Annual convention devoted to the Godzilla franchise and other kaiju films
G-Fest , often typeset as G-FEST , is an annual convention devoted to the Godzilla film franchise and other kaiju (literally strange beast , also the name of the genre of Japanese giant monster movies) franchises such as Gamera and the Ultra Series . G-Fest is staged by Daikaiju Enterprises, Ltd., and G-Fan magazine. It regularly features panels, contests, and theatrically screened films of interest to fans of Japanese monsters.[citation needed ]
Actors, directors, special effects technicians, and other famous people who worked on Godzilla, Ultraman, Gamera, and other kaiju movies in Japan are frequent guests at G-Fest. Often, the major guest is honored with the coveted "Mangled Skyscraper Award" for their lasting contributions to the kaiju genre.[citation needed ]
G-Fest was founded in 1994 by J. D. Lees [when? ] , publisher of G-Fan magazine and the G-Fan website, and the late John Rocco Roberto .
G-Fest features a Dealer's Room, a costume parade, a model show and competition, and a fan film competition. Other popular activities are film screenings (held at the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, Illinois) video game tournaments, children's activities, and autograph sessions. G-Fest also raises money for charitable causes.[citation needed ]
In May 2020, Daikaiju Enterprises, Ltd. made the decision to cancel G-Fest for the first time in its 27-year history due to restrictions on large gatherings imposed by Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker in response to the COVID-19 pandemic . Its initial 27th annual convention was to be moved to the future date of July 2021, but was cancelled again, due to the continuing effect of COVID-19.
Conventions
G-Fest (Friends of G-Fan) '94
First public meeting of contributors to G-Fan , Howard Johnson Hotel, O'Hare Airport, Illinois
G-Fest (G-Con) '95
Date: August 18–20, 1995[ 1]
First organized convention.[ 2] The first two days were closed to the public until news reports spread then was open to the public on the last day (3rd)
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois
G-Fest (G-Con) '96
G-Fest (G-Con) '97
G-Fest '98
G-Fest '99
Date: July 23–25, 1999
Guests: Noriaki Yuasa , Shusuke Kaneko , Wataru Mimura , Hiroshi Kashiwabara , Robert Scott Field, Volker Engel , Forrest J. Ackerman , Peter Fernandez , Corrine Orr , August Ragone , Norman England , Hisataka Kitaoka (now Ryuki Kitaoka ), Don Glut
Films: Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris (US premiere), Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Forrest J. Ackerman
Burbank Hilton, Burbank, California
G-Fest 2000
Date: Oct 14–16, 2000
Guests: Sadamasa Arikawa , Noriaki Yuasa , Koichi Kawakita , Haruo Nakajima , Kenpachiro Satsuma , Megumi Odaka , Keita Amemiya , Yuji Sakai , Hisataka Kitaoka (now Ryuki Kitaoka ), August Ragone , Mach Fumiake, Robert Scott Field,
Films: Godzilla (1954), Moon Over Tao (1997), Godzilla vs. Destoroyah , Son of Godzilla , Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey , Ring (1998), Rebirth of Mothra III , Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Koichi Kawakita
Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles, California
G-Fest '01
G-Fest '02
G-Fest X
G-Fest XI
G-Fest XII
G-Fest XIII
G-Fest XIV
Date: July 6–8, 2007
Guests: Rhodes Reason , Shelley Sweeney, Carl Craig , Robert Scott Field, Don Glut and Reiko Yamada
Saturday Afternoon Concert Performed by: Rieko Wada, Tomomi Matsumura, Shetoshi Yamada, Marcus Dunleavy
Films: King Kong Escapes , King Kong vs. Godzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Don Glut
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XV
Date: July 4–6, 2008
Guests: Haruo Nakajima , Don Frye , August Ragone , Robert Scott Field, Don Glut , Jörg Buttgereit
Films: Matango , Destroy All Monsters , Godzilla vs. Gigan , Godzilla vs. Biollante , Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon , and Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Haruo Nakajima
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVI
Date: July 3–5, 2009
Guests: Kenji Sahara , Robert Scott Field, August Ragone , David Kalat
Films: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack , The Mysterians , Mothra vs. Godzilla , The Monster X Strikes Back/Attack the G8 Summit
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Kenji Sahara
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVII
Date: July 9–11, 2010
Guests: Akira Takarada , Bob Eggleton , Robert Scott Field, William M. Tsutsui , David Kalat , Damon Foster
Films: Son of Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Mothra , Godzilla 2000 , Godzilla vs. Megaguirus , Godzilla vs the Sea Monster , Godzilla (1954)
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Akira Takarada
Rosemont Hotel at O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVIII
Date: July 15–17, 2011
Guests: Hiroyuki Watanabe , Shinji Higuchi , Hiroshi Sagae , Robert Scott Field, August Ragone
Films: Gamera: Super Monster , Mothra , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II , Gamera: Guardian of the Universe , Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in Hyperspace , Gamera 2: Advent of Legion
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Shinji Higuchi
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XIX
Date: July 13–15, 2012
Guests: Akira Takarada , Satoshi Furuya , Robert Scott Field, Svengoolie
Films: King Kong (1933), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms , Gorgo , Gamera , Godzilla, King of the Monsters! , Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Bin "Satoshi" Furuya
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XX
Date: July 12–14, 2013
Guests: Tsutomu Kitagawa , Shinichi Wakasa , Shizuo Nakajima , Robert Scott Field, Frank H Woodward , Cleve Hall
Films: 20 Million Miles to Earth , Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris , Gamera vs. Gyaos , The X From Outer Space , Pacific Rim (Midnight showing), Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Shinichi Wakasa
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXI
Date: July 11–13, 2014
Guests: Koichi Kawakita , Tomoko Ai , Katsuhiko Sasaki , Hiroshi Sagae , Don Frye , Robert Scott Field, Shinpei Hayashiya
Films: King Kong (1976), King Kong Lives , Gamera vs. Barugon , Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967), Godzilla vs. Destoroyah , Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Bob Eggleton
G-FAN Hall of Fame inductees: Tim Bean , John DeSentis and Chris Oglio
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXII
Date: July 10–12, 2015
Guests: Masaaki Tezuka , Noboru Kaneko , August Ragone , Robert Scott Field, Kow Otani
Films: Them! , The Deadly Mantis , Gamera vs. Jiger , Gamera: Guardian of the Universe , Godzilla vs. Biollante , Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Masaaki Tezuka
G-FAN Hall of Fame inductees: August Ragone , Matt Frank , and Tom Tvrdik
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIII
Date: July 15–17, 2016
Guests: Akira Takarada , Linda Miller , Satoshi Furuya , Hiroko Sakurai , Robert Scott Field, August Ragone , Yoshikazu Ishii , Hiroshi Sagae , Carl Craig, Sojiro Uchino, Tony Isabella , C. Martin Croker
Films: King Kong Escapes , Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah , Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967), Gamera vs. Viras , The Green Slime , Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Hiroko Sakurai
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Damon Foster , Ed Godziszewski , and John Roberto (posthumously)
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIV
Date: July 14–16, 2017
Guests: Michiru Ōshima , Yuji Kaida , Shinji Higuchi , Ryuki Kitaoka , Kazuhiro Nakagawa , Kiyotaka Taguchi , Robert Scott Field, Tony Isabella
Films: King Kong vs. Godzilla , D-War , Godzilla vs. Megaguirus , Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island , Shin Godzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Michiru Ōshima
G-FAN Lifetime Achievement Award presented to: Shinji Higuchi
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Jeff Horne, Sean Linkenback , and Kyle Yount
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXV
Date: July 13–15, 2018
Guests: Megumi Odaka , Keizo Murase , Kenpachiro Satsuma , Don Frye , Gene Rizzardi
Films: The Valley of Gwangi , Dinosaurus! , The Mighty Peking Man , Pacific Rim Uprising , Rampage , Godzilla vs. Mothra
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Megumi Odaka , Keizo Murase , Kenpachiro Satsuma
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Skip Peel, David Nunes, Paul Gavins
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVI
Date: July 12–14, 2019
Guests: Akira Takarada , Shusuke Kaneko , Peggy Neal , Yoshikazu Ishii , Sonoe Nakajima
Films: All Monsters Attack , Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster , The X from Outer Space , Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack , Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), Invasion of Astro-Monster , Linking Love (2017)
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Shusuke Kaneko
G-FAN Lifetime Achievement Award presented to: Akira Takarada
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Sonoe Nakajima, the Baioa Family, Martin Arlt
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVII
Date: July 15-17, 2022
Guests: Hiroyuki Kawase , Tomoko Ai
Films: Godzilla vs. Hedorah , Godzilla vs. Megalon , Godzilla (1954), Godzilla vs the Sea Monster , Godzilla vs. Kong , Terror of Mechagodzilla
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Steve Ryfle, Diane Dougherty, Hiroshi Sagae
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVIII
Date: July 14-16, 2023
Guests: Yumiko Shaku , Don Frye , Linda Jo Miller , T.J. Storm
Films: Destroy All Monsters , Godzilla (1998), Godzilla Raids Again , Shin Ultraman , Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla , Godzilla (2014)
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: TBA
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIX
Date: July 12-14, 2024
Guests: Rie Ōta , Allan Henry , Toshio Miike , Takuji Yamada , James Groman , Jeffrey Angles , Kiyotaka Taguchi
Films: Mothra vs. Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla , The Return of Godzilla , Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla , Godzilla: Final Wars , Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: TBA
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
Notes
External links
Films
Japanese
Shōwa eraHeisei eraMillennium era Reiwa era
American