Oni-Con 2007
Update: Oni-Con provided a new version of this press release on May 5, 2007.
May 5, 2007
This year in Houston, TX, Oni-Con will be hosting its Fourth Annual Anime Convention and invites your participation. The celebration will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center on October 19-21, 2007. The event will include anime rooms, cosplay, concerts, video games, contests, a dealer's room, art show and auction, and panels with special appearances by voice actors, artists and anime industry guests.
Oni-Con was the first anime convention to get started in Houston and had a wonderful first year with attendance well over 3,000, much larger than our anticipated 1,200. Our first year included more than twenty guests as well as two concerts by j-rock bands Duel Jewel and Camino. Our second year included voice actors Greg and Chris Ayres from Dragon Ball Z and Gantz respectively. Also, j-rock bands EchoStream and Phantasmagoria were in attendance. Houston area anime fans were excited about our third convention and musical guests 12012 and a welcomed return to Oni-Con Scott McNeil (Transformers: Armada, Cybertron, and Energon). Attendance at the 2007 convention is expected to be in excess of 4,000 and the local anime community is excited! About us
The convention is set the weekend before Halloween each year, and has taken on the name Oni-Con, oni being the Japanese word for "ogre" or "demon". It was stared by the members of the Houston anime club known as Mallets, Etc. (http://www.mallets-etc.com) and is being contributed to by individuals and organizations throughout the state. Employees of the convention are spread out as far away as the Dallas Metroplex and convention attendees are expected to come from as far away as Canada and the United Kingdom.
About Anime
Anime is a drawing style prevalent in Japan and other Asian countries. It has become popular in America in the past decade with shows such as Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, and YuGiOh. However, there is much more to anime than simple children's shows. Anime includes a variety of television shows, movies and even comics, called manga, in a vast array of genres. Anime shows are written about common school girls, fantasy worlds, distant futures, ancient pasts, and even romantic encounters. Some are comedies, others horrors, some dramas, others simple soap operas. There are anime and manga for children, teens, adults and yes, even adult-only. All in all, anime offers something for everyone and is a wonderful way to gain insight into other cultures and ideas.
Location & Costs
Oni-Con will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center and convention guests will stay at the Hilton Americas. Call 1-800-HILTONS for reservations. Preliminary room rates are $99. The entrance fee for the convention is as follows:
Single 3 day pass ($40/person)
Single Child age 7-12 ($15.00/person)
Single Child age 6 & under (free)
Friday only pass ($25.00/person)
Saturday only pass ($25.00/person)
Sunday only pass ($20.00/person)
Pre-registration online is $32 per person for a single three-day pass and $25 per person for the group rate three day pass. (Please note that for the group registration requires ten or more people.)
Guests & Events
Our immense guest list includes participants like Xero Reynolds (Gatchaman, Samurai Gun), Chris Ayres (Voice Actor/Director for ADV Films and Voice Actor for FUNimation), Clarine Harp (Voice Actor and DVD Production for FUNimation), Kyle Hebert (Bleach, Naruto, and Dragon Ball Z), Kaylyn “MarzGurl” Dicksion (Director/Editor/Documentarian of Anime Conventions), Michael Coleman (Inuyasha, Dragon Ball Z, and Power Puff Girls Z), Samantha Inoue Harte (Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch and “Clerks the Lost Episode” from Clerks X: 10th Anniversary DVD & President of Saiko Studios, LLC), and Travis Willingham (FullMetal Alchemist).
We are constantly striving to add new events and guests to our line-up. Please see one of our flyers for the most up to date information. You can be sure that we will have top quality guests and events from all areas and fields of anime!
Demographics
Our convention will reach an equal number of males and females primarily between the ages of 15 – 35. Typically, those interested in animation, art, graphic design, voice acting and costume design are among those attending. Last year attendance was in excess of 6,000.
To learn more about Oni-Con and the convention guests, please frequent the website at http://www.oni-con.com or contact Porschê D. Anderson (Advertising, Promotions, and Press Director).
