Wonder Festival to Reopen for 2009 in New Location

Author: Quen
Categories: Anime Figures, News
Date: Feb 20, 2009 11:02 JST

Tags: Announcements, Events, Kaiyodo, Makuhari Messe, Wonder Festival

Japan’s biggest figure event, Wonder Festival (WonFes), had been on an uncertain hiatus since the escalator accident of WonFes 2008 Summer, but event goers will be elated to know the 2009 Summer event will resume, albeit not at the Big Sight, but at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba.

WonFes 2008 Winter was set to open this February, but the controversy over the refusal of the event’s organizer (Kaiyodo) and the Tokyo Big Sight to accept responsibility for the non-lethal accident which injured 10 people (including some broken limbs) forced the cancellation of the Winter event and has apparently spurred the WonFes to abandon the famed Big Sight in favor of the Messe center.

The announcement came by way of Kaiyodo’s contacting previous dealers from the 2008 Summer event, disclosing information that the 2009 Summer event will take place on July 26th at the Makuhara Messe convention center.

The official WonFes website has yet to update with any news regarding the event’s reopening, but the amount of sources repeating this plus newspaper Mainichi’s reporting the news as fact does point to this as being reliable.

Figure fans have great reason to celebrate the return of the event, which dwarfs other events like WonHobi and Mega Hobby, but undoubtedly many will lament the loss of the Big Sight, long regarded as the premiere location for otaku events such as the Comiket.

Via Mainichi.

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Comment by Tim

23:39 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

Hurray! It's finally back.
Now time to plan my next holiday to Japan.
:P

Reply to Tim

Comment by Kip

11:43 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

That's not so bad. Jump Festa is held there in December.

Any reason in particular why Big Sight would be a better venue than Messe, aside from being the otaku mecca?

Reply to Kip

Comment by metatron

02:09 21/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

I think it's the size of the venue. Big Site is much larger than Messe in terms of floor and area size.

Big Site is a primary choice for large otaku events maybe 'coz it's the only venue that could accommodate the large otaku populace.

Reply to metatron

Comment by Quen

12:57 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

It would mostly be the sentimental factor, although I have seen some worries about Messe regarding size and the halls being significantly darker (which would hurt photography).

I've never been to Messe, so I can't comment much.

Reply to Quen

Comment by Atashi

12:58 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

Please don't get 'escalator' mixed up with 'elevator'. Two very different tools.

Reply to Atashi

Comment by イチロ　イノ　Ichiro Ino

18:25 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

escalator != elevator

oh my...

Reply to イチロ　イノ　Ichiro Ino

Comment by Anonymous

19:55 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

dammit, now I wanna watch Azumanga Daioh! again. 8(

Comment by ichiro ino

23:43 22/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

why? I haven't seen Azumanga daioh yet...

spoilers!

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Comment by Quen

13:12 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

Silly typo, thanks.

Reply to Quen

Comment by Halconnen

23:35 22/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

I had to chuckle because I rewatched Azumanga Daioh not long ago.

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Comment by Kip

13:40 20/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

Oh, I thought it was an unrelated event involving a convention space, and a different people-moving device.

I thought, "Two accidents on electric, elevation-changing machines in a convention hall?
Must be more than a coincidence!"
XD

Reply to Kip

Comment by Artefact

16:13 20/02/2009 # ! Endless

Don't rub it in.

Comment by Kip

01:59 21/02/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

I was being serious actually... T_T

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