This year's theme is “Quinceañera – Coming Of Age,” a nod to San Japan's growth and its San Antonio roots.
San Japan had me at the water ninjas. Rewind to downtown San Antonio on a hot August afternoon in 2009, Lexington Avenue between the old Municipal Auditorium and El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel . A sea of sweaty cosplayers in colorful wigs and outfits crisscross between the two venues.
The occasion: San Japan 2.x, the follow-up to the city's first-of-its-kind convention dedicated to Japanese animation, video games and pop culture. What made it extra special: a string of outdoor water coolers manned by so-called 'water ninjas' to replenish all those thirsty Pikachus and Sailor Moons. It's that extra level of fan-first care that's fueled San Japan across three decades. And why in this old nerd's opinion it's the best geek con in San Antonio. The long-running event looks to prove as much once again Labor Day weekend, when San Japan 15 runs Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 at the Henry B. González Convention Center. MORE CON MADNESS: 'Cobra Kai' stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka are coming to Big Texas Comicon This year's theme is “Quinceañera – Coming Of Age,” a nod to San Japan's growth and its San Antonio roots. And like any real quinceañera, you can't have a celebration without family. Which is often how attendees feel the moment they enter this colorful, festive world. “They're like the characters jumping out of the screen,' said longtime attendee Martin Machado, whose first-ever anime convention was the first-ever San Japan in 2008. 'The talent that goes into this, the time, the money, the passion... I remember saying, 'I feel like I’m home.' ' “It’s really that joy that you get from being around your fellow nerds,' said San Japan chairman Miguel Rodriguez, who has been involved in the event for more than a decade. 'And we all feed on that. It drives us to do what we’re doing.' Over the years, I've seen San Japan blossom with Far East-loving fans known as otaku both as a reporter and as a fan of geeky fun. I've even got in on the cosplay fun and brought my daughter to several San Japans, where she's cosplayed as several made-up characters with a penchant for pink wigs and fairy wings. Here's what makes San Japan the belle of the ball when it comes to Alamo City fan fests, courtesy myself and a few fans who have grown up with it. It's grown from 'Zero' to hero David Ramirez has been a member of the San Japan family since 2007 when he was a sophomore at Our Lady of the Lake University. That's when the public relations major and some volunteers put on Zero Day Anime, a sort of San Japan beta test at the campus that drew around 800 fans to the single-day celebration. Last year's San Japan pulled in just north of 24,000. Ramirez has watched the convention grow both as its longtime PR rep and even as its former chairman. He credits that growth to the way San Japan evolves yet never loses sight of its humble beginnings. “I think San Japan’s always stayed true to its original mission and idea, but always allowed a lot of room for experimentation and to keep up with trends,' he said. Some new features this year include True Dungeon, a life-size role-playing game with a walk-through dungeon, the return of VTubers, YouTube and Twitch stars that speak live as virtual characters, and a fashion show partnership with Austin-based Okashicon, which celebrates anime, J-fashion and women in the industry. SCARING UP MORE FUN: A new horror convention is coming to San Antonio with 'Walking Dead,' 'Stranger Things' celebrities It ultimately beat the heat San Japan split its first two years between the Municipal, now the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and El Tropicano, which closed during the pandemic but looks poised for a makeover. Ever mindful of the summer heat, organizers implemented the aforementioned water ninjas to hydrate any attendees in need. San Japan made the leap to a single, blessedly air-conditioned location in 2010 when it moved to the Marriott Rivercenter hotel for its third show, San Japan :3. It made the Convention Center its permanent home in 2012, expanding to include activities at the adjacent Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk hotel. It offers cosplay like no other When it comes to costumed attendees, San Japan showcases some of the best anime, manga and virtual characters you’ll ever see come to life on a convention floor. Anime girls with synthetic masks that convincingly, creepily capture their big cartoon eyes. A towering armored soldier from the hit tabletop game Warhammer 40K painted to look like Deadpool. And, of course, enough 'Sailor Moon' Sailor Scouts and 'Attack on Titan' Survey Corps to make an army. But the real beauty of San Japan cosplay is in the creativity. One of my all-time favorites was a version of La Muerte from the 2014 animated film, 'The Book of Life.' The character in the Día de los Muertos story is a majestic spin on the classic figure La Catrina, in this case a skull-faced siren in a long red dress with a giant red sombrero ringed with candles. The cosplayer captured the big-screen calavera right down to the LED candles and multicolored makeup. That said, one of Rodriguez's favorite San Japan costumes was a low-budget version of a popular 'Star Wars' character the cosplayer elevated to high art. “Last year, I saw a guy in a Mandalorian costume who made his costume out of Whataburger containers,” Rodriguez said. Less famous faces, more famous voices A lot of geek conventions these days host famous movie and TV stars whose autographs and photo ops can run hundreds of dollars. San Japan takes the less famous and less expensive route with guests whose talents shine behind the screen rather than on it. Most San Japan celebrity guests are voice-over performers who dub all those hit Japanese anime in English, along with Japanese anime producers and studio reps. They may not be household names in mainstream entertainment, but for diehard anime fans they’re Far East royalty. And their selfies and signatures won't break the bank. MORE: Guest list for San Japan anime, gaming convention packs serious star power Every artist is a star San Japan prides itself on its 'artist alley,' a common feature at conventions where various illustrators sell and showcase their artwork. San Japan makes stars out of its artists regardless of their expertise. Each year, fans submit illustrations for San Japan's official promotional art. The artists can create just about anything that adheres to the theme in good taste. Or they can always go with Sana, San Japan's kimono-clad main mascot that's been there since Zero Day. There’s probably too much to do Nothing brings me down like a geek con where the only thing to do besides cosplay is crank out my debit card. I like my artist prints and secondary-market action figures as much as the next nerd, but I also like to pay admission for an experience, not just a shopping spree. San Japan has offered all sorts of creative activities, such as the inaugural convention's 'Ani-Idol,' an anime spin on 'American Idol' where contestants sing their favorite anime, gaming or J-pop song. Subsequent years have featured more cosplay fun beyond the judges' table, such as cosplay chess, mock combat and live-action Pokémon matches between cosplaying attendees. Then there are all those San Japan panels. Your true geek conventions feature multiple panels dedicated to the ins and outs of anime, horror or whatever genre marks the occasion. San Japan also prides itself on information overload, with panels that cover just about everything from how to sew your first cosplay cape to how to break into anime, manga, J-pop, etc. It brings the beat in otaku style San Japan has hosted various music artists and entertainers from Japan and the United States. This year's roster includes Osaka rockers Burnout Syndromes, along with EDM superstars Tokyo Machine, Slushii and Find the Rabbit for those extra kinetic beats and bass. San Japan also slows it down with style for its popular Masquerade, a fancy dress ball with ornate masks and formal attire plucked straight out of the Carnival of Venice. The dance often unfolds on a Friday night; just note you must purchase a 3-day San Japan pass to attend this event, as there are no Friday-only passes. It's a gamer's paradise San Japan has always had a video game presence with the stuff of 'Street Fighter' and 'Super Mario Kart' blaring through the convention, along with various Japanese import games and emulators. But there's a reason San Japan bills itself as the biggest anime and gaming convention in South Texas. In 2015, the indie gaming festival known as PAX for Penny Arcade Expo expanded to San Antonio with PAX South, only to pull the plug for good after its last show in early 2020 before the pandemic. Since then, San Japan has leveled up to fill the void with all sorts of electronic and unplugged gaming options for attendees. 'We have a 100,000 square-foot arcade,' Rodriguez said. On the plug-in side, that includes claw machines and Pachinko, rhythm games and fighting games, retro video games with classic consoles. As for tabletop action, San Japan hosts a lending library with diversions that include role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder and trading card games such as Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. Which draws all sorts of gaming fans no matter how much or how little they tune in to anime and cosplay. 'The game consoles really do take me back,' said frequent San Japan attendee and cosplayer Reilyn Ortiz, who is always up for a classic game of 'Super Smash Bros.' 'It’s a pump of nostalgia with some modern games as well. It’s so much fun and people are so friendly.' San Japan Cares about access and inclusivity Adriana Akiyama from Austin goes to anime conventions all over North America and Japan, and has attended every San Japan except the 2021 convention due to a previous engagement at another con. She manages this otaku-level obsession with multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, which limit her mobility. The lifelong 'Sailor Moon' fan and disability advocate noted she enjoys the best of both worlds at San Japan thanks to its San Japan Cares program, a volunteer service Ramirez set up during his chairmanship that helps attendees with disabilities as well as families who need a hand with small children. “It’s made our convention experience so much easier and better,' said Akiyama, who noted the program goes the extra mile beyond the required ADA compliance for wheelchair access. 'It's a comfy safe space, basically.'
San Japans Okashicon Big Texas Comicon True Dungeon Our Lady Of The Lake University Whataburger PAX South EDM Carnival Of Venice San Japan Cares Sana David Ramirez Miguel Rodriguez Martin Machado Adriana Akiyama Ralph Macchio William Zabka Reilyn Ortiz Deadpool Survey Corps La Catrina Vtubers Mandalorian Slushii Dungeons &Amp San Antonio Japanese El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel Lexington Avenue Henry B. González Convention Center Municipal Auditorium Japan Far East Austin Alamo City Marriott Rivercenter Tobin Center For The Performing Arts Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk South Texas North America United States Osaka Warhammer 40K Labor Day Quinceañera -- Coming Of Age Día De Los Muertos PAX Quinceañera -- Coming Of Age Zero Day Anime MORE CON MADNESS Pikachus Sailor Moon Pokémon Ani-Idol Youtube Twitch English Dragons Magic: The Gathering Burnout Syndromes Tokyo Machine Pathfinder Cobra Kai The Book Of Life Masquerade Zero La Muerte Stranger Things Attack On Titan Walking Dead Star Wars Street Fighter Super Mario Kart Super Smash Bros American Idol
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