Anime convention
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An anime convention is a somewhat loose term used to describe any event or gathering in a venue where the primary focus is on anime and manga as an industry or as a fan event. This event can take a variety of forms, but in most English speaking countries it is thought of a fan driven multi-day event gathering of fans to celebrate or participate in anime fandom with like-minded people, usually at a large hotel's convention meeting space. Some have also been held on college campuses and dedicated conference/civic centers. It can also describe industry driven events in which studios and publishers hype their anime related releases, or even dealer-marketplace type events which are totally consumer based.
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[edit] History
Anime conventions have a long and varied worldwide history. The original Comiket, mostly based on fan published manga called dōjinshi, started in 1975 with around 700 people in Tokyo. The Comiket of today see several hundred thousand people, showing the lasting popularity of the medium in its home country. Other Japanese anime conventions are arms of or heavily sponsored by certain studios or publishing companies and are used as platforms for new releases, such as Jump Festa.
Anime conventions of the west mostly spawned from similar science fiction and multigenre conventions of the 1980s which featured anime content by tandem. Though many popular shows from Japan had been broadcast by that time, the direct to video market had yet to reach any significant penetration in North America or Europe until the late 1980s. Anime conventions of the west take many cues from those conventions, such as use of a large hotel with a meeting space, spanning 2 days or more of a weekend, invited industry guests, costume dressup, dealers selling various goods, and many other similarities.
Most western anime conventions are fan operated, meaning a group of self appointed fans manage the affairs necessary to run the event, either as individuals, a non-profit group, or an LLC. Many early conventions were run out-of-pocket at the expense of these organizers, often referred to as directors. However as a result of many factors, most did not run more than 2 years annually.[citation needed] One of the few to survive past the 1980s was Project A-kon.[citation needed]
In the early 1990s saw what would later be the long standing annual conventions of the west, including Anime Expo and Animethon, (and similarly Otakon and JACON on the east) which continue to run today and number attendance in the several thousands. Anime conventions in other locales, such as Europe and Australia began to take off in the mid 1990s as well. These growth trends follow the popularity and availability of anime to other countries outside of Japan.[citation needed]
In recent years, new anime conventions continue to spring up in places where coverage from other conventions don't reach, such as Kawaii-kon in Hawaii. Special industry announcements and premiers are now taking place at anime conventions outside of Japan, reflecting an acknowledgement of fandom from other locales.[citation needed]
[edit] Guests
Guests are often a very big and integral part of anime conventions, offering an opportunity for autographs, Q&As, discussion, commentary, and more. Guests are also often a part of some of the panels as well. Conventions can sometimes convince guests to come for free, especially newer stars, technical staff members, or people playing more of the low-profile roles, otherwise, a convention will have to pay to have other guests at their convention.
[edit] Cosplay
Main Article: Cosplay
Cosplay is often the part of the convention that has the most participation. At an average convention there will be hundreds of cosplayers. Attendees often dress to meet people with the same interests, to win awards at Cosplay contests, and to have the opportunity to dress out of the ordinary for several days. A cosplay contest is held at nearly every anime convention, usually judged for prizes.
[edit] Anime convention events
A typical western anime convention will feature several events, workshops, panels, and contests for the attendees. Longer-running conventions with higher attendance often have the biggest variety and highest number of events.
[edit] Panels
Anime conventions often have panels, which are open ended discussions involving some pre-determined topic, usually related in at least some way to anime. Topics can include manga, favorite voice-actors, details about a particular anime show, series, or movie. Panels may also be about more general topics such as cosplay, fanfiction or Video Games.
[edit] Workshops
Slightly different than a Panel, a workshop is more like guided instruction through a major or specific task, typically instructed by an individual (often a convention guest). The instructor could either demonstrate or instruct people on how to accomplish tasks such as how to draw manga, make computer animation, or how to become a voice actor.
[edit] Video screenings
Most anime conventions hold screenings of actual anime shows or movies, because the circulation of the material and theatrical releases is much lower than in Japan. Because of this, screenings and video rooms are less common in Japanese conventions, unless promoting a specific studio. Some western conventions have several video screening rooms, running a varied schedule of shows, some of which are available in the US, and other are fan-subtitled with no domestic publisher.
[edit] Contests
Most conventions include contests, the most popular of which is the cosplay contest, which is held at nearly every anime convention. Contests can also focus around costumes, art (drawn, sculpted, painted), anime-related music videos, video games, dice games, card games, and many other activities. Most conventions also offer prizes for the winners of the most important contests.
[edit] Dealers' Room
An Exhibit Hall or Dealers' Room is also popular at most conventions. Publishing companies, distributors, and other proprietors often arrive to exhibit and/or sell their newest products to fans. Wares can include graphic novels manga, anime media, action figures, apparel, music CDs, software, decorations, toys, art books, specialty foods, and many more. Several anime conventions have made rules against pirated wares, while others have not.
[edit] Art show
Typical art shows are similar to those at a traditional museum or gallery. Artwork of all kind is put on display for inspection, and in some cases for purchase, by the viewer. Entry is usually only restricted by space available & registration with the convention. The artist can choose to be present to display, discuss, or take commission in a variation of the art show known as the Artists' Alley. Artists may also include crafts, drawn art, self published books or video, fanzines, and more.
[edit] Social activities
Most conventions (or their visitors) also hold purely social gatherings, such as dances, room parties, dinners, and more.
[edit] Largest North American anime conventions of 2006
Calculation methods used from con to con may be different. Some conventions report just paid attendance while others report "total attendance". A "total attendance" figure would count all people with a badge including paid attendees, staff, guests, dealers, and others.[1]
- Anime Expo - 40,647 total, 32,930 paid
- Otakon - 32,902 estimated total, 22,302 paid
- A-Kon - 12,500 estimated paid
- Anime North - 12,500 total, 11,286 paid
- Anime Central - 11,500 estimated total
- FanimeCon - 10,000 estimated paid
- Anime Weekend Atlanta - 8,949 paid
- Anime Boston - 9,354 total, estimated 8,854 paid
- Sakura-Con - 8,300 estimated total, 7,500 estimated paid
- Katsucon - 6,400 estimated total, 5,664 paid
[edit] Largest European anime conventions of 2006 and 2007
| This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
- Lucca Comics & Games in Lucca/Italy - 85,000 total
- Japan Expo in Paris/France - 83,000 total
- Salon del Manga in Barcelona/Spain - 65,000 total
- Romics in Rome/Italy - 50,000 total
- Connichi in Kassel/Germany - 14,000 total
- AnimagiC in Bonn/Germany - 14,000 total
- EpitAnime in Paris/France - 5,900 total
