August 22nd and 23rd, 1998
It has been 10 years since Anime North 1998 at The Michener Institute. While I have some memory of being at two cons at Michener and have program book for 1997, I'm not so sure. As it is, I have only 4 photos of the convention though more may exist.
At the time, Michener was too small and many video rooms were at capacity and many were turned away. Add some disgruntled con goer who kicked hole in the wall, it would be the last time for Michener. Also our group was planing to have a AMV but due to a hard drive failure took the video with it.
Fred Perry was guest at Anime North 1998 and the list of those requesting sketches were long. I manage to get my sketch only because another fan graciously allowed me ahead of him. At the time, the challenge was to draw myself as a centaur, a character I play on a well known MUCK. This challenge was a template for the later challenges, Skunk Girls and Kitsune as well as The 4 Koma Project. I will be posting further art challenges and commissions of past.
Still this Anime North was small con but even then growing pains are part of any convention. Anime North has survived, learning and progressing on from year to year and growing exponentially as well.