#Yamato Con

[cosplayinamerica]

Anime conventions and their Yamato roots

by Dave Merrill

“Conventional” (ha ha) wisdom says that the first American convention devoted to Japanese animation was Project A-Kon 1990 in Dallas, Texas. This prototypical event was instigated by a group of Texas anime fans gathered under the banner of Star Blazers’“Earth Defense Command,” a Space Battleship Yamato fan club that grew to embrace all of Japanese animation. As of this writing, Project A-Kon is preparing for its 20th show.

But was A-Kon the first anime convention in North America? No. Not even close. For years, we’d seen references and offhand comments about a “YamatoCon” that was held in the Dallas area years earlier. Were these references true? Our crack team of researchers donned their explorer togs, dusted off their pith helmets, and began the harrowing search for enlightenment. Well, to be honest we sent some emails. Here’s what we found…

The first YamatoCon – that is to say, the first American fan convention devoted to Japanese animation – was held on August 13, 1983 at the Harvey Hotel in Dallas Texas. This one-day affair was the brainchild of Mark Hernandez, Don Magness, and Bobb Waller, each of whom had experience in the Dallas comics/SF fandom community and each of whom put up their own hard-earned cash to make YamatoConhappen. Scheduled the next-to-last weekend before school started, Mark Hernandez remembers the planning being as simple as getting commitments from dealers, finding a venue, and setting a date. Yes, it really is that easy to start a convention.

Programming consisted of the first 26 episodes of Star Blazersrecorded off TV, shown in continuous order (minus commercials, of course) and a bonus Yamato film. This 13-hour Journey to Iscandar (“It was a long day,” says Mark) was a primary attraction at YamatoCon, 1983 being a time when VCRs and blank VHS tape were expensive, collections of Star Blazers on video were hard to come by, and the experience of watching Star Blazers outside the morning or afternoon UHF timeslot was a draw in and of itself.

Star Blazers on video wasn’t the only activity, of course. Like other conventions past and future, YamatoCon had a dealers room consisting of 22 tables of for-sale memorabilia. It might sound small by the standards of 25 years later, but we must remember that anime merchandise of the day – what was available in the States, anyway – hadn’t achieved the tidal wave proportions it would reach in the wake of Robotech, to say nothing of the total saturation of the post-Pokemon, post-Sailor Moon years. Anime merchandise in 1983 consisted chiefly of books and model kits. Roman Albums, Anime Comics, black and white manga volumes, the occasional manga weekly, and other publications streaming from Japan in the wake of the Yamato Boom battled for the anime fan dollar alongside model kits from Yamato, Crusher Joe and My Youth In Arcadia…not to mention the endless ranks of giant robot kits from unseen shows like Mobile Suit Gundam, Dougram, Ideon, and something called Macross.Along with the remnants of late 70s super-robot merchandise sold here as Shogun Warriors, the anime con dealers room in the early 1980s was far from barren. In fact, I still waste my money on that sort of stuff.

Also available at YamatoCon were copies of Mark Hernandez and Don Magness’s Star Blazers fanzine Argo Notes. Future EDC officer/contributor, fan artist and “Between Galaxies” author Logan Darklighter won the model contest with, naturally, a Yamatomodel. It proved to be a pivotal day in Texas anime fandom. Approximately 100 attendees and 8 dealers made the show an unqualified success. Don remembers it this way: “I remember we got to the hotel early and set up the rooms, then went out to breakfast. When we got back, there were 3 young men sitting on the front steps, one of them had a convention flyer. Mark asked if they were there for the con, and they said they were. We went inside and out of their hearing range and had a little celebration. 3 people had come! We had no idea that the place would soon be packed.”

A showing of 100 might not sound like a lot in today’s numbers (“that was about 100 more than we expected,” said Don). However, when considered against the attendance at general SF conventions in 1983 – a time when your absolute largest cons MIGHT draw five or six thousand attendees and your typical Dallas or Atlanta comic book show maxed out at three – YamatoCon‘s ability to nail down that many dealers and customers is commendable.

The show’s importance went beyond the one day; people across Texas and indeed, across fandom as a whole, who were unable to attend or who heard about it after the fact were spurred into action by the mere fact of YamatoCon‘s existence. That such a thing could happen – that Americans could organize and hold a successful anime convention – was both revelation and reassurance. Anime fandom was going to be more than just a video room grudgingly tacked onto the local Star Trek show or a half-page of merchandise in the back of the latest issue of Fangoria.

READ THE REST HERE https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/317/

[lawvno]

The hybrid form is so COOL

[digi-egg]

First teaser images for Digimon Adventure Beyond revealed.

5 days to go until release!

[gutterpufferfish]

WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING BOI??!!???!!??

Meandering into the dark ocean as if he’s ken haha 😂

(I know he went there before butttttt it wasn’t really his shtick ya knowwww haha)

[tea-tanuki]

Okay, like, they're married????? This is a conversation between a married couple and you can't convince me otherwise.

Look at them! THeY aRe sO cUtE

And married!!!!

[soyunrinoceronte]

El amor de mi vida y otros equis (y un colado)

[officialkaitov8]

Finally had the chance to take pictures of (most) of my Star Blazers/SBY collection!

I forgot to take a picture of this, but in the calendar is an animation cel!

[rosencrantzsguildenstern]

while im online i7 mutuals help me decide what aya’s birthday should be

[kouichikimura]

Went to the Digimon Kizuna screening hosted by Japan Society, Hiromi Seki was there. Toei noticed us and it was a nice time with new friends.

Thursday was Daima day. Went as Goku Black, saw Stephanie Nadoly in person with my very own bad eyes.

I gave away my Goku wig at the end of the night to UI Goku cause I just wanted to get rid of it because I wasn’t happy with the end product.

This wig was just a test to see what I can do better for next time I get asked to do a goku.

(others liked it and he liked it so I gave it to him)

In the end Goku Black did a good thing lol

[jjr1971]

Captain Okita cosplay, Space Battleship Yamato, rendered horribly by Grok Ai, which erased the man's fake white beard!! The cosplay was actually spot on in the photo but the Ai ruined it. Character also known as Captain Avatar if you grew up watching it as Star Blazers in the USA like me, captain of the Argo. Original photo taken in the dealer's room of Delta H Con at the Westchase Marriott.

[lady-lauren]

In true Halloween spirit, two of your local horny writers have some delicacies to share with you.

@lady-lauren brings sweet and sticky delights for you to enjoy on odd days while @melon-fodder fills your savory cravings on even days.

Pay attention to the warning labels; some treats may be too dark, spicy, or sour for your palate.

Happy reading ❤️

1. KENTO NANAMI | breeding

2. MICHE ZACHARIAS | mutual masturbation + praise

3. SHOTA AIZAWA | webcam

4. TOMA HIRAGI | food play + body worship

5. SHANKS | forced orgasms

6. ZEKE JAEGAR | tease + pantyhose

7. SILVERS RAYLEIGH | daddy

8. YUKINARI ARIMA | toys + squirting

9. KATSUKI BAKUGOU | alpha/omega

10. REINER BRAUN | cheating + tender

11. PORTGAS D. ACE | virginity

12. TOGATA MIRIO | voyeurism + panty stealing

13. ENJI TODOROKI | stuckage

14. JO TOGAME | fisting + omorashi

15. ERWIN SMITH | blood

16. HAYATO SUO | pet play

17. DONQUIXOTE DOFLAMINGO | bondage

18. SIR NIGHTEYE | insertion + gaping

19. SMOKER | choking

20. EREN JAEGAR | watersports

21. SUGURU GETO | captive

22. YAMATO ENDO | face sitting + breath play

23. DRACULE MIHAWK | knife play

24. OVERHAUL | medical play

25. TRAFALGAR LAW | somnophilia

26. TOJI FUSHIGURO | primal + rough sex

27. SATORU GOJO | incest + hatefucking

28. HITOSHI SHINSOU | sex pollen + non-con

29. RYOMEN SUKUNA | cannibal

30. HIRAGI x KAJI x SAKO | blow bang

31. GOJO x GETO x NANAMI x TOJI | gangbang

❥ join @lady-lauren’s tag-list

[digi-egg]

Following the announcement of “Digimon Adventure Beyond” premiering in Digimon Con 2025, new details about the project have been revealed.

A crowdfunding campaign will begin from January 20th for putting large advertisements within Tokyo for one week in March.

In relation to this, a rough draft of the advertisement illustration featuring Taichi and Yamato in their previously teased designs, along with Agumon and Gabumon, has been released. The illustration was drawn by Rie Nishimura, character designer for this project.

More details about the crowdfunding, what it entails and the reward system has been summarised by With The Will.

An easter egg here is that since the rewards include a signed script copy by cast members Natsuki Hanae, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Chika Sakamoto and Mayumi Yamaguchi, we now have confirmation that along with the video being set to the song Brave Heart, it will feature scenes with dialogues as well.

But most importantly,

Agumon and Gabumon will be back 🧡💙

[luxiomahariel]

canon trans men:

barney from paranormal park (animated series)

benji from hell followed with us (science fiction book)

bill shrader from two and a half men (tv series)

prof. caraway from high guardian spice (animated series)

damien bloodmarch from dream daddy (video game)

gabe bad guy from x-men unlimited infinity (comics)

goth from boyfriends (webcomic)

gray tal from star trek discovery (tv series)

isabeau from in stars and time (video game)

kalei from repurpose (video game)

krem from dragon age inquisition* (video game)

max from magical boy (graphic novel)

miles from compound fracture (thriller fiction book)

natsuyoshi utsumi from our dreams at dusk (manga)

nu from monster con (video game)

rex ridley from x-men unlimited infinity (comics)

roxy lalonde from homestuck** (webcomic)

silas from the spirit bares its teeth (historical fiction book)

terry from the dragon prince (animated series)

tyler ronan from tell me why (video game)

yamato from one piece (animated series)

yawara chatora from my hero academia*** (animated series)

zaki from pathfinder monster match (card game; release date: ~oct 2025)

canon transmasc nonbinary:

osora from osora (webcomic)

raine whispers from the owl house (animated series)

***** mettaton from undertale, alice from your turn to die, and kusuo saiki from saiki k are too ambiguous and therefore cant count towards canon representation

*krem can be killed off **roxy transitions in only one timeline ***chatora is only mentioned as being trans in the manga

shitty canon trans men/mascs under read more

brunella pommelhorst from the simpsons (animated series) mentions taking a leave of absence to undergo gender reassignment surgery to become mr. pommelhorst but never actually transitions and this is never brought up again

paul millander from csi (tv series) hes a serial killer that transitioned because he wasnt strong enough to protect his dad from being killed hes only trans/intersex to give the story a "secret twist" villain

ron (meg) from family guy (animated series) he transitions in stewie griffin: the untold story, a direct-to-video movie, and it is played off as a joke every time hes on screen this is never brought up again

[ayukaze]

Digimon Anime's website has published details about DIGIMON ADVENTURE BEYOND in Japanese.

Apart from an official summary and cast and staff details, they have also shared the idea behind how this PV came to be.

Here is my translation of everything posted on the website. As we don't have an official translation yet, I request you to source back to this post when making references so that anyone can take up their issues/doubts about the translation with me directly and not spread misinformation in the fandom!

Summary: With time having passed since that fateful summer adventure, the appearance of (chosen) children with partner Digimon is steadily on the increase. However, because of their special characteristics, these children are now being persecuted and targeted for military use, casting a negative shadow over them. When Taichi and Yamato are engaged in a rescue mission for one such child, a mysterious Digimon ambushes them…

The Digimon Adventure 25th Anniversary PV ‘Digimon Adventure-BEYOND’, which was shown at Digimon Con 2025, is now available worldwide on the Digimon Official Channel!

This short movie is a cut-out PV from the last episode of Digimon Adventure 02, featuring scenes from the 25 years later portion that were never depicted in the version that aired. In the video, characters from ‘Digimon Adventure’ and ‘Digimon Adventure 02’ can be seen all grown up, depicted in new designs which is a must-see for every fan!

In addition, ‘brave heart-DIGIMON Animation 25th Arrange ver!', the track used in the PV was also played for the first time. The track 'brave heart' from Digimon Adventure enhanced the evolution sequences in the anime with its melody, and was now rearranged specially for this PV.

The PV is directed by Hiroyuki Kakudo, series director for Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02. Director Kakudo worked on the planning, storyboards and direction of this PV keeping in mind the story of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02. Character designer for this work is Rie Nishimura, who was the chief animation director for DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02 THE BEGINNING.

We have prepared this project as an appreciation for all the ‘children’ who have stayed with us through our adventures. We hope you watch Digimon Adventure-BEYOND while reminiscing about those adventure filled memories of summer. We are also planning to release the backstory of Digimon Adventure 25th Anniversary PV ‘Digimon Adventure-BEYOND’!

Please look forward to it!

Digimon Adventure-BEYOND Film Info

Staff

Director: Hiroyuki Kakudo ( ‘Digimon Adventure’, ‘Digimon Adventure 02’ series director)

Character Design: Rie Nishimura (Chief Animation Director, Digimon Adventure 02 THE BEGINNING)

Animation Production: Yumeta Company (Digimon Adventure LAST EVOLUTION Kizuna, Digimon Adventure 02 THE BEGINNING), etc.

Production: Toei Animation

Cast

Taichi Yagami - Natsuku Hanae Yamato Ishida - Yoshimasa Hosoya Iori Hida - Yoshitaka Yamaya Agumon- Chika Sakamoto Gabumon- Mayumi Yamaguchi Armadimon- Megumi Urawa Takeru Takaishi- Hiroaki Hirata Patamon- Matsumoto Miwa

Takeru's original Digimon Adventure 02 VA, Yamamoto Taisuke lent his voice for the dialogues during the flashback as well but he remains uncredited most likely due to his retirement from the field. Instead they have credited Hiroaki Hirata (Narrator, Hiroaki Ishida in Digimon Adventure) for his narration as adult Takeru.

[vi-hs-tape]

My lovelies Ace and Yamato 🔥 🤍 SIDENOTE im going to cons soon and im so fweakin excited

☝️🤓

[lokh]

@luckycatcollector it's this one im pretty sure

would u pay 300$ for THIS figure