Twenty years ago, we were a small college anime club and we just wanted to attend an anime convention without having to endure a full day’s worth of driving to get there. There wasn’t a single anime convention in our entire state at the time. We wanted to bring something local. We wanted to see if there were others like us in our own community.

So we tried something. We had no money. All we had for staff was our own club members. No special guests, no sponsors, no big events. We didn’t know if anyone would come. We had people telling us no one would. But we had to try. A leap of faith to the community we knew was out there waiting.

Our first year, we had 300 attendees; double of what we hoped for. The next year we had 600 and enough money saved up to put together a proper convention. We kept climbing from there. It was so much fun! We kept trying new things; keeping what worked and tossing out what didn’t. I met a lot of amazing people who put in the work to help the convention grow. We had some great years and some that didn’t quite work as well as others. We had one year where the flu made its rounds through the staff and I spent most of the convention in bed in my hotel room. But being there was always a good time and I loved running it.

I was a conhead from year 2 until year 7, I think. It’s all a blur now. As much as I loved it, it still took its toll on my mental health. Burned out, I stepped down. It was time for others to bring in new enthusiasm and fresh ideas. For years, the convention thrived as it was kept alive by those who loved it as much as I did.

It’s been a while now since I have truly been involved with the inner workings of Banzai. I was disappointed to hear that those currently tasked with its care did not feel it was a priority to safeguard its legacy. They did not foster a positive, safe, and non-toxic environment for its staff who are the lifeblood of the con. They did not ensure that the convention was financially stable for future years.

So here we are now. I was asked to come back to head the con one last time. We are back our roots like those first years. Just a small staff on a shoe-string budget. All of us coming together for the reason Banzai existed in the first place: the animation. The art, the costumes, the culture, the stories and their characters.

I hope you’ll join us for one last celebration. One last showcase of creativity and culture. One last opportunity for memories with friends and fellow fans long after the convention is over. Thank you for being a part of Anime Banzai. I hope to see you at the con.

Your conhead,

Tyla