FanimeCon
Anime convention in San Jose, California From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
FanimeCon is an annual four-day anime convention held during May at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, over Memorial Day weekend.[4][5]
| FanimeCon | |
|---|---|
 2019 entrance | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime, Japanese popular culture[1] |
| Venue | San Jose McEnery Convention Center |
| Location(s) | San Jose, California |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | June 14, 1994 |
| Attendance | 28,000 in 2024[2] |
| Organized by | Foundation for Anime and Niche Subcultures[3] |
| Website | www |
The convention typically offers an AMV contest, artist's alley, contests, cosplay chess, dances, dealer's room, formal ball, game room (arcade, console, PC, and tabletop), karaoke, maid cafe, masquerade, panels, screenings, a swap meet, tournaments, and workshops.[4][6][7][8] The convention offers 24-hour programming, including gaming and video.[7][9]
FanimeCon held an art auction for the charity Habitat for Humanity in 2004.[10] Charities that FanimeCon supported in 2011 included the American Red Cross of Silicon Valley, APA Family Support Services of San Francisco, Cancer Support Community, and Japanese Red Cross Society.[11]
FanimeCon was first held in 1994 at California State University, Hayward, being run by several anime clubs.[6][12] Foothill College would also host the convention until moving to the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose for 1999.[4][13] From 2000 to 2003 the Santa Clara Convention Center hosted FanimeCon. In 2004, FanimeCon moved to the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.[4] That year, the convention brought US$5 million to the local economy, growing to an estimated US$8.7 million in 2013, and US$10.5 million in 2014.[14][15][16]
Problems with the convention in 2009 included Christian protests and over purchasing of artist alley tables, with the protesters also returning in 2010.[4][17] In 2011, Saturday saw three hour registration waits, problems with the convention not using a printed schedule, outside religious protesters, and the Marriott fire alarm being pulled on Monday morning.[7][18] Registration was affected in 2012 by a power outage.[9] FanimeCon's 20th anniversary in 2014 was marked by San Jose having Fanime Day on May 23, 2014.[15] The masquerade in 2015 suffered from technical issues.[19] FanimeCon's masquerade for 2016 was scheduled to run for five hours.[20] FanimeCon 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21][22] FanimeCon was changed to a virtual event for 2021.[3][23] In 2022 FanimeCon returned to being a live event at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center,[24] with reduced hours of operation.[25]
In February of 2024 the convention had significant numbers of staff quit due to accusations of improper treatment[26]and mishandling of allegations of harassment,[27][28] further impacting the conventions hours of operation at the annual Memorial day weekend event, notably shaving a full 24 hours from gaming hall availability.[29]
Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 1994[30] | California State University, Hayward Hayward, California | 200 | |
| February 25, 1995 | California State University, Hayward Hayward, California | 350 | Carl Gustav Horn and Frederik L. Schodt.[31] |
| February 14, 1996 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, California | 775 | Greg Espinoza, Allen Hastings, Carl Gustav Horn, Frederik L. Schodt, Toren Smith, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[32] |
| March 8, 1997 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, California | 1,200 | Allen Hastings, Carl Gustav Horn, Frederik L. Schodt, Toren Smith, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[33] |
| February 14–15, 1998 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, California | 1,700 | Allen Hastings, Kuni Kimura, Scott McNeil, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[34] |
| March 19–21, 1999 | Wyndham Hotel[4] San Jose, California | 2,000 | Steve Bennett, Allen Hastings, Mari Iijima, Gilles Poitras, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[35] |
| February 24–27, 2000 | Santa Clara Convention Center Santa Clara, California | 2,300 | Steve Bennett, Allen Hastings, Mari Iijima, Fred Patten, Gilles Poitras, Stan Sakai, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[36] |
| March 30 – April 1, 2001 | Santa Clara Convention Center Santa Clara, California | 3,500 | Steve Bennett, Tiffany Grant, Allen Hastings, Mari Iijima, Taliesin Jaffe, Jonathan Osborne, Fred Patten, Stan Sakai, Frederik L. Schodt, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[37] |
| April 26–28, 2002 | Santa Clara Convention Center Santa Clara, California | 4,600 | Takami Akai, Steve Bennett, Tiffany Grant, Carl Gustav Horn, Mari Iijima, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[38] |
| June 20–22, 2003 | Santa Clara Convention Center Santa Clara, California | 5,400 | 13-37, B! Machine, Laura Bailey, Steve Bennett, Blood, Akitaroh Daichi, Rebecca Forstadt, Allen Hastings, Sato Hiroki, Maria Kawamura, Tsurumaki Kazuya, Matt K. Miller, DJ MPU, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Kristine Sa, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto Secret Secret, Stephanie Sheh, Kari Wahlgren, Hiroyuki Yamaga, Reiko Yasuhara, and Takeda Yasuhiro.[39] |
| May 28–31, 2004 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 6,122 | The Beautiful Losers, Blood, Camino, Duel Jewel, Fred Gallagher, Allen Hastings, Akemi Hayashi, You Higuri, Hiroaki Inoue, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Frederik L. Schodt, Nami Tamaki, J. Shanon Weaver, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[40] |
| May 27–30, 2005 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 10,438 | Steve Bennett, Kumiko Kato, Ric Meyers, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Ramen and Rice, Hiroyuki Yamaga, Maria Yamamoto, and ZZ.[41] |
| May 26–29, 2006 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 10,000 | Akai SKY, Goofy Style, Kamijo, Ryoichi Koga, Miami, Takahiro Mizushima, Mothercoat, Ric Meyers, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Poplar, Rooster Teeth Productions, Asami Sanada, Swinging Popsicle, Kazuhiro Takamura, Up Hold, USA Musume, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[42] |
| May 25–28, 2007 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 12,000 | Crack 6, Greg Dean, Ryan Gavigan, Carl Gustav Horn, Mari Iijima, Sekihiko Inui, Karma Shenjing, Reuben Langdon, Derek Liu, Mechanical Panda, Ric Meyers, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Asami Sanada, Hiroyuki Yamaga, and ZZ.[43] |
| May 23–26, 2008 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 14,926 | An Cafe, Ryan Gavigan, Carl Gustav Horn, Hidenobu Kiuchi, Reuben Langdon, Ric Meyers, Maika Netsu, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Dan Southworth, and Richard Waugh.[44] |
| May 22–25, 2009 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 15,000 | Keith Burgess, Ryan Gavigan, Carl Gustav Horn, Ken Lally, Reuben Langdon, Patricia Ja Lee, Ric Meyers, Haruko Momoi, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[45] |
| May 28–31, 2010 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 16,000 | Karen Dyer, Flow, Ryan Gavigan, Carl Gustav Horn, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Reuben Langdon, LM.C, Ric Meyers, Haruko Momoi, Toshimichi Mori, Jonathan Osborne, Gilles Poitras, Hiroyuki Yamaga, and Mamoru Yokota.[46] |
| May 27–30, 2011 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 20,880 | Flow, Tohru Furuya, Gashicon, Ryusuke Hamamoto, Yoshiki Hayashi, Fumio Iida, Yuya Matsushita, Ric Meyers, Seiji Mizushima, Haruko Momoi, Gilles Poitras, Mamoru Yokota, and Takahiro Yoshimatsu.[47] |
| May 25–28, 2012 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 21,000 | Mai Aizawa, Kia Asamiya, Igaguri Chiba, Shigeto Koyama, Ric Meyers, Gilles Poitras, David Vincent, Hiroyuki Yamaga, and Mamoru Yokota.[48] |
| May 24–27, 2013 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 25,542 | 7!!, Darrel Guilbeau, Tsuyoshi Nonaka, Takahiro Omori, Gilles Poitras, ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D, Yumi Sato, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[49] |
| May 23–26, 2014 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | Takami Akai, Kira Buckland, Home Made Kazoku, Hiroyuki Kanbe, Noir, Gilles Poitras, Raj Ramayya, Chantal Strand, J. Michael Tatum, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[50] | |
| May 22–25, 2015 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | Back-On, Chalk Twins, Mel Hoppe, Marquis of Vaudeville, Ai Nonaka, Gilles Poitras, Cindy Robinson, Patrick Seitz, Christopher Corey Smith, Kazuhiro Soeta, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[51] | |
| May 27–30, 2016 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | Aicosu, Da-iCE, Masaya Matsukaze, Gilles Poitras, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Cristina Vee, Yoshihiro Watanabe, Lisle Wilkerson, and Sky Williams.[52] | |
| May 26–29, 2017 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | Aicosu, Chris Cason, Hideo Ishikawa, Kanae Ito, Shigeto Koyama, Lauren Landa, Linda Le, Erica Mendez, Phoenix Ash, Doug Walker, X4, and Hiroyuki Yamaga.[53] | |
| May 25–28, 2018 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 30,735 | Aicosu, Chalk Twins, Caitlin Glass, Todd Haberkorn, Chikashi Kubota, Linda Le, nano, Ryotaro Okiayu, Gilles Poitras, and Satomi Sato.[54] |
| May 24–27, 2019 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 34,000 | Aicosu, Nobutoshi Canna, D-Piddy, Aya Hirano, Toshihiro Kawamoto, Linda Le, Chris Patton, Phoenix Ash, Gilles Poitras, and Jad Saxton.[55] |
| May 28–31, 2021[3] | Online convention | ||
| May 27–30, 2022 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | Chad Hoku, Xanthe Huynh, Linda Le, Matthew "Maguma" Lewis, Keisuke Ueda, David Vincent, Aoi Yuki, and Alvin Zhou.[56] | |
| May 26-29, 2023 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 27,000 [57] | Aicosu, Jirard Khalil, Hirokatsu Kihara, Linda Le, Kyle McCarley, Gilles Poitras, Jordana Robinson, and Yashafluff.[58] |
| May 24-27, 2024 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | 28,000 [59] | Survive Said the Prophet, Hirokatsu Kihara, Linda Le, Casey Mongillo, MarkMan, Kira Buckland, Yuu Hayashi, Maguma, Gilles Poitras, and Belladonna.[60] |
| May 23-26, 2025 | San Jose McEnery Convention Center San Jose, California | TBD |
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