G-Fest

G-Fest
G-Fest
Status	Active
Genre	Science fiction, kaiju and tokusatsu fiction
Frequency	Annual
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1994; 30 years ago
Website	http://www.g-fan.com/

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

Guests: Kenpachiro Satsuma, Haruo Nakajima
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois

G-Fest (G-Con) '97

Guests: Don Glut, Marc Cerasini, Bob Eggleton, Stuart Galbraith IV, David Kalat, Steve Ryfle
Wyndham Hotel, Chicago, Illinois

G-Fest '98

Guests: William Stout, Mike Fredericks, Yoshikazu Ishii, Gene Rizzardi
Wyndham Hotel, Chicago, Illinois

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

Date: July 13–15, 2001
Guests: Shinichi Wakasa, Greg Shoemaker, Bob Eggleton, Robert Scott Field
Films: Godzilla (1954), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Greg Shoemaker
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois

G-Fest '02

Date: July 12–14, 2002
Guests: Koichi Kawakita, Hurricane Ryu, Robert Scott Field
Films: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Stan G. Hyde
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois

G-Fest X

Date: July 18–20, 2003
Guests: Noriaki Yuasa, Carl Craig, Yoshikazu Ishii, Robert Scott Field
Films: Battle in Outer Space, Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Noriaki Yuasa
Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights, Illinois

G-Fest XI

Date: July 9–11, 2004
Guests: Teruyoshi Nakano, Robert Scott Field, Brian Thomas
Films: Monster Zero, Terror of Mechagodzilla, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Teruyoshi Nakano
Holiday Inn O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois

G-Fest XII

Date: July 8–10, 2005
Guests: Yoshimitsu Banno, Yoshikazu Ishii, Carl Craig, Robert Scott Field, Robert Conte
Films: The H-Man, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla: Final Wars
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Yoshikazu Ishii
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois

G-Fest XIII

Date: July 7–9, 2006
Guests: Kazuki Ōmori, Yoshikazu Ishii, Robert Scott Field, Robert Conte
Films: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Negadon: The Monster from Mars, Gamera the Brave
Mangled Skyscraper Award presented to: Robert Scott Field
Crowne Plaza O'Hare International, Rosemont, Illinois

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, Kiyotaka Taguchi
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

^ "G-Con '95 Report". G-Fan. Volume 1, Number 18, (November–December 1995). pp. 54-61.
^ Ryfle, Steve. (1995-08-17). "Godzilla Lives! At 41, the Giant Radioactive Dinosaur is Still Big Business Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine". Chicago Tribune.

External links

Official G-FAN / G-FEST website

[1] "G-Con '95 Report". G-Fan. Volume 1, Number 18, (November–December 1995). pp. 54-61.

[2] Ryfle, Steve. (1995-08-17). "Godzilla Lives! At 41, the Giant Radioactive Dinosaur is Still Big Business Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine". Chicago Tribune.

[1]

[2]

G-Fest

Conventions

Notes

External links

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