Anime Banzai

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 an volunteer staff.[5]

Programming

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]

History

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 conventions 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 bought 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]

Event history

Dates Location Atten. Guests
October 15, 2005 Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, Utah		600[14]
October 20–21, 2006 Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, Utah		 Ichidan, Ken Rand, Amy Reeder Hadley, and Spike Spencer.[15]
August 31–September 1, 2007 Sheraton City Centre Hotel
Salt Lake City, Utah		 Artbeat, Michael Dobson, Ichidan,[16] and Steve "Warky" Nunez.[17]
October 24–25, 2008 Sheraton City Centre Hotel
Salt Lake City, Utah		 Tiffany Grant, Ichidan, Vic Mignogna, Steve "Warky" Nunez, and Sonny Strait.[18]
October 16–18, 2009 Sheraton City Centre Hotel
Salt Lake City, Utah		3,000
(est)[19]		 Chuck Huber, Ichidan, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Michelle Ruff, and XDCosplayDX.[20]
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.[19]
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.[21]
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.[22]
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.[23]
October 17–19, 2014 Davis Conference Center
Layton, Utah		 Chuck Huber, Vic Mignogna, Steve "Warky" Nunez, Chris Patton, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Sonny Strait.[24]
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.[25]
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.[26]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bennett, Maaike (2011-11-02). "Adventure at the Anime Banzai". The Globe Online. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  2. 1 2 Wardell, Jennifer (2013-10-16). "More than just Pokémon: Plenty to celebrate at Anime Banzai". The Davis County Clipper. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Saxton, Bryon (2011-10-21). "'Nerds' converge at national anime convention in Layton". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  4. ↑ Wardell, Jennifer (2010-10-03). "Anime Banzai: Celebration of anime, Japanese culture is coming to Davis County this October 8–10". The Davis County Clipper. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  5. 1 2 Carlson, Sonja (2014-10-14). "Anime Banzai celebrates Japan at Davis Conference Center". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  6. 1 2 Saxton, Bryon (2010-10-06). "Banzai: Anime celebration hits Top of Utah on Friday". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  7. 1 2 Sheehan, Gavin (2009-10-16). "Anime Banzai 2009". City Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  8. ↑ Stephenson, Nicole (2009-10-16). "10 Years of Anime Banzai". SLUG Magazine. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  9. 1 2 3 Saxton, Bryon (2010-10-13). "Anime Banzai 2010 convention brings in just under $400K". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  10. 1 2 Saxton, Bryon (2012-10-20). "Colorful characters storm Utah Anime Banzai convention in Layton". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  11. 1 2 Saxton, Bryon (2013-10-09). "Popular Anime Banzai returns to Layton for three more years". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  12. ↑ Young, Bryan (2012-02-11). "SLC Comic-Con?". City Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  13. ↑ Bates, Adam (2012-07-11). "SLC Comic-Con Could Happen". City Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  14. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  15. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  16. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  17. ↑ "Video Game music runs gamut". Deseretnews.com. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  18. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  19. 1 2 "Anime Banzai 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  20. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  21. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  22. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  23. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
  24. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-09-17.
  25. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
  26. ↑ "Anime Banzai 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2016-10-22.

External links

Coordinates: 41°05′03.7″N 111°58′50.2″W / 41.084361°N 111.980611°W / 41.084361; -111.980611

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