Naka-Kon
Annual anime convention in Overland Park, Kansas, United States
Naka-Kon is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas . The name of the convention comes from the Japanese word for "center/middle".[1]
Programming
The convention typically offers an Artist Alley, contests, Dealers’ Room, game shows, fashion show, maid cafe, panels, showings, video game rooms, and workshops.[2] [3] [4] [5]
History
Naka-Kon was founded in 2005 by members of the University of Kansas Anime Club.[2] [3] The convention moved to the Overland Park Convention Center in 2012.[6] Naka-Kon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic .[7] [8] Naka-Kon held a virtual convention in March 2021, a smaller event over Labor Day weekend in September, and in 2022 moved to Memorial Day weekend in May.[9] [10] [11] [12] The 2021 convention had an attendance cap of 2,500, with 2022 having a cap of 6,000.[13]
Event history
Dates
Location
Atten.
Guests
April 17, 2005
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 300[14]
March 4–5, 2006
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Greg Ayres , Steve Bennett, and Caitlin Glass .[15]
March 2–4, 2007
Hilton Kansas City AirportKansas City, Missouri 1,529 Greg Ayres, Steve Bennett, Steve Blum , Caitlin Glass, Rob Mungle , Dustin Reudelhuber, and Angela Von Huber.[16]
February 8–10, 2008
Kansas City Marriott Downtown Kansas City, Missouri 2,091 Chris Bevins , Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Taliesin Jaffe , Dustin Reudelhuber, Christopher Sabat , Sonny Strait , Angela Von Huber, and Kari Wahlgren .[17]
March 13–15, 2009
Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri 3,135 Yamila Abraham, Amelie Belcher, Leah Clark , Chuck Huber , K-State Yosakoi, L33tStr33t Boys, Kevin McKeever, Brina Palencia , Chris Patton , Dustin Reudelhuber, and Angela Von Huber.[18]
February 19–21, 2010
Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri 4,084 Christopher Ayres , Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Shion Francois, Kyle Hebert , K-State Yosakoi, Kojokan Shinbutai, Yumi Kwaguchi, M. Alice LeGrow , Peelander-Z , Wendy Powell , Dustin Reudelhuber, Eric Vale , Angela Von Huber, and Tommy Yune .[19]
February 18–20, 2011
Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri 4,684 Alsdead, Amelie Belcher, Samurai Dan Coglan, Gavin Goszka, Clarine Harp , Charlene Ingram, Kojokan Shinbutai, Brina Palencia, Dustin Reudelhuber, Patrick Seitz , DJ Sephiroth, J. Michael Tatum , Angela Von Huber, and Eric Wile.[20]
February 10–12, 2012
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas [6] Amelie Belcher, Blood Stain Child , Steve Blum, Aleathia Burns, Chris Cason , Colleen Clinkenbeard , Quinton Flynn , Yaya Han , DJ Infam0us, Wendee Lee , Nina Matsumoto , and Take One Productions.[21]
March 15–17, 2013
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Blue Chee's, Christine Marie Cabanos , Richard Epcar , Kyle Hebert, Catherine Jones, Tony Oliver , and Nobuo Uematsu .[22]
March 14–16, 2014
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas 7,697 Amelie Belcher, Ben Bell, Chaka Cumberbatch, Destrose , Kevin McKeever, Scott McNeil , Atelier Pierrot, DJ Reeves, Revolution Boi, Monica Rial , Michelle Ruff , Team Whatever Cosplay, Travis Willingham , DJ Willis, and Steve Yun.[23]
March 13–15, 2015
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas 8,772 Greg Ayres, Rev. Barrish, Amelie Belcher, Fighting Dreamers Productions, Shion Francois, Hizumi, Jin, Robert Jones, Takashi Kisaki, Matthew Mercer , Hachioji P, Revolution Boi, Patrick Seitz, Andre "DJ Jinrei" Smith, Micah Solusod , Junko Takeuchi , Jessica Tran, Alexandra Watson, and Greg Wicker.[24]
March 11–13, 2016
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas 10,264 Yoh Asakura, Greg Ayres, Kevin Dooley, The Earthbound Papas , Chihiro Fujioka , Akira Fukaya, Michael Gluck , Jason Hayes, Yoshitaka Hirota , Michelle Jade, Roland Kelts, Timothy Koenig, Eru Matsumoto, Erica Mendez , Momo Hime, Tsutomu Narita, Benyamin Nuss , Michio Okamiya, Pros and Cons Cosplay, DJ Rob Reeves, Arnie Roth , Micah Solusod, Karen Strassman , Austin Tindle , Nobuo Uematsu, Mamoru Yokota , Apphia Yu (Ayu Sakata) , and DJ Zombie Kitten.[25]
March 10–12, 2017
Overland Park Convention Center Sheraton Hotel[26] Overland Park, Kansas Amelie Belcher, Ben Bell, Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond , Roland Kelts, Showshow Kurihara, Joel McDonald , Max Mittelman , A New World , Rondonrats, and David Vincent .[27]
March 16–18, 2018
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Ben Bell, Steve Blum, Sean Chiplock , Xanthe Huynh , Kabuki, Daniel Kanemitsu, Roland Kelts, Kill Screen, Nao Kurebayashi, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn , Moderately Okay Cosplay, DJ Chef Nguyen, Atelier Pierrot, Wendy Powell, Mikio Sakai , Masumi Sendou, Ian Sinclair , Strangecat Cosplay, Murata Tam, and Takayoshi Tanimoto .[28]
March 15–17, 2019
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Satomi Akesaka , Amelie Belcher, Kara Edwards , Ryuzou Ishino , Billy Kametz , Aya Kamiki , Roland Kelts, Kristen McGuire , Yoshinori Natsume , Alejandro Saab , Jad Saxton , and Keith Silverstein .[29]
September 3-5, 2021
Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Morgan Berry and Christina Marie Kelly .[11]
May 27-29, 2022
Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Amelie Belcher, Jessica Calvello , Gavin Goszka, Anairis Quiñones , Eric Roth, Strangecat Cosplay, and Kari Wahlgren.[12]
May 26-28, 2023
Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Amelie Belcher, Aaron Campbell , Clifford Chapin , Khoi Dao , Kristen McGuire, Philip "Canvas" Odango, Zeno Robinson , Laura Stahl , Diana Tolin, and Mark Whitten.[30]
May 24-26, 2024
Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas Misako Aoki, Amelie Belcher, Dani Chambers , Jennifer Cihi , Sandy Fox , Heather Gonzalez, Aika Kobayashi , Lex Lang , Briana Lawrence, Amanda C. Miller , Kaiji Tang , Diana Tolin, Jessica Walsh, and Anne Yatco.[31]
References
External links
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38°55′42″N 94°39′19″W / 38.92833°N 94.65528°W / 38.92833; -94.65528