October 2 – 4, 2009

Animation Supercon – Miami, Florida (USA)

Anime Detroit – Troy, Michigan (USA)

Archon – Collinsville, Illinois (USA)

(Primarily a Science Fiction Con)

Fw:Anipop – Lisbon, Portugal (Site language is Portuguese)

GO3 Electronic & Entertainment Expo 2009 – Perth, Western Australia (Australia)

(This Expo features the latest in Home Entertainment, Communication, Wireless/Internet, Electronic Games, In-Vehicle Technology, Pop Culture/Anime, Audio, Education & Training & more.)

Kuzuricon – Battle Creek, Michigan (USA)

Realms Con – Corpus Christi, Texas (USA)

RoundCon – Columbia, South Carolina (USA)

(This is primarily a Gaming Con)

October 3, 2009

Anime at UMSL – St. Louis, Missouri (USA)

October 3 – 4, 2009

British International Comics Show – Birmingham, England (UK)

KuruKiiro Festival – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA)

(Formerly known as Tekko 1/2)

October 9 – 11, 2009

Ani-Magic – Palmdale, California (USA)

EXP Convention – St. Augustine, Florida (USA)

Naru 2 U – Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

Tsubasacon – Huntington, West Virginia (USA)

VGXpo 2009 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)

(This is a Video Gaming Con)

October 10, 2009

Anime Destiny – Berkeley, California (USA)

Anime St. George – St. George, Utah (USA)

October 16 – 18, 2009

Anime Banzai – Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

October 17 – 18, 2009

Armageddon Melbourne – Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

October 17, 2009

Borders Mini-con – Leicester, England (UK)

J-CultureCon – Derby, England (UK)

(Formerly known as Chibicon)

Manga Bible Event – Whetstone, Leicestershire, England (UK)

(Manga Art Workshop, Seminar, Presentation, and Book Signing)

October 20, 2009

Cosplay Fever Book Launch – London, England (UK)

(Gallery, Cosplay Photo Shoot, and Book Signing)

FuyuCon – Northampton, England (UK)

GameX – Oaks (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania (USA)

(Primarily a Gaming Con)

Geek.Kon – Madison, Wisconsin (USA)

Infinite Bits – Miami, Florida (USA)

(This is a Video Gaming Con)

Kajonk-a-Con – Knoxville, Tennessee (USA)

(Postponed until December 4 – 6)

MileHiCon 2009 – Denver, Colorado (USA)

(Primarily a Science Fiction Con)

Necronomicon 2009 – St. Petersburg, Florida (USA)

(Primarily a Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Con)

October 24, 2009

SCI-FI London Oktoberfest Anime All-Nighter – London, England (UK)

(Lineup includes Evangelion 1.0, Time of Eve, The Sky Crawlers, King of Thorn, & Eureka Seven – Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers)

October 24 – 25, 2009

London MCM Expo – London, England (UK)

(Primarily a Science Fiction Con)

Motaku – Kansas City, Missouri (USA)

October 24, 2009

The Sword Of The Stranger screening & ScreenTalk – London, England (UK)

(Screening of film followed by a ScreenTalk with director Masahiro Ando and producer Mashiko Minami)

October 29 – November 1, 2009

Bakuretsu Con – Colchester, Vermont (USA)

Youmacon – Dearborn, Michigan (USA)

October 30 – November 1, 2009

Oni-Con – Houston, Texas (USA)

Saboten-Con – Mesa, Arizona (USA)

SugoiCon – Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky (USA)

Yaoi-Con – San Mateo, California (USA)

October 31 – November 1, 2009

Anime @ ArmadaCon – Devonport, Plymouth (UK)

(Con-Within-a-Con…part of the ArmadaCon Science Fiction Convention)

November 6 – 8, 2009

Aki Con – Everett, Washington (USA)

Anime NebrasKon – Omaha, Nebraska (USA)

J-Popcon – Valby, Denmark (Site language is Danish)

Nekocon – Hampton, Viginia (USA)

Pacific Media Expo – Los Angeles, California (USA)

November 7 – 8, 2009

Zenkaikon – King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (USA)

November 8, 2009

Vértigo – Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Site language is Spanish)

November 13 – 15, 2009

Eirtakon – Dublin, Ireland

Izumicon – Midwest City, Oklahoma (USA)

New England Fan Experience – Boston, Massachusetts (USA)

November 14, 2009

Anime League Club London – London, England (UK)

November 20 – 22, 2009

Anime Crossroads – Indianapolis, Indiana (USA)

Anime USA – Arlington, Virginia (USA)

Another Anime Convention – Nashua, New Hampshire (USA)

Arkansas Anime Festival – Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA)

Bishie Con – St. Louis, Missouri (USA)

Daisho Con – Stevens Point, Wisconsin (USA)

YuleCon – Fort Worth, Texas (USA)

Zona Con – Orlando, Florida (USA)

(This is a mixed genre con…the catchphrase is “Where Anime Meets Horror”)

November 21 – 22, 2009

Anime Festival Asia – Singapore

November 27 – 29, 2009

Tomodachi Fest – Boise, Idaho (USA)

November 28, 2009

Atlanta Anime Day – Atlanta, Georgia (USA)

November 29, 2009

The Grand International Cosplay Ball – London, England (UK)

Be sure to send in your reports from Anime Expo!

December 31, 2008 – January 1, 2009

MEW Convention – Vancouver, Washington (USA)

January 2 – 4, 2009

Anime Los Angeles – Los Angeles, California (USA)

Anime South – Destin, Florida (USA)

January 9 – 11, 2009

Anime Addicts Convention – Memphis, Tennessee (USA)

(Re-Scheduled for 2/27/2009 – 3/1/2009)

Sac-Anime – Sacramento, California (USA)

January 10 – 11, 2009

AUSAM-Con – Auburn, Alabama (USA)

Pokettokon – East Peoria, Illinois (USA)

January 15 – 18, 2009

Anime Dreams – São Paulo, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

January 16 – 18, 2009

UppCon – Uppsala, Sweden (Site language is Swedish)

January 16 – 19, 2009

Arisia – Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA)

(Science Fiction Convention)

January 16 – 20, 2009

Otronicon – Orlando, Florida (USA)

(Gaming and Technology Convention)

January 17 – 18, 2009

Setsucon – State College, Pennsylvania (USA)

January 18, 2009

SoDak Con – Rapid City, South Dakota (USA)

January 23 – 25, 2009

Genericon – Troy, New York (USA)

Phoenix Comicon – Mesa, Arizona (USA)

(Primarily a Comics Convention)

Vericon – Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA)

(Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

January 24 – 25, 2009

Animepan – Recife, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

January 30 – February 1, 2009

Ohayocon – Columbus, Ohio (USA)

January 31 – February 1, 2009

Fancy Frontier – Tapei, Taiwan (Site language is Chinese)

WAI-Con – Perth, Western Australia (Australia)

February 6 – 8, 2009

Ikkikon – Austin, Texas (USA)

New York Comic Con – New York, New York (USA)

(Primarily a Comics Convention)

February 7 – 8, 2009

Anime Island Convention – Hobart, Tasmania (Australia)

G-Anime – Gatineau, Quebec (Canada) (Site languages are French and English)

Paris Manga – Paris, France (Site language is French)

February 13 – 15, 2009

Ani-aikousha-Con – Rochester, New York (USA)

(cancelled)

Gallifrey One 2009 – Los Angeles, California (USA)

(Primarily a Doctor Who Convention)

Katsucon – Arlington, Virginia (USA)

Kawa Kon – Clayton, Missouri (USA)

February 14, 2009

E-ville Con – Evansville, Indiana (USA)

February 14 – 15, 2009

Animation On Display – San Francisco, California (USA)

February 20 – 22, 2009

Con Nooga – Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA)

Kei-kon – Victoria, British Columbia (Canada)

February 21, 2009

Senshi-Con – Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

February 21 – 22, 2009

Con-G – Guelph, Ontario (Canada)

February 27, 2009 – March 1, 2009

Anime Milwaukee – Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA)

MegaCon – Orlando, Florida (USA)

(Primarily a Comics Convention)

From Anime USA in Arlington, Virginia to the Anime Festival BH in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, there’s probably an anime convention within driving distance from your home!

October 3 – 5, 2008

• Archon 32 2008
  

  Collinsville, Illinois (USA) – (This is a Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention)

• Providence Anime Conference

  Providence, Rhode Island (USA)

• Shimakon

  South Padre Island, Texas (USA) – NOTE: The Con has been postponed.

October 4, 2008

• Tekko 1/2

  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA)

October 4 – 5, 2008

• Expo Comics Cancun

  Cancun, Mexico (Site language is Spanish)

• Mid-Ohio-Con

  Columbus, Ohio (USA) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

October 10 – 11, 2008

• BlizzCon

  Anaheim, California (USA) (Site languages are English, French, German, Korean, and Spanish) – (This is a Gaming Convention)

October 10 – 12, 2008

• Anime USA

  Arlington, Virginia (USA)

• Necronomicon 2008

  St. Peteresburg, Florida (USA) – (This is a Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Convention)

• SITACon

  Utica, New York (USA)

October 11 – 12, 2008

• Anime Festival BH

  Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

• F.A.C.T.S.

  Ghent, Belgium (Site languages are Dutch, English, and French) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• Niucon

  Wroclaw, Poland (Site language is Polish)

October 17 – 18, 2008

• Zenkaikon

  King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (USA)

October 17 – 19, 2008

• Anime X Gamer Experience

  St. Augustine, Florida (USA)

• Another Anime Convention

  Nashua, New Hampshire (USA)

October 18 – 19, 2008

• Autumn Dream

  Lancaster, California (USA)

October 23 – 26, 2008

• Comic Action

  Messe Essen, Germany (Site languages are German and English) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

October 24, 2008

• Video Games Live 2008

  London, England (UK) – (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

October 24 – 25, 2008

• Anime Banzai

  Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

October 24 – 26, 2008

• Bakuretsu Con

  Colchester, Vermont (USA)

• MileHiCon 2008
  

  Denver, Colorado (USA) – (This is a Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Convention)

October 25 – 26, 2008

• London Movie Comic & Media Expo

  London, England (UK) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) – (Karoke, Gaming, and more)

October 25 – 27, 2008

• Armageddon Pulp Expo

  Auckland, New Zealand – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

October 30 – November 2, 2008

• Lucca Comics And Games

  Lucca, Italy (Site languages are Italian and English) – (Comic and Game Convention)

• World Fantasy Convention

  Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

• Youmacon

  Dearborn, Michigan (USA)

October 31 – November 2, 2008

• AniMaCo

  Berlin, Germany (Site language is German)

• Anime Supercon

  Miami, Florida (USA)

• CrisisCon

  Huntsville, Alabama (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• MangaNEXT

  Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – (Primarily a Manga Convention)

• SugoiCon

  Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky (USA)

November 1, 2008

• Tigercon

  Towson, Maryland (USA)

November 1 – 2, 2008

• Animatsuri

  St. Petersburg, Russia (Site languages are Russian and English)

• Armageddon Expo Australia

  Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

November 7 – 9, 2008

• Aki Con

  Everett, Washington (USA)

• Nekocon

  Hampton, Virginia (USA)

• Pacific Media Expo

  Los Angeles, California (USA) – (This is a trade show dedicated to Asian-Pacific popular culture and entertainment media)

• Wizard World Texas

  Dallas, Texas (USA) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

November 8 – 9, 2008

• Arkansas Anime Festival

  Springdale, Arkansas (USA)

November 14 – 16, 2008

• Anime NebrasKon

  Lincoln, Nebraska (USA)

• Auchinawa

  Glasgow, Scotland (UK)

• Convención de Juegos de Mesa y Comics

  Monterrey, NL (Mexico) (Site language is Spanish) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

• Eirtakon

  Dublin, Ireland

• Japan Festival

  Berlin, Germany (Site languages are German, English, and Japanese) – (This is a Japanese Cultural event)

November 15 – 16, 2008

• DotCon

  Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

• Naru 2 U

  Ottawa, Ontari (Canada)

November 21 – 23, 2008

• Atlanta Supercon

  Atlanta, Georgia (USA) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

• Daisho Con

  Stevens Point, Wisconsin (USA)

• Izumicon

  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA)

• JaniCon

  Jacksonville, Florida (USA)

• New England Fan Experience

  Cambridge, Massacheusetts (USA) – (A fan event for Anime, Science Fiction, Pop Culture, Science & Technology, and Gaming)

• Oni-Con 2008

  Houston, Texas (USA) – Note: This Con has been postoned to December 19 – 21, 2008.

• VGXpo 2008
  

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) – (This is a Gaming Expo)

November 22 – 23, 2008

• Anime Festival Asia

  Singapore

November 28 – 30, 2008

• Tomodachi Fest

  Boise, Idaho (USA)

November 30, 2008

• Grand International Cosplay Ball

  London, England (UK)

MikomiCon is an interesting convention. It’s presented by CSUN’s anime club, but it isn’t necessarily a student event. In fact, from what I’ve been told by event organizers, the bulk of the attendees have no affiliation with the school. However, it is held on a college campus where the nearest hotel is roughly two miles away.

Because of that, there are no 3 a.m. screenings and the convention tends to draw mostly L.A.-area otaku. But, in the three years that MikomiCon has existed, the convention has become a small and fun event that focuses on anime, but features so much more than just that.

Day One:

CSUN's Jishin Taiko Ensemble performing at Mikomicon.

The cool thing about a university-based convention is that there are many on-campus organizations at the event’s disposal. For example, the CSUN Jishin Taiko Ensemble was on hand for both a performance and a workshop. The student musicians performed kumi-daiko (group drumming) in the center of the university student union in the midst of a blazing afternoon. Afterwards, the drummers taught attendees the basics of kumi-daiko, which proved to be a popular (and fun to watch) workshop. View video of the taiko performance!

The drawback of holding a convention at CSUN is that the design of the student union is convoluted, with conference rooms and theaters buried in corners of several buildings. Plus, the maps are virtually useless. Case in point, it took twenty minutes for me, a former student at the institution, to find the USU Theater.

These Trinity Blood cosplayers were my favorites at Mikomicon. They rightfully won the craftsmanship award.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who got lost as there were only three people who eventually found the venue for a lecture entitled “Mars: What a Beautiful and Imaginative Place.” The talk was given by Roger Gibbs, the project manager for the 2001 Odyssey mission to Mars (the one where water was found). The talk was immensely interesting, focusing on both the failures and triumphs of NASA’s Mars missions, and featured photos of the planet displayed on a full-sized movie screen. For fans of sci-fi anime, this was a treat. It’s just too bad that more people didn’t get to witness it.

Day Two:

Oh, there were panels and screenings galore, but this was Saturday and Saturday means cosplay. As might be expected, much of the crowd spent the afternoon and early evening posing for photos in the quad.

Naturally, Naruto was the most heavily represented anime amongst cosplayers, closely followed by Death Note and Kingdom Hearts. There was a smattering of characters from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Ouran High School Host Club and Trigun as well. Oddly enough, I only saw one person in Bleach cosplay and no one dressed as the usually popular Alucard.

A group of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya cosplayers in formation.

I don’t cosplay, mostly because I tend to prefer outfits far too elaborate for someone who can only sew a hem, (ideally, I would cosplay Haydee from Gankutsuou). That said, I was in awe of the group that arrived dressed as the art book versions of Trinity Blood characters. Appropriately, this was the group that won the craftsmanship award at Masquerade.

Saturday night’s Masquerade was the highlight of the weekend, not so much because of the actual cosplay skits, but because of the intermission entertainment. The event was hosted by Kyle Hebert. The L.A.-based voice actor has appeared in Naruto, Bleach, Gurren Lagann, Fullmetal Alchemist, Devil May Cry IV and Ouran High School Host Club. His biggest claim to fame, though, is his work on Dragon Ball Z. At MikomiCon, Hebert is best known as not only a regular guest but as the guy who created the Kame Hame Ha contest, which is now a tradition during the intermission of the convention’s Masquerade.

The contest was extremely popular, with probably 100 or so people lined up to try to put their spin on the Dragon Ball scream.

The intermission also featured a great demonstration from martial arts group Monkeys Flying High and a para para performance featuring members of Kiwi Project alongside folks who took part in the group’s workshop that afternoon.

Day 3:

The sumo wrestling events were a highlight of Mikomicon. I would have tried it myself, but I was being lazy.

One of the most popular features at MikomiCon is sumo wrestling. I don’t mean actual demonstrations or workshops. Instead, anyone can climb into one of two inflatable sumo suits and challenge a friend to three rounds on the mat. From what I saw, it actually takes a lot of time to get in and out of the suit, and if you happen to fall over while wearing the suit, it can be almost impossible to get back on your feet. Feeling kind of lazy myself, I was content to just watch others push each other in and out of the ring. Combined with a screening of four episodes of Fate/stay Night (I have to watch the whole series now), this was a nice way to end the convention.

MikomiCon took place on September 19-21, 2008 in Northridge, California. For more MikomiCon coverage, be sure to check out Liz’s photos from MikomiCon.

Editor’s Note: The Anime Blog’s Guest Contributor Liz Ohanesian is a Los Angeles-based journalist covering music, media and club culture. She is a staff writer for Club World and her work regularly appears in such publications as the L.A. Weekly, Razorcake and Outburn. She has written for such publications as Punk Planet, PopMatters, Santa Monica Mirror and others.

August 29 – September 1, 2008

Con Xtreme Anime Convention 2008

• AnimeFest

  Dallas, Texas (USA)

• Con-X-treme

  San Mateo, California (USA)

• Dragon*Con

  Atlanta, Georgia (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

August 30 – September 1, 2008

• Anime Vegas

  Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)

• Kumoricon

  Portland, Oregon (USA)

September 5 – 7, 2008

• Alcon

  Leicester, England (UK)

• Festival of Japan

  Durham, England (UK) – (Japanese Cultural Festival)

• Otaku Mex

  Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

• Realms Con

  Corpus Christi, Texas (USA)

• T-MODE

  Arlington, Virginia (USA)

September 6, 2008

• Super Anime Day

  Davie, Florida (USA)

September 6 – 8, 2008

• International Manga Summit

  Kyoto, Japan (Site languages are Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English) – (This is a Manga/Comic Artist Conference)

September 7, 2008

• Super Comic Day

  Davie, Florida (USA)

September 9 – 10, 2008

• DOJIcon

  Krakow, Poland (Site language is Polish)

September 12 – 14, 2008

• Connichi

  Kassel, Germany (Site languages are German, Japanese, and English)

• Nan Desu Kan

  Denver, Colorado (USA)

September 13, 2008

• Midlands MCM Expo

  Telford, England (UK) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

September 19 – 21, 2008

• Anime Weekend Atlanta

  Atlanta, Georgia (USA)

• MikomiCon

  Northridge, California (USA)

September 20 – 21, 2008

• Chibicon

  Derby, England (UK)

September 26 – 28, 2008

• Manifest

  Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

• New York Anime Festival

  New York, New York (USA)

• Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits

  Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) – (This is “an annual workshop exploring the creative and cultural implications of anime and manga art”)

• Sogen Con

  Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA)

• Tsubasacon

  Huntington, West Virginia (USA)

• Yaoi-Con

  San Mateo, California (USA)

September 27 – 28, 2008

• Öszi AnimeCon

  Budapest, Hungary (Site language is Hungarian)

• Aurora-Con

  Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

• Chibi-Pa

  West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)

October 3 – 5, 2008

• Providence Anime Conference

  Providence, Rhode Island (USA)

• Shimakon

  South Padre Island, Texas (USA)

October 4 – 5, 2008

• Expo Comics Cancun

  Cancun, Mexico (Site language is Spanish)

• Mid-Ohio-Con

  Columbus, Ohio (USA) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

October 10 – 11, 2008

• BlizzCon

  Anaheim, California (USA) (Site languages are English, French, German, Korean, and Spanish) – (This is a Gaming Convention)

October 10 – 12, 2008

• Anime USA

  Arlington, Virginia (USA)

• SITACon

  Utica, New York (USA)

October 11 – 12, 2008

• Anime Festival BH

  Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

• F.A.C.T.S.

  Ghent, Belgium (Site languages are Dutch, English, and French) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• Niucon

  Wroclaw, Poland (Site language is Polish)

October 17 – 18, 2008

• Zenkaikon

  King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (USA)

October 17 – 19, 2008

• Anime X Gamer Experience

  St. Augustine, Florida (USA)

• Another Anime Convention

  Nashua, New Hampshire (USA)

October 18 – 19, 2008

• Autumn Dream

  Lancaster, California (USA)

October 23 – 26, 2008

• Comic Action

  Messe Essen, Germany (Site languages are German and English) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

October 24, 2008

• Video Games Live 2008

  London, England (UK) – (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

October 24 – 25, 2008

• Anime Banzai

  Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

October 24 – 26, 2008

• Bakuretsu Con

  Colchester, Vermont (USA)

October 25 – 26, 2008

• London Movie Comic & Media Expo

  London, England (UK) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) – (Karoke, Gaming, and more)

October 25 – 27, 2008

• Armageddon Pulp Expo

  Auckland, New Zealand – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

October 30 – November 2, 2008

• Lucca Comics And Games

  Lucca, Italy (Site languages are Italian and English) – (Comic and Game Convention)

• World Fantasy Convention

  Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

• Youmacon

  Dearborn, Michigan (USA)

October 31 – November 2, 2008

• AniMaCo

  Berlin, Germany (Site language is German)

• Anime Supercon

  Miami, Florida (USA)

• CrisisCon

  Huntsville, Alabama (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

• MangaNEXT

  Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – (Primarily a Manga Convention)

• SugoiCon

  Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky (USA)

• Anime Expo – Los Angeles, California (USA)
• CONvergence – Bloomington, Minnesota (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)
• Gen Con Australia – Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) – (Primarily a Game Convention)
• PortConMaine – Portland, Maine (USA)

July 5, 2008

• Chibicon – Utrecht, Netherlands (Site language is Dutch with some English)

July 5 – 6, 2008

• AniMex – Monterrey, NL (Mexico) (Site language is Spanish)
• Mecra Summer – Taipei, Taiwan (Site language is Chinese)

July 10 – 13, 2008

• Portus 2008 – Dallas, Texas (USA) – (Primarily a Harry Potter Convention)

July 11 – 13 & 16 – 20, 2008

• Anime Friends – São Paulo, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

July 12 – 13, 2008

• Anime TuCon – Tucson, Arizona (USA)

July 18 – 20, 2008

• AniMix – Killeen, Texas (USA) Note: This is their inaugural Con.
• Daigacon – Bowling Green, Kentucky (USA) Note: This Con has been postponed.
• Ikasucon – Fort Wayne, Indiana (USA)
• Metrocon – Tampa, Florida (USA)

July 19, 2008

• DC Anime Cosplay Party 2008 – Silver Spring, Maryland (USA) – (This is a cosplay event)

July 19 – 20, 2008

• WonderFest – Louisville, Kentucky (USA) – (Primarily a Model and Toy Convention)

July 24 -27, 2008

• Comic-Con International: San Diego – San Diego, California (USA) – (Primarily a Comics Convention)

July 25 – 27, 2008

• Ai-Kon – Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
• Animecon – São Paulo, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)
• Fieldcon – Morgan County, Ohio (USA) – (This is an outdoor Convention and Camp-out)
• MACOnvention – Leonding, Austria (Site language is German)

July 25 – 28, 2008

• Tokonatsu – Milton Bryan, England (UK) – (This is an outdoor Convention and Camp-out)

July 26 – 27, 2008

• Animecon – Tampereen, Finland (Site language is Finnish)
• AVCon – Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)
• Otakuthon – Montreal, Quebec (Canada) (Site languages are French and English)

August 1 – 3, 2008

• AnimagiC – Bonn, Germany (Site language is German)
• Animatsuri – Warsaw, Poland (Site language is Polish)
• ConnectiCon – Hartford, Connecticut (USA)
• Convencion Avalancha – Caracas, Venezuela (Site language is Spanish)
• Fandemonium – Nampa, Idaho (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)
• Kakkoi|con – Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA)
• Matsuri Con – Herning, Denmark (Site language is Danish) – Note: I believe the site says the Con has been cancelled for this year
• MechaCon – Lafayette, Louisiana (USA)
• Tokyo In Tulsa – Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA)
• Yasumicon – Miami, Florida (USA)

August 2, 2008

• ACG Egg – Taipei, Taiwan (Site language is Chinese)
• Auto Assembly – Birmingham, England (UK) – (Primarily a Transformers Convention)
• SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show – Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)
• OtakuOmaha – Omaha, Nebraska (USA)
• Sci-Fi Summer – Marietta, Georgia (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

August 2 – 3, 2008

• Ancient City Con – Jacksonville, Florida (USA)
• Ani-Jam – Fresno, California (USA)

August 3, 2008

• Zuiichi – Vancouver, Washington (USA) – (Primarily a Japanese culture event)

August 6 – 10, 2008

• World Science Fiction Convention – Denver, Colorado

August 8 – 10, 2008

• Amecon – Leicester, England (UK)
• Animethon – Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)
• Otakon – Baltimore, Maryland (USA)
• San Japan – San Antonio, Texas (USA)

August 9, 2008

• JAMMCon – Port Huron, Michigan (USA) – Note: Con has been cancelled
• Kin-Yoobi Con – Hayward, California (USA)

August 14 – 17, 2008

• Gen Con Indy – Indianapolis, Indiana (USA) – (Primarily a Gaming Convention)
• Anime Festival Orlando – Orlando, Florida (USA)
• Anime Festival Wichita – Wichita, Kansas (USA)
• AnimeIowa – Coralville, Iowa (USA)
• AniMiniCon – Charlton, Massachusetts (USA) – Note: The event is the last one listed on the website
• Comic Market (aka Comiket) – Tokyo, Japan (Site language is Japanese with some English)
• MahouCon – Huntington Beach, California (USA) – Note: The Con has been postponed.

August 22 – 24, 2008

• Anime Evolution – Burnaby, British Columbia (Canada)
• Fan Expo Canada – Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
• MatsuriCon – Worthington, Ohio (USA)

August 22 – 25, 2008

• PierniCON – Torun, Poland (Site language is Polish)

August 23 – 24, 2008

• Erie Anime Experience – Erie, Pennsylvania

August 28 – 29, 2008

• Kita-Kon – Thunder Bay, Ontario (Canada)

August 28 – 31, 2008

• Gen Con UK – Berkshire, England (UK) – (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

August 29 – 31, 2008

• AniNite – Vienna, Austria (Site language is German)
• Penny Arcade Expo – Seattle, Washington (USA) – (Primarily a Gaming Convention)
• Sac-Anime – Sacramento, California (USA)

August 30 – 31, 2008

• C3xHobby – Chiba City, Japan (Site language is Japanese) – (Primarily a Mecha Event)

August 30, 2008

• Summer Matsuri – Salem, New Hampshire (USA) – Note: This is a re-scheduled event.

August 29 – September 1, 2008

• AnimeFest – Dallas, Texas (USA)
• Con-X-treme – San Mateo, California (USA)
• Dragon*Con – Atlanta, Georgia (USA) – (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

August 30 – September 1, 2008

• Anime Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
• Kumoricon – Portland, Oregon (USA)

• A-Kon – Dallas, Texas (USA)
• Epitanime – Paris, France (Site language is French)
• Wizard World Philadelphia – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) — (Primarily a Comics Convention)

June 6 – 8, 2008

• KnoxCon – Gambier, Ohio (USA)
• OMG!!!con – Paducah, Kentucky (USA)
• OtakuOmaha – Omaha, Nebraska (USA)
• Sci-Fi Summer – Marietta, Georgia (USA) — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

June 13 – 15, 2008

• Anime Mid-Atlantic – Virginia Beach, Virginia (USA)
• El Paso Anime Con – El Paso, Texas (USA)

June 14, 2008

• Assimilation – Kissimmee, Florida (USA) — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

June 20 – 22, 2008

• AnimeNEXT – Secaucus, New Jersey (USA)
• Nicon – Hanover, Germany (Site language is German)
• Supanova Pop Culture Expo – Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)
• Yaoi Jamboree – Glendale, Arizona (USA)

June 21, 2008

• Summer Matsuri – Salem, New Hampshire (USA) — (This is a Mini-Con sponsored by Another Anime Convention)
• TFcon Toronto – Toronto, Ontario (Canada) — (This is a Toy Show/Convention)

June 21 – 22, 2008

• AnimeNeves – Ribeirão das Neves, MG (Brazil) (Site language is Portuguese) Note: I believe the site says that the Con has been postponed.
• JAFAX – Allendale, Michigan (USA)

June 25 – 29, 2008

• Origins Game Fair – Columbus, Ohio (USA) — (Primarily a Game Convention)

June 26 – 29, 2008

• Cleveland Colossal Convention – Beachwood, Ohio (USA)
• Wizard World Chicago – Rosemont, Illinois (USA) — (Primarily a Comics Convention) Note: Wizard World Chicago will present the world premiere of Batman Gotham Knight for an evening presentation on June 28, 2008.

June 27 – 29, 2008

• PersaCon – Huntsville, Alabama (USA)
• Supanova Pop Culture Expo – Perth, Western Australia (Australia)

June 27 – 30, 2008

• Gathering of the Gargoyles – Evanston, Illinois (USA) — (A special Con dedicated to the memory of the Gargoyles animated series)

June 28 – 29, 2008

• Made in Japan – Wiener Neustadt, Austria (Site language is German)

• Northern Anime Festival – Oshawa, Ontario (Canada)

July 3 – 6, 2008

• Anime Expo – Los Angeles, California (USA)
• CONvergence – Bloomington, Minnesota (USA) — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)
• Gen Con Australia – Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) — (Primarily a Game Convention)
• PortConMaine – Portland, Maine (USA)

July 5 – 6, 2008

• AniMex – Monterrey, NL (Mexico) (Site language is Spanish)
• Mecra Summer – Taipei, Taiwan (Site language is Chinese)

July 10 – 13, 2008

• Portus 2008 – Dallas, Texas (USA) — (Primarily a Harry Potter Convention)

July 12 – 13, 2008

• Anime TuCon – Tucson, Arizona (USA)

July 17 – 20, 2008

• Anime Friends – São Paulo, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)

July 18 – 20, 2008

• AniMix – Killeen, Texas (USA) Note: This is their inaugural Con.
• Daigacon – Bowling Green, Kentucky (USA) Note: This Con has been postponed.
• Ikasucon – Fort Wayne, Indiana (USA)
• Metrocon – Tampa, Florida (USA)

July 19, 2008

• DC Anime Cosplay Party 2008 – Silver Spring, Maryland (USA) — (This is a cosplay event)

July 19 – 20, 2008

• WonderFest – Louisville, Kentucky (USA) — (Primarily a Model and Toy Convention)

July 24 -27, 2008

• Comic-Con International: San Diego – San Diego, California (USA) — (Primarily a Comics Convention)

July 25 – 27, 2008

• Ai-Kon – Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
• Animecon – São Paulo, Brazil (Site language is Portuguese)
• MACOnvention – Leonding, Austria (Site language is German)

July 25 – 28, 2008

• Tokonatsu – Milton Bryan, England (UK) Note: This is an outdoor (camping) festival.

July 26 – 27, 2008

• Animecon – Tampereen, Finland (Site language is Finnish)
• AVCon – Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)
• Otakuthon – Montreal, Quebec (Canada) (Site languages are French and English)

I know many fans are die-hard con goers and forgo even the basics, such as food and a bed, to attend cons. On the second day of the con I always see people eying my food the way they would a scantily clad cosplayer. That and the kinked necks suggest sleeping arrangements akin to a shoddily stacked set of Lincoln Logs. That’s dedication to the con spirit, but at my ripe old age of 31, dedication is running from panel to panel, staying up late to update the site and interviewing whoever I can whenever I can.

I can’t see myself sharing a room with any but my closest pals and I’ve gotten attached to eating at least once a day. I also suffer from an acute case of Princess and the Pea Syndrome. It’s a horrible malady which makes it impossible for me to sleep on anything that doesn’t have at least six inches of padding, i.e. a mattress.

When con season rolls around, are you ready for it? Were you scrimping all year and living off ramen to save for a convention? Have you saved up big time for the big cons, or are you going to buy a ticket and wing it from there? Do you have a con ticket and a hotel but can’t pay the rent? Are you set to converge at a convention or are you the guy with the sign, “WiLl GloMp fOr FoOD?” Do you go without meals? A bath? A room? Merchandise? What do you sacrifice to attend a con?

Share what you’ve forgone, or will forgo, to attend an anime convention in the comments below!

• Anime Milwaukee – Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA)
• ConDor Con 2008 – San Diego, California (USA) — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)
• MarsCon 2008 – Bloomington, Minnesota (USA): Primarily a Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention

• Minami Con – Southampton, England (UK)

March 7 – 8, 2008

• Neo Noh Con – Amherst, New York (USA)

March 7 – 9, 2008

• All-Con – Addison, Texas (USA)
• Animaritime – Moncton, New Brunswick (Canada)
• MegaCon – Orlando, Florida (USA) — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)

March 8, 2008

• Hana*con – Jenks, Oklahoma (USA)
• Nishikaze – Lethbridge, Alberta (Canada)

March 8 – 9, 2008

• 32 Convención de Juegos de Mesa y Comic’s – Monterrey, Mexico (Site language is Spanish)
• Anime Island Convention – Sandy Bay, Tasmania (Australia)
• Paris Manga – Paris, France (Site language is French)
• S.A.V.E. Konvention – Stephenville, Texas (USA) — (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

March 13 – 16, 2008

• Anime Oasis – Boise, Idaho (USA)
• Comics in Leipzig – Leipzig, Germany — (Primarily a Comics Convention)

March 14 – 16, 2008

• Anime Wasabi – Denver, Colorado (USA)
• FITcon – Melbourne, Florida (USA)
• Wizard World Los Angeles – Los Angeles, California (USA) — (Primarily a Comics Convention)

March 15, 2008

• Cosplay Day Out 2008 – Humble, Texas (USA) — (Includes a cosplay photo shoot and contest)
• Taiwan Comic – Tapei, Taiwan (Site language is Chinese with some English)

March 15 – 16, 2008

• MomoCon – Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
• Toronto AnimeCon – Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

March 21 – 23, 2008

• Anime Boston – Boston, Massachusetts (USA)
• Anime Express – Daytona Beach, Florida (USA)
• Anime Matsuri – The Woodlands, Texas (USA)
• AniZona – Litchfield Park, Arizona (USA) — Con has been canceled

March 22, 2008

• Seito ChibiCon – San Jose, California (USA)

March 27 – 30, 2008

• Tokyo International Anime Fair – Tokyo, Japan (Site languages are Japanese and English)

March 28 – 30, 2008

• Anime St. Louis – St. Louis, Missouri (USA)
• ConBust – Northampton, Massachusetts (USA) — (Con has a focus on women in science fiction/fantasy/anime/gaming)
• JAMPcon – Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA)

• Naruto Trek Convention – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (USA) — (As the name implies, the Con has a focus on Naruto and Star Trek)
• Sakura-Con – Seattle, Washington (USA)
• Supanova Pop Culture Expo – Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

March 29, 2008

• Animarathon – Bowling Green, Ohio (USA)
• Tosho-Con – Largo, Florida (USA)

March 29 – 30, 2008

• ConTopia – Wuppertal, Germany (Site language is German)

• MAGNIFIcon – Kraków, Poland (Site language is Polish)

April 4 – 6, 2008

• Anime Detour – Bloomington, Minnesota (USA)
• EyeCon – Orlando, Florida (USA) — (a multi-genre Celebrity Autograph Convention)
• I-Con – Stony Brook, NY — (Primarily a Science Fiction Convention)
• Supanova Pop Culture Expo – Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

April 5, 2008

• ChibiFest – Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)

April 5 – 6, 2008

• FreeCon – Tallahassee, Florida (USA)
• The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)

April 11 – 13, 2008

• Anime Punch! – Columbus, Ohio (USA)
• J-Junk – Groß-Gerau, Germany (Site language is German)
• Tekkoshocon – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA)
• UBCon – Buffalo, New York (USA) — (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

April 12, 2008

• O-Conn – Helotes, Texas (USA)

April 12 – 13, 2008

• Game Anime Manga Experience – Paris, France (Site language is French)

April 13, 2008

• Castle Point Anime Convention – Hoboken, New Jersey (USA)

April 17 – 20, 2008

• Saló Internacional del Còmic – Barcelona, Spain (Site language is Spanish) — (Primarily a Comics Convention)

April 18 – 20, 2008

• Kawaii Kon – Honolulu, Hawaii (USA)

• New York Comic Con – New York, New York (USA) — (Primarily a Comics Convention)
• No Brand Con – Eau Claire, Wisconsin (USA)

April 19, 2008

• Anime Fannatiku – St. George, Utah (USA)

April 19 – 20, 2008

• Armageddon Expo Wellington – Wellington, New Zealand

April 20, 2008

• Shinboku Con – Elyria, Ohio (USA)

April 24 – 27, 2008

• BotCon – Cincinnati, Ohio (USA) — (Primarily a Transformers Convention)

April 25 – 27, 2008

• Gen Con Paris – Montreuil, France (Site language is French with summaries in English, German, and Spanish) — (Primarily a Gaming Convention)

• Middle Tennessee Anime Convention – Nashville, Tennessee (USA)

April 25 – 28, 2008

• 

  Costume-Con – San Jose, California (USA) — (a Con for professional and hobbyist costumers)

April 26, 2008

• Minifest – Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) — (a miniature version of Manifest)
• Shukuya-Con – Clearwater, Florida (USA)
• Tora-Con – Rochester, NY

April 26 – 27, 2008

• Armageddon Expo Christchurch – Christchurch, New Zealand
• Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo – Calgary, Alberta (Canada)