About
JAFAX is an annual animation and Japanese-culture convention held every June in at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Founded in 1996 by a few dedicated fans of anime, JAFAX started out with just a few showing rooms at Kendall College of Art and Design, with less than 150 attendees. After a couple of years, the founders of the event partnered with the local anime club at Grand Valley State University, Otaku no Anime (OnA), to grow the event.
After moving to Grand Valley State University in 1998, in partnership with OnA, JAFAX spent 17 years at their Allendale campus and grew to occupy multiple buildings while attracting more than 5,500 fans of anime, manga, and Japanese culture. With the growth of attendance, JAFAX moved to downtown Grand Rapids to better accommodate the event's size., which is where it is today.
