At this time we are preparing for our 20th festival as The J-POP Foundation.
Details about this festival are located at the dedicated website www.animecon.nl.
This is however not the 20th festival we are organizing, we did a lot more.
Our previous events were (in reverse chronological order):
AnimeCon 2023 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 24)
Location: De Broodfabriek, Rijswijk
Date: June 2023
Number of visitors: Friday 3.100, Saturday 4.600, Sunday 3.700, so approximately 11.500 visits over three days by more than 6.800 unique visitors.
Special: Shao Dow the manga loving rapper was Live on Stage and acted as commentator during our Smash Bros. Ultimate competition in the Game Room. Voice actors Rachelle Heger and Laura Post answered questions about their work. In the video program we screened the Ghibli movie Ponyo as part of our new children’s video program. We also had a record number of 18 different caterers and a specialty beer tasting. Our hottest convention ever: there was an official weather alert due to the heat.
AnimeCon Classic 2022 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 23)
Location: Theaterhotel, Almelo
Date: September 2022
Number of visitors: Friday 1.100, Saturday 1.400, Sunday 1.200, so approximately 3.800 visits over three days by more than 1.200 unique visitors.
Special: A throwback to the roots of AnimeCon with a fitting classic theme. With workshops to teach you the classic dances of the Roaring Twenties and a dance evening with a Live band. Along with a full Anime Cinema program showcasing 17 movies and 28 TV series like Your Name, Weathering with you, The House of the Lost on the Cape, The Wonderland, Promare, the four EVANGELION movies, Demon Slayer and SPY X FAMILY.
AnimeCon 2022 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 22)
Location: De Broodfabriek, Rijswijk
Date: June 2022
Number of visitors: Friday 3.300, Saturday 5.900, Sunday 4.500, so approximately 13.800 visits over three days by more than 7.800 unique visitors. On Saturday we sold out in the afternoon, the first time we sold out since 2003.
Special: Shiroku came Live on Stage with lively Japanese dance-pop-covers, originals and emotional ballads from the latest Anime. VTV World presented around 20 groups of Japanese music artists. They showed what the Japanese indie music community has to offer the rest of the world, and they did this from within VRChat.
AnimeCon 2019 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 21)
Location: Ahoy, Rotterdam
Date: June 2019
Number of visitors: Friday 4.700, Saturday 6.100, Sunday 5.200, so approximately 16.000 visits over three days by more than 8.200 unique visitors
Special: Myth & Roid and TeddyLoid came over from Japan as main acts. We had the European premieres of The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Danmachi/Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon: Arrow of Orion and Laidbackers and Dutch premieres for Maquia, When the promised flower blooms and Iron Sky: the coming race.
Anime 2018 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 20)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: June 2018
Number of visitors: Friday 4.500, Saturday 5.600, Sunday 5.100, so approximately 15.200 visits over three days by more than 7.600 unique visitors
Special: JAM Project came over from Japan as our main act and bands like Necronomidol Speakerheadz and Savage states as side acts. AMV 1 on 1’s, a Studio Ghibli lecture followed by a screening of the Red Turtle.
Anime 2017 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 19)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: June 2017
Number of visitors: Friday 4.300, Saturday 5.500, Sunday 5.100, i.e. approximately 14.900 visits over three days by more than 7.700 unique visitors
Special: Minami came over from Japan as our main act, the third edition of Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup with participants from the China and Malaysia, Fabricator Djinn, Hoku Props, Pion Kim, Reika, Solid Snake and Eurika as cosplay judges, 12 caterers offered a wide variety of Japanese food at over 18 food stalls, there was the 18+ Sushi event and a revitalized video program showing Anthem of the Heart, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and an extended collaboration with Camera Japan.
Anime 2016 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 18)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: June 2016
Number of visitors: Friday 4.100, Saturday 5.700, Sunday 4.700, i.e. approximately 14.500 visits over three days by more than 7.600 unique visitors
Special: fripSide came over from Japan, the second edition of Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup with participants from the United States and Russia, Etaru, Kev, Luca Buzzi, Manuel Capitani, Calix and Goldy as cosplay judges, 9 caterers offered a wide variety of Japanese food, sponsorship by the Japan Foundation and the Japanese ambassador visited us for the first time!
Anime 2015 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 17)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: June 2015
Number of visitors: Friday 3.600, Saturday 5.300, Sunday 3.900, i.e. approximately 12.700 visits over three days by more than 6.600 unique visitors
Special: Back-ON came over from Japan, the first edition of Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup, Kukoru, Minemes, Reika, Shappi, Tsubaki and Wirru as cosplay judges, 7 caterers offered a wide variety of Japanese food, American Wrestling!
Anime 2014 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 16)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: June 2014
Number of visitors: Friday 3.000, Saturday 4.800, Sunday 3.200, i.e. approximately 11.000 visits over three days by more than 5.700 unique visitors
Special: Kotoko came over from Japan, Origa from Russia, Kamui, Reika, TaeYeon Kim and Yaya Han as cosplay judges, Hideo Baba and Helen McCarthy as special guest, the Alfred J. Kwak exhibition and performance, the first figure exhibition.
Anime 2013 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 15)
Location: World Forum, The Hague
Date: May 2013
Number of visitors: Friday 2.600, Saturday 3.500, Sunday 2.700, i.e. approximately 8.800 visits over three days by more than 4.500 unique visitors
Special: Altima came over from Japan, Dutch preliminaries for the World Cosplay Summit, EuroCosplay, the European Cosplay Gathering, Yamato Cup and CICAF. Taji the chef’s Sushi workshop, the Anime Prom and a full fledged combat dojo.
Anime 2012 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 14)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2012
Number of visitors: Friday 1.500, Saturday 2.000, Sunday 1.400, i.e. approximately 4.900 visits over three days by more than 2.450 unique visitors
Special: m.o.v.e and Tom Nagae came over from Japan, Dutch preliminaries for the World Cosplay Summit, EuroCosplay and the European Cosplay Gathering, the second Dutch Manga Awards, Helen McCarthy, Lizemijn Libgott, Martin Lodewijk and Sytse Algera as special guests.
Anime 2011 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 13)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2011
Number of visitors: Friday 1.450, Saturday 2.000, Sunday 1.450, i.e. approximately 4.900 visits over three days by more than 2.450 unique visitors
Special: Aural Vampire came over from Japan, Dutch preliminaries for the World Cosplay Summit, EuroCosplay and the European Cosplay Gathering, the first Dutch Manga Awards, all video rooms were in high definition video, Arie van Kooten as special guest.
Event program: the 2011 event program (still on-line for the first time).
Anime 2010 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 12)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2010
Number of visitors: Friday 1.050, Saturday 1.500, Sunday 1.200, i.e. approximately 3.750 visits over three days by more than 1.800 unique visitors
Special: 5.1 Surround sound in every video room, VR1 fully in high definition video. Two bands. Helen McCarthy as special guest.
Anime 2009 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 11)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2009
Number of visitors: Friday 1.100, Saturday 1.500, Sunday 1.100, i.e. approximately 3.700 visits over three days by more than 1.650 unique visitors
Special: New and larger dealer room
Anime 2008 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 10)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2008
Number of visitors: approximately 1350
Anime 2007 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 9)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: June 2007
Number of visitors: approximately 1300
Anime 2006 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 8)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: June 2006
Number of visitors: approximately 1300
Anime 2005 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 7)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2005
Number of visitors: 1157
Special: Karaoke night and secondary dealer room
Anime 2004 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 6)
Location: Theaterhotel Almelo, Almelo
Date: May 2004
Number of visitors: 1043
Special: Real 750-seat theatre with 5.1 sound, even bigger dealer and game room, 4th video room
Guests: Mr. Tatsuo Sato and Mr. Takatoshi Chino (Studio Xebec)
Anime 2003 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 5)
Location: Haarlem, Hotel Haarlem-Zuid
Date: February 2003
Number of visitors: 770
Special: Bigger dealer room, No special guests
Anime 2002 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 4)
Location: Veldhoven, Koningshof
Date: February 2002
Number of visitors: 524
Special: 2*5.1 sound system, first cosplay contest. No special guests
Anime 2001 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 3)
Location: Veldhoven, Koningshof
Date: February 2001
Number of visitors: 382
Anime 2000 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 2)
Location: Veldhoven, Koningshof
Date: February 2000
Number of visitors: 300+
Special: Kenji Horikawa as a guest (Producer Jin-Roh, Popolocrois, Arc the Lad)
Anime ’99 (J-POP Foundation – nr. 1)
Location: Rotterdam, Holiday Inn
Date: February 1999
Number of visitors: 208
Special: First real festival, guests from Xebec and Bandai
Made in Japan – Animation film cycle (co organized by AWH)
Location: Maastricht
Date: 1998
Number of visitors: Unknown
Special: Organized in a film theatre
Summer of Anime (AWH and DAS)
Location: Den Bosch
Date: 1998
Number of visitors: 150+
Special: First 2 day event
Second Impact (AWH)
Location: Maastricht
Date: 1998
Number of visitors: Between 100 and 150
Special: Sales people from Pioneer UK and Dynamic Benelux
Famicon III (DAS)
Location: Den Bosch
Date: 1997
Number of visitors: 110
Nacht van de grote Anime (AWH)
Location: Maastricht
Date: 1997
Number of visitors: 40
Famicon II (DAS)
Location: Den Bosch
Date: 1996
Number of visitors: 80
Famicon (festival named after the FaniManga fanzine) (DAS)
Location: Papendrecht, The Netherlands
Date: 1995
Number of visitors: 32 (including an American)