JAFAX
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anime convention
StatusActive
LocationGrand Rapids, Michigan
| JAFAX | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime, Manga, Gaming[1][2] |
| Venue | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place |
| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1996 |
| Attendance | 3,500 in 2016[3] |
| Organized by | JAFAX[4] |
| Website | http://www.jafax.org/ |
JAFAX is an annual three day anime convention held during June/July at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The convention's full name stands for Japanese Animation Film and Art Expo. JAFAX was previously a two-day event held at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and was organized by the university's anime club (Otaku No Anime) and tabletop gaming club (AltReal).[2][5][6]
The convention typically offers anime screenings, an artist alley, dance, fashion shows, game shows, guest speakers, maid cafe, masquerade, music video contest, panel discussions, tabletop gaming, vendors, and video games.[2][4][5][6][7]
Charity events in 2016 included the 100 Tables Project and a Blood Drive.[4]
History
The event was started in 1995 by Rob Grimes, to spread anime in West Michigan.[2][5] JAFAX for its first two years was held at the Kendall College of Art and Design, before moving to Grand Valley State University.[2] No convention was held in 2015 due to outgrowing the space available at Grand Valley State University, the search for a new venue, and organizational changes.[8] The event was free until moving in 2016 to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place.[4][7][9][10][11] Registration that year experienced issues and the convention shared its hotel with several weddings.[10] JAFAX 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12][13][14][15]
Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 22-23, 1996 | Kendall College of Art and Design Grand Rapids, Michigan | 150[16] | |
| June 21–22, 1997 | Kendall College of Art and Design Grand Rapids, Michigan | 350[17] | |
| June 27–28, 1998 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 500 | Robert DeJesus[18] |
| June 19, 1999 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 750[19] | |
| June 24–25, 2000 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 800 | Robert DeJesus[20] |
| June 24–25, 2001 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 900 | Steve Bennett, Robert DeJesus, and Doug Smith.[21] |
| June 22–23, 2002 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 1,300 | Steve Bennett, James Dawsey, Robert DeJesus, Nickey Froberg, Amy Howard-Wilson, and Doug Smith.[22] |
| June 21–22, 2003 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 1,500 | James Dawsey, Robert DeJesus, Amy Howard-Wilson, Bruce Lewis, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Doug Smith.[23] |
| June 26–27, 2004 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 2,200 | Michael Coleman, James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Newton Ewell, Nickey Froberg, Amy Howard-Wilson, Bruce Lewis, Kevin Lillard, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Doug Smith.[1][24] |
| June 25–26, 2005 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | Michael Coleman, James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Trevor Devall, Nickey Froberg, Amy Howard-Wilson, Bruce Lewis, and Jan Scott-Frazier.[25] | |
| June 24–25, 2006[26] | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | ||
| June 24–25, 2007 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 2,500[27] | |
| June 21–22, 2008 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Amy Howard-Wilson, Bruce Lewis, Mundee Lewis, Joseph Onyskow, Jan Scott-Frazier, Bruce Lewis, and David G. Wilson III.[28] | |
| June 27–28, 2009 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | Mark Crilley, James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Amy Howard-Wilson, Bruce Lewis, Mundee Lewis, Joseph Onyskow, Jeremy Robinson, Jan Scott-Frazier, Doug Smith, and David G. Wilson III.[29] | |
| June 26–27, 2010 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 3,000 | Tiffany Grant, Amy Howard-Wilson, Joseph Onyskow, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Doug Smith.[30] |
| June 25–26, 2011 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 3,200 | James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Kyle Hebert, Michael House, Dan Houser, Joseph Onyskow, Kristene Onyskow, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Doug Smith.[31] |
| June 23–24, 2012 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 3,500 | Mark Crilley, James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Dan Houser, Amy Howard-Wilson, Joseph Onyskow, Kristene Onyskow, Jeremy Robinson, Salia, Jan Scott-Frazier, Doug Smith, and David G. Wilson III.[32] |
| June 22–23, 2013 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 3,800 | Yunmao Ayakawa, James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Dan Houser, Amy Howard-Wilson, Comfort Love, Joseph Onyskow, Kristene Onyskow, Jan Scott-Frazier, Doug Smith, David G. Wilson III, and Adam Withers.[6][33] |
| June 21–22, 2014 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan | 5,500 | James Dawsey, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Darrel Guilbeau, Dan Houser, Amy Howard-Wilson, Joseph Onyskow, Kristene Onyskow, Chris Rager, Jan Scott-Frazier, Doug Smith, Lisle Wilkerson, and David G. Wilson III.[34] |
| June 24–26, 2016 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | 3,500 | 2D6, James Dawsey, Dan Houser, Amy Howard-Wilson, Samantha Inoue-Harte, Brittney Karbowski, Comfort Love, Jake Paque, Tyson Rinehart, David G. Wilson III, and Adam Withers.[3] |
| June 16–18, 2017 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Kristie Good, Kyle Hebert, Dan Houser, Andrew Love, Comfort Love, J. Michael Tatum, David Vincent, and Lex Winter.[35] | |
| June 29 - July 1, 2018 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Zach Aguilar, Justin Briner, Clifford Chapin, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Todd Haberkorn, Comfort Love, Lex Winter, and Adam Withers.[36] | |
| June 7-9, 2019 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Steve Blum, Luci Christian, Cherami Leigh, Comfort Love, Jamie Marchi, Lex Winter, and Adam Withers.[37] | |
| June 24-26, 2022 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Tia Ballard, Jillian Coglan, Samurai Dan Coglan, Caitlin Glass, Jerry Jewell, Tyson Rinehart, and Lex Winter.[38] | |
| June 9-11, 2023 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Aaron Campbell, Sean Chiplock, Kohei Hattori, Cherami Leigh, Katriel Paige, and Lex Winter.[39] | |
| June 21-23, 2024 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Jillian Coglan, Samurai Dan Coglan, Kohei Hattori, Xanthe Huynh, Mike McFarland, and Chris Patton.[40] | |
| June 27-29, 2025 | Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan | Tiana Camacho, David Errigo Jr., Kohei Hattori, and Stephanie Nadolny.[41] |
References
- 1 2 "Celebrating Japanese Animation". Grand Valley State University. June 25, 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Phillips, Ellie (July 7, 2013). "Modern expo also offers traditional Japanese entertainment". Grand Valley Lanthorn. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- 1 2 "JAFAX 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
- 1 2 3 4 "A Pokémon Professor, a Parasite and a Titan Walk Into a Convention..." Anime News Network. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 Odette, Linda (June 24, 2010). "JAFAX, Grand Rapids anime expo, opens Saturday at GVSU". MLive. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- 1 2 3 Hayden, Jim (June 18, 2013). "JAFAX anime convention teeming with just plain cool costumes". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- 1 2 Hayden, Jim (June 20, 2014). "Annual anime conference JAFAX will bring out creative costumes". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ↑ Hayden, Jim (March 18, 2015). "JAFAX anime convention at GVSU cancelled". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ↑ Ayakawa, Yunmao (August 2, 2012). "JAFAX Cosplay Takes Over Grand Rapids, MI". Otaku USA. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- 1 2 Kramer, Cheyanne (July 6, 2016). "JAFAX 2016: What's changed?". The Oakland Post. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ "JAFAX moves anime expo to DeVos Place". WXMI. June 24, 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2020 Cancellation". JAFAX. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2021 Cancellation". JAFAX. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2021 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ↑ "JAFAX 1996 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 1997 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 1998 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 1999 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2000 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2024 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
- ↑ "JAFAX 2025 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
External links
List of anime conventions in North America | |||||||||
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| United States |
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42°58′7″N 85°40′23″W / 42.96861°N 85.67306°W / 42.96861; -85.67306