The convention typically offers an artist alley, classes, concerts, cosplay chess, cosplay contests, dealers room, gaming tournaments, manga library, masquerade ball, musicians, panel discussions, raves, various gaming rooms (arcade, console, retro), video screenings, and voice actors.[3][4][7][8][9][additional citation(s) needed]
Animazement raised over $12,000 for several charities in 2015.[10]
History
The convention originates from a 1997 36-hour anime marathon, organized by the Triangle Area Anime Society (TAAS) at North Carolina State University.[1] It was first held in Raleigh, North Carolina at the North Raleigh Hilton in 1998, moved to the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham, North Carolina for 2001, and to the month of May in 2002.[11][12][13] In 2009, four Japanese guests canceled appearances due to quarantine concerns over the Swine flu.[14] In 2009, Animazement moved to the Raleigh Convention Center.[15]Noboru Ishiguro was scheduled to attend the 2012 event, but died prior to the event.[16] The convention celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017.[17]
Steve Bennett, Michael Brady, Juliet Cesario, Rurika Fuyuki, Scott Houle, Yasuhiro Imagawa, Yuu Kamijyou, Masakazu Katsura, Lanelle Markgraf, Fred Perry, Scott Simpson, Apollo Smile, Doug Smith, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Dave Underwood, Pamela Weidner, and Amanda Winn-Lee.[11]
March 19–21, 1999
Hilton North Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina
1,235
Tiffany Grant,[23] Michael Brady, Juliet Cesario, Traci Dinwiddie, Rurika Fuyuki, Scott Houle, Yasuhiro Imagawa, Yukako Midori, Fred Perry, Scott Simpson, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Dave Underwood, Yuu Watase, Pamela Weidner,[24] Shin Kurokawa, Nozomi Suzuki, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[25]
Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Tsukasa Kotobuki, Amy Tipton, Koichi Tsunoda, Yuu Watase, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[12]
May 24–26, 2002
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
2,050
Jason Hatfield, Scott Houle, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Hiroaki Sakurai, Amy Tipton, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[13]
May 23–25, 2003
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
2,300
Tiffany Grant, Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Kyōko Hikami, Kazuto Nakazawa, Hiroaki Sakurai, Asami Sanada, Jonathan Tarbox, Koichi Tsunoda, Brett Weaver, Pamela Weidner, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Yoshinobu Yamakawa.[27]
May 28–30, 2004
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
2,700
Mary Evans, Nicole B. Gibson, Scott Houle, Akira Kamiya, Charles Dee Rice, Chika Sakamoto, Koichi Tsunoda, Yuu Watase, Crystal Waters, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[28]
May 27–29, 2005
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
2,750
Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Kyōko Hikami, Aya Hisakawa, Scott Houle, Keiko Ichihara, Akira Kamiya, Chika Sakamoto, Michihiko Suwa, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, and Yasuo Yamaguchi.[29]
May 26–28, 2006
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
3,275
Chris Cason, Bruce Elliott, Caitlin Glass, Keiko Han, Kyle Hebert, Scott Houle, Yuki Ito, Akira Kamiya, Yoshinori Kanemori, Trish Ledoux, Rica Matsumoto, Ryūsei Nakao, Michihiko Suwa, Nobuhiro Suzumura, Koichi Tsunoda, Pamela Weidner, Yasuo Yamaguchi, and Toshifumi Yoshida.[30]
May 25–27, 2007
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center Durham, North Carolina
Sho Asano, Kira Buckland, Keiko Han, Hiroaki Hirata, Mari Iijima, The Jacabal's, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Ryuusei Nakao, Jez Roth, Hidetaka Tenjin, Masuo Ueda, Eric Vale, David Vincent, Toshifumi Yoshida, and Linda Young.[45]
Morgan Berry, Cherry Tea Girl, Jennifer Cihi, Stefanie DeLeo, Keiko Han, Someta Hayashiya, J-Trap, Etsuko Kawamura, Trish Ledoux, Masao Maruyama, Kotono Mitsuishi, Ryuusei Nakao, Derek Stephen Prince, Jez Roth, Paul St. Peter, Third Impact Anime, JP Yates, Toshifumi Yoshida, and Linda Young.[47]
Bryn Apprill, Dani Chambers, Ricco Fajardo, Caitlin Glass, Someta Hayashiya, The Jacabal's, Etsuko Kawamura, Christina Marie Kelly, Hiroshi Nagahama, Aaron Roberts, ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D, and Jez Roth.[2]
May 24-26, 2024
Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina
Sho Asano, Morgan Berry, Toshio Furukawa, Someta Hayashiya, Noriko Hidaka, Kikuko Inoue, The Jacabal's, Shino Kakinuma, Etsuko Kawamura, Trish Ledoux, Emi Lo, Erica Mendez, Hiroshi Nagahama, Jez Roth, Keith Silverstein, Third Impact Anime, Kari Wahlgren, Howard Wang, Yoshihiro Watanabe, Taishi Yamabe, JP Yatesm, Toshifumi Yoshida,[49]Jiro Ando, and Koji Nagai.[50]