Anime USA
Encyclopedia
Anime USA is a fandom
convention
for anime
, manga
and Japanese culture enthusiasts. It is an annual three-day event held over a weekend in Crystal City, Virginia
(as of Anime USA 2007), part of the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area. Anime USA is traditionally held the weekend before Thanksgiving Day, with the exception being the 2004 convention, which was held on Halloween
weekend. The event is organized by Anime USA, a non-profit organization
incorporated in the state of Virginia
, and operated and staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers many from local anime club
s, such as the Northern Virginia Anime Association. Anime USA's official tagline
is "Of Otaku
, By Otaku, For Otaku".
The convention features Japan
ese creators of anime and manga
, cosplay
, voice actors from anime and videogames
, artists, vendors and exhibits, panel
s, workshops, and gaming. Anime USA's events focus on aspects of anime, manga, video games and Japanese culture. With the popularity of anime and manga growing in the United States, anime convention
s have seen momentous growth in their attendance, and Anime USA is one of a growing number in the area.
and Otakon
.
Fandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
convention
Fan convention
A fan convention, or con , is an event in which fans of a particular film, television series, comic book, actor, or an entire genre of entertainment such as science fiction or anime and manga, gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and...
for anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and Japanese culture enthusiasts. It is an annual three-day event held over a weekend in Crystal City, Virginia
Crystal City, Virginia
Crystal City is an urban neighborhood in the southeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, south of downtown Washington, D.C.. Its residents can live, shop, and work without going outside, due to its extensive integration of office buildings and residential high-rise buildings using...
(as of Anime USA 2007), part of the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
metropolitan area. Anime USA is traditionally held the weekend before Thanksgiving Day, with the exception being the 2004 convention, which was held on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
weekend. The event is organized by Anime USA, a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
incorporated in the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and operated and staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers many from local anime club
Anime club
An anime club is an organization that meets to discuss, show, and promote anime in a local community setting and can also focus on broadening Japanese cultural understanding. Anime clubs are increasingly found at universities and high schools. Organizers may also utilize public meeting spaces such...
s, such as the Northern Virginia Anime Association. Anime USA's official tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
is "Of Otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
, By Otaku, For Otaku".
The convention features Japan
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
ese creators of anime and manga
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
, cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
, voice actors from anime and videogames
VideoGames
VideoGames may refer to:*VideoGames, a mid-1990s magazine about video games.*Video games in general....
, artists, vendors and exhibits, panel
Convention panel
A convention panel is a forum for discussion of a topic at fan conventions, often on the same topic of the convention, itself. It is often set up with a table of people in front of a room of people who are sitting in chairs. The hosts are usually guests, staff, or celebrities of the convention...
s, workshops, and gaming. Anime USA's events focus on aspects of anime, manga, video games and Japanese culture. With the popularity of anime and manga growing in the United States, anime convention
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
s have seen momentous growth in their attendance, and Anime USA is one of a growing number in the area.
History
Originally started in 1999 the attendance was small, only 350 people. As of 2006 attendance has passed 3,400 people. The Hyatt Regency convention space Anime USA currently operates from was previous used by two other notable conventions KatsuconKatsucon
Katsucon is a fan convention for anime, manga and Japanese culture enthusiasts. It is an annual three-day event held in or around Washington D.C.. Katsucon is traditionally held in February over Presidents Day weekend.-History:...
and Otakon
Otakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
.
Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
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