By: Charity Meier | Novi Note | Published August 5, 2025
NOVI — The MiAnime Convention, a new event, was held at the Suburban Collection Showplace Aug. 2-3.
The family-focused convention featured 11 voice actors featured in popular shows such as “One Piece,” “Soul Eater,” “Demon Slayer,” “My Hero Academia,” “Dragon Ball Z” and more. Guests included Alexis Tipton, Jad Saxton, Sonny Strait, Kent Williams, John Swasey, Brittney Karbowski, Tia Ballard, Luci Christian, Justin Cook and Zach Aguilar.
Anime fans attending the convention were also treated to a Japenese domestic market car show. Approximately 20 Japanese sports cars and the like were on display for guests to view and take photos with.
The show also included the traditional convention fanfare with adult and child cosplay contests. The contests were judged by professional cosplayers.
Yasmeen Al-Hussain, of Dearborn Heights, took second place in the advanced cosplay contest for her portrayal of Boa Hancock from “One Piece.” She said she decided to act upon her interest in cosplay, as she is a fashion design major at Wayne State University.
Al-Hussain said she has attended several other conventions, including the Motor City Comic Con, and that the MiAnimie Con was smaller and less overwhelming.
“It’s more on the lesser and chiller side, because it’s summer and people are going to other cons,” Al-Hussain said.
“I really liked how friendly everyone is here and how inclusive they are,” she said. “They don’t let you feel left out even if you came alone.”
The convention also included multiple panels, workshops and vendors.
“It was amazing. There were so many nice vendors,” said Oliver Decay, of Novi.
Decay had a booth at the show to gain public awareness for his book, Devil’s Harvest Blood Bonds. It is the first book in a planned series.
“We found, like, a really great community at MiAnime Con to really support us,” said Sami Thompson, Decay’s girlfriend. “It was fantastic.”
Brody Stevens, of Belding, was able to experience the convention from the perspective of a first-time conventiongoer, as well as that of a vendor, as he came to the show to assist his friend Clinton Hewartson with his booth.
“I’m sad and happy that I don’t have any money, because otherwise I would have spent it,” Stevens said. “I would have blown my money.”
Hewartson, who sells dice rollers for role-playing games and other 3D printed items, said he has previously had vendor booths at four other conventions, but the MiAnime con was much better organized than the others. He appreciated the thoughtful placement of vendors in relation to each other.
“They are very on top of things. They’re very knowledgeable in their craft,” Hewartson said of the show operators. “Another reason why I said they are doing really good is they’re spreading like businesses away from each other so everybody gets a chance.”
The show featured some unique vendors including that of Klawsome, a grab-claw arcade based in Novi and a vendor specializing in personalized 3D scans to be used as figurines or even wedding cake toppers.
The event appears to be planning a 2026 show, according to its website, but no date has been announced.