The anime convention Kawaii Kon is back this week and event coordinators expect for it to attract about 21,000 attendees. The three-day event celebrates Japanese anime, manga and culture and will run March 14 - 16 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center.
The event, which is run by fans, includes activities such as video game tournaments, costume contests, anime premieres, art auctions, interactive panel discussions, tabletop game tournaments and a formal ball, according to its website.
“We all do this out of love, and we do it for the community,” Angel Rumbaoa, an administrator for Kawaii Kon, told Aloha State Daily.
The convention started at the Ala Moana Hotel in 2005. At the time, there was less social media, so event organizers used word of mouth and newspapers to tell people about it, he said. About 2,000 people showed up. Soon, the event outgrew that space and moved to the Hawaiʻi Convention Center.
Today, the event draws local participants as well as some from the continential United States and other countries, including Ireland, Canada, and other places, Rumbaoa said.
This year, the event will feature the world’s first screening of “Your Forma” on Saturday, March 15.
It also marks the return of the popular Ask an Anime Character event, where voice actors answer questions from the audience, while staying in character. Past questions have included “Will you marry me?” and “Would you like to learn some pidgin?” Rumbaoa said.
The voice actors are from the Mainland, so trying to get them to speak pidgin is pretty hilarious, and especially when it's their character that they're acting as,” he said. “It’s so fun.”
Kawaii Kon will feature the return of the Cosplay Cafe, where volunteers in cosplay serve drinks and snacks.
Of the artists and vendors, about 50% are kamaʻāina, with the rest coming from out of state, he said. There are more than 100 vendors selling merchandise, food and drinks, in addition to more than 300 artists, he added.
First-time attendees should look for the event’s app, which allows them to select activities they plan to attend and get notifications when these activities are starting, Rumbaoa said. Tickets are $46 - $120. For more information, go to kawaiikon.com.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
