Projects

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a parent organization which funds and manages various projects and properties that are used to accomplish the mission and vision of the organization.

Anime Expo

Currently the largest project managed by the SPJA, Anime Expo is an annual convention currently held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Historially, Anime Expo (AX) has been held on July 4th weekend as a 4-day event. Anime Expo has grown in scale dramatically, and is currently thd largest anime and manga convention in North America. It is the second longest running anime convention (after A-kon in Texas) starting in 1992.

Popular large events include the Masquerade, Anime Music Video Contest, Concerts, Battle of the Bands, and the "AX Idol" contest. Anime Expo is a 24-hour convention that offers late-night dances, all night video programming, tabletop gaming rooms, and open-mic Karaoke in the late evening/early morning hours. Many of the attendees cosplay while attending the convention, and there are many gatherings for fans of different anime and manga series.

Renowned for its ability to bring famous guests to America for panels and concerts, Anime Expo has been the site of many U.S. premiers of shows, movies, and bands. For more information, please visit our official website at www.anime-expo.org.

Industry Awards

The SPJA Industry Awards are an annual event that coincides with the Industry Reception at Anime Expo. Using input from the anime industry, the staff of the SPJA, and the fans, the SPJA Industry Awards recognize the best new anime and manga as well as the artists and companies that create the properties we all enjoy.

Fandom Industry Management Reception

The Fandom Industry Management Reception (FIMR) is designed as an informal meet and greet opportunity to foster collaboration in the industry and act as a networking event to introduce fellow convention peers. First started in 2008 as an unofficial gathering and party, it expanded to encompass all fandom "convention organizers".

Past delegations have included representatives from: Aftercon, Anime Boston, Anime Expo, Anime Los Angeles, Anime Weekend Atlanta, ComicCon, FanimeCon, Gamers Evolution Expo, Otakon, Robotech Convention Tour, Sakuracon and more.

Past Projects

Anime Reference Guide (ARG)

The Anime Reference Guide (ARG) was a publication that was given to attendees of Anime Expo, and was also made available for purchase through comic book shops, anime stores, and book stores via Diamond Comics Distribution. It was comprised of plot descriptions or summaries of the current anime series of the time.

EX.org

The premier online anime website in it's day, EX.org was the place to go for current information on new series, artist interviews, and reviews of new shows. EX.org still shows up as the number one search result for many searches related to anime, manga, and soundtracks of the period, and is still maintained as an online archive. 		In this section:
Anime Expo
Industry Awards
Fandom Industry Management Reception

Related Links
Anime Expo Website
Anime Expo Backstage
EX.org Website