Momocon
Encyclopedia
MomoCon, is a fan convention in held in March in Atlanta
, Georgia
. From its beginning through 2011, it was held on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology
; in its first year, MomoCon was held in the Georgia Tech Student Center. In 2006 it expanded to include several events, mostly video game tournaments, in the nearby Instructional Center. In 2011, it was held in Technology Square
, and in 2012 it will be held in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
The convention is run by the Georgia Tech club Anime O-Tekku
since its inception in 2005. The convention encompasses anime
, video games, LARP, webcomic
s, comics, costuming, card game
s, board game
s, science fiction
, and prop armor construction, among other things. From 2005 to 2011 there was no entry fee to MomoCon; the convention sold t-shirts and highlight DVDs to fund the next year. 2012 will be the first year that an admission fee is required. Due to rising costs, MomoCon 2012 will have an admission fee.
In 2006, T-shirts for 2006 were black and featured the same MomoCon mascot in a purple kimono in the moonlight, to coincide with the Tsukimi
("moon-viewing") theme. MomoCon 2006 had a convention motto of "Because You Shouldn't Have to Pay for Quality" and featured an opening ceremonies video that was a parody of Iron Chef
, with "Chairman Panda" and the "Iron Staff". Key events for 2006 included a Tsukimi
festival with kimono-clad wait staff, a Gaming Decathlon
, a Pocky Stop cafe, and a rain-cancelled Sidewalk Art competition. Guests included numerous webcomic and comic artists, voice actress Amy Howard-Wilson of Starblazers fame and prop maker Robert "Vaderpainter" Bean.
In 2007, T-shirts for 2007 were hunter green and featured the MomoCon mascot; the staff theme was "The Family." The video game tournaments were reworked to feature a few large tournaments, as opposed to many smaller tournaments, and a larger costume contest was held at Georgia Tech's Kessler Campanile
. The new costume contest location provided seating for a greater number of attendees, and was held earlier in the evening. Local area groups stepped forward to run workshops and seminars on their respective expertise, including a plethora of costuming panels and workshops, Japanese ceremonial demonstrations and game demos. On Sunday (March 18, 2007), the convention was closed nine hours early because several con attendees attempted to set off firecrackers inside the Georgia Tech Student Center.
Because the number 4 is considered unlucky in Japanese culture, MomoCon 2008 (the 4th event) featured a gothic horror-style theme. In addition to several events from past years, 2008's event included a Twilight Tea event, at the end of the day on Sunday, in lieu of a closing ceremony. Con-goers were asked to stop by for some fresh-brewed tea under the light of red paper lanterns at dusk and let the staff know what they would like to see at the event in the future. Due to the security problem in 2007, subsequent MomoCon events (starting with 2008) have required registration to enter. Attendees were required to present a valid photo ID to enter, and children under the age of 16 needed to be accompanied by an adult. Badges were provided, and the event remained free for congoers.
The theme for MomoCon 2009 was retro-campy science fiction. Additional Japanese cultural events were held, including community support from local groups who specialize in these events. The second floor of the Instructional Center building, previously used only for tournaments, was used for additional panel, workshop and anime viewing space. Special events included screenings of public domain science fiction movies from the 1950s and 1960s and a Mechas and Monsters late-night programming block, featuring Kaiju and mecha movies. The first band performance at MomoCon happened in 2009: The Extraordinary Contraptions, a Steampunk
-themed rock band.
The theme for MomoCon 2011 was espionage and super spies. MomoCon had over 10,000 attendees to the 2011, spread across three buildings and two blocks of Technology Square
in Midtown, Atlanta.
MomoCon 2012's theme is set to be dinosaurs. Due to excessive crowding and limited funds, the convention moved to a pay model for the 2012 event. It will be held March 16-18th, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. From its beginning through 2011, it was held on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
; in its first year, MomoCon was held in the Georgia Tech Student Center. In 2006 it expanded to include several events, mostly video game tournaments, in the nearby Instructional Center. In 2011, it was held in Technology Square
Technology Square
Technology Square, commonly called Tech Square, is a mixed-use district on the block of Fifth Street between the Downtown Connector and Spring Street in Atlanta, Georgia. Announced in 2000 and opened in 2003, the district was built over previously vacant surface parking lots and has contributed to...
, and in 2012 it will be held in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
The convention is run by the Georgia Tech club Anime O-Tekku
Anime O-Tekku
Anime O-Tekku has been Georgia Tech's anime club since 1995. A group of fans put together a student organization that provided a venue in which to watch anime from Japan once a month for a period of time . The club grew through a huge mailing list, word-of-mouth, and Georgia Tech community support...
since its inception in 2005. The convention encompasses anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, video games, LARP, webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
s, comics, costuming, card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s, board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
s, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, and prop armor construction, among other things. From 2005 to 2011 there was no entry fee to MomoCon; the convention sold t-shirts and highlight DVDs to fund the next year. 2012 will be the first year that an admission fee is required. Due to rising costs, MomoCon 2012 will have an admission fee.
Early history
Every year, MomoCon has a theme that goes into the design of the convention that year. The first year, it was "Southern Hospitality" and T-Shirts were black and featured the MomoCon mascot, as created and drawn by H. M. Ogburn. In 2005, MomoCon was run by an estimated 35 staffers, and opening ceremonies included a mock Patton speech by convention chair Jessica Merriman. The convention had over 30 guests and many special demo teams, as well as several special events and feature movies. An article on the anime club and the convention was featured in the February 2005 issue of Newtype USA, and professionally-made commercials were seen around Georgia Tech campus before on-campus movies in the Student Center.In 2006, T-shirts for 2006 were black and featured the same MomoCon mascot in a purple kimono in the moonlight, to coincide with the Tsukimi
Tsukimi
or Otsukimi, literally moon-viewing, refers to Japanese festivals honoring the autumn moon. The celebration of the full moon typically takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar; the waxing moon is celebrated on the 13th day of the ninth month...
("moon-viewing") theme. MomoCon 2006 had a convention motto of "Because You Shouldn't Have to Pay for Quality" and featured an opening ceremonies video that was a parody of Iron Chef
Iron Chef
is a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended...
, with "Chairman Panda" and the "Iron Staff". Key events for 2006 included a Tsukimi
Tsukimi
or Otsukimi, literally moon-viewing, refers to Japanese festivals honoring the autumn moon. The celebration of the full moon typically takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar; the waxing moon is celebrated on the 13th day of the ninth month...
festival with kimono-clad wait staff, a Gaming Decathlon
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
, a Pocky Stop cafe, and a rain-cancelled Sidewalk Art competition. Guests included numerous webcomic and comic artists, voice actress Amy Howard-Wilson of Starblazers fame and prop maker Robert "Vaderpainter" Bean.
In 2007, T-shirts for 2007 were hunter green and featured the MomoCon mascot; the staff theme was "The Family." The video game tournaments were reworked to feature a few large tournaments, as opposed to many smaller tournaments, and a larger costume contest was held at Georgia Tech's Kessler Campanile
Kessler Campanile
The Kessler Campanile is an campanile located at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Designed by artist Richard Hill, it was originally constructed for the 1996 Olympic Games. It is named after Richard C. Kessler, Tech graduate and former head of Days Inns...
. The new costume contest location provided seating for a greater number of attendees, and was held earlier in the evening. Local area groups stepped forward to run workshops and seminars on their respective expertise, including a plethora of costuming panels and workshops, Japanese ceremonial demonstrations and game demos. On Sunday (March 18, 2007), the convention was closed nine hours early because several con attendees attempted to set off firecrackers inside the Georgia Tech Student Center.
Because the number 4 is considered unlucky in Japanese culture, MomoCon 2008 (the 4th event) featured a gothic horror-style theme. In addition to several events from past years, 2008's event included a Twilight Tea event, at the end of the day on Sunday, in lieu of a closing ceremony. Con-goers were asked to stop by for some fresh-brewed tea under the light of red paper lanterns at dusk and let the staff know what they would like to see at the event in the future. Due to the security problem in 2007, subsequent MomoCon events (starting with 2008) have required registration to enter. Attendees were required to present a valid photo ID to enter, and children under the age of 16 needed to be accompanied by an adult. Badges were provided, and the event remained free for congoers.
The theme for MomoCon 2009 was retro-campy science fiction. Additional Japanese cultural events were held, including community support from local groups who specialize in these events. The second floor of the Instructional Center building, previously used only for tournaments, was used for additional panel, workshop and anime viewing space. Special events included screenings of public domain science fiction movies from the 1950s and 1960s and a Mechas and Monsters late-night programming block, featuring Kaiju and mecha movies. The first band performance at MomoCon happened in 2009: The Extraordinary Contraptions, a Steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
-themed rock band.
Recent conventions
The theme for MomoCon 2010 was music. MomoCon had 7800 attendees in 2010; due to crowding issues, the convention implemented a 7000 attendee-per-day cap on attendance.The theme for MomoCon 2011 was espionage and super spies. MomoCon had over 10,000 attendees to the 2011, spread across three buildings and two blocks of Technology Square
Technology Square
Technology Square, commonly called Tech Square, is a mixed-use district on the block of Fifth Street between the Downtown Connector and Spring Street in Atlanta, Georgia. Announced in 2000 and opened in 2003, the district was built over previously vacant surface parking lots and has contributed to...
in Midtown, Atlanta.
MomoCon 2012's theme is set to be dinosaurs. Due to excessive crowding and limited funds, the convention moved to a pay model for the 2012 event. It will be held March 16-18th, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.
Event History
| Dates | Location | Atten. |
|---|
Peripheral events/MomoCon on Tour
MomoCon also sponsors local events that bolster awareness of the convention and of Japanese culture. Anime O-Tekku began this tradition by bringing many movies and gatherings to Georgia Tech's campus and Atlanta, and MomoCon continues it.- Georgia Tech Riki-OhRiki-Ohis a manga which later adapted to an anime series and live-action film. Created by Masahiko Takajo and Saruwatari Tetsuya, the story is about a young man who has learned the art of Qigong from one of Chiang Kai Shek's bodyguards and has become so strong that he can literally punch holes through...
Night 2005 - MomoCon helped staff and financially sponsor the annual Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
cult film festival and Super Smash Brothers Melee tournament, Riki-Oh Night. The convention paid in part for the banner and prizes for the tournament. - Photoshoots on Tour 2006-2011 - MomoCon on Tour has hosted photoshoots around the southeast since 2006, including two SavannahSavannahSavannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
shoots (one on Tybee Island), three South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
shoots, a zombie-themed HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
shoot in Perry, GA, joint photoshoots with Middle Tennessee Anime ConventionMiddle Tennessee Anime ConventionThe Middle Tennessee Anime Convention is the first anime convention in Tennessee. Based in Nashville, TN, MTAC is also known as Music City's Anime Convention.- Programming :...
and Anime Weekend AtlantaAnime Weekend AtlantaAnime Weekend Atlanta is an annual three-day anime convention held in the Atlanta, Georgia area, typically in the month of September. Since the first convention in 1995, Anime Weekend Atlanta has become one of the most attended anime conventions in the United States and as of 2010 it has been the...
in Chattanooga, TN and Rhodes HallRhodes HallRhodes Memorial Hall, commonly known as Rhodes Hall, is a historic house museum located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was built as the home of furniture magnate Amos Giles Rhodes, proprietor of Atlanta-based Rhodes Furniture...
in Atlanta, respectively. - Gaming Festivals 2009-2010 MomoCon hosted a Summer and Winter Gaming Festival at the Georgia Tech Student Center. Events included board, card, and RPG gaming, as well as retro video gaming.
- Cosplayers on Ice 2007-2011 - Annually in December, MomoCon on Tour welcomes attendees to the Cosplayers on Ice event. Over 180 cosplayers attended in 2010 at Centennial Olympic ParkCentennial Olympic ParkCentennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA that is owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial...
's seasonal Ice Skating rink. The 2011 event will be held December 3rd, 2011. - Steampunk Photoshoot 2008 - On May 24, 2008, MomoCon in association with Peach State Cosplay Society hosted a Steampunk photoshoot on Georgia Tech campus. The shoot took advantage of some of the unique campus architecture and was open to all types of costumers.
- MomoCon Winter Ball 2008-2012 - MomoCon hosts a winter semi-formal ball event annually. It features wintery decorations, DJs playing danceable anime/video game tunes as well as classic pop, rock, big band, lounge, and jazz music.
- MomoCon Summer Charity Ball 2008-2010 - MomoCon hosts a summer semi-formal ball with all proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen organization for breast cancerBreast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
awareness.