The otaku subculture has been flourishing in the states for decades, and conventions are a favorite haunt for fans. If you’ve never been to an anime or comic convention, just imagine an army of friendly nerds gathered together, often in stunning hand-crafted costumes, all there for one purpose... to have lots of fun just being themselves and hanging out with like-minded peeps! Most definitions of the term “otaku” have a negative connotation, like anti-social or the like, but we don’t actually take offense. To us, “otaku” is a badge of honor that we proudly embrace. For the sake of this article, otaku just refers to fans of Japanese subculture such as anime, manga, cosplay, etc.
There was a time when conventions were sparse, and fans would often have to travel pretty far to attend. I remember a time when my friends and I attended a convention in Nashville. It was an absolute blast, but that four-hour drive was a killer. One day, two members of our little friend-family came up with the brilliant idea to start our own convention. So, we recruited more friends, and the wheels started turning. In the beginning, it was meant to be held at a modest venue with only a couple vendors, and we expected maybe a couple hundred attendees, tops. Fast forward to December of 2012, and we were blown away! The venue we rented was easily quadruple the size of the legion building we had previously considered, and we were beyond shocked when Johnny Yong Bosch, one of our MAJOR idols, agreed to be our special guest, AND he brought his band, Eyeshine! They are incredible! They had played at conventions we’d attended before, but to actually have them as guests at our own convention... there are just no words! We had a lot of amazing guests that year; among them were Robert Axelrod (Lord Zedd from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Paul St. Peter (also known as Xemnas from Kingdom Hearts and the Nine-tailed Fox from Naruto), and many others. If that wasn’t enough of a heart-stopper, our attendance exploded to well beyond 1,000 attendees! I’ll never forget the line to get in; it stretched from the front door of the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge all the way to the nearby Krispy Kreme, and it was not a single file! It was crazy awesome... and crazy. I think the staff members got maybe two hours of sleep each night during that weekend. It was the most amazing experience, though.
Fast forward to 2016, and Yama-Con has now become a behemoth compared to anything we could have ever imagined. Now held at the gorgeous and massive LeConte Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, the estimated attendance thus far is roughly 3,000. We have attendees from all over the country, and our guest roster has grown right along with all other aspects of the convention. If you are an otaku, or even if you aren’t, jump in! It is truly a unique, unforgettable experience. Yama-Con is not just a convention; it’s honestly a family. Started by otaku, for otaku, now East Tennessee has a little slice of Japan right in the midst of these Smoky Mountains we call home. In closing, never talk yourself out of an idea or a dream you are passionate about. Big accomplishments can start as little plans. Yama-Con is proof!
