Shoujocon

Shoujocon was an American fan convention for anime and manga which focused on the shōjo (girls') subgenre. The convention was founded in 2000 by then-anonymous women identified as "Nora" and "Katchan",^[1] and initially financed through eBay sales of fan-donated merchandise.^[2] Shoujocon quickly grew from 456 attendees^[3] to a peak of 1,252.^[4] In addition to its unique audience, Shoujocon attempted many other organizational and programmatic innovations during its time, such as an international staff which held meetings entirely online,^[1] support for doujinshi artists and writers, and cultural workshops.^[5]

In 2002, Nora and Katchan stepped down, turning leadership over to the newly formed Shoujo Arts Society (SAS), a non-profit organization incorporated to manage Shoujocon and promote the shōjo subgenre via other events.^[6] For the 2003 convention, Shoujocon moved to Rye, New York, where difficulties with the hotel and the change of location triggered a severe drop in attendance^[7] and poor reviews of the convention.^[8] The 2004 convention was first postponed,^[9] then canceled altogether.^[10]

Working with the organizers of Yuricon, the Shoujo Arts Society later announced a joint event called "Onna!"^[11] which was held in October 2005.^[12]