SMASH! (convention)


SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show is an annual Japanese popular culture convention held in Sydney, Australia and organised by SMASH Inc, a non-profit volunteer-run association. The convention has been run annually since 2007.
SMASH! began as an art-focused event but has broadened its scope to include all areas of Japanese popular culture. It was the first Australian anime convention to host a Japanese voice actor, the first to host a Japanese anime director, the first to hold a maid café and the first to hold the national final for the Gunpla Builders World Cup.

History

SMASH! was conceived by Katie Huang, an artist and illustrator living and working in Sydney. The event was originally called ComicWorld Sydney and was more closely modelled on the Comic World events held in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. As the number of people involved in organising the event increased, the focus broadened and the name was changed to SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show.
SMASH! 2020 was postponed four months prior to the scheduled start of the event. The postponement was announced following Australian Government advice regarding the organisation of public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organisation

SMASH! is run by SMASH Inc, a non-profit association incorporated in New South Wales. SMASH Inc is controlled by a board elected each year by the members of the association. The board in turn selects a management team responsible for the planning and day-to-day conduct of the convention as well as a staff of volunteers organised into various departments. The board, management and staff total more than 50 people.

Mascots

The convention features two mascots, a boy, Cyrus, and a girl, Skadi. The mascots were designed in 2007 by Sai Nitivoranant and have been drawn by numerous artists, including guests of the convention, Tan Kit Mun, Alexandra Szweryn and Shaun Healey.

Event History

DateVenueAttendancePriceNotable Events
18 August 2007The Roundhouse, University of New South Wales1,434$9
$12
2 August 2008The Roundhouse, University of New South Wales2,295$9
$12
  • Attendance by Hidenobu Kiuchi, Tan Kit Mun
  • First attendance by Japanese voice actor at an Australian convention
    • 8–9 August 2009The Roundhouse, University of New South Wales2,709$13–25
    $18–35
  • Attendance by Cuson Lo, Alexandra Szweryn
  • First time SMASH! was run as a two-day event
  • First attendance by video game publisher, Ubisoft
  • Musical performance by Roger Lock
    • 7 August 2010Sydney Town Hall2,810$20
    $25
  • Attendance by Yūko Miyamura, Tiffany Grant, Matt Greenfield, Shaun Healey, Mikiko Ponczcek
  • First attendance by Japanese and American counterparts for the same character at an Australian convention
  • First national final of the Bandai Action Kit Universal Cup held in Australia in conjunction with Hobbyco and Namco Bandai
  • First time SMASH! sold out
    • 16 July 2011Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre5,405$25
    $30
  • Attendance by Shinichi Watanabe, Martin Billany, Hiroki Kikuta, Kenji Ito, and Mari Yoshida
  • First attendance by a Japanese anime director at an Australian convention
  • Convention was followed by a concert featuring performers from the musical collective Eminence
    • 14 July 2012Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre6,200$29
    $35
  • Attendance by Shin-ichiro Miki, Yūko Miyamura, Sakura Tange
  • First time a Voice Acting Workshop was held at SMASH!
    • 10 August 2013Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre7,849$29
    $35
  • Attendance by Hidenori Matsubara, Haruko Momoi, Masakazu Morita, LOVERIN TAMBURIN
  • First attendance by a Japanese character illustrator at an Australian convention
  • Convention was followed by a Vocaloid dance party with guests including kz from Livetune and Hachioji-P.
    • 9–10 August 2014Rosehill Gardens Racecourse13,617$25–50
    $30–55
  • Attendance by Kotono Mitsuishi, Toshihiro Kawamoto
  • First event at Rosehill Gardens
  • First staging of the World Cosplay Summit Australian Preliminary Final
  • First staging of the NIPPON World Karaoke Grand Prix Australian Preliminary Final
    • 8–9 August 2015Rosehill Gardens Racecourse14,000+$30–50
    $35–55
  • Attendance by Danny Choo, Hiroaki Yura, Noriaki Sugiyama, Reika
  • A concert, entitled "I Love Anisong", was held on Saturday night, with performers including Livetune and GARNiDELiA.
    • 20–21 August 2016Rosehill Gardens Racecourse$30-50
    $35-55
  • Attendance by Hideo Ishikawa, Ai Nonaka, Takahiro Sakurai, Yuegene Fay
  • Evening 10th Anniversary event, with guests DJ Cataclystic, Hachioji-P, and IA
    • 19 - 20 August 2017Rosehill Gardens Racecourse$55 $60
    14 - 15 July 2018International Convention Centre Sydney22,000+$51.25
    $56.37
    13 - 14 July 2019International Convention Centre Sydney22,000+$56.10
  • Attendance by Rie Kugimiya, Atsushi Abe, Fumiko Orikasa, Kousuke Toriumi, Kizuna Ai, Goichi Suda, Seiji Mizushima, Junichiro Tamura, The Anime Man, Dear Kiss, Swallowtail, King, Haneame, Chihiro, Baozi & Hana, Ayasa, DJ HOSAKA☆, GEAR, LATTE
  • Return of I Love Anisong concert. Artists announced include kz, Konomi Suzuki, Chihara Minori and Nano.