Saboten Con is an annual four-day

anime convention An anime and manga convention (often called just anime convention) is a fan convention with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Anime conventions are commonly multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college cam ...

held during August/September at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

. The convention is held over

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

weekend. Its name comes from the Japanese word ''saboten'', meaning "cactus".

Programming

The convention typically offers an anime music video contest, anime screenings, concerts, gaming, karaoke, masquerade, Japanese fashion show, maid cafes, panels, screenings, steampunk ball, vendors, and workshops. The convention had over 700 hours of programming in 2017.

History

Saboten Con was named the "Best Anime Convention – 2010" by the ''

Phoenix New Times ''Phoenix New Times'' is a free digital and print media company based in Phoenix, Arizona. ''Phoenix'' ''New Times'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music, arts, cannabis, as well as longform narrative journalism. A ...

''. Saboten Con 2020 was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. The convention for 2021 had a mask policy. Saboten Con expanded in 2023 by adding space at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown, along with hosting a gaming event named SaboSlam.

Event history

Gallery

Image:Eric Stuart by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg, Voice actor guests signing autographs for attendees at Saboten Con 2016.

References

External links

Saboten Con website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saboten Con Anime conventions in the United States Recurring events established in 2008 2008 establishments in Arizona Annual events in Arizona Festivals in Phoenix, Arizona Tourist attractions in Phoenix, Arizona Conventions in Arizona