International Otaku Expo Association Explained

I.O.E.A
Full Name:International Otaku Expo Association
Native Name:国際オタクイベント協会
Native Name Lang:JP
Abbreviation:IOEA
Headquarters:Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan
Key People:
Website:https://ioea.info

The International Otaku Expo Association (IOEA), stylized as I.O.E.A, is an international cooperative association of otaku fan event organizers from around the world. The term otaku is used to indicate enthusiasm for Japanese pop culture and subculture surrounding anime, manga, games and fashion. The association does not limit membership to events that focus solely on Japanese culture. Any association that wishes to embrace otaku culture, whether it be Japanese or non-Japanese, is welcome to apply for membership with the IOEA.[1]

As of July 2023 the IOEA currently has over 123 member events around the world, in 46 countries/regions in every continent except Antarctica.[2]

History

Fans of anime and manga have been networking with each other since the 1980s. Osamu Tezuka had visited the American fan organization Cartoon/Fantasy Organization in the 1980s.[3]

Since at least 2007, Comic Market staff have been discussing about the many international visitors that have been attending Comic Market through the years which also included foreign press.[4]

Discussions among numerous fan events for a cooperative association started prior to Comic Market's 2015 Comiket Special 6 Otaku Summit, an event that invited many otaku events from around the world. While numerous parties were involved in the creation of the IOEA. Takamasa Sakurai, Kazutaka Sato, and Dan Kanemitsu (Japanese Wikipedia Entry) were the original planning group.[5] [6]

The IOEA was formally established on March 27, 2015 during Comiket Special 6 Otaku Summit held in Makuhari Messe, Chiba.[7] [8] [9]

Initial Signatory Events

During Comiket Special 6 a total of 30 events from around the world became the initial signatory events to help officially establish the IOEA. The first 8 events became the "Trustee Events" and serve as part of the Board of Trustees.

Initial Board of Trustee Events

Signatory Events

Otaku Summit 2020

Otaku Summit 2020 was an event that was part of the 2020 Tokyo Cultural Olympiad of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that ran June 26–27, 2021.[11] It was hosted at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, considered as one of the major Otaku spots around Tokyo besides Akihabara,[12] as part of Toshima City's cultural event for the Cultural Programme of the Olympics.[13] The IOEA intended to host Otaku Summit 2020 on June 27–28, 2020 near the start of the Tokyo Olympics however due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed to the following year and so was Otaku Summit.[14]

References

  1. Web site: 2018-08-09 . 世界中で急増する調査兵団、腐女子に留まらない『ユーリ』人気、奇跡の視聴率100%アニメ――今知るべき"海外オタク"の最前線【国際オタクイベント協会 代表インタビュー】 . 2023-11-21 . ニコニコニュース オリジナル . ja.
  2. Web site: I.O.E.A Member Expo List . 2023-08-07 . ioea.info.
  3. Web site: 2020-04-28 . A brief history of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization, America's first anime fan club — by Sy Sable . 2023-02-07 . Dogpatch Press . en-US.
  4. Web site: コミックマーケット72 3日目反省会 . 2023-02-07 . 橋本充電中 . 16 July 2011 . ja.
  5. Web site: 2023-08-29 . Interview: International Otaku Expo Association . 2023-08-30 . Anime News Network . en.
  6. Web site: 2015-03-30 . コミケ、超会議、Otakon発起イベントの『国際オタクイベント協会』設立 (Japanese) . 2023-08-30 . おたくま経済新聞.
  7. Web site: 30 Japanese & International Otaku Events Form Association . 2023-02-07 . Anime News Network . en.
  8. Web site: Kelts . Roland . 2017-09-24 . IOEA: The grass-roots gospel of otaku culture . 2023-08-30 . The Japan Times . en.
  9. Web site: 2018-10-31 . 5年に1度の"オタクの祭典"開幕 コミケ開催40周年、海外視野に進化 (Japanese) . 2023-08-30 . ORICON NEWS.
  10. Web site: About ACGHK – 香港動漫電玩節 2021 . 2023-08-30 . ani-com.hk . 7 .
  11. Web site: ANIME NEWS: Otaku Summit 2020 gives geeks their own Tokyo Olympics event The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis . 2023-04-12 . The Asahi Shimbun . en.
  12. Web site: The complete guide to geek culture in Tokyo . 2023-04-12 . Lonely Planet . en.
  13. Web site: IOEA to Host 'Otaku Summit 2020' Event as Official Programme in Association with Tokyo Olympics . 2023-04-12 . Anime News Network . en.
  14. Web site: 池袋で「オタクサミット」6月開催へ オタク文化を世界へ発信 (Japanese) . 2023-08-30 . 池袋経済新聞.

External links