Otakon
Otakon is a convention focusing on the art of
anime,
East Asian culture, and its fandom. Otakon is traditionally held during the month of August in
Baltimore, Maryland at the
Baltimore Convention Center. Otakon is the largest and one of the longest-running
Japanese animation conventions in the United States. A most popular forum and site that's not linked to but is related to Otakon is
ChibiAnime.
Otakon 1994
\nOtakon started in 1994 at the Day's Inn hotel located at State College, Pennsylvania with an attendance of 350 with 4 dealers, 9 American guests, and 16 staff members.
Otakon 1995
\nIn 1995, Otakon moved to the Scanticon hotel in State College, Pennsylania and hosted 450 attendees, a 29% increase from 1994 with 25 staff members, 15 dealers, 2 Japanese guests, and 14 American guests. It was Otakon's first and only 4 day convention. This was the first year to have an live-action video track and the first year to have a LARP.
Otakon 1996
\nIn 1996, Otakon moved to the Hunt Valley Marriott hotel in Hunt Valley, Maryland and hosted 1,000 attendees, a 122% increase from 1995 with 35 staff members, 20 dealers, 1 Japanese guest, and 9 American guests. Otakon had a official Doom level called Otakon Doom created by one of the staff members of Otakon 96. Otakon 96 had a impromptu rave.
Otakon 1997
\nIn 1997 Otakon remained in the Hunt Valley Marriott hotel in Hunt Valley, Maryland and hosted 1,750 attendees, a 75% increase from 1996 with 45 staff members, 22 dealers, 3 Japanese guests, and 15 American guests. It was the first year for Otakon's massively popular event, Mystery Anime Theater 3000. Also the domain name www.otakon.com was offially registered and the impromptu rave of Otakon 96 became an official event for Otakon.
Otakon 1998
\nIn 1998 Otakon moved to the Hyatt Regency hotel in Arlington, Virginia and hosted 2,500 attendees, a 43% increase from 1997 with 60 staff members, 25 dealers, 2 Japanese guests, and 22 American guests. This was the 5th Otakon held. Otakon 1998 was the last Otakon convention to be held in a hotel and this Otakon had female characters on every membership badge given out to Otakon 98 attendees.
Otakon 1999
\nIn 1999 Otakon moved to the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland which will remain its official venue for the next 5 years and hosted 4,500 attendees, a 80% increase from 1998 with 80 staff members, 30 dealers, 5 Japanese guests and 22 American guests. Otakon 99 began Otakon's tradition of inviting musical guests to Otakon with composer Yoko Kanno.
Otakon 2000 A.K.A O2k
\nIn 2000 Otakon remained in the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland and hosted 7,500 attendees, a 67% increase from 1999 with 114 staff members, 45 dealers, 6 Japanese guests, 20 American guests, 6 British guests, and 1 guest from Hong Kong. Otakon 00 was host to the British indie band, Bôa.
Otakon 2001 A.K.A. O2k1
\nIn 2001 Otakon remained in the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland and hosted 10,275 attendees, a 37% increase from 2000 with 180 staff members, 65 dealers, 4 Japanese guests, and 14 American guests. This was the first Otakon to have the Otachan event, which is a children's programming track. The memorable event of Otakon 01 was the late-night, early-morning "explosions" along Pratt Street due to the July train fire that occurred just weeks before Otakon 01. This caused the BCC to be evacuated and all of the Otakon attendees poured out onto Pratt Street. The hydrants were opened and Pratt Street and adjoining streets became like a river. The evacuated attendees took a break from the con and played in the gushing streams of water. Pictures of Pratt Street when it was flooded and attendees were playing in the water are available on the internet.
Otakon 2002 A.K.A. O2k2
\nIn 2002, on July 26, 27, 28th, Otakon hosted 12,880 attendees, a 25% increase from 2001, 6 Japanese guests, employed a staff of 285 (mostly volunteers), and attracted over 130 vendors from all over the world inside the Baltimore Convention Center. This is the first year that Otakon utilized the entire Baltimore Convention Center.
Otakon 2003 A.K.A. O2k3 A.K.A. Otakon X
\nIn 2003, on August 8, 9, 10th, Otakon hosted an estimated 17,000+ attendees inside the Baltimore Convention Center, its major musical guests for 2003 were Kristine Sa and Takanori Nishikawa also known as T.M. Revolution, two extremely popular musical people in the Anime and Jpop world.
Also in 2003 Otakon hit a major milestone, Otakon 2003 was the 10th Otakon held.
2003 also marked the last year of a popular fan event, MAT3K, (Mystery Anime Theater 3000 based on Mystery Science Theater 3000).
A new event that occurred at Otakon 2003 was Thursday Night Pre-Registration pickup where an estimated 2,000+ of people who pre-registered for Otakon 2003 lined up at the Baltimore Convention Center on the night of Thursday, August 7th, 2003 and went into the Baltimore Convention Center to pick up their materials for Otakon 2003. An exact number of how many people showed up on Thursday Night is unknown. It was extremely successful and Otakon had announced that they will be having Thursday Night Pre-Registration pickup in 2004.
Otakon in 2003 has become officially the largest anime convention in North America, Otakon 2003's official attendance count was 17,338, a 35% growth from 2002. The formerly largest anime convention, Anime Expo in 2003 had 17,000. (Source: Anime News Network)
Otakon 2004 A.K.A. O2k4
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\nOtakon 2004 is expected to be held in the Baltimore Convention Center on July 30th, 31st, August 1st, 2004, online pre-registration is expected to come online for Otakon 2004 sometime in April 2004. Otakorp Inc. is encouraging people to wait for online pre-registration to come online. More details on Otakon 2004 can be expected to be found on Otakon's official forum and its website (links found in "External Links" section).
On January 30, 2004, Otakorp released pre-reg information for Otakon 2004, if a person sends in pre-reg money before March 31st, 2004, the cost is $40, if a person sends in pre-reg money before April 30th, 2004, the cost is $45, and if a person sends in pre-reg money before June 15th, 2004, the cost is $50.
Also on January 30, 2004, Otakorp released hotel information for Otakon 2004, to find details on the hotels, go here: Otakon 2004 Hotels List.
For Otakon 2004, the Baltimore Area Convention & Visitors Association gave Otakon the status of being a "citywide event".
On March 17th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released dealers room information for the Otakon 2004 Dealers Room.
On March 25th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released information on how to pre-register to become a volunteer for Otakon 2004.
On April 2nd, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that the dealers room has sold out completly and that a waiting list has been established in case if other dealers cancel at the last minute.
On April 15th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. launched its online pre-registration system for Otakon 2004.
On April 20th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released its official stats for Otakon 2003.
On April 21st, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released the official Otakon 2004 Weapons Policy.
On April 25th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released the rules and submission form for the screening of fan-produced videos and released the Otakon 2004 advertising information which mentioned that Otakorp Inc. is estimating that over 20,000 people are expected to attend Otakon 2004.
On April 30th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. launched an official Otakon Online Store that sells official Otakon merchandise.
On May 1st, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that the Wyndham Inner Harbor Hotel has completly sold out that most of the hotels are already at 70% capacity. Also, Otakorp Inc. launched a new layout for the Otakon website.
On May 4th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced their first batch of guests, they are Monica Rial, Kirby Morrow, Richard Epcar and Pontus Madsen and Christian Fundin of webcomic Little Gamers fame.
On May 17th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. launched a new layout for the Otakon website and released information on the Art Show and the Artist's Alley for this year.
On May 19th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released the list of dealers for this year in response to numerous requests on who will be in the Dealer's Room this year.
On May 20th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that there will be two new events for this year's Otakon, a CCG tournament and a Manga Library/Room and announced that the Manga Library/Room will be launched in partnership with Otakorp and AnimeNEXT.
On May 27th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released some information regarding the Photo Suite this year.
On May 31st, 2004, Otakorp Inc. annoounced that two represenatives of Mac Hall will be attending Otakon.
On June 1st, 2004, Otakorp Inc. released the Artist Alley packet and registration form.
On June 2nd, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that the Artists Alley has been fully booked and that all artists must submit their payment and fully completed paperwork by June 16th, 2004 if not, the artists will lose their spot to a artist on the waiting list.
On June 3rd, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that they will be selling the first convention-produced manga collection named Otazine: Manga of the Otaku Generation at Otakon this year. Otakorp Inc additonally announced that it will be featuring U.S. artists who are creating their own original manga and that contracts are being negotiated by Otakorp with the artists. More details will be forthcoming.
On June 4th, 2004, Otakorp Inc. announced that only three hotels are available currently, they are the: Courtyard by Marriott Inner Harbor, Renaissance Harborplace, and the Brookshire Suites.
External Links
\n*Otakon official website\n*Otakon's official forum\n*Otakon's Online Pre-Registration Site (Requires Mastercard or Visa)\n*Official Otakon Online Store
