Greetings Toronto,

Can here, the current President and Founder of Anime Revolution (Anirevo) in Vancouver and Toronto.

14 years ago (wow, time flies), I made a bold and somewhat foolish claim (in Vancouver) of wanting to be the largest anime convention in Canada.

With no experience, connections, or plans, we were mocked and called scammers (some even went so far as to actively call potential customers to boycott us).

Looking back, I can’t blame their skepticism. It was rather naive of me to make such a bold claim, though in my defense, I was just dreaming out loud.

But through dumb luck, brute force, the kindness of others, and a “reach for the stars” attitude, we somehow became the largest Anime Convention on the West Coast of Canada.

Over the course of a decade, more than just the numbers we achieved, friendships were formed and trust was built. We somehow made it, and I’m proud to see how far we’ve come.

We placed (and still place) a heavy emphasis on sharing Japanese culture and pop culture with our attendees, and it seems to have resonated so far with our fans at Anirevo Vancouver. Moreover, we also shared the passion of North American fans with the industry in Japan (the ones that took a chance on us). A passion they would have otherwise never have felt or truly understood. This simple exchange has brought so much fulfillment into my life and the lives of those who have worked hard to put on our events.

A few years ago, I was approached by some VCs (Venture Capitalists) to kickstart an anime event in Toronto. We held International Fan Festival 2018 (In Osaka Japan), 2019 (in Toronto), and Anime Toronto 2022. It was an exciting venture, but I quickly realized that my ability to appease profits first and fans second was contradictory to the philosophy that brought us success in Vancouver.

I decided that it was best for us to part ways (they also pulled out a majority of their investments), and I left Toronto feeling incomplete and unfinished, despite the fun times I had there.

The friends, relationships, and momentum we created felt lost to me…

Those feelings quickly welled into a burning desire to pick up where we left off. But this time around, I would be in total control (but also at total risk, since running cons are pretty expensive!).

And just like that, the decision to bring Anirevo to Toronto was clear. I fully expect us to stumble and fall, but if there’s something we’ve built emotional scars from, it’s experiencing just that and persevering against all (most) odds.

Unlike the me of 14 years ago, I don’t intend to wish for being the largest. In my experience, all good things take time, and anything worth doing is worth doing right, slowly and carefully. While Toronto and Vancouver are both Canadian, they are distinct in their own ways, and I want to make sure we take the time to learn, adapt, and move swiftly to adjust to the fans here. Policies, workflows, and trust are just some of the hurdles we’ll need to overcome, and I think time is one of the necessary ingredients in making this event succeed.

We fully intend to continue to focus on bringing Japanese talents to Toronto and sharing our passion for all things Japan. But since we’re planning on sticking around for quite some time (every year if we plan correctly), we need to be fiscally responsible (just a fancy way of saying not to go over budget…too much…) in order to succeed.

To those who supported me and the team during our time at IFFT and AT, you will forever have my gratitude.

For those willing to give us a chance this year, we’ll work tirelessly to not let you down.

And for those on the fence or not interested at all, we hope that we earn a place in your con rotation someday.

It’s great to be back; look forward to more updates from us throughout the year,

Can