A violent return to reality for fans of manga and science fiction. This weekend took place the Paris Manga & Sci-Fi show at the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. Deprived of conventions since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, many fans gathered for this highly prized meeting. Too many even, to the point that the organization was totally overwhelmed, subjecting visitors to two painful days.
The images circulating on Twitter are final. Hundreds of visitors gathered inside, trample trying to make their way through the aisles of the convention. “Outrageous! More than 3 hours of waiting to arrive in 1 saturated lounge; impossible to move and access the stands !!! There is no security, we are constantly rushed, not to mention the sanitary conditions… ”, like Candy Valet, many Internet users are outraged by the welcome they received when they entered the exhibition hall.
It’s just not possible what @ParisManga pic.twitter.com/8uYVawJcmg
– jarod’s corner (@CoinJarod) November 6, 2021
From the inability to attend conferences or approach the stands due to overcrowding, barrier gestures that are difficult to respect and enforce in front of visitors who do not wear masks, the description of the convention by those present relates a disastrous organization. “Without being paranoid, there was everything to create a formidable cluster,” notes Caroline Vié, our journalist present on site.
It’s a joke the entrance to #ParisManga. I don’t even know if we’ll be able to go home. I never saw that. They refund the tickets or not? pic.twitter.com/uVlwFaqnfh
– Aurelien Binant (@AurelienBinant) November 6, 2021
Repayment conditions still unknown
Worse, a large part of the visitors, holders of a ticket, could not even enter the places. Despite hours of waiting, many stayed outside on Saturday. Even people with a much more expensive VIP pass, which must allow “skip-the-line” entry. “I arrived at 10 am, I waited more than four hours before learning from people in front of me that they were no longer letting in,” said a furious Internet user. Crowded outside, the expelled from the first day learned from the official account of the Paris Manga & Sci-Fi show that they could come back the next day … Short-lived consolation since the scenario unfolded in the same way on Sunday .
It is sometimes believed that journalists who have the bottle are not fooled. It’s wrong ! #ParisManga Will he reimburse the people, including my family and I, who booked and failed to get in? I am waiting for an answer and am not the only one. pic.twitter.com/H6Qwzb6XpL
– Vié Caroline (@Caroklouk) November 7, 2021
“An absolute shame… we paid, we don’t come back, we don’t know anything. You sold thousands of seats knowing that not everyone would fit into small hall 3, ”comments an angry Internet user. It sums up the feeling of visitors towards the organization, accused of not having anticipated this extraordinary influx. And yet, by canceling the 2020 convention, the organizers had announced to ticket holders that they could attend this year’s one, while also putting on sale new tickets for this weekend’s convention …
To make up for it, all those who could not enter the Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show will be able to request a refund, announced the organizers on their official website without specifying the modalities to achieve this. Seats ranged from a few euros for the cheapest to over a hundred euros for the VIP passes. Unfortunately, she will not reimburse the incidental costs, accommodation and transport for those who have come from afar and were unable to meet Tom Welling and Kristin Kreuk from Smalville, Kevin Sussman from The Big Bang Theory or even Jean-Robert Lombert, the “Father Blaise” of Kaamelott. We can imagine that they have “big”.