Dundee will once again proudly nail its geeky colours to the mast when Scotland’s largest free anime, comics and video games convention returns to Dundee University Students Union this year.
DOJ-CON will take place on Saturday 13th April when film screenings, board and video game tournaments, stalls, exhibitions, demonstrations and industry presentations will take place. The event has grown in stature year-on-year, and around 2000 fans, most of whom dressed in costume, took part last year.
DOJ-CON is a product of the Animation Fundraiser Society at Dundee University Students Association. Management of the fundraiser event each year changes to the successive Animation 4th year class.
The event, previously called Dee-Con, has been re-branded DOJ-CON for 2013, emphasising the convention’s roots in the art college. The organisers of Dee-Con 2012, as well as lecturers Dr. Chris Murray and Phil Vaughan, who run comics studies courses at the University and run the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, are working closely with this year’s management.
Organised predominantly by students and alumni of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, DOJ-CON is a fundraiser event with all proceeds going towards the animation degree show, which takes place 17th-25th May 2013.
The Dundee University Students Association and the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies are providing backing to allow DOJ-CON to take place.
President Slava Lawson explained, “The programme we’re putting together will be added to between now and the event, and the amount of support and enthusiasm that we’ve received from the guest speakers we’ve invited as well as the attendees who remember last year’s convention is absolutely incredible.”
“Our predecessors have done a great job in establishing this as a major event, so we know we have to be at our best to match the standards they set but we’re all really enthusiastic about doing just that. Even if you’re not a diehard manga or anime fan there’s a lot to interest you. It’s shaping up to be a great day and we’d like to welcome everyone along. Video game tournaments will be taking place, and the after party is always a bit special.”
DOJ-CON will feature talks from guest speakers from the animation, games, comic and anime industry as well as other specialists and enthusiasts. The list includes a talk on manga by Sweatdrop founder Hayden Scott-Baron (Dock); a workshop by professional comics artist Tanya Roberts; a talk on Korean Comics by Hannah Rose, a recent graduate of Dundee University’s Comics MLitt programme; an “8 out of 10 cats” style talk by video games music lecturer Rosalie Newcombe including video cameos by well-known composers such as Grant Kirkhope (GoldenEye, Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie); Alisa Partridge: Lolita fashion enthusiast with influence directly from world travel, and Alice de Ste Croix aka DestinyBlue, a digital manga style artist who will be hosting an interactive character creation and creativity lecture.
Anime Ltd. run by director of the festival Scotland Loves Animation, will be providing a variety of anime films and shows to screen throughout the day including 2 episodes of the classic Cowboy Bebop and a special feature film voted for by Doj-Con fans: Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror Cert:12A (2009). Anime Ltd. will also have a stall in artists alley representing Manga UK and Kaze for attendees to browse.
The convention will feature an Artist’s Alley where up and coming anime/fan art/comic artists and illustrators can sell their work, promote their businesses and make contacts. There will also be a Games area with an entire floor of the Union dedicated to game playing and tournaments including Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Pokemon Black & White 2. There will also be an advanced constructed tournament in the classic anime card game Yu-Gi-Oh!
The Northumbria University Kendo Club will be hosting a demonstration of this Japanese martial art just before the all-important winners of the Cosplay competition and raffle are announced and everyone who has come in costume is given the opportunity to take part in a traditional masquerade.
As is tradition Cosplaying will be taking place and there will be a competition for hand-made costumes. Professional photographers Mr Drew Photography and Scott Baxter will be on hand to capture everyone in their costumes.
Over 18 attendees will have the opportunity to blow off some steam just before the after party at the karaoke night in Ait bar, opened by a special acoustic performance from Tom Paxton.
The event will be rounded off with the now-legendary after party, with Nanashi Dansu, an Eastern Asian music style club night run by David Skelley, coming to DUSA to round off the celebrations. DJ Nanashi will be supported by DJ Bubu, who has been Awarded 'Best Artist' and 'Best Release' during the World Wide Chiptune Awards.
• DOJ-Con Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/446581382089546/?fref=ts
• For more information on DOJ-CON please contact Slava Lawson on dojcon2013@gmail.com.
• For cosplay related enquiries please visit the Facebook Page (http://dojcon.com) or email dojcon2013cosplay@gmail.com.
• For information about acquiring an artist’s stall please visit the official website: http://dojcon.com.
• For more details of corporate stalls please contact Trevor San at tsan@dusa.co.uk
• To receive all the latest updates straight to your news feed like the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dojconanime or follow the event on Twitter at @DOJ_CON
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