Daisho Con

Daisho Con

Daisho Con Logo
Status Active
Genre Multi-genre
Venue Kalahari Resort and Convention Center (formerly Ramada Inn Stevens Point)
Location(s) Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (formerly Stevens Point, Wisconsin)
Country United States
Inaugurated 2008
Organized by Daisho Con[1]
Website
http://www.daishocon.com

Daisho Con is an annual three-day anime, sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming convention held in November. It is currently being held in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, United States, and was formerly in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States.

History

Daisho Con was founded in November 2007 by three University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Students; Zack Neal, Zach Allen, and Nick Bergenske. A student organization was later created for the sole purpose of planning and conducting the convention.[1]

The first three-day convention was held on 2008 at the Ramada Inn Stevens Point, WI.[2]

In February 2010, The Convention held a live fundraiser broadcast over Ustream to raise money to aid relief efforts following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.[3] The fundraiser raised $560, which was donated to the American Red Cross.[4]

Daisho Con was the setting for two videos released by Doug Walker in late 2010, one highlighting the convention's Artist Alley,[5] and the other was a live "Bum Review" of the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.[6]

On October 25, 2011, it was announced that the Ramada Inn would be suddenly closing on the 30th,[7] the convention moved to the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.[8][9]

Origins of name

Daisho Con gets its name from the Japanese word daishō, which refers to the two swords commonly used by Japanese samurai.

Event history

Dates Location Attendance Guests
November 21–23, 2008 Ramada Inn Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin		575 Tiffany Grant, John Jackson Miller, Pat Rothfuss, Steam Century, ScootyWok Sound and Light[2][10]
November 20–22, 2009[11] Ramada Inn Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin		1,076 Travis Willingham, Tim Seeley, Steve Horton, Steam Century, Pat Rothfuss, Arashi Taiko Dan, ScootyWok Sound and Light[11]
November 19–21, 2010 Ramada Inn Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin		1,450 Troy Baker, Doug Walker, Lewis Lovhaug, Spike Spencer, Pat Rothfuss, Scott Lynch, Arashi Taiko Dan, Scuttlebutt Ink, Dr. Cancer and the SKAmbies!, ScootyWok Sound and Light[12][13]
November 18–20, 2011[14] Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin		1,432 Matt Hill, Reni Mimura, Stephanie Young, Scuttlebutt Ink, Pat Rothfuss, Scott Lynch, ScootyWok Sound and Light, Dr. Cancer and the SKAmbies! [14]
November 16–18, 2012[15] Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin		1,769 Sonny Strait, John Swasey, Chris Patton, J. L. Westover, Scott Lynch, Scuttlebutt Ink, ScootyWok Sound and Light, Dr. Cancer and the SKAmbies!.[15]
November 22–24, 2013[16] Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin		2252 J. Michael Tatum, Cherami Leigh, Amber Nash, Lucky Yates, J.L. Westover, Nathan Barnatt, Scott Lynch, DJ Ravine, DJ Bad Corey, DJ Kagemine, DJ Kade, DJ Kahmahkahzi, DJ Jeffito, Lords of the Trident, Sparklef**k, Countergank.[16]
November 21–23, 2014[17] Kalahari Resort and Convention Center
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin[18]		3147 Ashly Burch, Monica Rial, Josh Grelle, Christopher R. Sabat,[19]

Story

Beginning with Daisho Con 2008: The Search for Musashi, Daisho Con has maintained story involving the convention's mascots. The story has included subjects from finding other members, infighting, defeating rivals and villains. To date Musashi has been the longest standing Mascot featured in the story. The story is told via vignettes in the guide books, skits performed at the convention, and promotional media for the convention.[20]

Mascot Description Tenure
Musashi[20] A daishō-wielding anthropomorphic yellow dog. 2008-Current
Daisho Ninja[20] A female ninja dressed in black and red with red hair and eyes. 2009-Current
Corporate Fanboy[20] A man dressed in a white outfit with red and blue stripes, matching mask, and a Nintendo Power Glove. 2009-2011
Villain Description Status
Darth Eksnegreb[20] Musashi's Rival. Dresses in black robes with blue hair. Jailed
Kojiro[20] A anthropomorphic cat dressed in blue and black robes. Defeated
CEO[20] A man dressed in suit with slicked back hair. Defeated
Zealot[20] A man dressed in a black outfit with green and red stripes, matching mask, and large video-game-inspired gauntlets. Defeated

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "DaishoCon Student Organization Page". University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "DaishoCon 2008". animecons.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  3. ↑ "Daisho Con Holds Hope for Haiti Fundraiser Tonight". animecons.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  4. ↑ "American Red Cross Thank You Letter". forums.daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  5. ↑ "Artist's Alley #4". thatguywiththeglasses.com. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  6. ↑ "Live: HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 1". thatguywiththeglasses.com. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  7. ↑ "Ramada Stevens Point to close, 104 jobs lost". WAOW. WAOW ABC Channel 9. 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  8. ↑ "DaishoCon November 18-21, 2011". plattevillegaming.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  9. ↑ "DaishoCon - Location". daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  10. ↑ "New Convention Announced: Daisho Con!". con-news.com. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "DaishoCon 2009". Daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  12. ↑ "DaishoCon Announces 2010 Guest Lineup". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  13. ↑ "DaishoCon 2010". animecons.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "DaishoCon 2011". daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Guests - Daisho Con". daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Guests - Daisho Con". daishocon.com. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  17. ↑ "Daisho Con - Nov.21st-23rd at the Kalahari Resorts & Waterpark in WI!". daishocon.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "Location: The Kalahari Resorts and Waterpark, WI Dells! - Daisho Con". http://daishocon.com/location/''. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "Our Honored Guests - Daisho Con". daishocon.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 "DaishoCon Civil War". blog.daishocon.com. Retrieved 2012-04-11.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daisho Con.