Oni-Con facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oni-Con |
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|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Venue | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort |
| Location(s) | Galveston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2004 |
| Attendance | 7,000 (est) in 2011 |
| Website | http://www.oni-con.net/ |
Oni-Con is a fun, three-day event held every year in Galveston, Texas. It's a special gathering called an anime convention, where fans of Japanese animation (anime) and comics (manga) come together. The event usually happens in October or November at the Galveston Island Convention Center.
The name "Oni-Con" comes from the Japanese word "oni". An "oni" is a type of creature from Japanese folklore, often shown as a demon or ogre.
Contents
What Can You Do at Oni-Con?
Oni-Con is packed with exciting activities for everyone. You can explore different rooms dedicated to watching anime. There's also an art show where talented artists display their work, and sometimes you can even bid on pieces in an auction!
- Concerts and Dances: Enjoy live music and dance parties.
- Contests: Show off your skills in various competitions.
- Dealer's Room: Find cool merchandise like figures, comics, and clothing.
- Demonstrations: Learn new things, like how to draw anime characters.
- Special Guests: Meet voice actors from your favorite shows and other industry professionals.
- Live Action Role-Playing (LARP): Play out stories in real life.
- Masquerade: See amazing costumes in a big cosplay show.
- Panels: Attend discussions and Q&A sessions about anime, manga, and pop culture.
- Video Games: Play new and classic video games with friends.
Oni-Con's Journey Through the Years
Oni-Con started in 2004, created by members of an anime club from Houston called Mallets, Etc. The very first Oni-Con was held at the Sheraton North Houston hotel. They expected about 1,200 people, but over 3,000 fans showed up! It was a huge success right from the start.
In 2005, the convention moved to the Park Plaza, Reliant Center. From 2006 to 2008, Oni-Con took place at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Later, in 2009 and 2010, it was held at the Houston Marriott Westchase.
A big change happened in 2011 when Oni-Con moved to its current home in Galveston, Texas. It has been held at the Galveston Island Convention Center ever since. Sadly, Oni-Con 2020 had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Past Events and Locations
Here's a quick look at where Oni-Con has been and how many people attended:
| Dates | Location | Attendance | Special Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 22–24, 2004 | Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Houston, Texas |
3,000 | Many voice actors and artists like Greg Ayres and Tiffany Grant. |
| October 21–23, 2005 | Park Plaza, Reliant Center Houston, Texas |
4,000 | Voice actors like Kyle Hebert and Vic Mignogna. |
| October 20–22, 2006 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
6,000 | Many voice actors, musicians, and cosplayers. |
| October 19–21, 2007 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
4,030 | Voice actors such as Josh Grelle and Travis Willingham. |
| December 19–21, 2008 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
Popular voice actors and industry guests. | |
| October 30 – November 1, 2009 | Houston Marriott Westchase Houston, Texas |
6,000 | Many voice actors and musical guests. |
| October 29–31, 2010 | Houston Marriott Westchase Houston, Texas |
Voice actors like J. Michael Tatum and David Vincent. | |
| October 28–30, 2011 | Galveston Island Convention Center Galveston, Texas |
7,000 (est) |
Famous video game composer Nobuo Uematsu and many voice actors. |
| October 19–21, 2012 | Galveston Island Convention Center Galveston, Texas |
Voice actors and musical performers. | |
| October 25–27, 2013 | Galveston Island Convention Center Galveston, Texas |
Bands like Alsdead and Dr. Awkward, and voice actors. | |
| October 31 – November 2, 2014 | Galveston Island Convention Center Galveston, Texas |
Composer Masashi Hamauzu and voice actress Junko Takeuchi. | |
| October 30 – November 1, 2015 | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort Galveston, Texas |
Voice actors like Cynthia Cranz and Xander Mobus. | |
| October 28-30, 2016 | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort Galveston, Texas |
The Earthbound Papas and voice actors like Lisa Ortiz. | |
| October 28-30, 2017 | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort Galveston, Texas |
Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto and various voice actors. | |
| November 9-11, 2018 | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort Galveston, Texas |
Voice actors such as Jessica Calvello and Brittney Karbowski. | |
| November 8-10, 2019 | Galveston Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort Galveston, Texas |
Voice actors like Billy Kametz and Kazuki Yao. |
Oni-Con Hawaii
For a few years, there was also an Oni-Con Hawaii. This was another three-day anime convention held in November at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was created by the same team behind Oni-Con, along with Babel Entertainment.
Oni-Con Hawaii had a marketplace where artists and dealers sold their goods. It also featured a host club and maid cafe, tabletop games, and video games. There were some challenges with how the convention was organized, leading to some panels being cancelled.
Oni-Con Hawaii's Event History
Here's when Oni-Con Hawaii took place:
| Dates | Location | Attendance | Special Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1–3, 2013 | Hawaii Convention Center Honolulu, Hawaii |
The Earthbound Papas, Atelier Pierrot, and Nobuo Uematsu. |
