In Chattanooga, there are plenty of opportunities for most groups to gather and share their passion, but for fans of Japanese pop culture, the only option used to be to leave town.
Last year, Andrea Morgan and Christopher Gillespie gave local fans of Japanese animation (animé) and graphic novels (manga) another option with the inaugural Japanese Animé & Manga Paradise convention.
The three-day festival’s second outing — whose theme is “Good vs. Evil — Whose Side Are You On” — will run today through Sunday at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
This year, the anticipated turnout is double the 500 from the inaugural year, and there has been a 50 percent increase in advance registrations. Morgan, JAMPcon’s president, said the surge in interest may be thanks to this year’s featured guests. Travis Willingham and Vic Mignogna are highly sought after on the convention circuit and have credits on hugely popular shows such as “Fullmetal Alchemist” and “Naruto.”
Last year, JAMPcon attracted fans from as far away as Ohio and California. Morgan said the schedule features fan-favorite events (a costume ball and contest) and new activities (zombie attack and a Japanese fashion panel).