# Naka-Kon

Naka-Kon is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas. The name of the convention comes from the Japanese word for "center/middle".

## Programming

The convention typically offers an Artist Alley, contests, Dealers’ Room, game shows, fashion show, maid cafe, panels, showings, video game rooms, and workshops.

## History

Naka-Kon was founded in 2005 by members of the University of Kansas Anime Club. The convention moved to the Overland Park Convention Center in 2012. Naka-Kon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Naka-Kon held a virtual convention in March 2021, a smaller event over Labor Day weekend in September, and in 2022 moved to Memorial Day weekend in May. The 2021 convention had an attendance cap of 2,500, with 2022 having a cap of 6,000.

### Event history

| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
| April 17, 2005 | University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas | 300 | |
| March 4–5, 2006 | University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas | | Greg Ayres, Steve Bennett, and Caitlin Glass. |
| March 2–4, 2007 | Hilton Kansas City Airport Kansas City, Missouri | 1,529 | Greg Ayres, Steve Bennett, Steve Blum, Caitlin Glass, Rob Mungle, Dustin Reudelhuber, and Angela Von Huber. |
| February 8–10, 2008 | Kansas City Marriott Downtown Kansas City, Missouri | 2,091 | Chris Bevins, Emily DeJesus, Robert DeJesus, Taliesin Jaffe, Dustin Reudelhuber, Christopher Sabat, Sonny Strait, Angela Von Huber, and Kari Wahlgren. |
| March 13–15, 2009 | Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri | 3,135 | Yamila Abraham, Amelie Belcher, Leah Clark, Chuck Huber, K-State Yosakoi, L33tStr33t Boys, Kevin McKeever, Brina Palencia, Chris Patton, Dustin Reudelhuber, and Angela Von Huber. |
| February 19–21, 2010 | Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri | 4,084 | Christopher Ayres, Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Shion Francois, Kyle Hebert, K-State Yosakoi, Kojokan Shinbutai, Yumi Kwaguchi, M. Alice LeGrow, Peelander-Z, Wendy Powell, Dustin Reudelhuber, Eric Vale, Angela Von Huber, and Tommy Yune. |
| February 18–20, 2011 | Hyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri | 4,684 | Alsdead, Amelie Belcher, Samurai Dan Coglan, Gavin Goszka, Clarine Harp, Charlene Ingram, Kojokan Shinbutai, Brina Palencia, Dustin Reudelhuber, Patrick Seitz, DJ Sephiroth, J. Michael Tatum, Angela Von Huber, and Eric Wile. |
| February 10–12, 2012 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Amelie Belcher, Blood Stain Child, Steve Blum, Aleathia Burns, Chris Cason, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Quinton Flynn, Yaya Han, DJ Infam0us, Wendee Lee, Nina Matsumoto, and Take One Productions. |
| March 15–17, 2013 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Blue Chee's, Christine Marie Cabanos, Richard Epcar, Kyle Hebert, Catherine Jones, Tony Oliver, and Nobuo Uematsu. |
| March 14–16, 2014 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | 7,697 | Amelie Belcher, Ben Bell, Chaka Cumberbatch, Destrose, Kevin McKeever, Scott McNeil, Atelier Pierrot, DJ Reeves, Revolution Boi, Monica Rial, Michelle Ruff, Team Whatever Cosplay, Travis Willingham, DJ Willis, and Steve Yun. |
| March 13–15, 2015 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | 8,772 | Greg Ayres, Rev. Barrish, Amelie Belcher, Fighting Dreamers Productions, Shion Francois, Hizumi, Jin, Robert Jones, Takashi Kisaki, Matthew Mercer, Hachioji P, Revolution Boi, Patrick Seitz, Andre "DJ Jinrei" Smith, Micah Solusod, Junko Takeuchi, Jessica Tran, Alexandra Watson, and Greg Wicker. |
| March 11–13, 2016 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | 10,264 | Yoh Asakura, Greg Ayres, Kevin Dooley, The Earthbound Papas, Chihiro Fujioka, Akira Fukaya, Michael Gluck, Jason Hayes, Yoshitaka Hirota, Michelle Jade, Roland Kelts, Timothy Koenig, Eru Matsumoto, Erica Mendez, Momo Hime, Tsutomu Narita, Benyamin Nuss, Michio Okamiya, Pros and Cons Cosplay, DJ Rob Reeves, Arnie Roth, Micah Solusod, Karen Strassman, Austin Tindle, Nobuo Uematsu, Mamoru Yokota, Apphia Yu (Ayu Sakata), and DJ Zombie Kitten. |
| March 10–12, 2017 | Overland Park Convention Center Sheraton Hotel Overland Park, Kansas | | Amelie Belcher, Ben Bell, Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond, Roland Kelts, Showshow Kurihara, Joel McDonald, Max Mittelman, A New World , Rondonrats, and David Vincent. |
| March 16–18, 2018 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Ben Bell, Steve Blum, Sean Chiplock, Xanthe Huynh, Kabuki, Daniel Kanemitsu, Roland Kelts, Kill Screen, Nao Kurebayashi, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Moderately Okay Cosplay, DJ Chef Nguyen, Atelier Pierrot, Wendy Powell, Mikio Sakai, Masumi Sendou, Ian Sinclair, Strangecat Cosplay, Murata Tam, and Takayoshi Tanimoto. |
| March 15–17, 2019 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Satomi Akesaka, Amelie Belcher, Kara Edwards, Ryuzou Ishino, Billy Kametz, Aya Kamiki, Roland Kelts, Kristen McGuire, Yoshinori Natsume, Alejandro Saab, Jad Saxton, and Keith Silverstein. |
| September 3-5, 2021 | Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Morgan Berry and Christina Marie Kelly. |
| May 27-29, 2022 | Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Amelie Belcher, Jessica Calvello, Gavin Goszka, Anairis Quiñones, Eric Roth, Strangecat Cosplay, and Kari Wahlgren. |
| May 26-28, 2023 | Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Amelie Belcher, Aaron Campbell, Clifford Chapin, Khoi Dao, Kristen McGuire, Philip "Canvas" Odango, Zeno Robinson, Laura Stahl, Diana Tolin, and Mark Whitten. |
| May 24-26, 2024 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Misako Aoki, Amelie Belcher, Dani Chambers, Jennifer Cihi, Sandy Fox, Heather Gonzalez, Aika Kobayashi, Lex Lang, Briana Lawrence, Amanda C. Miller, Kaiji Tang, Diana Tolin, Jessica Walsh, and Anne Yatco. |
| March 14-16, 2025 | Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Kansas | | Misako Aoki, A.J. Beckles, Amelie Belcher, Steve Blum, Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond, Yaya Han, Kyle "Turtle Smithy" Mathis, Malinda "Malindachan" Mathis, Brandon McInnis, Misako Rocks!, Max Mittelman, Anairis Quiñones, J. Michael Tatum, and Diana "Binkx" Tolin. |