JAFAX

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Coordinates: 42°58′7″N 85°40′23″W / 42.96861°N 85.67306°W / 42.96861; -85.67306
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JAFAX
StatusActive
GenreAnime, Manga, Gaming[1][2]
VenueAmway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place
Location(s)Grand Rapids, Michigan
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1996
Attendance3,500 in 2016[3]
Organized byJAFAX[4]
Websitehttp://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]

Programming[edit]

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[edit]

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 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[edit]

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		500Robert DeJesus[18]
June 19, 1999 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		750[19]
June 24–25, 2000 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		800Robert DeJesus[20]
June 24–25, 2001 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		900Steve Bennett, Robert DeJesus, and Doug Smith.[21]
June 22–23, 2002 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		1,300Steve Bennett, James Dawsey, Robert DeJesus, Nickey Froberg, Amy Howard-Wilson, and Doug Smith.[22]
June 21–22, 2003 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		1,500James 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		2,200Michael 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		3,000Tiffany Grant, Amy Howard-Wilson, Joseph Onyskow, Jan Scott-Frazier, and Doug Smith.[30]
June 25–26, 2011 Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan		3,200James 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		3,500Mark 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		3,800Yunmao 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		5,500James 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		3,5002D6, 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]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Celebrating Japanese Animation". Grand Valley State University. June 25, 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e Phillips, Ellie (July 7, 2013). "Modern expo also offers traditional Japanese entertainment". Grand Valley Lanthorn. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  3. ^ a b "JAFAX 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  4. ^ a b c d "A Pokémon Professor, a Parasite and a Titan Walk Into a Convention..." Anime News Network. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Odette, Linda (June 24, 2010). "JAFAX, Grand Rapids anime expo, opens Saturday at GVSU". MLive. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Hayden, Jim (June 18, 2013). "JAFAX anime convention teeming with just plain cool costumes". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  7. ^ a b Hayden, Jim (June 20, 2014). "Annual anime conference JAFAX will bring out creative costumes". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  8. ^ Hayden, Jim (March 18, 2015). "JAFAX anime convention at GVSU cancelled". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  9. ^ Ayakawa, Yunmao (August 2, 2012). "JAFAX Cosplay Takes Over Grand Rapids, MI". Otaku USA. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  10. ^ a b Kramer, Cheyanne (July 6, 2016). "JAFAX 2016: What's changed?". The Oakland Post. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  11. ^ "JAFAX moves anime expo to DeVos Place". WXMI. June 24, 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  12. ^ "JAFAX 2020 Cancellation". JAFAX. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  13. ^ "JAFAX 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  14. ^ "JAFAX 2021 Cancellation". JAFAX. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  15. ^ "JAFAX 2021 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  16. ^ "JAFAX 1996 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  17. ^ "JAFAX 1997 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  18. ^ "JAFAX 1998 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  19. ^ "JAFAX 1999 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  20. ^ "JAFAX 2000 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  21. ^ "JAFAX 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  22. ^ "JAFAX 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  23. ^ "JAFAX 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  24. ^ "JAFAX 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  25. ^ "JAFAX 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  26. ^ "JAFAX 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  27. ^ "JAFAX 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  28. ^ "JAFAX 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  29. ^ "JAFAX 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  30. ^ "JAFAX 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  31. ^ "JAFAX 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  32. ^ "JAFAX 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  33. ^ "JAFAX 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  34. ^ "JAFAX 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
  35. ^ "JAFAX 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
  36. ^ "JAFAX 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  37. ^ "JAFAX 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  38. ^ "JAFAX 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  39. ^ "JAFAX 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2023-06-20.

External links[edit]

42°58′7″N 85°40′23″W / 42.96861°N 85.67306°W / 42.96861; -85.67306

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