Animethon

Animethon

Canada's Longest Running Anime Festival
Status Active
Venue MacEwan University City Centre Campus
Location(s) Edmonton, Alberta
Country Canada
Inaugurated 1994
Attendance 8728[1]
Organized by Alberta Society for Asian Popular Arts (ASAPA)
Website
http://www.animethon.org/
Conventions goers enjoying the Japanese concert at Animethon 19

Animethon is a three-day anime convention held annually at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. It is Western Canada's longest-running anime convention, the first being held in 1994. It is Western Canada's largest anime convention, since 2011.[2]

Convention History

Animethon was formed back in 1994 by the Banzai Anime Klub of Alberta (BAKA) and hosted by (BAKA II), with the intention of promoting Japanese anime. It became a success by presenting well-known and more obscure anime to audiences and has since grown to what it is now. Today, Animethon is presented by the non-profit organization, Alberta Society for Asian Popular Arts (ASAPA).

In the beginning, Animethon 1 was a one-day event that allowed people to view different Japanese anime movies and television shows within two classrooms at Grant MacEwan. From there, it expanded to the whole 106th street building during Animethon 2 through 10. It was not until Animethon 11 that the festival grew to utilize the entire university campus for events, artist alley, education panels, and a large vendor hall. As such, the steady increase of numbers in attendees to Animethon has allowed for various vendors to expose themselves to a unique group of people both young and old.[1]

With an estimated 4,000 people in 2003, Animethon was the tenth largest anime convention in North America that year.[3]

Animethon has experienced several years of consecutive growth in attendance while increasing their scope to include guests from Japan such as DaizyStripper, Kanon Wakeshima and An Cafe.[1]

Events and programming


Animethon has expanded their focus beyond screening anime and now also include voice actor guests from North America, musical acts from North America and Japan, improvisation groups, as well as various related activities such as gaming, costume contests, and more.

Event history

Dates Location Atten. Guests
July 1994 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada[4]
July 1995 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		80[5]
July 13–14, 1996 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		300[6]
July 12–13, 1997 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		1,200[7]
July 11–12, 1998 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		2,500[8]
July 10–11, 1999 Grant MacEwan Community College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		2,700[9]
July 15–16, 2000 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		1,800[10]
July 14–15, 2001 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		3,000[11]
July 13–14, 2002 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada[12]
July 12–13, 2003 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,000[13]
July 17–18, 2004 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,700[14]
August 5–7, 2005 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		3,755 Rob Bakewell, Brian Dobson, and Debbie Munro.[15]
July 7–9, 2006 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		3,450[16] Randy Brososky, Consplayers.com, Trevor Devall, Brian Dobson, Michael Dobson, Tom Edwards, Cole Howard, Kirby Morrow, and PikminLink.[17]
August 10–12, 2007 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,349[16][18] The 404s, Trevor Devall, Tiffany Grant, Matt Greenfield, Kyle Hebert, and Vic Mignogna.[19]
August 8–10, 2008 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,679[16] The 404s, Randy Brososky, Michael Daingerfield, Kyle Hebert, Stephen Notley, and Sonny Strait.[20]
August 7–9, 2009 Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,881[16][21] The 404s, Michael Daingerfield, Aaron Dismuke, Paul Dobson, Caitlin Glass, and Brad Swaile.[22]
August 6–8, 2010 Grant MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		4,753[16] L33tStr33t Boys, Michael Dobson, Kyle Hebert, Spike Spencer, The 404's, Synaptic Chaos Theatre, Thwomp, Brian Dobson, Wendy Powell, Chris Cason, Paul Dobson
August 5–7, 2011[23] Grant MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		5,346[16] L33tStr33t Boys, Bespa Kumamero, Kirby Morrow, Todd Haberkorn, Trina Nishimura, The 404's, Synaptic Chaos Theatre .[23]
August 10–12, 2012 Grant MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		6,404[1] DaizyStripper, Todd Haberkorn, Johnny Yong Bosch, Eyeshine (band), Cathy Weseluck, The 404's, Synaptic Chaos Theatre.,[24]
August 9–11, 2013 Grant MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		8,058 Kanon Wakeshima, Capella, DJ Shimamura, Troy Baker, Patrick Seitz, Christopher Sabat, Twinfools and Nova, Lucas Gilbertson, Carol-Anne Day, Brendan Hunter, The 404's, Combofiend.[25]
August 8–10, 2014 MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		8,728 An Cafe, Magistina Saga, Satsuki Yukino, Cristina Vee, Monica Rial, Karen Strassman, Cherami Leigh, The 404's, Vensy
August 7–9, 2015 MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		TBD FLOW, Josh Grelle

A Taste of Animethon

A Taste of Animethon was first created in 2010. While nowhere near the size of Animethon itself it's been a successful event in its own right with a steadily growing attendance.

Event history

Dates Location Atten. Guests
January 2010 MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		600 Synaptic Chaos Theatre
January 2011 MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		800 The 404s
January 2012 MacEwan University
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		1200 Synaptic Chaos Theatre
January 26, 2013 The Ramada Conference Centre Downtown
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		1,505 warm bodies[26] The 404s
January 31 - February 1, 2014 The Ramada Conference Centre Downtown
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		2,295 warm bodies[27] Kyle Hebert, The 404s, TheIshter
February 20 - 21, 2015 The Ramada Conference Centre Downtown
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada		2,371 warm bodies[28] Bryce Papenbrook, Courtney "Courtoon" Morelock

ASAPA control

ASAPA Official Logo

In 2004 the event was transferred to a new society, the Alberta Society for Asian Popular Arts (ASAPA), a non-profit society that focuses on the promotion and enjoyment of Asian popular art and culture. The society is also the financial and legal backbone of Animethon, formed under the Societies Act of Alberta.[29]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://asapa.ca/
  2. ↑ "Today". Anime Evolution. Archived from the original on 2008-05-04. Retrieved 2008-05-06.
  3. ↑ "Ten largest North American anime conventions of 2003". AnimeCons.com. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
  4. ↑ "Animethon 1994 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  5. ↑ "Animethon 1995 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  6. ↑ "Animethon 1996 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  7. ↑ "Animethon 1997 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  8. ↑ "Animethon 1998 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  9. ↑ "Animethon 1999 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  10. ↑ "Animethon 2000 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  11. ↑ "Animethon 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  12. ↑ "Animethon 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  13. ↑ "Animethon 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  14. ↑ "Animethon 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  15. ↑ "Animethon 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 "Animethon - History". ASAPA. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Animethon 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  18. ↑ "Animethon has much to offer". canada.com. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  19. ↑ "Animethon 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  20. ↑ "Animethon 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  21. ↑ "'Cosplay' chess highlights Edmonton Animethon 16". edmontonjournal.com. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  22. ↑ "Animethon 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Animethon Date Announced". anime-alberta.org. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  24. ↑ "Animethon 19 guests". Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  25. ↑ "Animethon 20 guests". Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  26. ↑ http://www.animethon.org/
  27. ↑ http://www.animethon.org/
  28. ↑ http://www.animethon.org/
  29. ↑ "Alberta Society for Asian Popular Arts". Asapa.ca. Retrieved 2008-05-10.

External links