Anime Conventions

From Japan to Ireland

Origins in Japan•C

omiket - Started 1975

•Over 500,000 people every year

•Mostly for cosplay, & Dōjinshi (self-published manga)

•Merch, videos & books readily available in shops

•Early 80s, YamatoCon

•Day long screening of Space Cruiser Yamato!

•Grew out of comic conventions

•Some cosplay, few traders, no Dōjinshi or guests

Spread to America in the 80s

•Anime Expo & Otakon

•Mecca for fans across America & Europe

•Big emphasis on burgeoning merchandise industry, artists, console gaming & voice actors

•A place for fans to hang out

•Screenings increasingly side lined

•Laid the template for western anime conventions

Evolution in America in the 90s

•Q-Con in Belfast begins screening anime

•Eirtakon - November 2005

•Name based off Otakon

•DCU Anime & Manga Society founded to facilitate Eirtakon

•Mostly screenings, some cosplay, a few games

•~130 attendees

Over to Ireland…

•American voice actors invited over every year

•Cosplay more popular than ever

•New emphasis on special events, panels, workshops, talks etc

•Merch traders hugely popular

•Get-together for groups of friends

•Screenings not a big draw anymore

What is an Irish anime Convention?

•2010, Nom-Con

•2011, Akumakon

•Q-Con in Belfast incorporating anime

•Hybrid anime & gaming events appearing, e.g. Brocon, @rcadeCon, Epic-Con

Burgeoning Scene in Ireland

•Q-Con - June 22nd - 24th

•@rcadeCon - July 13th - 15th

•Brocon - July 20th - 22nd

•Nom-Con - August 24th - 26th

•Eirtakon - November 9th - 11th

•Akumakon - January 2013

•Epic-Con - March 2013

Links & Info

| Belfast

| Ballsbridge

| Limerick

| Burlington

| The Helix

| NUI Galway

| Maynooth