Otakuthon, Anime Convention

Otakuthon is Quebec’s largest festival celebrating Japanese animation (anime), graphic novels (manga), gaming, and pop culture.

The first of its kind in Montreal, Otakuthon is a full-fledged, fan-run, bilingual anime convention that features a number of special guests as well as many activities and events spotlighting anime, manga, video games, artwork, and Japanese culture.

The Artists’ Area – a marketplace for illustrators, painters, writers, and crafters to display and sell their arts and crafts.
Cosplay events: Otakuthon features a Masquerade, a Cosplay Chess and a Cosplay RPG Battle. Many attendees spend most of the convention in costume as their favorite anime, manga or video game character.
Gaming: Otakuthon has a large room for playing video games on consoles and PCs, with tournaments scheduled throughout the weekend. It has also tables reserved for tabletop card-trading games.
Merchandise: The convention has a large Dealers’ Area in which commercial merchants such retailers and professional artists and crafters set up booths and sell anime, manga and video game related merchandise. It is one of the main attractions of the convention. There is also a garage sale section where attendees can buy used merchandise items.
Music: There are musical performances throughout the weekend. There is at least one concert at the convention featuring a musical Guest. Otakuthon also features karaoke rooms and hosts the Otakuthon Idol singing contest.
Panels and workshops: Otakuthon, like almost every convention, has panels and workshops on subjects such as various anime series, how to draw manga, voice acting, Japanese culture and a variety of other topics. While Guests of Honour discuss and tell news or stories about their roles or occupations and answer questions from the audience, most panels and workshops are given by fans rather than Guests.

Plus: Yaoithon, Yurithon, Dollfest, the Hakurei Shrine Festival, and Pokéthon.

For tickets and information: www.otakuthon.com