Montevallo students at Kami-Con. Photo by Carter James, Editor in chief. By Sadie Currie
For 72 hours every year, the East Wing of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) comes to life in the world of anime, gaming, and pop culture. Known as Kami-Con, the convention pools fans from across Alabama to appreciate everything from cosplay and Vocaloid performances to arcade games, panels, musical acts, and late-night dances.
Whether you’re into anime, manga, comics, Pokémon, video games, or just Japanese culture, Kami-Con has something for everyone. This event had over 10,000 attendees registered before opening day. It has also become the largest anime convention in Alabama.
Many UM E-sports members went and competed in a variety of gaming tournaments and breezed through a victory. One member mentioned “this is a type of tradition for us to come and not only practice but to nerd out with each other”
“We can’t wait to welcome more than 10,000 fans, many dressed in costume, for a thrilling weekend packed with anime and gaming fun,” said President Raymond Lenzner. “Kami-Con is the ultimate pop culture celebration, featuring over 250 exciting events, concerts and a huge vendor hall brimming with exclusive merchandise and collectibles.”
One vendor commented, “I love talking to the various people that attend Kami-Con. These interactions and conventions make all of the hard work worth it. We are very excited and honored to be part of this!”
One student when asked about what Kami-con fun mentioned “being able to see things, like oh I know where that’s from and you can talk to your friends about it. You learn a lot about your friends while going.”
This convention even has its own mascots. The Shio mascot represents light and radiant. Kosho represents darkness. Each year, people can choose a side and participate in a variety of contests that help determine the mascots’ future. This unique level of creativity to make Kami-Con more interactive
Kami-Con was founded in the fall of 2008 by Lenzner and a few college students at The University of Alabama. They noticed there was no place in Alabama where fans of Japanese culture could gather, share their passions, and build a community. The first official Kami-Con was held in 2009, at the Ferguson Center in Tuscaloosa. In the first few years, the convention focused on panels, small-scale gaming tournaments and cosplay, attracting 500 to 1,000 attendees.
As interest grew, Kami-Con moved to the BJCC, which allowed more panels, events, and vendors. Musical performances, cosplay contests, and interactive workshops became major attractions, and the convention began inviting professional voice actors and other entertainers.
Today, Kami-Con continues to grow, offering a space where fans of all types can celebrate creativity, community and their love of anime, gaming and Japanese culture.
