Anime Banzai | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Anime, Manga, Video games, culture [1] [2] |
Venue | Davis Conference Center |
Location(s) | Layton, Utah |
Country | United States |
Inaugurated | 2005 |
Organized by | Utah Anime Promotions [3] |
Website | http://www.animebanzai.org/ |
Anime Banzai is an annual three-day anime convention held during October at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. The name of the convention roughly comes from the Japanese word for "hooray". [4] The convention is organized by Utah Anime Promotions and is run by a volunteer staff. [5]
The convention typically features an AMV contest, arcade gaming, artist alley, board gaming, card gaming, cosplay contest, formal dance, karaoke, panel discussions, special guests, video games, vendors, and workshops. [2] [3] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Anime Banzai was founded by the Salt Lake Community College "End of the World" Japanese Animation Club in 2004. [1] [3] Over 600 people attended the first year, while the organizers were expecting less than 300 attendees. [7] The convention was held at the Salt Lake Community College in the Student Center for two years, the Sheraton City Centre Hotel for three, until moving to the Davis Conference Center due to the convention's growth. [1] [6] [9] The convention in 2010 brought $400,000 to the economy and signed a three-year contract with the Davis Conference Center. [9] In 2011, the convention brought an estimated $350,000+ to the economy. [3] The 2012 convention brought $491,000 to the economy and remained at the Davis Conference Center. [10] The convention in 2013 signed an agreement to return to the Davis Conference Center until 2015. [11]
Representatives of Anime Banzai, while commenting on articles discussing why Salt Lake City did not have a large comic con, have stated that the convention would like to (and most likely will) return to Salt Lake City. Problems include outgrowing most convention space in the area, outgrowing the Davis Conference Center, affordability of the Salt Palace, and they hoped a new venue will be built that can handle conventions like Anime Banzai. [12] [13] Anime Banzai 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [14] [15]
Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
---|---|---|---|
October 15, 2005 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, Utah | 600 [16] | |
October 20–21, 2006 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, Utah | Ichidan, Ken Rand, Amy Reeder, and Spike Spencer. [17] | |
August 31–September 1, 2007 | Sheraton City Centre Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah | Artbeat, Michael Dobson, Ichidan, [18] and Steve "Warky" Nunez. [19] | |
October 24–25, 2008 | Sheraton City Centre Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah | Tiffany Grant, Ichidan, Vic Mignogna, Steve "Warky" Nunez, and Sonny Strait. [20] | |
October 16–18, 2009 | Sheraton City Centre Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah | 3,000 (est) [21] | Chuck Huber, Ichidan, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Michelle Ruff, and XDCosplayDX. [22] |
October 8–10, 2010 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | 3,200 [9] | Michael Coleman, Newton Ewell, Lynn Hardy, Ichidan, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Sonny Strait, and The Slants. [21] |
October 21–23, 2011 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | 3,500 (est) [10] | Tonya Adolfson, Brad Beachell, Matt Cole, COO-Interactive Entertainment, Preston Cowley, Christopher Escalante, Chuck Huber, April Nunez, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Wendy Pini, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Lisle Wilkerson. [23] |
October 19–21, 2012 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | 4,146 [11] | L.B. Bryant, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Chris Patton, Amanda Rush, Micah Solusod, and David Vincent. [24] |
October 18–20, 2013 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Richard Ian Cox, Darrel Guilbeau, Kyle Hebert, Jamie McGonnigal, Christopher Robin Miller, Steve "Warky" Nunez, and Laura Post. [25] | |
October 17–19, 2014 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Chuck Huber, Vic Mignogna, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Chris Patton, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Sonny Strait. [26] | |
October 16–18, 2015 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Tanglwyst De Holloway, Michelle Ann Dunphy, Christopher Escalante, Bill Galvan, Danielle McRae, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Laura Post, and David Vincent. [27] | |
October 21–23, 2016 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Chris Cason, Kara Edwards, Julie Rei Goldstein, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Steff Von Schweetz, and Kiba Walker. [28] | |
October 20-22, 2017 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Sean Chiplock, Michaela Laws, Jamie McGonnigal, Daman Mills, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Pannon, and Diana Tolin. [29] | |
October 19-21, 2018 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Ben Dunn, Cole Feuchter, Natalie Hoover, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Pannon, David Vincent, and Kiba Walker. [30] | |
October 18-20, 2019 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | AlpacaAsh, Jennifer Cihi, Stefanie DeLeo, Ben Dunn, Newton Ewell, Trina Nishimura, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Pannon, Derek Stephen Prince, Jez Roth, Alejandro Saab, Tara Sands, and Bryan Young. [31] | |
October 15-17, 2021 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond, Bonnie Gordon, Max Mittelman, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Jez Roth, and Samantha Sawyer. [32] | |
October 14-16, 2022 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Aki Glancy, Bonnie Gordon, Johnny N' Junkers, Adam McArthur, Landon McDonald, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Matthew David Rudd, Samantha Sawyer, Kaiji Tang, Anne Yatco, and Bryan Young. [33] | |
October 20-22, 2023 | Davis Conference Center Layton, Utah | Aaron Campbell, Mary Claypool, Les E. Claypool III, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Bonnie Gordon, Marissa Lenti, Ry McKeand, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Wendy Pini, Jez Roth, Samantha Sawyer, and Bryan Young. [34] |
Layton (/ˈleɪʔɪn/) is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden-Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 81,773, with 2023 estimates showing a 5% increase to 86,003. Layton is the most populous city in Davis County and the tenth most populous in Utah.
Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) is an annual four-day anime convention held during December at the Georgia World Congress Center, Building C in Atlanta, Georgia.
Nan Desu Kan (NDK) is an annual three-day anime convention held during September at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado. The convention is the largest anime convention in the Rocky Mountain region and each one takes eighteen months to plan. Its name in Japanese roughly means nan desu ka (何ですか), "what is it?". The parent company, Rocky Mountain Anime Association, is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization.
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.
The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California and is the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast of the United States. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. The original components, designed by Adrian Wilson & Associates and built by Del E. Webb Corporation, opened in July 1967—including a basketball arena followed shortly by the convention hall. It holds many events, like Star Wars Celebration, VidCon, BlizzCon, Anime Expo, D23 Expo, WonderCon, NAMM Show, competitions, and more. In addition to hosting various types of conventions, the Anaheim Convention Center was used to host the wrestling during the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Sakura-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during March or April at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington. The convention, which is traditionally held over Easter weekend, is the largest anime convention in the Northwest. It is organized by the volunteer Asia-Northwest Cultural Education Association (ANCEA).
ColossalCon, formerly called Cleveland Colossal Convention, is an annual four-day anime convention held during May/June at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky, Ohio.
AnimeIowa is an annual three-day anime convention held during July at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center in Coralville, Iowa. The staff are all volunteers and the convention is run by the non-profit Mindbridge Foundation.
RealmsCon is an annual three-day multi-genre convention held during September/October at the Emerald Beach Hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas. The convention was created in 2005 by Daniel Velasquez.
Oni-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during October/November at the Galvestion Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort in Galveston, Texas. The name of the convention comes from, "oni", the Japanese word for "demon/ogre".
SacAnime is a semi-annual three-day anime convention held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, California. The convention is the sister conventions to the Sacramento Comic, Toy and Anime Show (Sac-Con) and Bak-Anime.
Zenkaikon is a multi-genre convention held during spring at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The convention was formerly based around King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Zenkaikon's name is a portmanteau of Zentrancon and Kosaikon, created when they merged in 2006. The convention has an all-volunteer staff.
Naka-Kon is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas. The name of the convention comes from the Japanese word for "center/middle".
AnimeNEXT (AN) is an annual three-day anime convention held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey. The convention was previously held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, New Jersey, and the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Matsuricon is a three-day anime convention held during August in Columbus, Ohio, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus and Greater Columbus Convention Center. The convention is family friendly.
The Davis Conference Center is a 110,000-square-foot convention/conference center with over 70,000-square-feet of flexible meeting space located in Layton, Utah, United States. After several failed attempts, the center opened its doors in 2004. The $11.3 million center was a joint effort financed and developed by Davis County, Layton city, and a group of developers led by Kevin Garn. “The center, which hosts 700 groups a year, is unique in that it offers exhibit space, conference space and an adjoining hotel for lodging,” according to Dave Hilliard, the director of operations for the Davis Conference Center. In the conference's first year it hosted 726 events. The conference center is attached to a Hilton Garden Inn, owned by Kevin Garn, and within walking distance to several hotels, the Layton Hills Mall, and restaurants. The Davis Conference Center features event spaces of different sizes, the biggest of which is a 12,500-square-foot ballroom with a 1,000 person capacity.
JAFAX is an annual three day anime convention held during June/July at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The convention's full name stands for Japanese Animation Film and Art Expo. JAFAX was previously a two-day event held at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and was organized by the university's anime club and tabletop gaming club (AltReal).
Yama-Con is an annual three-day anime convention with multigenre elements held during November/December at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Yama-Con's name comes from the Japanese word for mountain, "Yama."
SaltCON is the largest Board Game Convention in Utah held annually in Layton at the Davis Conference Center with the "aim of bringing people together with games." The event is family friendly, and focuses on hobby and designer board games. Unlike many other conventions, the board game halls are open 24 hours for attendees to play all night long. The event continues to grow in popularity, in large part due to its friendly atmosphere, and volunteer nature. The event had over 1100 attendees in 2016, and continues to grow every year. In 2019 they had over 1900 attendees.
Setsucon is an annual two day anime convention held during January at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The convention's name comes from the Japanese word setsu, meaning "snow". It is organized by the Penn State Anime Organization (PSAO). The convention is family-friendly.