the first thing you see when you walk in, but it’s been so long since I’ve been to a con, and I was too excited to notice. The Ribbon Station has a Wonder Trade, where you leave a ribbon and get a partner to trade with. There were also a few games for ribbons and an area to make custom ribbons. The con merch table also sold ribbons and ribbon packs if you wanted to start trading with con-goers. The merch table also had their giraffe friend Vladimir, whom you can feed some ribbons to. The best thing about the Ribbon Station was the Ribbon Advice table; if you had any questions and were brand new to this, you could ask any questions. There was also a ribbon finder bulletin board with a list of vendors with ribbons, ribbon gatherings of particular anime, and scavenger hunts you could do for ribbons.
A question of worry I did have in my head through my first day was, “What happens if it falls?” ALA had come up with a solution to that as well. The Ribbon Station also has a ribbon repair table, where they help you fix your ribbons and sew all of them in place with an onsite sewist and sewing machine. Seeing that station calmed my nerves for other con-goers who may be concerned for their ribbons.
Ribbons come in different colors, and all are very creative with what’s on them, from fandom images and references to jokes and hilarious phrases. Not even an hour into my first day, I immediately dived into the rabbit hole. The ribbons I loved the most and were in hot pursuit of were the ones that were a bit 18+, which there weren’t very many of, but I was still happy to obtain.
Some vendors give away a complimentary ribbon with a certain amount of merch purchased and sometimes sell the ribbon alone for a few dollars. Or if you interact or complete a challenge of theirs with other artists at the con, you can win exclusive ribbons and a grand prize for a piece of art from every vendor involved in the stamp card. There were a few challenges based on fandoms like Attack on Titan, JuJuTsu Kaisen, and Scott Pilgrim. I was lucky enough to run into a ribbon challenge based on my favorite video game, Love and Deepspace, and once again, I delved deeper into the rabbit hole. I managed to get almost all the ribbons of my favorite video game, but I was happy with just getting the ribbons of my favorite character.
There was also a designated space to trade ribbons at the station, with con-goers having cases with a handful of ribbons to trade. Still, after walking into the convention center’s lobby, I noticed that groups and groups of people gathered with their cases of ribbons to trade and give away. A few groups of particular anime and other fandoms, like Hazbin Hotel and Arcane, posted up to trade ribbons with other fans. Something I didn’t expect was to receive ribbons from my favorite K-pop group, Stray Kids; I complimented a girl on her plushy, and we fanned out on our favorite member, and she gifted me a handful of ribbons she made herself. Something else I learned from hardcore ribbon collectors is that there’s a tradition every year at the con of going up to the second floor of the convention center and letting your strand of ribbons fall from the second-floor balcony and see if your badge is two stories long. I didn’t get to that many ribbons, but my strand was almost my height when I got home.
On the last day of the con, I cosplayed as a rare character, my favorite character from Sailor Moon from one of the 90s films, Human Luna. Regardless, it’s always a great feeling when someone notices or compliments your cosplay, no matter what it is. So you can only imagine how I felt to be gifted a Sailor Moon ribbon for cosplaying this character any die-hard Sailor Moon fan will recognize. I was honored to be given a handful of ribbons from people whose day was made just by seeing this character cosplayed, and my day and experience were also made with the gesture of receiving a ribbon just for doing something I love. This added to an even more memorable first time at ALA.
ALA is precisely what every fan convention is supposed to be at its core, and it was my favorite thing about this con and its ribbon culture: fans, nerds, cosplayers, and geeks coming together with one another to be able to share their love for their favorite fandom. This was such a great experience. Not just collecting ribbons but the con itself. The community of badge ribbons that I met at ALA was very welcoming, and it was a convention experience I will never forget; I will cherish all the ribbons I was given from an incredible community of nerds and geeks that very much has me looking forward for next years convention, and has inspired me to make my ribbons to give away.
ALA was so much fun, something I hadn’t experienced at a con in a long time. It also gave me safety and a sense of controlled chaos amongst the devastating fires. So thank you, ALA, and keep doing what you’re doing! I will, for sure, see you next year!
Ready to join the ribbon fun and experience the welcoming world of ALA? Start planning your trip for next year, and don’t forget to bring your creativity and fandom spirit to trade, collect, and connect with an incredible community of fans! If you attended ALA this year, share your favorite ribbon or experience in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
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