News Feed
March 16, 2024
Nakama - please welcome the Japanese male dance and vocal group WATWING as they spread their wings and grace the stage at Naka-Kon 2024! The six artists, Ryo Furuhata, Asahi Suzuki, Fu Takahashi, Rintaro Hachimura, Ryuta Kuwayama, and Noa Fukuzawa, have been combining their musical talents since taking the win at ‘Star Boys Audition’ in 2019 and have followed up with steady music releases and electric performances from there.
March 14, 2024
We are honored to announce that fashion model Misako Aoki will be a guest of honor at Naka-Kon 2024! Appointed as the ‘Kawaii Ambassador’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, she has visited over 45 cities in 25 countries on cultural diplomacy as the leading representative of Lolita fashion. She helped found the Japan Lolita Association and served as the first president, and in addition to being a model Aoki-san also works as a nurse in Japan.
March 12, 2024
Nakama - we are excited to share that Japanese fashion brands EmilyTemple cute and Melody BasKet will be part of Naka-Kon 2024! Joining us from Japan will be the brand's President and Director. EmilyTemple cute and Melody BasKet specialize in fun, feminine clothing suitable for casual, otome and Lolita styles. Please check out the brand's clothing and items at the exhibit hall, fashion show, and tea party.
March 6, 2024
Ever want to marry a 10 foot tall cryptid and be whisked away to a magical forest forever? Please welcome our next guests Dani Chambers and make sure to ask her about it. Dani made her anime debut as Chise Hatori in The Ancient Magus Bride. Since then, she's voiced many roles such as Becky from Spy x Family, Nilou from Genshin Impact, and Timerra in Fire Emblem Engage.
March 2, 2024
Are you ready to believe in the power of Love? You better be ready to sing your heart out Nakama! Please welcome the singing voice of the Moon Princess herself, Jennifer Cihi. Jennifer has been performing since she was a young girl where she played Pepper in the Broadway National Tour of Annie. Her most notable job is the original English singing voice of Sailor Moon. She also sang for City Hunter and Princess Mononoke.
February 29, 2024
"Jupiter Power! Makeup!" Nakama, it's the pretty guardian of Love and Courage in a sailor suit, Sailor Jupiter! Please welcome Amanda Miller as our guest for Naka-Kon 2024! Amanda is best known for playing spunky, badass, and occasionally deranged heroines (and villains).
February 27, 2024
"I haven't shown you this one yet, have I?" No? Well Nakama please welcome Anne Yatco as our guest for Naka-Kon 2024! Anne is a Filipino-American voice actor (and former forensic scientist) best known as the English voice of Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen, Raiden Shogun in Genshin Impact, and Sabine Dupain-Cheng in Miraculous Ladybug.
February 25, 2024
"Nah, I'd win". Nakama, are you prepared to meet the self proclaimed strongest jujutsu sorcerer? If so, please welcome Kaiji Tang as our guest for Naka-Kon 2024! In addition to Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen, you may recognize Kaiji as Ichiban Kasuga from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Guts from Berserk 2016, and Hendricksen from The Seven Deadly Sins.
February 23, 2024
Nakama, we are excited to announce our first guest for Naka-Kon 2024. Please welcome Heather Gonzalez! You may recognize Heather as Yukari Takeba from Persona 3 Reload, Mineru from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Gloria Costello from JoJo's Bizarre Adventures as well as many others.
February 10, 2024
Nakama - the Sheraton Hotel Room block is sold out! If you are still looking for rooms, please visit the Hotel Page to find the list of the overflow hotels.
January 21, 2024
Are you interested in becoming a Fan Panelist at Naka-Kon 2024? Head on over to our programming page and fill out a panel application before the deadline on April 14, 2024! We know you have been sitting on some amazing ideas and we can't wait to see what panels you all bring to the table.
January 15, 2024
Nakama Idols! Applications for the 2024 Sunflower Idol Festival are now open! ❤︎
We are so excited to have you join us! Please make sure to read the requirements closely before sending in your application. The submission period will be open until Saturday February 17th at 6pm CST. Final decisions will be announced on Saturday March 2nd. Keep an eye out on the email you provided. We can't wait to see your talented selves!
December 8, 2023
Nakama, the 2024 hotel room blocks are now open! Please visit the Hotel Page to reserve your rooms!
December 1, 2023
Nakama, the exhibit hall application for Naka-Kon 2024 is now open! Please visit our Exhibitors page to submit your application! Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 5, 2024.
November 27, 2023
Nakama, Happy Cyber Monday! Registration for Naka-Kon 2024 is now open and can be purchased from our Registration page. Early bird badge rates will be available until February 29, 2024.
Also, big congratulations to the following people for winning last month's KC Japan Festival and Planet Anime raffle! Each winner will receive a pair of Naka-Kon 2024 badges and will be notified by email with directions to claim their badges.
October 5, 2023
The Kansas City Japan Festival is this Saturday, October 7, at the Johnson County Community College! Come swing by the Naka-Kon booth or participate in the cosplay contest for your chance to win Naka-Kon 2024 badges. At our booth, we will also give away gift cards for the KC Craft Ramen and Right Stuf Anime (Crunchyroll) Store!
September 24, 2023
The Greater Kansas City Japan Festival is coming up on October 7 at Johnson County Community College! Naka-Kon will again be part of the festival, helping out the Anime and Manga area. The festival is currently looking for volunteers. To sign up and read all the benefits, please visit https://www.kcjapanfestival.org/volunteer/.
September 22, 2023
Get ready to run down memory lane at Sonic speed!
Courtesy of MGP Live, we are excited to share that we have two pairs of tickets to giveaway for the upcoming Sonic Symphony Concert scheduled to be held on January 27, 2024, at Kansas City Music Hall.
To enter the giveaway, simply visit this webpage and enter your information! Entry will be open through the end of November: https://www.mgplive.com/sonic-symphony-kc-giveaway
May 29, 2023
Nakama, it was great seeing all of you! Thanks for coming and we'll see you next year: May 24th to 26th, 2024.
May 26, 2023
Good morning Nakama! It is Friday of Con and we are excited. Badge pick-up just opened for the day, we have a few hours until gaming opens it doors, and things really kick off at 4 pm with Opening Ceremonies.
What about everything else like vendor hall, registration, or prop checks? We now have our convention hours for different services available on our Convention Hours Page.
May 24, 2023
Nakama! Naka-Kon 2023 is just around the corner. You may pick up badges early tomorrow (Thursday, May 25) from 6 PM - 9 PM at Overland Park Convention Center Ballroom A1. Please note the change in the location of badge pickup compared to years past. Please bring your registration confirmation either printed or on your mobile device. Additional details on registration and badges can be viewed here.
May 24, 2023
This year Naka-Kon is excited to host a special exhibition in the Exhibit Hall, Traveling Kimono Exhibition: Kimono Through Time, presented by Tangerine Mountain. This exhibition will highlight antique and modern kimono fashions and items, and various panels on kimonos will be presented at the exhibit throughout the weekend. The exhibit is free to all Naka-Kon attendees. Please check it out during our shopping trip!
May 23, 2023
Nakama! The list of vendors, artists, and exhibitors attending Naka-Kon 2023 is now available on the website!
