Otakon 2010 Attendance Breaks 29,000

Baltimore, MD (August 1, 2010) – For the 17th year, Otakon's attendance grew, this year reaching a new milestone. As of 10:30 a.m., the head of Otakon Registration announced an unofficial headcount of 28,044 members from picked up pre-registration and at-con registration, or 29,274 including all staff and dealers. Usually, according to Otakon officials, the difference between the unofficial numbers and the official confirmed headcount is a couple hundred members. Official numbers will be released after all departments are accounted for.

Otakon president Sean Chiochankitmun said, "Otakon is excited about our 17th year of increased growth in numbers. We look forward to a continued partnership with Baltimore."

Last year's official count was 26,586.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its seventeenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 25,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 70,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.

For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2010, see http://www.otakon.com/