Basically, the event was created with an aim to promote Japanese animation as well as pop culture to the public in order to dismiss the notion that anime is simply a disquieting fringe element. The unpublicized anime event called as “Mechaball” preceded the Animethon unfortunately however; it did not obtain the needed support from people. On the other hand, Animethon amazingly attracted several people in the face of the short notice given. Because of its success, Animethon II and III come next.

As expected, Animethon flourished. In the year 1997, a change takes place in the leadership of the Animethon itself and the originating club wherein a new series t-shirt design was created in the successive years after. It was also in the year 1997 when the group decided to solicit food donations for the University of Alberta and Edmonton Food Bank or Grant MacEwan Campus food banks. In the year 1997 to 2003, the group persist to follow the originating mandate in order to give free event for the general public, while enjoying the big expansion of attendance between 3500 and 3800 people as it further offer culture and technology discussion in relation to manga and animation, and anima-related events like for example the cosplay contest.

Because it is anticipated that the people who attended during the Animethon in the year 2003 would equal to 4,000, this event is currently among the top ten largest anime convention there is in the whole North America.

For more information about Animethon, visit http://www.animethon.org/

Famed as the first anime convention in Alaska, the Senshi Con started March 4, 2005 at the West High school; during that time, it is just a small con that were initiated by a group of high school students who were eager to have an anime convention their own place so they decided to start their own. By the time when they graduated high school, the convention grew bigger thus it was moved into a larger venue and had incorporated a wide array of events.

Because the convention is located at Alaska, one can expect that it is significantly smaller compared to those major cons seen in US continents. All the same, this is not a bad thing! In fact, the guest can take pleasure over the smaller registration line, the bigger possibility to get onstage plus join contest, and meet less oppressive crowds. During the last convention, the attendance played around 600 to 1200 people.

If you are wondering what you can do here, you will be happy to know that you are given the chance to express your individuality, particularly as a fan of anime. Hence, you can dress up in costumes, bring anime swords and other weapon props, or just be anyone or anything that you wish to be! You can play karaoke or video games, become vendors or buyers of Zatoichi collection, watch anime showing or video games, and a lot more.

For more information about Senshi Con, visit them at http://www.senshicon.org/

Or send a snail mail to:
University of Alaska Anchorage
C/O Anime Club
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508

]]> http://anime.swords.com/senshi-con-alaska/feed/ 0 http://anime.swords.com/dc-anime-club/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed http://anime.swords.com/dc-anime-club/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000 angel http://anime.swords.com/?p=146 The DC Anime Club is a non profit organization hailing from Washington, DC, which aims to introduce and educate people within the area about the massive East Asian Culture of Anime (Japanese animation) and Manga (Japanese comics).

First established in 2003 by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (former Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Vice President) on Saturday June 5, 2003, the club exists to provide a positive alternative to the youth in the area by exposing them to wondrous sides of the foreign culture. This include encouraging artistic expression and letting their creativity flourish, as well as presenting opportunities for participation in different community activities and develop a sense of leadership, team playing skills, and other virtues in the process.

Pausing only whenever there are major holidays or anime conventions, the club holds a meeting each week to let members and new fans of the anime and manga world gather, socialize, take part in various activities, and be entertained with related media. Aside from these, the DC Anime Club also hold an art show, which encourages participants to showcase their creativity with their own fan art, fan made T-shirts, fan made plushies, cosplay props, and sketches. A Costume fundraising event is also one of the activities they hold annually, as well as paying a visit to local schools for an anime presentation for fans both old and new.

The club also collaborates with the Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings, and has helped locally promote Japanese bands like Pine am and Puffy Ami Yumi.

For more information about the DC Anime Club,
Visit their website at http://www.dcanimeclub.org/
Contact Number: (202) 262-2083

It is dedicated to celebrate and educate people about the massive Japanese culture known as anime through different visual media and related activities. They also let fans connect through an annual anime convention that lets them relive their anime fantasies for a whole weekend!

Though Anime USA’s past conventions are not as big and as tiring as Otakon’s and the others, it has proven that size is not the prime basis of a great con, but the maximum enjoyment experienced by their attendees. Instead of overwhelming them with a vast volume of crowd, AUSA let fans have enough space to enjoy the services, activities, and other offerings of the convention while at the same time having a total crowd number that’s big yet controlled to let them socialize better.

This year, the organization’s Con Chair throne has been succeeded by Nathan Devonshyre (a.k.a. the Evil Overlord), who promises to spice things up for the benefit of anime fans from Northern Virginia and beyond. In an interview by Coswatch, Nathan stated: “…as part of the plan to change things, I added a second Vice-Chair to AnimeUSA, and refused a position on the Board of Directors, thus providing more support to the Con-chair and theoretically more oversight”.

Looks like AUSA’s Evil Overlord means serious business, and hints at some new tricks up his sleeve. Anime USA’s conventions are already known for being quintessential in that they have everything you would expect at a con, but then surprise you by doing something like adding a maid and host café, etc. which are great new features. Very promising so far, this year’s Anime Convention Chair, the Evil Overlord, proves be up to the task of making the convention bigger while separating them away from the majority of anime cons in a cool, but practical kind of way.

I guess it’s time to make reservations for their next anniversary to be held on November 20 to 22, and see for myself. If you are an anime fan too, don’t you think that it’s time to experience an event like this that’s as much as fun as the others yet presents something new?

To learn more about the organization and their annual anime convention,
Visit them at http://www.animeusa.org/
Or follow Nathan Devonshire in Twitter: http://twitter.com/AUSA_Chair

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