User:P4lm0r3/KamiCon
| KamiCon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime |
| Location(s) | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Organized by | Raymond Lenzner, Founder Bama SOS Brigade, Operating Committee |
| Filing status | Nonprofit |
| Website | http://kamicon.net/ |
KamiCon is a an anime convention held annually in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is the largest convention of its kind in the state of Alabama, and one of the major conventions in the Southeastern United States. KamiCon is a nonprofit convention is open to the general public free of charge.
History
KamiCon was started in the fall of 2008 by a handful of students at the University of Alabama. They felt that there was no place in the state for fans of anime and otaku culture to meet and share their hobbies and interests. Together they formed the Bama SOS Brigade which became the planning and administrative arm of KamiCon. The name "KamiCon" as well as the name of KamiCon's administrative branch the "SOS Brigade" are both references to the popular light novel and anime franchise, Haruhi Suzumiya[1]. The official mascot of KamiCon is Shio-chan. This is a pun based on The University of Alabama's nickname the "Crimson Tide" as Shio is the is Japanese word for "tide." The first official KamiCon was held on April 25 and 26 of 2009.
Programming
Kamicon is a two day event consisting of several different panels, seminars, demonstrations, and workshops relating to anime and otaku culture. The events include a cosplay contest, maid cafe, gaming tournaments, anime music video (AMV) tournaments, and anime screenings. There are also guest speakers and performers. Previous guests that have visited KamiCon include: The Abridged Community (T.A.C.), Aaron Pabon, Stephanie Yanez, Kittyhawk, Bryan King, and Mini-Komix. Guests for KamiCon 2010 include Little Kuriboh creator of Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series and Vic Mignogna who is known for his voice acting roles as Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist and Tamaki Suou in Ouran High School Host Club.