MechaCon was an annual three-day
anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activ ...
held during the summer at the
Hyatt Regency New Orleans
The Hyatt Regency New Orleans is a 32-story, 361-foot (110 m) hotel located at 601 Loyola Ave in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It has 1,193 guest rooms, including 95 suites. It is part of a complex of connected buildings ...
in
. It was the oldest active anime convention in Louisiana.
Programming
The convention typically offered an artist's alley, cosplay competition, dealer's room, gaming, and maid/host show.
History
MechaCon's inaugural weekend in 2005 is unique because
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
made landfall on the coast of Louisiana hours after MechaCon closed its doors. The dealers room closed early and all but one guest made their flight.
In 2006, as a special part of MechaCon's 2006 programming,
Harmony Gold USA
Harmony Gold USA, Inc. was an American film and television production company. It was founded in 1983 by Egyptian-born Frank Agrama and is managed by his daughter, Jehan F. Agrama.
In 1976, Agrama sold broadcast rights from Paramount Picture ...
provided fans of the
Robotech
''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985.
The show was adapted from ...
franchise with the first-ever public screening of the film
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles. 100% of the funds raised from the screening was donated to
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
’s ongoing Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita recovery efforts.
A 2019 press release announced that the final Mechacon, dubbed "Mechacon Omega," would be held in July 2020.
MechaCon 2020 was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
The final MechaCon was held from July 23-25, 2021.
Event history
References
Other Related News Articles
WGNO’s Adam Bowles showcases all of the crazy costumes at Mechacon!WGNO, Retrieved 2018-08-07
External links
MechaCon Website
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Defunct anime conventions
Recurring events established in 2005
2005 establishments in Louisiana
Annual events in Louisiana
Festivals in New Orleans
Tourist attractions in New Orleans
Conventions in Louisiana