Anime Banzai celebrates Japan at Davis Conference Center
Jenny Whitecar, of Sigurd, Utah checks out the costumes during the 2010 annual Anime Banzai.
Anime Banzai attendees dress in cosplay.
Utah’s largest anime convention is cosplaying its way to Davis County.
Anime Banzai, sponsored by Utah Anime Promotions, is hosting its 10th annual convention Oct. 17-19 at Davis Conference Center in Layton. Chocked full of costume and art contests, card and video gaming tournaments, panels and dances, Anime Banzai celebrates Japanese culture in an educational, family-friendly environment, according to www.animebanzai.org.
Kelli Borrowman has been attending the convention since 2008, and has the opportunity of hosting three events. Anime Banzai has more of a personal touch compared to larger conventions like Salt Lake Comic Con, she said.
“What makes it unique is the fact that it’s getting a lot of people who might have a hard time making friends in the same area … they can goof off, let loose not worry about what people think because everyone else is thinking the same thing,” Borrowman said.
The intimacy of Anime Banzai is what brings Shelby Shoaf, a Provo resident and BYU student, back this year.
“It feels a lot more intimate and geared to you, like the convention runners are rooting for the guests,” Shoaf said.
Last years Anime Banzai was her very first anime convention — and now, she can’t get enough. It inspired Shoaf to develop a new craft after convention goers loved her costume, which wasn’t even anime related.
“What started as a really cool costume turned into craftsmanship for me,” she said.
Shoaf said she might be biased since it was her first, but Anime Banzai is her favorite fan convention.
“The best parts of Banzai is the sense of community… the opportunity it gets them to show off their knowledge and skills and subject matter, connect and make friends,” said Kennedy Reiter, event spokeswoman.
The convention’s friendly environment could be considered a major factor in the growth experienced in recent years.
In fact, Anime Banzai attendance is at an increase rate of about 20-25 percent each year, says Reiter. In 2013, it grew to over 5,000 attendees with people coming from as far away as the state of Maine, according to Anime Banzai’s 2014 Information Booklet, available for download on the event website.
That’s in comparison to Anime Banzai’s maiden convention held in 2005 with 600 attendees.
Reiter said partnering with Davis Conference Center has solved many problems the con has faced, as the growth in attendance makes it difficult to find a place where everyone can fit.
Convention growth has raised the ticket price this year — due to the mass requirements — but it’s worth it, Reiter said.
At-con registration prices are $50 for the full weekend, $30 for Friday, $40 for Saturday and $25 for Sunday. Children 10 and younger get in free with a paying adult and signed permission form.
“It’s a very, very family friendly environment,” Reiter said. “We do host panels that are for ages 18 and older but they are later in the evening so the family friendly events can be held during the day.”
Increased popularity could also be attributed to the dedication to Japanese culture Anime Banzai maintains.
“We look at not only what the anime and manga are about, but hold panels to educate people about acting techniques and the time that go into preparing for roles … (and) visual creation,” Reiter said.
Anime Banzai’s goal is “to bring an event to Utah, and the five states region, where fans can come together, celebrate Japan and Japanese culture in a fun, safe, family-friendly atmosphere,” according to convention material.
To accomplish this mission Anime Banzai focuses on three event areas and activities. It offers general admission to displays and events, have an exhibit hall and panels with experts present to educate those interested in anything from computer programs and sewing to anime trivia and how to survive an anime apocalypse.
Jan Scott-Frazier, known for her 20 year involvement in the anime industry, is a regular guest at major conventions across the county according to her guest biography on www.animebanzai.org.
This year will be Scott-Frazier’s second at Anime Banzai. She was a featured guest last year.
“I usually do an art and creativity workshop where I talk about some ways to unleash people’s creativity like getting around procrastination and perfectionism and just seeing things in a different light,” Scott-Frazier said.
Other panels she normally hosts include ones on translation — mostly between Japanese and English, but features other languages as well — and her own experiences in the industry.
“I think that anything that we do to help broaden our understanding of other people, whether it’s their ways, their ideas … I think that you know, bringing that to people just gives a slightly different point of view and new character designs and music and all,” she said.
Scott-Frazier’s favorite aspect of Anime conventions is the energy there.
“When you go to an anime convention, everyone is so excited. … It has this great, warm, exciting buzz to it,” she said. “It keeps me young.”
Anime Banzai is sponsored by non-profit educational organization Utah Anime Promotions, and the staff is all volunteer based.
“We do it because we love it,” Keiter said, who has been volunteering for Anime Banzai for four years.
She said Anime Banzai organizers are proud of everything they accomplish.
“It means a lot to us that our hard work pays off with everyone enjoying it so much … to be a part of building an environment where we can celebrate the things we love with people who appreciate it,” Keiter said.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in cosplay and can win awards for their costumes. The cosplay contest is easily the most popular Anime Banzai event, according to event information. An estimated 60 percent of people attending dress in cosplay.
Other event aspects of note at Anime Banzai are the game room where card and video game tournaments are held, the artist alley where artists sell art celebrating Japanese pop culture and the media rooms where attendees can watch their favorite anime series and movies in movie theater style. There are also two dances these year, a masquerade ball with formal attire required on Oct. 17, and a flashback dance on Oct. 18 celebrating 10 years of Anime Banzai.
To learn more about Anime Banzai and see a schedule of events and panels, visit www.animebanzai.org and download the “Convention Survival Kit.”
Contact reporter Sonja Carlson at 801-625-4229 or scarlson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @sonjacSE.
PREVIEW
- WHAT: Anime Banzai
- WHEN: 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Oct. 17-18, 9 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19
- WHERE: Davis Conference Center, 1651 N. 700 West, Layton
- TICKETS: $25-$50, free/age 10 and younger; www.animebanzai.org, registration@animebanzai.org.