Who started Fanime? Why?

[winnie2463]

I'm trying this again because last time the only answer I got was a thread that had a timeline of Fanime's locations through the years, and then the thread was locked.  The timeline was helpful, but didn't give me the information I really needed.

Does anyone know who started Fanime?  Did it begin as part of an anime club?  That sort of thing.

Thanks again!

[Otaku_PhreakBoi]

It began as a college gathering I believe. The rest I don't know.

[frumpy]

Fanime started out about 12 years ago as a gathering of local anime clubs from colleges around the bay area. During our first year, we had an attendence of about 200. Since then, things just took off.  :wink:

[Mach5Motorsport]

Fanime started out about 12 years ago as a gathering of local anime clubs from colleges around the bay area. During our first year, we had an attendence of about 200. Since then, things just took off.  :wink:

Yes, the origins of Fanime are shrouded in mystery.  I hear that it involves a six pack of TAB cola, pocky, an old 20" Zenith color tv, a sony VCR, and a copy of Captain Harlock. :D

God bless, Mike, Matt, Tomoko, Bruce, James, and those others whose names have faded from my memory. :wink:

[grove]

Didn't it start at Foothill's Anime Club or something? That was my impression.

[Stormfalcon]

Nope, though Foothill was a participating club.  It actually started as a get-together of the area clubs over at CSU Hayward and eventually migrated to Foothill College for a few of the early years of the con.

[Leishu]

I could kiss you for spelling Harlock correctly, Brian...

Really!

Inu, annoyed at new releases. >_<

[Hank-KKD]

As a long-time HArlock fan, I don't like it either. But supposedly, HErlock is what Matsumoto now prefers.

[Mach5Motorsport]

As a long-time HArlock fan, I don't like it either. But supposedly, HErlock is what Matsumoto now prefers.

as to what is or is not accepteable translated names.  If Matsumoto NOW changed his mind, that's too bad.  Harlock looks and sounds correct.  Do we now wish to stray way off-topic and discuss Lupan vs. Rupan??? :x

[SuperKawaiiNeko]

I say yea! LUPAN FOREVER!

But, I digress. The way I am to understand it, Fanime started out in 1994 as a gathering of local bay area cons at C.S.U. Hayward. In 96 it moved to foothill college, in 99 it move to the wyndam, in 2000 it moved again to the Westin, and in 04 it moved to the Marriot. My first year was 1998, the final year of its stint at foothill college. The information of years preceeding this has been taken from a small piece by Bruce Turenne about the history of Fanime, located on page 4 of the Fanime 2002 guidebook (Best fanime guidebook ever.)

If you REALLY want me to, and ask REALLY nicely, I *MAY* be persuaded to transcribe the entire piece.

....maybe.

[Mach5Motorsport]

I say yea! LUPAN FOREVER!

But, I digress. The way I am to understand it, Fanime started out in 1994 as a gathering of local bay area cons at C.S.U. Hayward. In 96 it moved to foothill college, in 99 it move to the wyndam, in 2000 it moved again to the Westin, and in 04 it moved to the Marriot. My first year was 1998, the final year of its stint at foothill college. The information of years preceeding this has been taken from a small piece by Bruce Turenne about the history of Fanime, located on page 4 of the Fanime 2002 guidebook (Best fanime guidebook ever.)

If you REALLY want me to, and ask REALLY nicely, I *MAY* be persuaded to transcribe the entire piece.

....maybe.

I really think my annotated version is way cooler. 8)

[Hank-KKD]

As a long-time HArlock fan, I don't like it either. But supposedly, HErlock is what Matsumoto now prefers.

as to what is or is not accepteable translated names.  If Matsumoto NOW changed his mind, that's too bad.  Harlock looks and sounds correct.  Do we now wish to stray way off-topic and discuss Lupan vs. Rupan??? :x

Many of the very early artbooks and manga did use the "Herlock" spelling. Apparently there's some literary justification for the "Herlock" spelling, but like I said, I prefer "Harlock" as well so I'm not going to belabor the point.

[Gogetah]

The first FanimeCon was in 1994 at Cal State Hayward (now called Cal State East Bay) http://www.csuhayward.edu/ and the "F" in "FanimeCon" stood for "Free" (free to attend).  It was the first anime convention I ever attended and I'm proud to say I've consistently attended each one since. :D

FanimeCon '94 was a 1 day gathering of 3 anime clubs: No-Name http://www.nnanime.com/ , Foothill A.N.I.M.E. http://foothill.anime.net/ , and I don't remember the third.... :( I think its name changed a couple times?

There were 3 large (in comparison to the room sizes at recent anime cons) viewing rooms, each was run by one of the anime clubs and a small dealers room. I remember 2 dealers rooms but I don't remember which year it was....

The main events were the showing of the City Hunter live-action movie and the uncut, subtitled, widescreen (allowing people to see past Akuma/Gouki's knee) Street Fighter animated movie.

-Gogetah

[lyricaldanichan]

The first FanimeCon was in 1994 at Cal State Hayward (now called Cal State East Bay) http://www.csuhayward.edu/ and the "F" in "FanimeCon" stood for "Free" (free to attend).  It was the first anime convention I ever attended and I'm proud to say I've consistently attended each one since. :D

FanimeCon '94 was a 1 day gathering of 3 anime clubs: No-Name http://www.nnanime.com/ , Foothill A.N.I.M.E. http://foothill.anime.net/ , and I don't remember the third.... :( I think its name changed a couple times?

There were 3 large (in comparison to the room sizes at recent anime cons) viewing rooms, each was run by one of the anime clubs.



-Gogetah

The other club from what I could remeber is either BAAS or CA West (which apparenlty is still running). As for Foothill, it is no longer called Foothill A.N.I.M.E, just Foothill Anime.. mostly because it is easier for people to say ;-).

[MindFlayer2]

Ooooh
Deep History,
Fanime was started by many people. Dropping names but the most important would have been Aaron, Dennis, Warner, Bruce, Che, Kyle, Jay O., Garrett, Rob and Mike of Foothill fame. J. Frazier and R. Loo came along later and were a big help.

It was a gathering of 3 anime clubs, no-name, who was extremly hot at the time, Foothill Anime and the mystery 3rd no one seems to remember.
That was Chabot Animage, who along with Cal State Hayward got the con up and made it 1) Free, and 2) for the fans.
It was a moderate success and the rest is history.

A few of the founders Bruce, Aaron, R.Loo, J. Frazier were all convention volunteers and had seen their hobby be sucked up in apathy and politics, so that is why fanime was born.
I remember having dinner with Bruce, Aaron and J. Frazier (R. Loo was so cheerful he wouldnt say anything bad about anyone)  at TGIFridays one night, and both of them were so negative about how certain staff (mainly UC Berk grads) had become so rude to everyone (they eventually went down to Anaheim to form Expo (a great con but lacking the atmosphere of Fanime, its just-not as fun) and Baycon people (who were klingons and con people who thought they could run a con and didnt care what the subject was).
Mike then took over the con, and moved it to Foothill. The core staff remained and it grew from there. (I believe Aaron moved to Japan and lived there for 9 years)

So thats why Fanime started

[MindFlayer2]

And the highlights of Fanime Con 1 were:
1. The city hunter movie (someone had just brought it over and Aaron loved HK movies)
2. The Street Fighter movie with subtitles

and the biggest draw was:

3. The Tenchi Muyo Mihoshi Galactic Police special (subtitled-I think it had been released in Japan one week before the con) At the time Tenchi Muyo, the 6 part OVA was incredibly popluar.

The dealers room was like 3 or 4 dealers, and it was free of charge to the dealers.
Their was a video contest as well, for music anime videos that was very good I remember.  Fred Schott was the guest of honor.

And the number one trivial trivia fact-the original Fanime Con was held on-Father's Day! The next one was not held on Father's Day and attendance tripled.

[winnie2463]

I just wanted to say thanks for all the answers in here.  I  am a grad student in anthropology and am doing research into anime fandom.  I am really interested in the ways in which individuals interact with anime through things like fan art and in the ways that they reach out to each other through clubs, cons, and websites like this one and like Gaia Online.  I am also an anime fan and 2006 will be my second Fanime and I can't wait!