AnimeNEXT

AnimeNEXT is a fan convention for anime and manga enthusiasts. It is an annual three-day event held over a weekend in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. The first event was held in 2002 in October, but later moved to June in 2004. The event is organized by Universal Animation, Inc., a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of New York. The official tagline of AnimeNEXT is "the next evolution of anime conventions".

The convention features Japanese creators of anime and manga, voice actors from cartoon series, artists, vendors and exhibits, panels, workshops, and gaming. Events all focus on aspects of anime, manga, and japanese culture. With the popularity of anime an manga growing in the 1990's and 2000's, anime conventions have seen great growth in their attendance, and AnimeNEXT is no exception. Organized and financed by a non-profit organization, the event is operated and staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers.

1 History
2 The future of AnimeNEXT
3 External links

History

AnimeNEXT 2002

The first AnimeNEXT anime convention was in October 2002 and held at the Crowne Plaza Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event's Guest of Honor was Kia Asamiya, and drew 1071 attendees from the area.

AnimeNEXT 2003

In October 2003, AnimeNEXT moved to the Rye Town Hilton of Rye Brook in Westchester County, New York. Although the move placed the event in the state of New York, it actually was 30 miles further from New York City than the previous year. Despite the move outside of metropolitan area, AnimeNEXT saw a 50% increase in attendance to 1571. Making his first appearance at an anime convention, the Guest of Honor was Takehiko Ito, creator of Outlaw Star. The event also featured was Voice Actor James Arnold Taylor, who was making his anime convention debut.

For the first time, the event also had musical guests as the Japanese Punk band, Peelander-Z and Techno-music band, Cosmicity performed.

AnimeNEXT 2004

In 2004, AnimeNEXT returned to the Cronwe Plaza Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey. The month of the event also changed to June, allowing for more students to attend the event. As a result, attendance swelled as over 3200 fans descended upon the Meadowlands. This was the first year that AnimeNEXT did not have a Japanese Guest of Honor in attendance. Fans were excited about the attendance of Richard Cox and Moneca Stori, the voices of InuYasha and Kagome respectively for Cartoon Network's hit series, InuYasha. Also in attendance was Matt K. Miller, the voice of Tenchi Masaki in the popular Tenchi Muyo! series.

AnimeNEXT 2005

After the event in 2004 AnimeNEXT announced that the event would be relocating to a larger venue in 2005. The organizers targeted the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey as the site of the next event.

The future of AnimeNEXT

AnimeNEXT became the only anime convention in the New York City area in 2004. The other events that had been in existence both were on hiatus. AnimeNEXT's status among anime conventions in the future will depend somewhat on the status of the other local events in the area.

External links

Categories: New York City culture | Anime conventions