Wasabi Anime, also known as Green Mustard Entertainment, is a company specializing in the production of events and programming for anime conventions and other fan conventions in North America, as well as hosting their own standalone conventions. The company's journey began in 2001 with the registration of the WasabiAnime.com website. It started as an anime club, later evolving into a limited liability company (LLC) in 2007, and ultimately becoming a corporation in 2010. As of July 2012, Wasabi Anime had organized events in California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, and Las Vegas.
History Wasabi Anime was founded by Tom Croom and a group of passionate anime enthusiasts shortly after the successful completion of Anime Festival Orlando II in Kissimmee, Florida. Recognizing the need to support a broader spectrum of fandoms, Wasabi Anime (initially known as "Wasabi Anime of Florida") established a network of anime clubs, providing assistance to existing clubs while nurturing the growth of new ones. Members of the Wasabi Anime clubs were issued photo ID cards that granted discounts at local anime and comic stores in Florida.
Some of the clubs included in the Wasabi Anime network were:
Anime Goes Anime Club Miami Gator Anime HIYAH! The Southwest Florida Anime Club Japanese Animation Club of Tallahassee Lake Brantley High School Anime & SciFi Club Mile Stretch Anime Club North Port Anime Club Oukyuu Anime Club Wasabi Anime: Deltona Wasabi Anime: Englewood Wasabi Anime: Ft. Lauderdale Wasabi Anime: Green Cove Springs (which later became the Anime Belle Club) Wasabi Anime: Jacksonville Wasabi Anime: Miami Wasabi Anime: New Smyrna Beach Wasabi Anime: Orlando Wasabi Anime: Tampa (which eventually formed the original volunteer staff for MetroCon 2003) Wasabi Anime: Titusville Wasabi Anime: Treasure Coast Wasabi Anime: West Palm Beach
Periodically, the core team at Wasabi Anime hosted standalone events aimed at bringing these clubs together. Notable among these were the Wasabi Anime Halloween Cosplay Parties in 2001 and 2003.
Around 2004, Wasabi Anime shifted its focus from networking clubs to designing and organizing events for anime and fan conventions. These events encompassed themed panels, game shows, dances, and stage performances, including the well-known "Wasabi Animusical."
Appearances Wasabi Anime has designed entertainment and programming for several anime and fan conventions since starting in 2001.
California Anime Expo 2012
Florida AccioCon (2009) Ancient City Con 4 (2010) Animation Supercon 2009 Anime Express V (2002) Anime Express VI (2003) Anime Festival Orlando III (2002) Anime Festival Orlando IV (2003) Anime Festival Orlando V (2004) Anime Festival Orlando VI (2005) Anime Festival Orlando VII (2006) Anime Festival Orlando VIII (2007) Anime Festival Orlando IX (2008) Anime Festival Orlando X (2009) Anime Festival Orlando XI (2010) Anime Festival Orlando XIII (2012) Broward Anime Festival (2009) DreamCon (2004) FITCON 2003 FITCON 2004 FITCON 2008 Florida Supercon 2009 Florida Supercon 2010 Florida Supercon 2011 FX Show 2005 FX Show 2006 FX Show 2007 FX Show 2008 FX Show 2009 JACON 2002 JACON 2003 JACON 2004 JACON 2005 JACON 2006 JACON 2007 JACON 2008 MetroCon 2003 MetroCon 2004 The Nightmare Before Thanksgiving (2004) Umicon 2012 Vulkon Orlando 2003 Vulkon Tampa 2003 YasumiCon 2003 YasumiCon 2005
Georgia Anime Weekend Atlanta 15 (2009) Anime Weekend Atlanta 16 (2010) Anime Weekend Atlanta 17 (2011) Dragon*Con 2007 Dragon*Con 2011 MomoCon 2011
Indiana Gen Con 2010 Gen Con 2011 Gen Con 2012
Nevada NeonCon 2010
Conventions In 2007, Wasabi Anime began producing its fan conventions. Since some of these productions were not anime-centric, they often operated under corporate names (either Green Mustard, LLC or Green Mustard Entertainment, Inc.)
Convention Name Theme Dates Location Attendance Guests ASSIMILATION(as Green Mustard, LLC) Science Fiction September 29–30, 2007 Radisson Worldgate Resort OrlandoKissimmee, FL 160 attendees(85 unique) Ethan Phillips, Glenda Finkelstein, Michael A. Stackpole, Richard Horvitz, Rooster Teeth Productions, & Tracy Scoggins MuggleCon(as Green Mustard, LLC) Harry Potter November 21–22, 2008 Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort & Convention CenterKissimmee, FL TBD The House of Black & Witherwings InvaderCON Invader ZIM March 26–27, 2011 Marriott Century CenterAtlanta, GA TBD Andy Berman, Eric Trueheart, Melissa Fahn, Richard Horvitz, & Rikki Simons Florida Anime Experience 2011 Anime May 27–29, 2011 Ramada Orlando Celebration ResortKissimmee, FL 1931 attendees(925 unique) Anime World Order, Brett Weaver, Brittney Karbowski, Daric "Jingoro" Jackson, & Steve Blum Florida Anime Experience 2012 Anime May 25–27, 2012 International Palms Resort & Convention CenterOrlando, FL 2167 attendees(1027 unique) Anime Addict Anonymous, Dan Woren, Darrel Guilbeau, Daric "Jingoro" Jackson, & Terri Hawkes Project Anime 2012(with Anime Expo) Anime Conventions June 27–28, 2012 Westin BonaventureLos Angeles, CA 33 unique N/A (conference; no guests) InvaderCON II: DOOMCON Invader ZIM July 28–29, 2012 Torrance Marriott South BayTorrance, CA TBD Aaron Alexovich, Eric Trueheart, Jason Stiff, Jhonen Vasquez, Melissa Fahn, Richard Horvitz, Rikki Simons, Rodger Bumpass, & Wally Wingert PinUpalooza Pin-Up, Burlesque, & Rockabilly October 6, 2012 International Palms Resort & Convention CenterOrlando, FL TBD TBD WasabiCon Geek Culture October 27–28, 2012 Jacksonville MarriottJacksonville, FL TBD TBD Florida Anime Experience 2013 Anime May 24–26, 2013 International Palms Resort & Convention CenterOrlando, FL TBD TBD
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