Anime Matsuri

Programming

The convention's programming includes an artists' alley, a carshow, the attendance of celebrities and special guests, cosplay chess, cosplay contests, fashion shows, gaming events, karaoke, LARP, live concerts, maid cafe, panels, a vendors' and exhibitors' area, and workshops. The Charity Auction benefited Child's Play in 2009 and raised over $3,000.

History

The convention was held at George R. Brown Convention Center and Hilton Americas in 2007. Anime Matsuris 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 were held at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, and Anime Matsuri 2011 was held at the Crowne Plaza Houston Hotel near Reliant Park/Medical Center. Anime Matsuri 2013 was held at Hyatt Regency Houston. The Syfy reality series Heroes of Cosplay filmed the masquerade at Anime Matsuri and was featured in an episode. The convention in 2014 moved to the George R. Brown Convention Center. Complaints about the 2014 convention included long lines and delays. The convention in 2015 remained at the George R. Brown Convention Center and used the first and most of the second floors. In May 2016, Anime Matsuri announced that the former CEO of Anime Expo, Marc Perez would join the convention as COO. Anime Matsuri 2020 was moved from July to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was later canceled after Houston announced the city would be holding no more events in 2020.

Controversies

The owners of Anime Matsuri have a history of not paying their partners, like Houston native Mike Udompongsuk, who lent tens of thousands of dollars to Anime Matsuri over the years but never saw reimbursement, and financially burning its guests, like the record label PS Company, which represented the Japanese rock star Miyavi in 2009. Significant financial improprieties have also been alleged against the convention organizers. Voice actress Caitlin Glass attended Anime Matsuri 2014 as one of the guests, but refuses to have anything to do with the convention due to poor organisation and treatment of the guests. Voice actor Matthew Mercer attended as a guest in 2008, and was told without warning to emcee for the opening ceremony. He left Anime Matsuri before the closing ceremony, which he was also presumed to emcee for, despite not being asked.

After Anime Matsuri 2015, John Leigh, the convention's founder was accused of sexual harassment by several members of the Lolita fashion community. These include accusations of unwanted touching, slapping buttocks, sexual jokes, requesting nude photos, lifting up clothing and asking a woman when she last had an orgasm. The convention sent Tyler Willis, owner of YouTube channel Last Week Lolita News a cease and desist letter in early 2018 after reporting about John Leigh's sexual harassment. Boycott Anime Matsuri was formed in 2018 to inform about the convention's past actions, with guests such as Johnny Yong Bosch, Steven Universe voice actors, and Femm later cancelling. Leigh apologized for his past actions.

In 2019, Houston mayor Sylvester Turner was part of the opening ceremony of Anime Matsuri where he said he expected there to be more than 40,000 attendants that year. Anime Matsuri reported an attendance number of 43,000 for that year, but these numbers have been disputed. Anime Matsuri has been accused of inflating the number of attendants in its yearly reports. Patrick Delahanty of AnimeCons.com cited Anime Matsuri as the reason why they did not publish a list of the largest anime cons in the United States in 2019, as they did not want to reward Anime Matsuri for lying. Anime Matsuri has been retroactively removed from all of ''AnimeCons.com'''s previous reports on the largest anime cons of North America, citing the "significant discrepancies" between the numbers reported by the con, and the number of tickets sold according to the venue.

Mayor Turner returned to open the 2021 convention, but his appearance and support of the convention triggered controversy. Concerns were raised in 2025 due to the proposed Texas Senate Bill 20, which creates new criminal offenses for obscene content depicting children and how it would affect the convention.

Event history

Anime Matsuri Mini

Anime Matsuri Mini is a two-day anime convention held during February at the Houston Marriott Sugar Land and Sugar Land Town Square in Sugar Land, Texas.

Event history

Anime Matsuri Hawaii

Anime Matsuri Hawaii (AMHI) was a three-day anime convention held during November at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The convention's programming included a concert, cosplay showcase, J-Fashion show, screenings, and panels. Yuegene Fay, a Thai cosplayer, was unable to make a guest appearance due to immigration issues. Upon arrival in Honolulu she was detained and put in a holding cell for three days. Anime Matsuri Hawaii did not return in 2016.

Event history

Anime licensor

In July 2022, Anime Matsuri announced they had licensed two shorts from Nippon Animation, Genbanojō and Chuck Shimezō. Both were dubbed and Vic Mignogna was controversially involved in the production.

References

References

1. Mayor Sylvester Turner. "Presenting a Proclamation at the 2019 Anime Matsuri Convention Inaugural Ceremony".
2. Aoki, Deb. (April 7, 2009). "This Weekend: Sakura-Con, Anime Matsuri and Kawaii-Kon". [[About.com]].
3. "Anime Matsuri 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com.
4. "Anime Matsuri 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com.
5. "Anime Matsuri 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com.
6. "Anime Matsuri 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com.
7. "Anime Matsuri 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com.
8. "Anime Matsuri 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com.
9. "Anime Matsuri 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com.
10. "Anime Matsuri 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com.
11. "Anime Matsuri 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com.
12. "Anime Matsuri 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com.
13. "Anime Matsuri 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com.
14. "Anime Matsuri 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com.
15. "Anime Matsuri 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com.
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20. "Anime Matsuri 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com.
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24. "Anime Matsuri Hawaii 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com.
25. (June 3, 2016). "Anime Matsuri hires former SPJA CEO". AnimeCons.com.
26. (January 9, 2018). "[News] Anime Matsuri Moves to Silence Vlogger with Cease & Desist – Anime Feminist". Anime Feminist.
27. Bertschy, Zac. (September 10, 2013). "5 Things I Learned From SyFy's "Heroes of Cosplay"". Anime News Network.
28. (March 24, 2015). "Anime Matsuri to Host New Convention in Hawaii". Anime News Network.
29. (June 5, 2016). "Former SPJA CEO Marc Perez Joins Anime Matsuri". Anime News Network.
30. (July 8, 2020). "Mayor: All Houston Conventions Canceled, Rescheduled to 2021 (Update)". Anime News Network.
31. (July 8, 2020). "Houston Mayor: Anime Matsuri Convention Rescheduled to Next Year". Anime News Network.
32. (July 28, 2022). "Anime Matsuri Licenses, Dubs 2 Anime Shorts From Nippon Animation". Anime News Network.
33. (February 22, 2018). "How #MeToo Helped Revitalize The Boycott Anime Matsuri Movement". The Beat.
34. (28 July 2022). "Anime Matsuri: What attendees can expect in 2022 as annual convention honoring Japanese, anime culture returns to GRB". KPRC.
35. (March 20, 2025). "Understanding Senate Bill 20, if anime could be impacted in Texas". Graham Media Group.
36. (April 7, 2017). "PHOTOS: Cosplayers invade Houston in jaw-dropping fits for Anime Matsuri". Newsfix CW39.
37. (20 July 2024). "Anime Matsuri Convention returning to Houston in August!". FOX 26 Houston.
38. Haydon, DL. (March 18, 2014). "Anime Matsuri: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". Free Press Houston.
39. (April 4, 2015). "The cosplay-heavy Anime Matsuri invades the George R. Brown Convention". Houston Chronicle.
40. (March 28, 2018). "Houston's Anime Matsuri festival draws sexual-harassment controversy". Houston Chronicle.
41. (July 12, 2021). "Mayor Turner dresses up as 'Demon Slayer' for controversial anime festival". Houston Chronicle.
42. Garcia, Ariana. (April 5, 2025). "Could this new law make anime illegal in Texas?".
43. (March 31, 2015). "Turning Japanese, Houston-Style". Houstonia.
44. (March 29, 2013). "11 Photos Of Awesomely Dressed People Outside Anime Matsuri". [[Houston Press]].
45. One F, Jef With. (March 13, 2014). "Anime Matsuri". [[Houston Press]].
46. (March 30, 2015). "Anime Matsuri Returns to Houston and It's Bigger Than Ever". Houston Press.
47. (June 29, 2015). "Anime Matsuri Organizer Accused of Sexual Harassment". Houston Press.
48. Rouner, Jef. (September 15, 2015). "The Con: Anime Matsuri is Growing, and So Is the List of People Unhappy With It". [[Houston Press]].
49. (November 26, 2015). "The Anime Matsuri Hawaii preview: It's kinda con-plicated". Honolulu Star Advertiser.
50. (June 6, 2016). "Anime Matsuri Hawaii cancels 2016 convention". Honolulu Star Advertiser.
51. (April 13, 2009). "Anime Matsuri '09: Child's Play Charity Auction". Japanator.
52. "Anime Matsuri Convention". [[KHOU-TV]].
53. "Great Day Anime Matsuri". [[KHOU-TV]].
54. (June 16, 2019). "Based on their self-reported attendance numbers, yes. THEY are the actual reason I didn't publish a list of the largest anime cons for @AnimeCons this year. I didn't want to reward them for lying about attendance. They ARE NOT the 2nd largest anime con..".
55. "Anime Matsuri set to take over Houston". KIAH-TV NewsFix.
56. Patrick Delahanty. (January 1, 2018). "Largest North American Anime Conventions of 2017".
57. Fay, Yuegene. (November 30, 2015). "the place for me who wait for return flight in3days..if you know what place is this... *bitter laugh..".