Youmacon
Encyclopedia
Youmacon is an anime convention
held annually in the Metro Detroit area during the first weekend of November. Youmacon's inaugural year brought a variety of guests together from various facets of anime and Japanese culture inspired fandom. These guests included well-known American voice actors in Japanese animation, American television and film actors (Power Rangers
), professional and fan-based music performers, and comic artists and creators.
events, video gaming, and panels on popular Japanese anime series, J-rock, Power Rangers
, Japanese fashion, and webcomics. There is also a cosplay event, Cosplay Shogi, where cosplayers act as "living pieces" of a shogi
game. Similarly there is a Live Action Mario Party and Mario Party After Dark where mini games are acted out with an audience to recreate the video game series. Each year also includes a formal costumed ball for charity in addition to an informal rave. Youmacon was the first event in North America to introduce Maid Cafes as a live event. Additionally Youmacon is the first convention to have its own CCG(Customizable Card Game), and its own energy drink(Yenergy).
, where it returned for a second year from November 3–5, 2006.
The Guests of Honor included former professional wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano
and Matt Hill
, the voice of Captain N: The Game Master
. Albano's presence was accredited to his role as the face and voice of Mario
in the animation/live action The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
.
The convention expanded into a 4-day convention in 2007, offering additional events on Thursday at no cost to attendees. In 2008, the convention (which coincided with Halloween
) was moved to the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan
to accommodate Youmacon's continued growth. This was the first year that it was not held at the Hilton Detroit/Troy. Guests included Wayne Grayson
, Patrick Seitz
, Michael Sinterniklaas
and Neil Cicierega
, the creator of Potter Puppet Pals and musician behind Lemon Demon.
The 2009 convention was held October 29th through November 1st, 2009 again at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. New guests included Team FourStar and That Guy With The Glasses
with Angry Joe and Linkara.
For 2010, the convention was held on October 28–31 (again, coinciding with Halloween) but once again to accommodate the convention's rapid growth, it was moved to the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
in downtown Detroit, Michigan
. Vic Mignogna
made his second appearance at Youmacon joining other returning guests such as Lemon Demon, LittleKuriboh and Team Four Star.
The 2011 convention will be held November 3–6, once again at the Renaissance Center. Of note is the fact that Caitlin Glass
and The Spoony Bards/Arc-Impulse are the only guests to have attended all seven Youmacons as of 2011's convention.
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
held annually in the Metro Detroit area during the first weekend of November. Youmacon's inaugural year brought a variety of guests together from various facets of anime and Japanese culture inspired fandom. These guests included well-known American voice actors in Japanese animation, American television and film actors (Power Rangers
Power Rangers
Power Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
), professional and fan-based music performers, and comic artists and creators.
Programming
Like many anime conventions, Youmacon includes cosplayCosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
events, video gaming, and panels on popular Japanese anime series, J-rock, Power Rangers
Power Rangers
Power Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
, Japanese fashion, and webcomics. There is also a cosplay event, Cosplay Shogi, where cosplayers act as "living pieces" of a shogi
Shogi
, also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, and Chinese Xiangqi, and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan...
game. Similarly there is a Live Action Mario Party and Mario Party After Dark where mini games are acted out with an audience to recreate the video game series. Each year also includes a formal costumed ball for charity in addition to an informal rave. Youmacon was the first event in North America to introduce Maid Cafes as a live event. Additionally Youmacon is the first convention to have its own CCG(Customizable Card Game), and its own energy drink(Yenergy).
History
Youmacon's inaugural convention took place on November 11–13, 2005 at the Detroit Hilton in Troy, MichiganTroy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, where it returned for a second year from November 3–5, 2006.
The Guests of Honor included former professional wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano
Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
and Matt Hill
Matt Hill
Matthew "Matt" Hill is a Canadian voice actor. He is known for several roles, including Kevin Keene/Captain N in Captain N: The Game Master, Kira Yamato in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, Ed in Ed, Edd n Eddy, Raphael in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, Ryo Sanada in Ronin Warriors and Artha...
, the voice of Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
. Albano's presence was accredited to his role as the face and voice of Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
in the animation/live action The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is an American television series based upon Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 video games. It was originally broadcast via first-run syndication to mostly independent or Fox television stations from September 4, 1989, to December 1, 1989, with...
.
The convention expanded into a 4-day convention in 2007, offering additional events on Thursday at no cost to attendees. In 2008, the convention (which coincided with Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'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...
) was moved to the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
to accommodate Youmacon's continued growth. This was the first year that it was not held at the Hilton Detroit/Troy. Guests included Wayne Grayson
Wayne Grayson
Vinnie Penna is an American actor and voice actor who is mostly known for voice over under the name Wayne Grayson and has worked with 4Kids Entertainment, NYAV Post and DuArt Film and Video....
, Patrick Seitz
Patrick Seitz
Patrick Seitz is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script Writer primarily known for his work for Geneon Entertainment, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Bandai Entertainment, Media Blasters, NYAV Post, New Generation Pictures, Funimation Entertainment, and Viz Media...
, Michael Sinterniklaas
Michael Sinterniklaas
Michael Tremain Sinterniklaas is a Dutch American actor, voice actor, ADR Director and script writer who has worked for Viz Media, Bandai Entertainment, Funimation Entertainment, DuArt Film and Video, 4Kids Entertainment, and Tripwire Productions...
and Neil Cicierega
Neil Cicierega
Neil Stephen Cicierega , is an American comedian, filmmaker and musician. He is the creator of a genre of Flash animation known as "Animutation". He has also released several albums as a musician under the stage name "Lemon Demon"....
, the creator of Potter Puppet Pals and musician behind Lemon Demon.
The 2009 convention was held October 29th through November 1st, 2009 again at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. New guests included Team FourStar and That Guy With The Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses is a website that mostly showcases satirical reviews of movies and video games. It primarily stars Chicago native Douglas Darien "Doug" Walker as "That Guy with the Glasses". The founder and administrator of the site is Michael Michaud, CEO of the parent company Channel...
with Angry Joe and Linkara.
For 2010, the convention was held on October 28–31 (again, coinciding with Halloween) but once again to accommodate the convention's rapid growth, it was moved to the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
in downtown Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Vic Mignogna
Vic Mignogna
Victor Joseph "Vic" Mignogna is an American Anime Award winning voice actor and musician who has done voice work for many anime series, movies, and video games...
made his second appearance at Youmacon joining other returning guests such as Lemon Demon, LittleKuriboh and Team Four Star.
The 2011 convention will be held November 3–6, once again at the Renaissance Center. Of note is the fact that Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Tiffany Glass is an American voice actress and ADR director. While still a college student, Glass was hired by Funimation Entertainment while on a tour of the studio. Her first roles were bit parts on Case Closed until she landed the role of Hiyono Yuizaki in Spiral...
and The Spoony Bards/Arc-Impulse are the only guests to have attended all seven Youmacons as of 2011's convention.
Event History
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
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