On:
In: Official Releases
Ohayocon mascot Lindsay Howard stands in a bustling virtual marketplace complete with fish vendor, aristocratic crocodile, dark elf, and foxgirl.
“My anime convention was suspended in person and reincarnated in a virtual world?!”

Yep, Ohayocon 21 is going digital! Thanks to the pandemic, we are not hosting our in-person event. But there are still fun things to do! We’re hosting gaming tournaments, special guests, chatrooms, and a virtual Artist Alley and Dealers Room this January. Access is completely free via the Ohayocon Public Discord Server!

We know it is not the same—and we’re not trying to pass it off as a real, live convention. But we do have some tricks up our sleeve. We’ll run gaming tournaments on a similar schedule to last year, starting later this calendar year. We’re also in talks with some of our special guests to do talks or chats, and that’s something you’ll only be able to enjoy during the convention weekend. Additionally, we know this year has been very tough on artists and dealers who depend on conventions as a platform for sales, so we’re going to have a special online area just for them. So come relive old (better?) times with us and drop in for a chat!

With that said, we need to tell you that we’ve moved the dates one weekend later, to January 22-24, 2021. Don’t forget to update your calendars! As always, if you need to talk, please contact us and we’ll be in touch. See you soon!

P.S. We know this news is disappointing—it’s sad for us, too—but we hope you’ll support us through this like you always do. Our leadership team has been debating this for months, and we’ve come to the conclusion that this is the best choice for our attendees, staff, special guests and exhibitors. With a diverse group of planners and attendees, many of whom are at high risk or immunocompromised, we strongly believe this is the best choice given the global pandemic. Thank you all for your support—we’re looking forward to seeing you again!

On:
In: Updates

Artists, now is your opportunity to apply for the Ohayocon 21 Artist Alley! The application will be available until the deadline, Aug. 15, 2020. There are no exceptions to the deadline!

…and that’s all for now. We know you’re all dying for information about pre-registration; unfortunately we are still unable to open it. We are continuing to watch the development of the COVID-19 pandemic and will release information about pre-registration as soon as we are able. We thank you for your patience during this unusual time.

See you soon!

On:
In: Updates

Hiya! Just wanted to send out a quick update. We do have the dates for 2021! They are Jan. 14-17, 2021, at the usual place. There isn’t much we can say right now, but we are watching the COVID-19 news this year. As of today, we plan to hold Ohayocon 21 as scheduled. We’ll have an official marketing release about it, including the unveiling of the theme, soon. Until then, see you!

On:
In: Official Releases

We’re excited to show off all these guests for Ohayocon 20! Click on any of them to learn more about them.

Voice Actors

Industry Speakers

Nabeshin, Industry Speaker, Legend, Director
Toshifuma YOSHIDA, Industry Speaker
Studio Capsule Industry Speaker, Art, Comics, Conventions
Amanda Winn Lee, Industry Speaker, Mom, Voice Actor, Scribe
Katsura Sunshine Cultural Guest Rakugo Storyteller
Shin Kurokawa Industry Producer, Director, Musician
Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons Artist
Rosearik Rikki Simons Voice Actor, Writer, and Artist
Red Gallagher Author, Artist Megatokyo
 

 

Musical Guests

Kevin Woo Musical Guest Singer, Actor, TV Host, Influencer
Diana Garnet Musical Guest J-pop Star
Caleb Hyles Musician

Fan Guests

Oriana Peron Fan Guest Drag Queen
Flork of Cows Fan Guest Webcomics
Momo Kurumi Cosplay Cosplayer, Seamstress, Artist
Sewn Together Reflections Fan Guests Cosplayers, Writers
H D C Fabrication Fan Guest Cosplay
Dennis Daniel Fan Guest Podcast and Panels

 

Lady Dragon Creations Fan Guest Cosplay, Style
Akakioga Cosplay, Fan Guest, Cosplay, Advocacy
Mogchelle Fan Guest Cosplay

On:
In: Official Releases

Hi there! It’s Oct. 1, only about three months until Ohayocon 20, and we want to let you know what’s happening. Here’s some news:

Registration

Panels

Cosplay

Gaming

  • Want to take on Ohio’s best PC gamers? Tournament signups are available now! We’re offering: League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics (one of the first Teamfight Tactics tournaments in the history of anime conventions), Overwatch, and CS:GO! The registration deadline is Oct. 31, 2019, so sign up today! (We’re still working on our console tournament offerings.)
  • DMs, submit your Game Event Application and join the fun!
  • We’ve updated the Indie Gaming Showcase page so you can see all the exciting new (and returning!) independently designed games we’re featuring this Ohayocon.

Special Guests

  • We have already announced some special guests for the Fan Guests, Voice Actors, and Industry Speakers categories. These are not all of them, of course, so be sure you’re subscribed to our Facebook and Twitter feeds, as well as our email update list (sign up below or to the left, depending on where you’re reading this).

Volunteering

  • Our new staff application is still available, as is the Kohai Program application, if you want to join us. The new staff application is due Oct. 15, 2019 for priority consideration; there is no deadline for the Kohai Program application.
  • On that note, we want to announce a new, shorter staff service-hour quota option: for only 15 hours of scheduled work (compared to the standard 25), you will receive every benefit offered to staff except for lodging. If you’re in the Columbus area, or already have a room with your friends, this is a great way to help and still have plenty of time to enjoy your favorite Ohayocon activities! Let’s work together.

And that’s it! We invite you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all things Ohayocon. We also have an email update list: sign up below or to the left (depending on where you’re reading this). As always, you can browse our Frequently Asked Questions page and access our contact form from there. See you soon!

On:
In: Updates

Weekend Badges for Ohayocon 20 are just $45 now, but you have to pre-register by Sept. 19! After that, the price jumps to $50. This is the best deal we offer for a weekend full of entertaining contests, games, panels, anime screenings, and so much more. Visit our registration page and get your badge, and we’ll see you in January!

(Psst! Don’t forget, if you want to volunteer or join staff, we’re still accepting applications!)

On:
In: Official Releases

Finally, the wait is over! The Ohayocon 20 Artist Alley application is available. All the information you need is available on the Artist Alley page. Not sure if Ohayocon Artist Alley is right for you? If you make your own products with your own IP, then you are likely eligible to apply for space in our annual nerdy art fair. These spaces cost less than Dealers Room spaces, and retail is prohibited so you won’t have to compete with commercial dealers right next to you. (The full rules are written in the application, accessible via the Artist Alley page.)

The deadline is Aug. 31, 2019 with no exceptions, so go apply!

On:
In: Updates

Another Ohayocon has come and gone — thank you so much! We couldn’t do it without your support each year.

Did you know you can win a free badge to Ohayocon 20? Just fill out our feedback survey by Jan. 23, 2019 and be entered in the drawing!

We miss you already, and we can’t wait to see you next year!