Articles
Musings direct from our members
Anime Central 2025 – Across the Board
We’re a few days from Anime Central, Chicago’s biggest anime convention fondly known as ACen. So we asked AnimeChicago teammates what they were most excited to see and attend. Plan your weekend along with us so you don’t miss out on your favorite panels, events, and industry talks! Download Guidebook to draft your schedule. What’s…
2024 Annual Report: A Year of Connection
18 years later, and AnimeChicago not only keeps the lights on – we’re strengthening our social ties daily. Tough times call for resilient communities. Our focus is uniting Chicagoans through all things Japanese pop culture but we can aim higher than that. That’s why we stepped up against social isolation, connected people with kindness, and…
Games. Anime. Stuff.
AnimeChicago’s Interview series highlights local organization leaders, artists and personalities. We’re chatting with Carl Dayagdag of Games. Anime. Stuff., a Chicago-based podcast for anime and video game fans. AC: Who is the GAS team and how did you get started?CD: The GAS team primarily consists of me, David Reyes, and Gus Navarrete, with Keaton Heflin…
Cosplay photoshoot ends with security escort
I attended a moderately-sized cosplay photoshoot on Saturday, April 13th at Navy Pier. This was a private event in order to control attendance size. The organizers took steps to ensure that enforcers and coordinators were clearly identified. Face paint, weapons, and other questionable props were banned. Whenever an attendee was getting out of hand regarding…
Chicago film critic Roger Ebert passes at 70
Long-time Chicago icon and legendary film critic Roger Ebert passed away today after recurring battles with cancer. Ebert was known by the anime community as an admirer and advocate of the genre, giving thumbs up on films such as Ghost in the Shell, Tokyo Godfathers, and a number of Studio Ghibli productions. AnimeChicago member Neil…
AnimeChicago on Geekspotting
I was recently invited to promote AnimeChicago on local podcast Geekspotting, a bi-weekly show that entices listeners to diversify their fandoms. Check out Episode 21 – Super Weaving Power at The Geekspotting Website. A big thank you to James and Ruben (our AnimeChicago board member) for the invitation! It was a great time! And be sure to subscribe via iTunes and LibSyn…
Uniqlo Snubs Chicago – We have sad faces
Despite our abundant enthusiasm for a Chicago Uniqlo store, Racked.com has reported that parent company Fast Retailing is focusing their efforts on the East and West Coasts, leaving Chicagoans out of the picture. According to CEO Tadashi Yanai, the company is “playing it safe” as it expands while less seasoned executives learn how to helm the company.…
AnimeWorld to Merge with Wizard World
Big announcement posted on the AnimeWorld Insider blog earlier this month: AnimeWorld Expos is joining forces with Wizard World to offer a range of anime-related events, guests and panels at the veteran comic and pop-culture convention. AnimeWorld Chicago premiered two years ago in August of 2011. The team quickly established a second convention in Indianapolis…
Anime Trivia Trap
AnimeChicago’s Interview series highlights local organization leaders, artists and personalities. For our fourth edition, we’re highlighting Chicagoan local Brent Rolland and his convention game show, Anime Trivia Trap. AC: What is Anime Trivia Trap? How does it work?BR: “Anime Trivia Trap” is a trivia game show for anime fans based off of the short-lived 1984…
2012 Annual Report: An Awesome Year!
Another year has come and gone, and our small journalism project has grown into a full-scale social organization! Check out our accomplishments and aspirations to date: We have Board Members! Our core members have become a great group of friends and I want to personally thank them for their efforts on promotion, brainstorming, and volunteering…
The Con Artists of Anime Central
AnimeChicago’s Interview series highlights local organization leaders, artists and personalities. We’re chatting with Ryan Weimeyer of The Con Artists, an informal drawing circle that runs all weekend during Anime Central. AC: Who are The Con Artists? What do you do?RW: The Con Artists is a pile of people who sit and draw in the lobby…
Kollision Con 2012: Recap
Bal here, and here’s my recap from Saturday at Kollision Con 2012! Generally speaking, it was way smaller than Anime Central (not unexpected) but it was really nice that way! I didn’t sit in any panels (nothing really yelled at me to attend) but the fans were there, the facility was nice (freaking gorgeous), and there were…
Anime Gamers Station
AnimeChicago’s Interview series highlights local organization leaders, artists and personalities. We’re chatting with Miguel Zambrano, president of Anime Gamer Station, a Chicago-based Internet radio station for the anime and gamer fan. This radio show does have adult humor, and is not recommended for young listeners. AC: Why did you create a station devoted to the anime…
AnimeChicago’s 6th Anniversary!
For those who may not know, I’m Jamie, publisher and organizer of this very website. Six years ago, local anime clubs and related organizations appeared to live in total isolation, often missing out on quality anime and Japanese culture events. No public bulletin boards. No local event calendar. No dialogue. And so I registered AnimeChicago.com in 2006 and studied…
J. Toguri Mercantile on Belmont Closing
We’re sad to announce that Japanese marketplace, J. Toguri, will be closing its doors by February 2013. This large unassuming shop on Belmont has provided everything from specialized cooking ingredients, kitchen utensils, calligraphy tools, bonzai supplies, kimono, gi and other hard-to-find Japanese goods for over 65 years. It also has a small place in history: this store is…
Castles in the Sky: Ghibli at Doc Films
Doc Films is screening all of your favorite Ghibli films! Following suit from Siskel Film Center’s summer festival, Castles in the Sky: Miyazaki, Takahata, and the Masters of Studio Ghibli will run on Fridays from October 5th to December 7th. Visit Doc Film’s website for tickets and directions to the University of Chicago’s Ida Noyes…