The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) is running a design contest for the event’s 2009 mascot. NYAF is “now accepting original character designs from artists, fans, and attendees, with the winning art to be featured as NYAF 2009’s official mascot throughout the show.” The deadline to enter is 29 April.
Co-sponsors theOtaku.com, Del Rey Manga, and NYAF “welcome artists and anime fans from around America to think about what ‘Anime’ and ‘New York City’ mean to them and draw these thoughts into an original character. Once all the entries have been received, [the sponsors] will select ten finalists to be put on display at the New York Anime Festival booth at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Sakura Matsuri (2-3 May). Sakura Matsuri attendees will then vote for their favorite, with the character receiving the most votes crowned the New York Anime Festival’s 2009 mascot.”
The winning mascot will appear in the convention’s program guide and on signs throughout the event. Additionally the winner “will be profiled in the NYAF program guide beside their mascot, receive a copy of all of the NYAF’s 2009 merchandise,” and receive 10 weekend passes. Sponsor Del Rey Manga will also give the winner 50 volumes of manga. The other nine finalists will each receive weekend passes and Del Rey manga.
Full details, along with information on how to enter, are available on this page.
“The anime world is a thriving, talented community,” said New York Anime Festival Show Manager Lance Fensterman. “We relish every opportunity to involve this community and make them a part of the show. The fans who come to NYAF aren’t just passive attendees. Instead, through participation in contests, special events, and our online networks, they become active contributors making NYAF happen.”
“One of theOtaku.com’s primary missions is to empower its community of otaku artists and give them new opportunities to grow and gain recognition” said theOtaku.com Publisher Adam Ghahramani. “We are thrilled to be working with NYAF and Del Rey, two industry giants, to create a contest that will push our artists’ creativity to the limit, as well as bestow upon one talented member an amazing portfolio piece… and a truckload of manga.”
The 2009 New York Anime Festival will be an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 25-27 September 2009.