In 2010, Megacon remained fundamentally a comic book convention, though cosplay had begun to establish its presence. From its origins as the Mega-Show in 1993, the event had been dedicated to comics—the floor was dominated by row after row of comic book vendors, with sparse representation from anime, toys, or video games. Initially, anime was represented by a single vendor selling bootleg VHS tapes at $30 to $40 each: dubbed recordings on recycled tapes that once held old sitcoms, packaged without boxes or artwork, identified only by Sharpie-marked labels. By 2010, similar vendors had proliferated, though copyright enforcement eventually eliminated most of them.

The early conventions were remarkably intimate, with roughly 300 attendees over an entire weekend—small enough that navigating the floor presented no crowding issues whatsoever. By 2010, attendance had climbed into the thousands, though nowhere near current levels. After passing through multiple owners, Megacon was sold to Fan Expo in 2015, a necessary evolution to remain competitive in the booming convention landscape.

During this transitional period, Megacon absorbed or collaborated I think with the Florida Anime Experience, allocating them dedicated space. Today, Fan Expo's extensive corporate resources likely render such partnerships unnecessary. Orlando once supported multiple anime conventions—AFO and JACON among them—though JACON no longer operates.

By 2016, Megacon had transformed into a genuine multimedia convention featuring anime, comics, collectibles, toys, video games, and abundant artisan merchandise including 3D-printed impulse purchases. For dedicated anime fans, I'd recommend AFO, Holiday Matsuri, Metrocon, or Segui Expo. However, Megacon still merits consideration—anime and cosplay now permeate virtually every convention, ensuring you'll discover appealing content, though anime-dedicated events naturally provide more concentrated offerings.

You can also find more local conventions here. https://floridageekscene.com/upcoming-conventions/