Animethon comes of age

Animethon organizers were expecting over 7,000 people to turn out to the event's 20th anniversary.

Edmonton’s Animethon celebrated their Seijin-Shiki, a coming of age ceremony, this weekend.

Organizers said the event, which celebrates Japanese animation, began in two rooms at Grant MacEwan with less than 80 people in 1994.

“Now the twentieth year we’re expecting way over 7,000 people to attend,” the event’s assistant director of pubic relations, Vicky Lau, told CTV News.

Lau credited social media for Animethon’s popularity.

“It’s just easy to communicate different cultures across the globe.”

The event, which wrapped up on Sunday, featured dozens of activities many that were unrelated to the Asian art-style.

A scavenger hunt, makeup application course, dance off, Doctor Who game, bingo and a Lego station were among the over 100 happenings over the weekend.

“This is one of those conventions where people with a similar interest and passion can get together and meet their friends,” Lau explained.

Many also donned costumes in honour of their favourite anime or video game characters.

“Some people make their own costume, some people purchase their costume and some people go really full out with the big guns and the props,” she smiled.

According to the event’s Twitter account they are the longest-running Anime convention in the country.