By Sam DeLong
There was a friendly, energetic voice echoing through the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at the first Chico Anime & Pop Expo (CAP-EX) last month, on October 18. The sound traveled over the PA system into the ears of anime aficionados, comics fans, and cosplayers. As a lifelong comics and anime fan, and as someone who has been to many larger fan conventions of this type, I was curious how successful this new Chico convention might be.
The voice in question belongs to James Simenc, a television actor who has appeared in The Lincoln Lawyer and Chicago P.D. He is also known as a voice actor, appearing in anime such as Shaman King and the video game franchise Dynasty Warriors. However, the reason he was serving as master of ceremonies at CAP-EX is because he’s originally from Chico himself. And that’s a perfect example of how nerdy culture and Chico collided at CAP-EX.
Anime (also known as Japanese Animation) has exploded in popularity in recent years — thanks in part to many popular characters and shows available on Netflix’s anime, making anime part of mainstream entertainment. A report from Netflix claims that 150 million subscription households routinely watch anime on the streaming platform, an estimated 300 million people.
The expo’s founders Michael Van Dyken and Santiago Jaime started in the comics convention scene as vendors themselves, but Van Dyken saw an opportunity for things to change for the better.
“Santi [Jaime] and I started CAP-EX because we saw a gap in the way most conventions were being run—especially when it came to how vendors were treated. Happy vendors create better displays, better energy, and more value for guests. It becomes a win-win. And when those two pillars are solid, the financial success takes care of itself.” Van Dyken used his training as a planner in the Air Force to look for ways that these shows could be improved.
Many Chicoans will remember the much-loved Chico-Con that was started by Shane Will back in 2015, but was disbanded with Will’s departure from Chico. Jaime noted that there had not been a convention in the Chico area since the COVID-19 shutdown.
Today, comic book shop Collectors Inc regularly hosts Free Comic Book Day in its physical store every year in May. Chico Area Recreation District (CARD) also hosts Dungeons and Dragons tournaments on a regular basis. Chico is no stranger to comics and fantasy related events — but CAP-EX is on a bigger scale altogether.
Over the years, Van Dyken has been to many conventions and trade shows of every shape and size, and has taken great care to examine every part of it, seeing it from the point of view as not only a vendor, but a fan himself. Out of dozens of events, Van Dyken stated that he interacted with less than 10 promoters, and many of those experiences were negative ones.
When the time came to assemble the featured guest list for the show, Van Dyken was interested in people who were connected to the anime that he was a fan of.
“As soon as I found out about the show,” TV actor Simenc recalls, “I started calling and emailing. I practically begged them to let be involved in some way.”
Van Dyken based the idea around the show on the concept that enthusiastic vendors were at the heart of a good show — and the festivities did not disappoint with a varied selection of many local and new favorites.
While many vendors came from as far away as Reno, there were still plenty of unique, local handmade trinkets up for grabs — everything from 3D-printed video game figurines to hand drawn artwork.
Hobby Insights, a vendor based out of Plumas Lake, served as one of the show’s main sponsors, operated by Van Dyken and his wife, Sharon. The Hobby Insights booth had various collectibles on display — with the most unique being anime and video game themed rubber duck figurines. Hobby Insights has been operating in the nerd convention space for about three years.
Wonderland Crafts, based out of Red Bluff, was presented by Alejandro and his wife Sonia, who started the business 8 years ago after making nerdy-themed Christmas ornaments. The figures are 3-D printed and wrapped in yarn — like the adorable green Yoshi from Super Mario Brothers.
Being a Chico event, many local businesses were also represented at the show, some known as staples of Chico’s nerd culture scene. This includes local comic book business Collector’s Ink and the hobby shop Heroes’ Corner — which focuses more on board games such as Magic: The Gathering and Warhammer 40,000.
A huge staple of all fan conventions like this one is cosplayers, dedicated fans who dress up as their favorite characters, many turning that fandom into a profession. I spoke with a woman named Morgan — aka Cosbunny Cosplay — who performs a mixture of characters from anime, video games, and movies. She often makes every aspect of her costume by hand — using a mixture of 3D printing, hand-sewing, and styling of wigs. Cosbunny Cosplay turned a love of Halloween into a year-round passion that she’s been doing for more than 10 years. And another enthusiastic cosplayer was Brandon Boykins from Reno, appearing as Tangin Uzi from the popular anime Demon Slayer.
Several other large, public events in Chico were scheduled on that same October Saturday, possibly affecting attendance at the first-ever CAP-EX. Even though it was a smaller convention, I was pleasantly surprised to see a panel discussion that convention goers could attend, featuring the four voice actors who were special guests at the show: Ryan Bartley (from fan favorite anime Neon Genesis Evangelion); Sean Chiplock (Mortal Kombat and Beyblade X); Matthew Rudd (Naruto Shippuden); and CAP-EX emcee James Simenc. They led the panels with a dynamic energy and did a great job keeping the topics moving during the Q and A sessions.
The Chico Anime & Pop Expo had all the earmarks of a great convention. Wonderful and energetic guests, unique local vendors, and a small-town energy where attendees would not feel lost in a sea of crowded space. This event is poised to stay, and I look forward to attending next year.
A very informative article! Very well written and definitely made me interested in this Chico event.