Yaoi-Con

Yaoi-Con (sometimes YaoiCon) was an annual three-day anime convention, founded in 2001, aimed at fans of yaoi-related anime, manga, and other aspects of Asian culture. It typically took place during the Fall in California.

Yaoi-Con
StatusDefunct
VenueHyatt Regency Santa Clara
Location(s)Santa Clara, California
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2001
Most recent2017
Attendance1,500 in 2007[1]
Organized bySince 2012: Digital Manga Publishing[2]

Since the 2012 edition, its organizer and main sponsor was Digital Manga Publishing. It was known mostly for its unique events that use volunteers known as "bishounen". The bishounen were male volunteers who represented the attractive characters shown in Yaoi manga, and ran many of the events.

Programming
Two cosplayers (as Sora and Roxas from the video game Kingdom Hearts) strike a pose at Yaoi-Con 2008.

As with other anime conventions, Yaoi-Con had panels and workshops (with a yaoi twist), a 24-hour video room, a manga library, swap meet, a Dealers' Room filled with merchandise, a cosplay Masquerade and an anime music video contest. In addition, Yaoi-Con held a fan fiction contest, Bishounen Bingo, and its extraordinarily popular Saturday night fundraising Bishounen Auction. At bingo, and the auction, the bishounen volunteers put on shows and stripped to entertain the convention goers.

Each year Yaoi-Con sponsored at least one Japanese yaoi manga artist as guest of honor. And, as yaoi publishing expanded in the U.S., the companies who attended Yaoi-Con became interested in bringing guests with them. Guests of honor usually participated in question and answer/autograph sessions as well as sketch sessions where they demonstrated to attendees how they produced their work.

Because of the adult nature of its theme, Yaoi-Con required all attendees to be at least 18 and checked the legal ID of all attendees upon registration. As of 2003, 85% of Yaoi-Con membership were female, and mostly heterosexual.[3]

Inactivity

In December 2017, DMP announced that Yaoi-Con was taking "a one-year break", expecting to return "stronger than ever in Fall 2019."[4][5] A tweet in January 2019 indicated that a new, non-profit organization might take over the event, but this never materialized.[6] While the Yaoi-Con website went offline at the beginning of 2020, a public facebook group page is still semi-active.[7][8]

History

Event history
DatesLocationGuests
September 1, 2001 Radisson Miyako Hotel
San Francisco, California		You Higuri, Azusa Kurokawa, Shinjuku Nishiguchi, Gilles Poitras, Yoshihiro Yonezawa and Flash Mama.[9]
October 18–20, 2002 Holiday Inn Golden Gateway
San Francisco, California		Youka Nitta, Andrew Conway, Patrick Drazen, and Secret Secret.[10]
October 17–19, 2003 Renaissance Parc 55
San Francisco, California		Shushushu Sakurai, Jo Chen.[11]
October 29–31, 2004 Westin San Francisco Airport
Millbrae, California		Ayano Yamane, Jo Chen, Lucina Project and John O'Donnell.[12]
October 28–30, 2005 Westin San Francisco Airport
Millbrae, California		Kazuma Kodaka and You Higuri.[13]
October 20–22, 2006 Westin San Francisco Airport
Millbrae, California		Asia Watanabe.,[14] Toko Kawai, Yishin Li, Lara Yokoshima, Studio Kawaii, Jo Chen
October 26–28, 2007 San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
San Mateo, California		Mamiya Oki and Kawahara Tsubasa.[15] Hinako Takanaga, Dany & Dany
September 26–28, 2008 San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
San Mateo, California		Nase Yamato, Tatsumi Kaiya, Lynn Flewelling, Wendy Pini, Yamila Abraham, Yayoi Neko, M.A Sambre.[16]
October 30-November 1, 2009 San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
San Mateo, California		Kazuka Minami, Kano Miyamoto[17]
October 29–31, 2010 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
Burlingame, California		Ayano Yamane, Ryōtarō Okiayu, Hidenobu Kiuchi, Hinako Takanaga,[18] Kano Miyamoto, Yasuhiro Nakamura, Lynn Flewelling, Jo Chen, Yayoi Neko[19]
October 21–23, 2011 San Francisco Airport Marriott
Burlingame, California		Fusanosuke Inariya, Jo Chen[20]
October 12–14, 2012 Westin Long Beach Hotel
Long Beach, California		Uki Ogasawara, Jo Chen[21]
September 12–14, 2014 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
Burlingame, California		Shoko Takaku, Reika[22]
September 18–20, 2015 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
Burlingame, California		Makoto Tateno, Martha Asahi[23]
September 16–18, 2016 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
Burlingame, California		Hinako Takanaga[24]
October 6–8, 2017 Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California [25]		Sakira, Psyche Delico[26]

References
  1. Masaki, Lyle (2008-01-06). ""Yowie!": The Stateside appeal of boy-meets-boy YAOI comics". AfterElton.com. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  2. "Digital Manga Publishing's CEO Talks About Taking the Reins of YaoiCon in 2012". Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
  3. Anime, mon amour: forget Pokémon—Japanese animation explodes with gay, lesbian, and trans themes - video
  4. Ressler, Karen (2017-12-13). "YaoiCon takes 1-Year Break in 2018". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  5. YaoiCon Twitter Account (2017-12-12). "YaoiCon will be taking a one year break". Retrieved 2020-10-16. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  6. YaoiCon Twitter Account (2019-01-01). "Our resolution this year is to have and enjoy more Yaoi events and be utter unrepentant teases". Retrieved 2020-10-16. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  7. "Yaoi-Con homepage". Archived from the original on 2020-05-16. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  8. "Yaoi-Con". Facebook. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  9. "Yaoi-Con 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  10. "Yaoi-Con 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  11. "Yaoi-Con 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  12. "Yaoi-Con 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  13. "Yaoi-Con 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  14. "Yaoi-Con 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  15. "Yaoi-Con 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  16. "Yaoi-Con 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  17. "Yaoi-Con 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  18. "This Weekend: Manga Fans' Guide to Yaoi-Con 2010". Archived from the original on 2010-10-28.
  19. "Yaoi-Con 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  20. "Yaoi-Con 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  21. "Yaoi-Con 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  22. "Yaoi-Con 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  23. "Yaoi-Con 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  24. "Yaoi-Con 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  25. https://www.facebook.com/officialyaoicon/photos/a.460471344037510.1073741825.423314747753170/1080517108699594/?type=3&theater
  26. "Yaoi-Con 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.

Convention reports
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