Nan Desu Kan (NDK) is 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 September at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in

Aurora, Colorado Aurora (, ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, Arapahoe, Adams County, Colorado, Adams, and Douglas County, Colorado, Douglas List of counties in Colorado, ...

. The convention is the largest anime convention in the Rocky Mountain region and each one takes eighteen months to plan. Its name in

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

roughly means , "what is it?". The parent company, Rocky Mountain Anime Association, is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization.

Programming

The convention typically offers an anime music video contest, art showings and auctions, cultural panels, dances, dealer's room, games, masquerade, musical guests, screenings of anime, and workshops. NDK at one time hosted a contest for attendees who decorate their atrium hotel rooms, with the winners receiving a free hotel room. The convention has held various fundraisers since 2000 to support organizations that include:

American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a United States-based nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes and to help those affected by it through funding research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes (including type 1 diabetes, ...

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...

, Child's Play, Japan America Society of Colorado,

Susan G. Komen Foundation Susan G. Komen (formerly known as Susan G. Komen for the Cure; originally as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; often simply as Komen) is a breast cancer organization in the United States. Komen focuses on patient navigation and advo ...

, and the

United Way United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016. United Way organizations raise funds ...

Gulf Recovery Fund (2010). In 2012, $12,000 was raised for the Aurora Victim Relief Fund and other charities. The 2015 charity fundraiser was a poker tournament for

Dumb Friends League Founded in 1910, the Dumb Friends League, based in Denver, Colorado, is the largest independent, nonprofit community-based animal shelter/ humane society in the Rocky Mountain region, caring for thousands of pets annually and accepting lost and re ...

. The conventions tabletop and video gaming room runs 24 hours during the event.

History

Prior to 2000 the convention was known as Nan Desu Kon. Renovations in the hotel were still underway prior to the start in 2003, but did not affect the convention. The convention chose not to move to the

Colorado Convention Center The Colorado Convention Center (CCC) is a multi-purpose convention center located in Downtown Denver, Colorado. At 2,200,000 square feet (total space) it is currently the 12th largest convention center in the United States. It opened in June 19 ...

due to attendee logistic issues (hotels, money, and parking). The convention instituted an attendance cap of 7,500 per day in 2011 due to event quality and attendee comfort concerns. The attendance cap of 7,500 per day continued into 2012 and the convention was a sellout. The convention added the Hilton Garden Inn DTC hotel in 2013, occurred during the 2013 Colorado floods, and attendance remained capped at 7,500 attendees. Along with the flooding the fire alarm went off, tornado warnings occurred, long lines occurred, and the masquerade had to be stopped due to a medical emergency. The convention also hosted the

World Cosplay Summit is an annual international cosplay event, which promotes global interaction through Japanese pop culture. It developed from a cosplay exhibition held at the Aichi Expo in 2005. The WCS incorporated in 2012, by which time it had grown to includ ...

Mountain Qualifiers with Green Jello Cosplay winning. Nan Desu Kan moved from the Marriott Denver Tech Center to Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in 2015 due to growth and included an expanded dealers room. Nan Desu Kan 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 identif ...

. In 2021, the convention moved to the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.

Event history

Other events

On August 8, 2004 the convention held a CosPlay Dance Party at the Rock Island Night Club in Denver, Colorado. In 2011, Nan Desu Kan organized a benefit for the

Japanese Red Cross The is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross. The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with the Empress as Honorary President and other imperial family members as vice presidents. Its headquarters i ...

named Rave2Save. The event was held on Saturday April 30, 2011 at the Marriott Denver Tech Center, which donated the Evergreen Ballroom, and funds raised at the event were matched by the Rocky Mountain Anime Association. The event raised $13,440.

References

External links

Nan Desu Kan official website

Rocky Mountain Anime Association official website
{{coord, 39, 44, 31, N, 104, 59, 22, W, region:US-CO_type:event, display=title Anime conventions in the United States Recurring events established in 1997 1997 establishments in Colorado Annual events in Colorado Festivals in Colorado Tourist attractions in Colorado Conventions in Colorado Culture of Aurora, Colorado