Nan Desu Kan facts for kids

Nan Desu Kan (NDK) is a big, fun event that happens every year for three days in September. It takes place at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado. This convention is the largest anime event in the Rocky Mountain area. It takes about 18 months to plan each one!

The name "Nan Desu Kan" comes from a Japanese phrase, nan desu ka (何ですか), which means "what is it?". The group that organizes NDK is called the Rocky Mountain Anime Association. It's a special type of non-profit organization.

What Happens at Nan Desu Kan?

This convention is packed with exciting activities for fans of Japanese animation and comics. Here are some of the things you can usually find:

• Anime Music Video Contest: People create cool music videos using clips from anime.
• Art Showings and Auctions: You can see and even buy amazing artwork inspired by anime and manga.
• Cultural Panels: These are talks where you can learn about Japanese culture, anime history, and more.
• Dances: Get ready to show off your moves at fun dance parties!
• Dealer's Room: This is a huge marketplace where you can buy anime DVDs, manga, figures, clothing, and other cool merchandise.
• Games: There are often video game tournaments, board games, and other fun gaming activities.
• Masquerade: This is a big costume contest where people dress up as their favorite characters and perform skits. It's also known as Cosplay!
• Musical Guests: Sometimes, special musical artists perform live.
• Anime Screenings: You can watch episodes or movies of your favorite anime on a big screen.
• Workshops: Learn new skills like drawing manga, making costumes, or even speaking a little Japanese.

NDK also has a special contest where attendees decorate their hotel rooms. The winners even get a free hotel room for the next year!

Helping Others

Since 2000, Nan Desu Kan has held many fundraisers to help different charities. They have supported groups like the American Diabetes Association and the American Red Cross. In 2012, they raised $12,000 to help people affected by a sad event in Aurora. In 2015, they held a poker tournament to raise money for the Dumb Friends League, which helps animals.

A Look Back at NDK's Journey

Before the year 2000, the convention was known as Nan Desu Kon. In 2003, there were some renovations happening at the hotel, but they didn't stop the fun of the convention.

The organizers decided not to move the convention to the Colorado Convention Center. They thought it would be harder for attendees to find hotels, pay for parking, and get around.

In 2011, NDK started limiting the number of people who could attend each day to 7,500. This was to make sure everyone had a good experience and didn't feel too crowded. This limit continued in 2012, and the convention sold out!

The year 2013 was quite eventful. NDK added another hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn DTC, for attendees. The convention also happened during the 2013 Colorado floods. Even with the floods, the attendance stayed at 7,500 people. During that year, the fire alarm went off, there were tornado warnings, and the lines for events were very long. The big costume contest even had to stop for a bit because of a medical emergency. Despite all this, NDK also hosted the World Cosplay Summit Mountain Qualifiers, where a team called Green Jello Cosplay won!

In 2015, Nan Desu Kan moved from the Marriott Denver Tech Center to the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. This move allowed them to have an even bigger dealer's room. Sadly, Nan Desu Kan 2020 had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other Cool Events

Nan Desu Kan has also hosted other fun events outside of the main convention days.

• In 2004, they held a CosPlay Dance Party at the Rock Island Night Club in Denver.
• In 2011, NDK organized a special benefit event called Rave2Save. This event raised money for the Japanese Red Cross after a big earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Marriott Denver Tech Center generously donated a ballroom for the event. The Rocky Mountain Anime Association even matched the money raised, bringing the total to $13,440!