Anime Conventions around the UK

There have been, and will be, many Anime Conventions throughout the UK where people from all over the place come in for a bit of fun. There are companies hawking their wares, people dressed in Cosplay and people who turn up who are interested in Anime in general. The events undergone are huge and are unique to each Con, so you’ll have to a bit more digging. These Cons are on the rise and it’s my premonition that they will take over the world soon... very soon.

(PS: This is merely a guide to help our members in knowing what’s happening on the anime scene, where and when. Sometime in the future I’ll set up a map so you know where all these places are because, I for one, am lacking on my UK geography)

Amecon, as the logo indicates will be in Leicester Uni Campus, the place to be on the 11th-13th of August 2006! What’s all so awesome is that it’s all organised by a fellow uni-based anime society! What’s even more awesome is that’s just the down the road from us. So there aren’t any excuses for skipping out on this one.

Status: Registration is currently undergoing maintenance. But still spaces left!

Auchinawa is a Glasgow based anime con. These guys have goals as they are striving for the con to be more an ‘Otaku Con’ instead of an ‘Anime Con’ and they are going for the largest Convention/Expo in Scotland, the first of its kind. The dates are the 23rd-26th of November 2006 and the stage is set at the Glasgow Moathouse Hotel.

Status: Still open.

Ayacon was held at our very own Arts Centre on the 19th-21st of August 2005. The event was the largest anime convention to date in the UK, with in excess of 1150 attendees. A handful of our members went and they have reported that it was the awesome!

Status: Finished, nothing yet about the next one.

Location of Ayacon (Google Earth).

Minamicon has a long history and has been going since ‘95, making it the longest running con in the country! Jointly organised by London Anime Club & Minami Anime the overall theme for this con is cuteness. Southampton is where it’s happening on the 17th-19th of March!

Status: Sold out :( but we will keep an eye out next time round!

Location of Minamicon (Google Earth).

Nomi Con, hosted by Y.A.T.A a Leeds-based Yorkshire Anime Club, is somewhat unique in that it has an emphasis as being a social convention. The only one that I know of that beer is allowed. The place to be for some fun, optional drinking games and of course mandatory anime watching. It’s all about anime and beer at the University of Bradford Students Union Building from the 8th till the 10th of September 2006.

Status: Still open.

Tokonatsu is an outdoor 3 day event in the summer month of July from the 28th to the 30th. The venue? Woburn, which is only 20 minutes from the M1 & Milton Keynes Train station. Where will you be then? There, of course!

Status: Still open.