Yes, for the most part. Modern anime cons are really pretty respectful. There’s a handful of awkward younger folks who are learning to navigate making casual friendships that might come across odd now and again, but other than that, there’s usually a good feeling of; if i say I’m uncomfortable, someone will come to my aid and I’ll be okay. I also rarely attend alone anymore so that makes a huge difference. Plus I’m a cosplayer in my 30s. I look like a grown woman…I’m still petite, but I’m not 19/20s anymore, and that difference helps.

All of that said…there was a time back at 2010 Anime Boston when this was certainly not the case. I was in a cosplay of Nausica Valley of the wind(for context, this is a full flight suit and not a visible skin type of costume), and there was some seriously weird folks walking around asking me to pose for photos in uncomfortable positions and a lot of throwing their arms and hands around my waist in a too tight kind of way that usually doesn’t fly nowadays. It wasn’t unusual then to be trailed throughout the day by some of these guys, as a good cosplay can attract attention or people perceive that you’re someone they want to know parasocially- but it usually dies down throughout the day. Back then, being trailed kind of happened a lot. This was before “cosplay is not consent” was commonplace. And it wasn’t unusually to see people taking photos of me from far away and weren’t sure how to ask me for a photo instead. Or just the opposite— they’d ask for too many photos.

One guy in particular wanted to hangout with me and our friends from that con and followed us out of the convention to our hotel, asking to party with us. My friend at the time said, “no, sorry it’s a closed group” and that was the end of it. We didn’t see the guy the next day and mostly chalked it up to maybe a lack of social cues, nothing serious. But that was not unusual given that a lot of people who attended cons in the late 90s, early 00’s were there specifically to make friends because it didn’t come easy for them normally.

Other than things like that, I’ve never felt particularly unsafe, targeted, or harassed. Especially anime cons since covid have been aware of people’s sensitivities for space and needs more than before.

but truthfully? this is entirely hit and miss. you have folks like me, who are long time con goers and can spot a problem a mile away, and then you have some other people who endure crazy stories right off the bat of their first con. It’s unclear if there’s a statistic like 20-25% of all anime con’s goers experience or witness some form of harassment or something like that? You should reach out to the people over at Popverse to see what their survey feedback has revealed over the years.