About Us

Animation on Display (AOD) is a San Francisco-based convention that features Japanese animation, (relatively recent) cartoons, and their related interests.

We are a family-friendly event where people can meet, bond, and share their interests with fellow enthusiasts. We feature fun, interactive events that celebrate, entertain, enlighten, and encourage attendees to engage and think. (We really mean "educational" but shhh- don't tell your kids that!) We feature a diverse range of speakers and presenters, ranging from Hollywood industry professionals to local community artists to the most knowledgeable of fans.

Animation On Display is managed by the Federation for the Promotion of Animation (FPA), and is operated not-for-profit.

AOD traces its beginnings to 1997, as a weekly gathering of anime fans called AniMov. In early 2000, AniMov's published website became Anime Overdose, and in 2003 the staff of Anime Overdose teamed up with Tempura Anime, Santa Clara University's anime club, to host the first two events, then known as "Anime Overdose". In 2005, the growing convention moved to downtown San Francisco, and changed focus from just Japanese anime to include other forms of animation. In 2007, we officially changed our name to Animation On Display to reflect this change in focus and emphasize the family-friendly nature of our event, but keeping the original initials AOD in recognition of our heritage.

In 2005 and 2006, AOD sponsored two charity auctions which benefited the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and drew donations from Pixar's John Lasseter, actors Seth Green, Robin Williams, and John Goodman, Dark Horse Comics, Japanese anime director Takeshi Mori, and many others. Working with the AIDS Foundation, the convention was very happy to help raise money for a very good cause.

AOD 2009 - February 13-14
• Location: Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco
• Attendence: 1006
• Guests: Johnny Yong Bosch, Richard Epcar, Ellyn Stern, Kevin McKeever, Ken Pontac, PMBQ, Three Panel Soul/MacHall
• Musical Performers: VEXMODE

AOD 2008 - February 16-17
• Location: Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco
• Attendence: 788
• Guests: Vic Mignogna, Tommy Yune, Neil Kaplan, Ken Pontac, Marv Wolfman, Jeannie Lee, PMBQ
• Musical Performers: The Black Crystals, VEXMODE, w-inds

AOD 2007 - August 25th
• Location: Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco
• Attendence: 782
• Guests: Ken Pontac, PMBQ, Wen M. Li
• Fifth Anniversary Special Event!

AOD 2006 - August 4-6th
• Location: Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco
• Attendence: 1,177
• Guests: Merlin Crossingham, Greg Dean, Brad DeMoss, Vic Mignogna, PMBQ, Gilles Poitras, Ken Pontac, Marv Wolfman, Tommy Yune
• Musical Guests: Piano Squall, Ramen & Rice, Stephanie Yanez

AOD 2005 - March 4-6th
• Location: Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, San Francisco
• Attendence: 1,593
• Guests: Alex Borstein, Debi Derryberry, Brad DeMoss, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Eileen 'Kaki' Hu, Takayuki Karahashi, Takeshi Mori, Hirofumi Murasaki, Saki Nimiya, PMBQ, Gilles Poitras, Ken Pontac, Psycho Le Cemu, Rob Paulsen, Tara Strong, Sunmin Park, Marv Wolfman
• Musical Guests: Psycho Le Cemu, The Beautiful Losers, USA Musume, Ramen and Rice, Maiyu

AOD 2004 - March 5-6th
• Location: Santa Clara University
• Attendence: 808
• Guests: Yuriko Fuchizaki, Eileen 'Kaki' Hu, Carl Macek, Hirofumi Murasaki, Saki Nimiya, Fred Patten, PMBQ, Gilles Poitras
• Musical Guests: 13-37, Maiyu, DJ Jinnai, DJ MPU

AOD 2003 - May 3-4th
• Location: Santa Clara University
• Attendence: ~100
• Guests: Gilles Poitras