The Convention Fans Blog

Baltimore, MD (Aug 2, 2011) – Otakon 2011 digs deep for Japan Relief and raises over
¥5,000,000 ($65,000).

In an unprecedented show of generosity and goodwill, members of Otakon 2011 including attendees, guests, industry partners, and staff raised $65,150 for Japan Relief. The various efforts included merchandise (t-shirts, wristbands, buttons etc), Otakon exclusive Madoka Magica posters, charity autograph session with Nobuo Uematsu, and our hugely successful Charity Auction.

Some of the money was specifically earmarked for Japan Red Cross (posters, autograph
session) but the rest will go to these four charities as mentioned before:

• Save the Children: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund
• The Japanese Red Cross Society
• Second Harvest Japan
• Habitat for Humanity Japan

We would like to thank our members for digging deep and proving that Otakon members
are the best and we could not have done it without them.

We would also like to thank the members, industry partners, and guests who donated to
make the Charity Auction a huge success. The top 3 items at the auction were:

• An original beautiful mixed media illustration by Haruhiko Mikimoto from
  Macross. Donated by Noboru Ishiguro, raising $9100.
• A stunning colored piece by Hidenori Matsubara depicting Belldandy from Ah
  My Goddess, donated by the artist and raising $5500.
• A brilliant drawing of Enishi Yukishiro done and signed by Nobuhiro Watsuki,
  used in the cover art for the new Rurouni Kenshin PSP Game: Rurouni Kenshin:
  Saisen Donated by the artist, raising $2100.

You HELPED us
show Japan we care.

You SUPPORTED our efforts
by spreading the word and raising awareness in your own community.

You GAVE what you could
to help relief efforts.

Otakon 2012 will be held July 27–29 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its nineteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of
the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the
enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore’s
few large, city-wide events, drawing over 31,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 90,000 turnstile attendees). Otakon is a membershipbased
convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily
through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.