Memorial Day weekend: Picnics, barbecues and fun in the sun for some, but for manga and anime fans, it's convention time! For West Coast otaku the place to be is FanimeCon, at the San Jose Convention Center. Besides 24-hour anime and Asian films, gaming and cosplay events, Fanimecon will also feature a maid cafe and a formal dance, the Black and White Ball on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Animazement promises three days and nights of anime fun in Durham, North Carolina. Voice talent Kyoko Hikami (Di Gi Charat), Takeshi Kusao (Slam Dunk) join manga editor Trish Ledoux, plus a costume contest and two nights of J-Pop-fueled booty-shaking.
OMG!!Con brings a weekend of cosplay, karaoke and all the anime you can eat to Paducah, Kentucky. Meet special guests Greg Ayres (voice talent for Neon Genesis Evangelion, Saiyuki) and Luci Christian (Azumanga Daioh, Full Metal Panic!).
And up north, Canadian fans will gather in Toronto for Anime North. Mangaka scheduled to appear include Ben Dunn (Ninja High School) and Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon), along with ADV Films co-founder and VP, Matt Greenfield.
Check out our updated convention calendar for more hot anime and manga events, coming soon to a town near you.