AnimeIowa
Coralville Marriott — Friday–Sunday July 29–31
Join convention sponsors the Mindbridge Foundation this weekend as eastern Iowa’s anime and manga convention AnimeIowa celebrates its 20th year. Attendance was only 150 strong at the inaugural event in 1997; now the convention caps attendance at 3,000.
A wide variety of guests from artists to writers to voiceover actors are present every year; this year’s highlights include DJ and voiceover actor Greg Ayers; Steve Blum, best known as the voice of Spike Spiegel on Cowboy Bebop; Chris Cason , who has done voiceover work on Dragonball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater and more, as well as writing for Ouran High School Host Club and Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans; and Brooke Stephenson, also known by her pen name Ogawa Burukku, who pens the webcomic FaLLEN.
Family programming and gaming will be available throughout the weekend and cosplay events abound. A full schedule is available to download on the convention’s website.
Pre-registration is no longer available. At the door, general admission tickets are $60, with children’s admission (for those under 13) is $25. A sponsor pass is $150. Registration kicks off at noon on Friday; panels begin at the same time.
