January 18, 2010
News for Anime-Zap! 2010:
Put together at the last minute, Anime-Zap reports higher than expected attendance
Anime-Zap!, an anime convention announced less than 72 hours before the convention began, brought 160 anime fans to the Hampton Inn in East Peoria, IL this weekend.
"We were expecting 100, at most," said Ryan Kopf who organized Anime-Zap!
Pokettokon, an anime convention held annually at Illinois Central College, had scheduled it's fourth year for January 16-17, 2010. They announced on January 12th that the convention had to be cancelled, due to issues with their host college. Although fans had expressed dissapointment, as many planned to take the weekend off work to attend the convention, the organizers of QC Anime-zing! stepped up with a new two-day "instant anime convention".
The convention this past weekend included video games, anime showings, a spontaneous Yu-Gi-Oh card tournament, a mix of both planned and spontaneous panels, and even a vendor.
"It was remarkably fast," said Kopf. "We got the location and announced what we were trying to do and the support was tremendous. People called wanting to provide equipment and games, I got an email from Anime Fan Zone asking about dealer space, and we even had an artist and two other conventions as exhibitors."
QC Anime-zing! in Bettendorf, IA is the nearest anime convention to East Peoria. Their first year will be June 18-20, 2010 at The Lodge Hotel. Organizers called Anime-Zap! "field training" for the convention's fledgling staff. Learn more about QC Anime-zing! at http://www.qcanimezing.com
Organizers have not yet determined if they will hold an Anime-Zap! in 2011.
