Otakon

Otakon (/ˈoÊŠtÉ™kÉ'n/ OH-tÉ™-kon) is an annual three day anime convention held during July/August at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland's Inner Harbor district. The convention focuses on East Asian popular culture (primarily anime, manga, music, and cinema) and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku. Otakon is one of the longest-running Anime conventions in the United States, and the 2nd largest North American anime convention as of 2014.

Otakon announced that an additional new convention would be created in Las Vegas, Nevada starting in 2014. It was announced at Otakon 2013's closing ceremonies that the convention will be moving to Washington, D.C. and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center starting in 2017 and continuing until at least 2021.

Programming

As one of the longest running and largest conventions of its type, Otakon offers a very broad range of programming, exhibits, and other events. Typical Otakon programming includes:

Multiple video rooms in which anime and live action East Asian films are shown on big screens throughout the convention. Fan-produced content including fan-parodies and anime music videos (AMVs) are also shown. For several years, Otakon had a dedicated 35 mm film theater, but replaced it in 2008 with an HD theater to take advantage of the wider array of offerings in that format. Panels and workshops on subjects such as voice acting, how to draw manga, Japanese culture, and a variety of other topics. Industry professionals announce new acquisitions, and expert guests discuss or show tricks of their trade and field questions from the audience. Many panels and workshops are conducted by fans rather than pros (ex. Create a Comic Project). Cosplay and a skit-based Masquerade show, which in recent years has taken place inside the 1st Mariner Arena.

History

Event history

1995 Four-day convention

While the idea of a four-day convention has some support among the general membership (especially among younger members), the idea has been summarily dismissed as unworkable by Otakon staff. It was attempted in 1995, over a holiday weekend, back when Otakon fit comfortably in a small hotel, and even then it was an exhausting prospect that didn't pay off. In those days, the entire convention could be set up in a matter of hours, while it currently takes two full days to prepare the site. At its current size and functional requirements, Otakon would face a significant additional expense in running an extra day, and both industry and dealers have said that it would not be worth their time and money to attend a fourth day. Finally, it is clear that few staffers would be able to afford the extra day (most staffers already use as much as a week of vacation time to help run the con). With almost zero support from staff, industry, or dealers, there is virtually no chance that Otakon will ever attempt a four-day convention again.

Otakon 2010 fire alarm incident

During Otakon 2010, at approximately 2:00 PM on Saturday, the entire Baltimore Convention Center had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm, although there was no fire. Hours of certain events and rooms were adjusted accordingly to accommodate for lost time.

This was only the second safety incident of this sort to take place during Otakon. Nine years earlier, in 2001, the convention center was evacuated due to after-effects of the Howard Street Tunnel fire. Residual tripropylene from an earlier train accident reacted with electrical sparks, and the resulting explosions launched manhole covers 4 feet into the air on Saturday, August 11, 2001 25 days after the Howard Street Tunnel fire, very early in the morning of Sunday, August 12, 2001 city workers opened 48 fire hydrants in downtown Baltimore for approximately 1 hour to 90 minutes in an attempt to flush out and recover the remaining traces of tripropylene, as a result, the Baltimore Convention Center was evacuated during this recovery effort causing thousands of attendees to leave the convention center to encounter inches of water rushing down Pratt Street. This incident was spoofed in Otakon's 2008 Opening Animation: in the video, one of the convention's mascots causes a barrage of manhole covers to strike a giant robot menacing the convention center.

Otakon Vegas

Otakon has announced that in 2014 a new convention would be held at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada where they hope to create a smaller convention and test new ideas.

Facilities

Otakon has been located in the Baltimore Convention Center at least in part for every year beginning in 1999, though it soon expanded to require the entire convention center and more recently, other buildings as well. Events such as the masquerade now place in the Royal Farms Arena, located one block away, and at least some programming takes place in the Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel, connected to the Convention Center by its skybridge, since 2009.

Royal Farms Arena

As Otakon has outgrown the convention center alone, it has increasingly made use of the Royal Farms Arena for large events, most notably for the Masquerade.

Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel and Otakon

The Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel opened on Friday, August 22, 2008. In 2009, Otakon had been promised a minimum of 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) out of a total 45,000 square feet (4,200 m²) by the Hilton Baltimore. and had confirmed that they would use the Hilton for the convention itself; however only a limited number of events and panels took place at the Hilton with the major of events taking place in the more-spacious Baltimore Convention Center.

On February 7, 2009, Otakon posted information on its panels for Otakon 2009, confirming that panel space will be in the Baltimore Convention Center and will be expanded into the Hilton Baltimore. Otakon 2009 utilized in the Hilton, the Poe meeting room for its Manga Library and the Key Ballroom for two additional panel rooms and one additional autographs room.

Otakon 2010 further expanded into the Hilton, using not only the space used in 2009 but also what essentially amounted to all of the convention space on the second floor of the Hilton.

Otakon 2011 further expanded into the Hilton, using the entire space on the second floor, and one room on the first floor of the Hilton for the first time.

Otakon 2012 continued the trend of utilizing the convention space at the Hilton Baltimore, using the entire space on the second floor and two rooms on the first floor.

Otakon 2013-2014 continued the trend of utilizing the convention space at the Hilton Baltimore.

Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Washington D.C.

At Otakon 2013's closing ceremonies, the convention staff officially announced that Otakon will be held in Washington D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, citing overcrowding of the BCC. This new venue will be used starting in 2017 and will last until at least through 2021.

Otakorp

Otakon is run by the Pennsylvania-based non-profit organization Otakorp, Inc. whose focus is on using East Asian popular culture as a gateway to increase understanding of East Asian culture.

Otakon is the annual meeting of Otakorp, Inc. Otakon attendees do not purchase "tickets" to Otakon; they actually become a member of the non-profit organization that runs Otakon with their paid attendance to the convention. Everyone who pays the annual membership fee to attend Otakon is also a supporting member for Otakorp and is able to participate in sanctioned events, contests, or giveaways that might occur during the year.

All staff are unpaid volunteers, although registration tasks are supplemented by temporary workers provided by Visit Baltimore, and certain services such as legal and accounting work are by contract. Otakon also enlists the help of non-staff assistants, who are referred to as gofers. Otakon 2006 listed over 500 staff on its roster, though not all work the convention directly, though in a similar count, at the time immediately following Otakon 2013, Otakorp listed 861 staff on its online roster.

Otakorp, Inc. also sponsors film screenings as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, and assists with programming at other film festivals.

Economic impact on Baltimore

As of July 30, 2010, Otakon has had a great economic impact with its host, the City of Baltimore. Otakon has had the highest economic impact in Baltimore for 2009, 2008 and 2007 and has been a top convention for Baltimore since 2003. Otakon 2009 had an economic impact of $12.5 million in direct spending and booked over 4,500 hotel rooms. Otakon 2010 had a great impact in terms of food vendors. According to the Baltimore Business Journal on December 10, 2010, Otakon 2010 had 4,575 booked hotel rooms and an estimated economic impact of $15.3 million, up from $12.5 million the year before.

Otakon Awards and Recognition

In 2011, Visit Baltimore (Baltimore City's tourism agency) awarded Otakon with a "Customer of the Year" award for "hosting their annual tradeshow and convention in Baltimore since 1999. They have demonstrated ongoing commitment to Baltimore, bringing more than 27,000 attendees to the city every year, a much-anticipated event by the local community and media" and that Otakon "have also selected Baltimore as the host destination through 2016.""History: In the News". Otakon/Otakorp, Inc. Retrieved October 15, 2011. 

Crisis Heart Brawlers

At Otakon 2012 Otakon officially announced a partnership with indie game development studio, Studio Nasu, to develop an official video game, Crisis Heart Brawlers: Clash at Otakon! to be released to celebrate the 20th anniversary at Otakon 2013. The game was successfully funded on Saturday, September 22, 2012 with 531 backers and a total amount of $33,642. In March 2013, the game had missed its deadline of release and in August 2013 failed to fulfill a promised Thursday release party before Otakon 2013 with the developer gone silent about the status of the game.

On July 30, 2014, Otakorp, Inc. terminated the business relationship with Studio Nasu and revoked all intellectual property rights. At the convention feedback panel of Otakon 2014, the president of Otakorp, Jennifer Piro said that there cannot be any more comments on the subject as it has become a pending legal matter.

References

External links

• Official website
• Otakon Vegas website