Anime Matsuri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anime Matsuri |
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|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime, Japanese culture |
| Venue | George R. Brown Convention Center |
| Location(s) | Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2007 |
| Attendance | 29,063 in 2019 |
| Organized by | Deniece and John Leigh |
| Website | http://www.animematsuri.com/ |
Anime Matsuri is an annual four-day anime convention traditionally held during spring at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. The convention's name comes from the Japanese word 'matsuri' meaning festival.
Programming
The convention's programming includes an artists' alley, a carshow, the attendance of celebrities and special guests, cosplay chess, cosplay contests, fashion shows, gaming events, karaoke, LARP, live concerts, maid cafe, panels, a vendors' and exhibitors' area, and workshops. The Charity Auction benefited Child's Play in 2009 and raised over $3,000.
History
The convention was held at George R. Brown Convention Center and Hilton Americas in 2007. Anime Matsuris 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 were held at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, and Anime Matsuri 2011 was held at the Crowne Plaza Houston Hotel near Reliant Park/Medical Center. Anime Matsuri 2013 was held at Hyatt Regency Houston. The Syfy reality series Heroes of Cosplay filmed the masquerade at Anime Matsuri and was featured in an episode. The convention in 2014 moved to the George R. Brown Convention Center. Complaints about the 2014 convention included long lines and delays. The convention in 2015 remained at the George R. Brown Convention Center and used the first and most of the second floors. Anime Matsuri 2020 was moved from July to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was later canceled after Houston announced the city would be holding no more events in 2020.
Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 27–29, 2007 | George R. Brown Convention Center & Hilton Americas Houston, Texas |
4,012 | Christine Auten, Christopher Ayres, Back-On, Jessica Boone, Peter Cullen, Fizz, Tiffany Grant, Matt Greenfield, Hilary Haag, Yaya Han, Kyle Jones, Chris Patton, RikkuX, and John Swasey. |
| March 21–23, 2008 | The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas |
5,993 | Aural Vampire, Amelie Belcher, Bespa Kumamero, Luci Christian, JoEllen Elam, Yaya Han, Kate Higgins, Yuri Lowenthal, Matthew Mercer, Vic Mignogna, Tara Platt, Patrick Seitz, Stephanie Sheh, Sky Pirate, Space Invader, Barbara Staples, Sonny Strait, Bill Winans, and Stephanie Young. |
| April 10–12, 2009 | The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas |
6,950 | Takuya Angel, Clint Bickham, Luci Christian, JoEllen Elam, Quinton Flynn, Jason David Frank, Crispin Freeman, Gren, DJ Heavygrinder, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, Misako Rocks!, Miyavi, Chris Patton, Cynthia Rothrock, Kristine Sa, Blake Shepard, Sonny Strait, Strong Machine 2, Diana Tolin, and Stephanie Young. |
| April 2–4, 2010 | The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas |
7,113 | Aural Vampire, Back-On, Leah Clark, Francesca Dani, India Davis, Crispin Freeman, DJ Heavygrinder, Thais Jussim, Reuben Langdon, Elizabeth Licata, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, and Strong Machine 2. |
| March 18–20, 2011 | Crowne Plaza Houston Hotel near Reliant Park / Medical Center Houston, Texas |
7,982 | Luci Christian, Gacharic Spin, Hamutsun Serve, Hangry & Angry, Kyle Hebert, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, Reni Mimura, Christopher Smith, Michael Suarez, J. Michael Tatum, and Stephanie Young. |
| April 6–8, 2012 | The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas |
10,422 | Airship Isabella, Troy Baker, Clint Bickham, Luci Christian, Maile Flanagan, Flow, Kathryn "Rynn" Griffin, Yaya Han, DJ Heavygrinder, Akinori Isobe, Masumi Kano, Cyril Lumboy, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, Vic Mignogna, Amy Reeder Hadley, Sleeping Samurai, Strong Machine 2, Alexis Tipton, Shinichi Watanabe, Bill Winans, and Stephanie Young. |
| March 29–31, 2013 | Hyatt Regency Houston Houston, Texas |
14,989 | Misako Aoki, Johnny Yong Bosch, David Brehm, Erin Fitzgerald, Kathryn "Rynn" Griffin, Yaya Han, Kyle Hebert, Kelly Hu, Catherine Jones, Masumi Kano, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, Carli Mosier, Justin Rojas, Michelle Rojas, Janet Varney, Waveya, Bill Winans, and Stephanie Young. |
| March 14–16, 2014 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
19,412 | Misako Aoki, Johnny Yong Bosch, Luci Christian, Eyeshine, Caitlin Glass, Shunsuke Hasegawa, DJ HeavyGrinder, Aya Ikeda, Catherine Jones, Masumi Kano, Linda Le, Yuri Lowenthal, Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer, Tara Platt, Marisha Ray, Reika, TeddyLoid, Janet Varney, Bill Winans, Mai Yamamoto, and Stephanie Young. |
| April 3–5, 2015 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
24,328 | Misako Aoki, Asuka, Luci Christian, Olivia Chubear, Stella Chuu, Crispin Freeman, Todd Haberkorn, Shunsuke Hasegawa, DJ HeavyGrinder, Catherine Jones, Shigeto Koyama, Harrison Krix, Linda Le, Maki, Michiyo Murase, Atsushi Nishigori, Nylon Pink, Putumayo, Reika, Stephanie Sheh, Kaname Shiroboshi, Sushio, TeddyLoid, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiromi Wakabayashi, Bill Winans, Yoh Yoshinari, and Stephanie Young. |
| February 26–28, 2016 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
30,215 | Akira, Ani-Mia, Misako Aoki, Astarohime, Angela Bermúdez, Johnny Yong Bosch, David Brehm, Stella Chuu, Leah Clark, Dario, Lance Falk, Goldy, Shunsuke Hasegawa, Hitomi, Kelly Hu, Chuck Huber, Kaname, Shinichi Kurita, Linda Le, Lana Marie, Mike McFarland, Vic Mignogna, Yui Minakata, Tae Yeon Minemes, Morning Musume, Enji Night, Ram Rider, Reika, Shiva, Yuzuru Tachikawa, Brian Tee, Christian Tremblay, Yvon Tremblay, Jennifer Van Damsel, David Vincent, Bill Winans, and Stephanie Young. |
| April 7–9, 2017 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
36,270 | Akidearest, Akira, The Anime Man, Misako Aoki, Anjali Bhimani, Brilliant Kingdom, Christine Marie Cabanos, Danny Choo, Charlet Chung, Stella Chuu, Dancing Dolls, Disacode, Midori Fukasawa, Gacharic Spin, Megumi Han, Shunsuke Hasegawa, Hiko, Laura Jansen, Brittney Karbowski, Pion Kim, Su Hyun Kim, Ladybeard, Mago, Kazuya Masumoto, Vic Mignogna, Yui Minakata, Mirei, Misty/Chronexia, Aza Miyuko, Enji Night, Fumio Osano, Romi Park, Carolina Ravassa, Reika, Sailor Moon Musical Cast, Sakurako, Shiva, Masami Suda, Chinatsu Taira, and Cristina Vee. |
| March 30 - April 1, 2018 | George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas |
40,270 | Patricia Acevedo, Yuri Akiba, Akira, B-Project, Beau Billingslea, Mario Castañeda, Leon Chiro, Color Pointe, Dancing Dolls, Hana Dinh, Dorilooko, Shunsuke Hasegawa, Honey Popcorn, Doug Jones, Tetsuya Kakihara, Pion Kim, Chiaki Kon, Astarohime Koyu, Made Monster, Maul Cosplay, Yua Mikami, Hideki Nakayama, Natsumi, Enji Night, Fumio Osano, Pugoffka, Root, Ryu-en, Asami Sanada, DJ Shintaro, Shiva, Somenzari, DJ Sunamori, Mari Takahashi, Team China, Mirei Touyama, Hibiki Yoshizaki, and Zwei. |
Anime Matsuri Hawaii
Anime Matsuri Hawaii (AMHI) was a three-day anime convention held during November at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The convention's programming included a concert, cosplay showcase, J-Fashion show, screenings, and panels. Yuegene Fay, a cosplayer, was unable to make a guest appearance due to immigration issues. Anime Matsuri Hawaii did not return in 2016.
Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 27–29, 2015 | Hawaii Convention Center Honolulu, Hawaii |
Johnny Yong Bosch, Stella Chuu, DaizyStripper, Maile Flanagan, Crispin Freeman, Goldy, Shunsuke Hasegawa, Linda Le, Yui Minakata, Masahiko Otsuka, Reika, Justin Rojas, and Chinatsu Taira. |
