Animazement

Animazement
Status	Active
Genre	Anime, Manga, Japanese Culture[1]
Venue	Raleigh Convention Center
Location(s)	Raleigh, North Carolina
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1998
Attendance	11,300+ in 2015[2]
Organized by	Educational Growth Across Oceans[1]
Filing status	501(c)3[3]
Website
http://www.animazement.com/

Animazement is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend. The convention is designed to be family-friendly.^[4] Animazement is run by unpaid staff and volunteers.^[5]

Programming

The convention typically offers an artist alley, classes, concerts, cosplay chess, cosplay contests, dealers room, gaming tournaments, manga library, masquerade ball, musicians, panel discussions, raves, various gaming rooms (arcade, console, retro), video screenings, and voice actors.^{[3][4][6][7][8][9]}

Animazement raised over $12,000 for several charities in 2015.^[10]

History

The convention originates from an 1997 36-hour anime marathon, organized by the Triangle Area Anime Society (TAAS) at North Carolina State University.^[1] It was first held in Raleigh, North Carolina at the North Raleigh Hilton in 1998, moved to the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham, North Carolina for 2001, and to the month of May in 2002.^[11][12][13] In 2009, four Japanese guests canceled appearances due to quarantine concerns over the Swine flu.^[14] In 2009, Animazement moved to the Raleigh Convention Center.^[15] Noboru Ishiguro was scheduled to attend the 2012 event, but died prior to the event.^[16]

Event history

Dates	Location	Atten.	Guests
March 20–22, 1998	Hilton North Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina	735	Steve Bennett, Michael Brady, Juliet Cesario, Rurika Fuyuki, Scott Houle, Yasuhiro Imagawa, Yuu Kamijyou, Masakazu Katsura, Lanelle Markgraf, Fred Perry, Scott Simpson, Apollo Smile, Doug Smith, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Dave Underwood, Pamela Weidner, and Amanda Winn-Lee.[11]
March 19–21, 1999	Hilton North Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina	1,235	Tiffany Grant,[17] Michael Brady, Juliet Cesario, Traci Dinwiddie, Rurika Fuyuki, Scott Houle, Yasuhiro Imagawa, Yukako Midori, Fred Perry, Scott Simpson, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Dave Underwood, Yuu Watase, Pamela Weidner,[18] Shin Kurokawa, Nozomi Suzuki, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[19]
March 10–12, 2000	Hilton North Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina	1,640	Kia Asamiya, Scott Houle, Amy Howard-Wilson, Kunihiko Ikuhara, Toshifumi Inagawa, Akira Kamiya, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Rachael Lillis, Kazuto Nakazawa, Lisa Ortiz, Chiho Saito, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Koichi Tsunoda, Yuu Watase, Brett Weaver, and Pamela Weidner.[20]
May 25–27, 2001	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	1,900	Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Tsukasa Kotobuki, Amy Tipton, Koichi Tsunoda, Yuu Watase, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[12]
May 24–26, 2002	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	2,050	Jason Hatfield, Scott Houle, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Hiroaki Sakurai, Amy Tipton, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[13]
May 23–25, 2003	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	2,300	Tiffany Grant, Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Kyōko Hikami, Kazuto Nakazawa, Hiroaki Sakurai, Asami Sanada, Jonathan Tarbox, Koichi Tsunoda, Brett Weaver, Pamela Weidner, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Yoshinobu Yamakawa.[21]
May 28–30, 2004	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	2,700	Mary Evans, Nicole B. Gibson, Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Charles Dee Rice, Chika Sakamoto, Koichi Tsunoda, Yuu Watase, Crystal Waters, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[22]
May 27–29, 2005	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	2,750	Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Kyōko Hikami, Aya Hisakawa, Scott Houle, Keiko Ichihara, Akira Kamiya, Chika Sakamoto, Michihiko Suwa, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[23]
May 26–28, 2006	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	3,275	Chris Cason, Bruce Elliott, Caitlin Glass, Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Scott Houle, Yuki Ito, Akira Kamiya, Yoshinori Kanemori, Trish Ledoux, Rica Matsumoto, Ryūsei Nakao, Michihiko Suwa, Nobuhiro Suzumura, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[24]
May 25–27, 2007	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	4,500	Juliet Cesario, Kara Edwards, Caitlin Glass, Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Kyōko Hikami, Scott Houle, Kikuko Inoue, Akira Kamiya, Takeshi Kusao, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Chika Sakamoto, Michihiko Suwa, Koichi Tsunoda, Kari Wahlgren, Pamela Weidner, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Toshifumi Yoshida, and Satsuki Yukino.[25]
May 23–25, 2008	Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina	5,374	Kara Edwards, Mitsuo Fukuda, Takako Furukawa, Caitlin Glass, Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Takeshi Kusao, Vic Mignogna, Kotono Mitsuishi, Ryūsei Nakao, Jōji Nakata, Michihiko Suwa, Koichi Tsunoda, Kumiko Watanabe, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Maya Yamao.[26]
May 22–24, 2009	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	5,964	Kara Edwards, Caitlin Glass, Kyle Hebert, Scott Houle, Yusuke Igarashi, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Ryūsei Nakao, Jun Shishido, Spike Spencer, Uchuu Sentai Noiz, Cristina Vee, Maya Yamao, Toshifumi Yoshida,[15] Cherami Leigh, and Mike Sinterniklaas.[27]
May 28–30, 2010	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	7,070	Richard Ian Cox, Keiko Han, Noriko Hidaka, Yusuke Igarashi, Kazuhiko Inoue, Trish Ledoux, Chiho Saito, Chika Sakamoto, Spike Spencer, Koichi Tsunoda, Uchuu Sentai Noiz, Cristina Vee, Kappei Yamaguchi, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[28]
May 27–29, 2011	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	7,000[1]	Leah Clark, Todd Haberkorn, Kyle Hebert, Hiroaki Hirata, Cherami Leigh, Masao Maruyama, Hidenori Matsubara, Ryūsei Nakao, Jōji Nakata, Patrick Seitz, and Eric Vale.[29]
May 25–27, 2012	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	8,000 (est)[30]	Jennifer Barclay, Chris Cason, Kara Edwards, Toshio Furukawa, Clarine Harp, Ichiro Itano, The Jacabal's, Kotoko, Shelby Lindley, Masao Maruyama, Hiroshi Nagahama, Fumiko Orikasa, Jez Roth, Mayu Shinjo, Spike Spencer, and Cristina Vee.[31]
May 23-26, 2013	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	7,500+[4] or 8,800[9]	Sho Asano, Christine Marie Cabanos, Kara Edwards, Toshio Furukawa, Keiko Han, Megumi Han, Kyle Hebert, Yumi Ishiguro, The Jacabal's, Yoichi Kotabe, Laugh Out Loud, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Haruhiko Mikimoto, Yūko Minaguchi, Hiroshi Nagahama, Ryūsei Nakao, Toshio Nakatani, Masako Nozawa, Jez Roth, Sean Schemmel, Koichi Tsunoda, Uchuu Sentai Noiz, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[32]
May 23-25, 2014	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	11,287[33]	Sho Asano, Christine Marie Cabanos, Toshio Furukawa, Toru Furuya, Keiko Han, Takafumi Hori, Shuichi Ikeda, Yuji Kaneko, Kotoko, Lauren Landa, Laugh Out Loud, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Kazuya Masumoto, Jason Charles Miller, Ryuusei Nakao, Ai Nonaka, Jez Roth, Shin Sasaki, Taishi Yamabe, Toshifumi Yoshida, Yoh Yoshinari, and Nobuteru Yuuki.[34]
May 22-24, 2015	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	11,300+[2]	Sho Asano, Crispin Freeman, Keiko Han, Noriko Hidaka, Kikuko Inoue, The Jacabal's, Shinichiro Kashiwada, Laugh Out Loud, Trish Ledoux, Hidenori Matsubara, Amanda Celine Miller, Ryuusei Nakao, ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D, Jez Roth, Mike Sinterniklaas, Shinichiro Watanabe, Taishi Yamabe, Toshifumi Yoshida, Linda Young.[35]
May 27-29, 2016	Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina	14,127+[36]	Shingo Adachi, Sho Asano, Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Aya Hirano, The Jacabal's, Shinichiro Kashiwada, Erik Scott Kimerer, Toru Kubo, Lauren Landa, Trish Ledoux, Erica Lindbeck, Masao Maruyama, Yuu Mizushima, Sadayuki Murai, Soichi Noguchi, Oreskaband, Jez Roth, Akane Takahashi, Hidetaka Tenjin, Masuo Ueda, Toshiyuki Watanabe, Taishi Yamabe, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[37]

Note: Animazement will be held Memorial Day weekend at the Raleigh Convention Center until 2018.^[38]

References

1. Wooten, Colton (2012-05-24). "Anime convention celebrates imagination and culture". Raleigh: News & Observer. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
2. Schaefer, Kevin (May 27, 2015). "Animazement sweeps downtown Raleigh". Technician Online. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
3. Davis, Adam (June 2, 2016). "Animazement highlights Japanese culture". Technician Online. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
4. Murawski, John (2013-05-26). "Animazement dazzles with color, form, ingenuity". News & Observer. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
5. Kenney, Andrew (2014-05-23). "Animazement's dream world comes alive in Raleigh". News & Observer. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
6. Padula, Derek (2013-05-25). "Animazement Opens its Doors for 2013". Epoch Times. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
7. Jung, Jennifer (2012-05-30). "Bringing fantasies to life". Technician Online. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
8. "You haven't met fankids until you've been to Animazement". Independent Weekly. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
9. Hart, Bryce (2013-05-30). "Animazement shows growth, change". Technician Online. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
10. "Animazement Announces 2016 Charities". Anime News Network. April 24, 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
11. "Animazement 1998 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
12. "Animazement 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
13. "Animazement 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
14. "4 Japanese Guests Cancel Animazement Trip due to Swine Flu Concerns". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
15. "Animazement 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
16. "Yamato, Macross Director Noboru Ishiguro Passes Away". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
17. "Animazement 1999 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
18. "Animazement 1999 Featured Guests". Animazement. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
19. "Animazement 1999". FansView.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 1999. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
20. "Animazement 2000 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
21. "Animazement 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
22. "Animazement 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
23. "Animazement 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
24. "Animazement 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
25. "Animazement 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
26. "Animazement 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
27. "Animazement 2009 Guests". Animazement. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
28. "Animazement 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
29. "Animazement 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
30. Shaffer, Josh (2012-05-28). "Animazement is a festival of the fantastical". Raleigh: News & Observer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
31. "Animazement 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
32. "Animazement 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
33. "Animazement 2014: Sharing Memories And Pictures Of The Biggest Year Yet". www.candidslice.com. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
34. "Animazement 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-05-25.
35. "Animazement 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
36. "Animazement Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
37. "Animazement 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
38. "Raleigh Convention Center sees busy two months". News 14 Carolina. Retrieved 2012-06-24.

External links

• Animazement Website

Coordinates: 35°46′25″N 78°38′28″W / 35.77361°N 78.64111°W