Youmacon

Youmacon
Status	Active
Venue	Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Location	Detroit, Michigan
Country	United States
First held	2005
Organizer	Youmacon Enterprises
Attendance	10,375 in 2011
Official website	http://www.youmacon.com/

Youmacon is an anime convention held annually in the Metro Detroit area during the first weekend of November. Youmacon's inaugural year brought a variety of guests together from various facets of anime and Japanese culture inspired fandom. These guests included well-known American voice actors in Japanese animation, American television and film actors (Power Rangers), professional and fan-based music performers, and comic artists and creators.

Programming

Like many anime conventions, Youmacon includes cosplay events, video gaming, and panels on popular Japanese anime series, J-rock, Power Rangers, Japanese fashion, and webcomics. There is also a cosplay event, Cosplay Shogi, where cosplayers act as "living pieces" of a shogi game. Similarly there is a Live Action Mario Party and Mario Party After Dark where mini games are acted out with an audience to recreate the video game series. Each year also includes a formal costumed ball for charity in addition to an informal rave. Youmacon was the first event in North America to introduce Maid Cafes as a live event. Additionally Youmacon is the first convention to have its own CCG(Customizable Card Game), and its own energy drink(Yenergy).

History

Youmacon's inaugural convention took place on November 11–13, 2005 at the Detroit Hilton in Troy, Michigan, where it returned for a second year from November 3–5, 2006.

The Guests of Honor included former professional wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano and Matt Hill, the voice of Captain N: The Game Master. Albano's presence was accredited to his role as the face and voice of Mario in the animation/live action The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.

The convention expanded into a 4-day convention in 2007, offering additional events on Thursday at no cost to attendees. In 2008, the convention (which coincided with Halloween) was moved to the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan to accommodate Youmacon's continued growth. This was the first year that it was not held at the Hilton Detroit/Troy. Guests included Wayne Grayson, Patrick Seitz, Michael Sinterniklaas and Neil Cicierega, the creator of Potter Puppet Pals and musician behind Lemon Demon.

The 2009 convention was held October 29 through November 1, 2009 again at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. New guests included Team FourStar and That Guy With The Glasses with Angry Joe and Linkara.

For 2010, the convention was held on October 28–31 (again, coinciding with Halloween) but once again to accommodate the convention's rapid growth, it was moved to the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Vic Mignogna made his second appearance at Youmacon joining other returning guests such as Lemon Demon, LittleKuriboh and Team Four Star.

The 2011 convention was held November 3–6, once again at the Renaissance Center. Of note is the fact that Caitlin Glass and The Spoony Bards/Arc-Impulse are the only guests to have attended all seven Youmacons as of 2011's convention.

According to the Souvenir Guides from this year's Youmacon, Youmacon 2012 will take place at The Marriott/Renaissance Center and the Cobo Convention Center November 1–4

Event History

Dates	Location	Atten.	Guests
November 11–13, 2005	Hilton Detroit/Troy Troy, Michigan	1,078	David Anez, Johnny Yong Bosch, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Eyeshine, Caitlin Glass, Bruce Kalish, Yuri Lowenthal, Monica May, Vic Mignogna, Alycia Purrott, Kristine Sa, The Spoony Bards, Chris Violette, and Dave Wittenberg.
November 3–5, 2006	Hilton Detroit/Troy Troy, Michigan	2,125	"Captain" Lou Albano, Daniel Agin, David Anez, Chris Cason, Caitlin Glass, Matt Hill, Tony Oliver, Patrick Seitz, Kevin Siembieda, The Spoony Bards, Moy Tung, and Brett Weaver.
November 1–4, 2007	Hilton Detroit/Troy Troy, Michigan	3,119	Johnny Yong Bosch, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Eyeshine, Quinton Flynn, Caitlin Glass, Wayne Grayson, Hyper-Strike, Lemon Demon, Jeff Nimoy, Patrick Seitz, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, and The Spoony Bards.
October 30 – November 2, 2008	Hyatt Regency Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan	4,494	Caitlin Glass, Wayne Grayson, Kyle Hebert, Walter Jones, Evelyn Lanto, Trish Ledoux, Lemon Demon, Mark Musashi, My Dear Disco, Paul Schrier, Patrick Seitz, Michael Sinterniklaas, The Spoony Bards, and Toshifumi Yoshida.
October 29 – November 1, 2009	Hyatt Regency Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan	6,200	Laura Bailey, Caitlin Glass, Cowboy Shogun, Wayne Grayson, Kyle Hebert, Konohana Sakuya, Kroze, Lemon Demon, LittleKuriboh, My Dear Disco, Michael Sinterniklaas, The Spoony Bards, Brad Swaile, Team Four Star, That Guy With The Glasses (with Angry Joe and Linkara), and Travis Willingham.
October 28–31, 2010	Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Detroit, Michigan	9,000+	Caitlin Glass, Todd Haberkorn, Illuminatus 2.1, Kroze, Lemon Demon, LittleKuriboh, Vic Mignogna, Christopher Robin Miller, Marianne Miller, Patrick Seitz, The Spoony Bards, Brad Swaile, and Team Four Star.
November 3–6, 2011	Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Detroit, Michigan	10,375	Arc Impulse, Tia Ballard, James Carter Cathcart, Dominion Method Gaming, Drowtales, Fred Gallagher, Caitlin Glass, Josh Keaton, Kroze, Reuben Langdon, Lemon Demon w/ The Potter Puppet Pals, LittleKuriboh, Lewis “Linkara” Lovhaug, Vic Mignogna, Chrisotpher Robin Miller, Marianne Miller, Chris "Kirbopher" Niosi, Powerglove, Jon St. John, Brad Swaile, Michael "Mookie" Terracciano, Sonny Strait, Team Four Star, and Tom Wayland.
November 1–4, 2012	Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and Cobo Center Detroit, Michigan	TBA	Jon St. John, Cherami Leigh, James Carter Cathcart, LittleKuriboh, Linkara, Dominion Method Gaming

Documentary

As mentioned in the opening, significant parts of the documentary Cosplayers: The Movie (2009) were filmed at Youmacon 2007 and several staffers were interviewed in the film. http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Cosplayers:_The_Movie

External links

• Youmacon official website