Annual convention devoted to the Godzilla franchise and other kaiju films
G-Fest , often typeset as G-FEST , is an annual
convention devoted to the
Godzilla film franchise and other
kaiju (literally strange beast , also the name of the genre of Japanese giant monster movies) franchises such as
Gamera and the
Ultra Series . G-Fest is staged by Daikaiju Enterprises, Ltd., and G-Fan magazine. It regularly features panels, contests, and theatrically screened films of interest to fans of Japanese monsters.[
citation needed ]
Actors, directors, special effects technicians, and other famous people who worked on Godzilla, Ultraman, Gamera, and other kaiju movies in Japan are frequent guests at G-Fest. Often, the major guest is honored with the coveted "Mangled Skyscraper Award" for their lasting contributions to the kaiju genre.[
citation needed ]
G-Fest was founded in 1994 by
J. D. Lees [
when? ] , publisher of G-Fan magazine and the G-Fan website, and the late
John Rocco Roberto .
G-Fest features a Dealer's Room, a costume parade, a model show and competition, and a fan film competition. Other popular activities are film screenings (held at the
Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, Illinois) video game tournaments, children's activities, and autograph sessions. G-Fest also raises money for charitable causes.[
citation needed ]
In May 2020, Daikaiju Enterprises, Ltd. made the decision to cancel G-Fest for the first time in its 27-year history due to restrictions on large gatherings imposed by Illinois governor
J. B. Pritzker in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic . Its initial 27th annual convention was to be moved to the future date of July 2021, but was cancelled again, due to the continuing effect of COVID-19.
Conventions
G-Fest (Friends of G-Fan) '94
First public meeting of contributors to G-Fan , Howard Johnson Hotel, O'Hare Airport, Illinois
G-Fest (G-Con) '95
Date: August 18–20, 1995
[1]
First organized convention.
[2] The first two days were closed to the public until news reports spread then was open to the public on the last day (3rd)
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois
G-Fest (G-Con) '96
G-Fest (G-Con) '97
G-Fest '98
G-Fest '99
Date: July 23–25, 1999
Guests:
Noriaki Yuasa ,
Shusuke Kaneko ,
Wataru Mimura ,
Hiroshi Kashiwabara , Robert Scott Field,
Volker Engel ,
Forrest J. Ackerman ,
Peter Fernandez ,
Corrine Orr ,
August Ragone ,
Norman England ,
Hisataka Kitaoka (now
Ryuki Kitaoka ),
Don Glut
Films:
Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris (US premiere),
Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Forrest J. Ackerman
Burbank Hilton, Burbank, California
G-Fest 2000
Date: Oct 14–16, 2000
Guests:
Sadamasa Arikawa ,
Noriaki Yuasa ,
Koichi Kawakita ,
Haruo Nakajima ,
Kenpachiro Satsuma ,
Megumi Odaka ,
Keita Amemiya ,
Yuji Sakai ,
Hisataka Kitaoka (now
Ryuki Kitaoka ),
August Ragone , Mach Fumiake, Robert Scott Field,
Films:
Godzilla (1954), Moon Over Tao (1997),
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah ,
Son of Godzilla ,
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey ,
Ring (1998),
Rebirth of Mothra III ,
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Koichi Kawakita
Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles, California
G-Fest '01
G-Fest '02
G-Fest X
G-Fest XI
G-Fest XII
G-Fest XIII
G-Fest XIV
Date: July 6–8, 2007
Guests:
Rhodes Reason , Shelley Sweeney,
Carl Craig , Robert Scott Field,
Don Glut and
Reiko Yamada
Saturday Afternoon Concert Performed by:
Rieko Wada, Tomomi Matsumura, Shetoshi Yamada, Marcus Dunleavy
Films:
King Kong Escapes ,
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Don Glut
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XV
Date: July 4–6, 2008
Guests:
Haruo Nakajima ,
Don Frye ,
August Ragone , Robert Scott Field,
Don Glut ,
Jörg Buttgereit
Films:
Matango ,
Destroy All Monsters ,
Godzilla vs. Gigan ,
Godzilla vs. Biollante ,
Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon , and
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Haruo Nakajima
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVI
Date: July 3–5, 2009
Guests:
Kenji Sahara , Robert Scott Field,
August Ragone ,
David Kalat
Films:
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack ,
The Mysterians ,
Mothra vs. Godzilla ,
The Monster X Strikes Back/Attack the G8 Summit
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Kenji Sahara
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVII
Date: July 9–11, 2010
Guests:
Akira Takarada ,
Bob Eggleton , Robert Scott Field,
William M. Tsutsui ,
David Kalat ,
Damon Foster
Films:
Son of Godzilla ,
Godzilla vs. Mothra ,
Godzilla 2000 ,
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus ,
Godzilla vs the Sea Monster ,
Godzilla (1954)
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Akira Takarada
Rosemont Hotel at O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XVIII
Date: July 15–17, 2011
Guests:
Hiroyuki Watanabe ,
Shinji Higuchi ,
Hiroshi Sagae , Robert Scott Field,
August Ragone
Films:
Gamera: Super Monster ,
Mothra ,
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II ,
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe ,
Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in Hyperspace ,
Gamera 2: Advent of Legion
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Shinji Higuchi
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XIX
Date: July 13–15, 2012
Guests:
Akira Takarada ,
Satoshi Furuya , Robert Scott Field,
Svengoolie
Films:
King Kong (1933),
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms ,
Gorgo ,
Gamera ,
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! ,
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Bin "Satoshi" Furuya
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XX
Date: July 12–14, 2013
Guests:
Tsutomu Kitagawa ,
Shinichi Wakasa ,
Shizuo Nakajima , Robert Scott Field,
Frank H Woodward ,
Cleve Hall
Films:
20 Million Miles to Earth ,
Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris ,
Gamera vs. Gyaos ,
The X From Outer Space ,
Pacific Rim (Midnight showing),
Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla ,
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Shinichi Wakasa
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXI
Date: July 11–13, 2014
Guests:
Koichi Kawakita ,
Tomoko Ai ,
Katsuhiko Sasaki ,
Hiroshi Sagae ,
Don Frye , Robert Scott Field,
Shinpei Hayashiya
Films:
King Kong (1976),
King Kong Lives ,
Gamera vs. Barugon ,
Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967),
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah ,
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Bob Eggleton
G-FAN Hall of Fame inductees:
Tim Bean ,
John DeSentis and
Chris Oglio
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXII
Date: July 10–12, 2015
Guests:
Masaaki Tezuka ,
Noboru Kaneko ,
August Ragone , Robert Scott Field,
Kow Otani
Films:
Them! ,
The Deadly Mantis ,
Gamera vs. Jiger ,
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe ,
Godzilla vs. Biollante ,
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Masaaki Tezuka
G-FAN Hall of Fame inductees:
August Ragone ,
Matt Frank , and
Tom Tvrdik
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIII
Date: July 15–17, 2016
Guests:
Akira Takarada ,
Linda Miller ,
Satoshi Furuya ,
Hiroko Sakurai , Robert Scott Field,
August Ragone ,
Yoshikazu Ishii ,
Hiroshi Sagae , Carl Craig, Sojiro Uchino,
Tony Isabella ,
C. Martin Croker
Films:
King Kong Escapes ,
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah ,
Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967),
Gamera vs. Viras ,
The Green Slime ,
Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Hiroko Sakurai
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees:
Damon Foster ,
Ed Godziszewski , and
John Roberto (posthumously)
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIV
Date: July 14–16, 2017
Guests:
Michiru Ōshima ,
Yuji Kaida ,
Shinji Higuchi ,
Ryuki Kitaoka ,
Kazuhiro Nakagawa ,
Kiyotaka Taguchi , Robert Scott Field,
Tony Isabella
Films:
King Kong vs. Godzilla ,
D-War ,
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus ,
Godzilla (2014),
Kong: Skull Island ,
Shin Godzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Michiru Ōshima
G-FAN Lifetime Achievement Award presented to:
Shinji Higuchi
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Jeff Horne,
Sean Linkenback , and Kyle Yount
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXV
Date: July 13–15, 2018
Guests:
Megumi Odaka ,
Keizo Murase ,
Kenpachiro Satsuma ,
Don Frye ,
Gene Rizzardi
Films:
The Valley of Gwangi ,
Dinosaurus! ,
The Mighty Peking Man ,
Pacific Rim Uprising ,
Rampage ,
Godzilla vs. Mothra
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to:
Megumi Odaka ,
Keizo Murase ,
Kenpachiro Satsuma
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Skip Peel, David Nunes, Paul Gavins
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVI
Date: July 12–14, 2019
Guests:
Akira Takarada ,
Shusuke Kaneko ,
Peggy Neal ,
Yoshikazu Ishii ,
Sonoe Nakajima
Films:
All Monsters Attack ,
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster ,
The X from Outer Space ,
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack ,
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019),
Invasion of Astro-Monster , Linking Love (2017)
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Shusuke Kaneko
G-FAN Lifetime Achievement Award presented to:
Akira Takarada
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Sonoe Nakajima, the Baioa Family, Martin Arlt
Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVII
Date: July 15-17, 2022
Guests:
Hiroyuki Kawase ,
Tomoko Ai
Films:
Godzilla vs. Hedorah ,
Godzilla vs. Megalon ,
Godzilla (1954),
Godzilla vs the Sea Monster ,
Godzilla vs. Kong ,
Terror of Mechagodzilla
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: Steve Ryfle, Diane Dougherty, Hiroshi Sagae
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXVIII
Date: July 14-16, 2023
Guests:
Yumiko Shaku ,
Don Frye ,
Linda Jo Miller ,
T.J. Storm
Films:
Destroy All Monsters ,
Godzilla (1998),
Godzilla Raids Again ,
Shin Ultraman ,
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla ,
Godzilla (2014)
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: TBA
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
G-Fest XXIX
Date: July 12-14, 2024
Guests:
Rie Ōta ,
Allan Henry ,
Toshio Miike ,
Takuji Yamada ,
James Groman ,
Jeffrey Angles
Films:
Mothra vs. Godzilla ,
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ,
The Return of Godzilla ,
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla ,
Godzilla: Final Wars ,
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
G-FAN Hall of Fame Award inductees: TBA
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois
Notes
External links
Films
Japanese
Shōwa eraHeisei eraMillennium era Reiwa era
American