Shoujocon
{{Short description|Anime and manga convention in the United States}}
{{Infobox Convention
| name = Shoujocon
| image =
| caption =
| status = Defunct
| location = New Jersey/New York
| country = United States
| first = 2000
| last = 2003
| organizer = Shoujo Arts Society
| attendance = 600 in 2003
}}
Shoujocon was an American fan convention for anime and manga which focused on the shōjo (girls') subgenre. The convention was founded in 2000 by then-anonymous women identified as "Nora" and "Katchan",{{cite newsgroup | title = Shoujocon! Call for participants! | author = Nora | date = 1999-07-11 | newsgroup = rec.arts.anime.misc |message-id= 378936D1.3120@earthlink.net | url = http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.anime.misc/msg/ae5f31f570063644 | accessdate = 2007-03-06}} and initially financed through eBay sales of fan-donated merchandise.{{cite newsgroup | title = Shoujocon Auctions! | author = Nora | date = 1999-08-05 | newsgroup = rec.arts.manga |message-id= 37AA502B.2109@earthlink.net | url = http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.manga/msg/5acb8929c6483b32 | accessdate = 2007-03-06}} Shoujocon quickly grew from 456 attendees to a peak of 1,252. In addition to its unique audience, Shoujocon attempted many other organizational and programmatic innovations during its time, such as an international staff which held meetings entirely online, support for doujinshi artists and writers, and cultural workshops.{{cite newsgroup | title = Shoujocon Welcomes AZZURRI! | author = Tracy Podgorski | date = 2001-05-02 | newsgroup = rec.arts.anime.fandom |message-id= WiKH6.14125$sP6.599768@news3.aus1.giganews.com | url = http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.anime.fandom/msg/f24042aa5e20f161 | accessdate = 2007-03-06}}
In 2002, Nora and Katchan stepped down, turning leadership over to the newly formed Shoujo Arts Society (SAS), a non-profit organization incorporated to manage Shoujocon and promote the shōjo subgenre via other events.{{cite newsgroup | title = Hot Dogs? Hamburgers? Is It July? Then It Must Be... | author = L. Cintron | date = 2002-07-02 | newsgroup = rec.arts.anime.info | url = http://mailgate.dada.net/rec/rec.arts.anime.info/msg00102.html | accessdate = 2007-03-06 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} For the 2003 convention, Shoujocon moved to Rye, New York, where difficulties with the hotel and the change of location triggered a severe drop in attendance and poor reviews of the convention.{{cite web | url = http://magazine.anipike.com/index.php?article=143 | title = Shoujocon 2003 | author = Lisa Z. | accessdate = 2007-03-06 | work = Anipike Magazine | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927234607/http://magazine.anipike.com/index.php?article=143 | archive-date = 2007-09-27 }} The 2004 convention was first postponed,{{cite news | first = Patrick | last = Delahanty | title = Shoujocon postponed until 2005 | url = https://animecons.com/news/post/45/shoujocon-postponed-until-2005 | publisher = AnimeCons.com | date = 2004-03-08 | accessdate = 2018-06-06}} then canceled altogether.{{cite news | first = Patrick | last = Delahanty | title = Shoujocon 2005 is cancelled | url = https://animecons.com/news/post/78/shoujocon-2005-is-cancelled | publisher = AnimeCons.com | date = 2004-08-08 | accessdate = 2018-06-06}}
Working with the organizers of Yuricon, the Shoujo Arts Society later announced a joint event called "Onna!"{{cite web | url = https://animecons.com/events/info/793/onna-2005 | title = Onna! 2005 Information | publisher = AnimeCons.com | accessdate = 2018-10-03}} which was held in October 2005.{{cite press release | url = https://animecons.com/press/post/113/shoujo-arts-society-and-yurikon-announce-onna-convention | title = Shoujo Arts Society and Yurikon announce Onna! convention | date= 2005-01-18 | accessdate = 2018-06-06}}