Otakuthon – August 5-7, 2022 Palais des congrès de Montréal LiveEvents July 28, 2022 1875 Otakuthon Anime Convention Since its first edition back in 2006, Otakuthon has been a non-profit fan-run convention organized entirely by volunteers that are driven by the passion to attract thousands of participants from Quebec and abroad to promote popular modern Japanese culture such as anime (Japanese animation), manga and cosplay. Otakuthon has continued to grow each summer, bringing in more high profile Japanese guests, artists and exhibitors from across the corners of the globe. The activities range from video gaming to premiere title screening, various entertaining panels, and the very popular Masquerade skit show. The convention is an all-age family friendly event, offering a variety of new activities for longtime fans as well as a new experiences for the first-time comers. In 2019, Otakuthon celebrated its 14th edition and set a new record for its attendance and popularity with over 25,533 participants over the weekend. MASQUERADEOne of the defining attractions of Otakuthon, the Masquerade, is an anime character costume contestfeaturing the best of our attendees’ sense of fashion and design. As the most attended and popular event of the convention, massive line-ups easily fill the main events room of over 2,700 seats to watch the biggest show of the convention. EXHIBITION HALLThe exhibition hall is a 108 600 square foot room that features hundreds of exhibitors and artists hailing from all corners of North America. Thousands of anime and manga related items, arts craft as well as clothes are on sale in this massive hall. OTAKUTHON ALL-STARSOtakuthon Idol is transforming this year: Otakuthon All-Stars is a new event that extends the stage to all talented performance artists, not just singers. Featuring singers, dancers, musicians, drag queens, jugglers, impersonators, and anything in between! TABLETOP GAMING ROOMThe Tabletop Gaming Room is a 8,000 square foot space and is reserved for board gaming, trading card games, roleplaying games and wargames. With a dedicated team to help attendees discover new games and entertain them, the Tabletop Gaming Room is one of the most popular areas of the convention. WORLD COSPLAY SUMMITSince 2014, Otakuthon is home to the Canadian national preliminaries of the World Cosplay Summit (WCS). First started in 2003 as an invitational event hosted by TV Aichi, WCS initially included a cosplay competition where countries sent representatives to compete in the Cosplay Championship with the goal of promoting Japanese youth culture. Since then, the event has grown and now involves competitors from over 25 regions/nations. MANGA LIBRARYThe Manga Library is a quiet area where attendees come and relax while reading a large variety of mangas from Otakuthon’s ever growing library of French and English titles. Several child friendly activities are also organized at the Manga Library. GAMING EVENTSJust as popular as the Exhibition Hall, the ever-growing Video Game Room is home to video gaming tournaments on PCs as well as all major consoles. Attendees can play a variety of games ranging from role-playing games and first-person shooters to rhythm games (ex: Dance Dance Revolution) OTAKUDANCECosplay dances on Friday and Saturday evenings mark the end of a day of the convention. Animated by talented DJs and completed with club-like lighting and sound systems, attendees enjoy the party atmosphere until dusk. VIDEO ROOMSFrom cozy rooms with a small projector on a portable screen to a giant cinema with seating for over 450attendees, Otakuthon’s video rooms have been a staple of the convention since its beginnings. The video rooms are a great place for attendees to relax while enjoying anime content that ranges from old favorites to latest releases from Japan. PANELS AND WORKSHOPSOver a hundred of onsite workshops and panels are hosted by local and international experts. COSPLAY CAFÉAs the food court of the convention with costumed hosts and hostesses, the Cosplay Café menu features Japanese and Asian cuisine such as sushi, takoyaki balls and bubble tea, all of which have now permeated culinary culture in North America. Furthermore, the Cosplay Café features thematic music and activities to entertain the attendees. For more information, including the complete list of guests, and to purchase your tickets visit: www.otakuthon.com