I’ve attended enough conventions to recognize a well-run event. Considering its size, Anime Los Angeles (ALA) is an impressive convention. With an estimated attendance of less than 15k, ALA offers a lot and presents itself in a professional manner. There’s a lot that goes into putting on a convention and the success or failure rides largely on the competence of the people running it. I have no relationship nor personal knowledge of the folks behind it, so these are just my impressions.

I’ve attended enough conventions to recognize a well-run event. Considering its size, Anime Los Angeles (ALA) is an impressive convention. With an estimated attendance of less than 15k, ALA offers a lot and presents itself in a professional manner. There’s a lot that goes into putting on a convention and the success or failure rides largely on the competence of the people running it. I have no relationship nor personal knowledge of the folks behind it, so these are just my impressions.

In the run-up to Holiday Matsuri, it looked like it was going to be a banner year. There was lots of chatter about it online - everyone wanted to go. COVID was almost completely gone, and it seemed like it would be the last big get-together of the year. And it was, with some minor setbacks.

In the run-up to Holiday Matsuri, it looked like it was going to be a banner year. There was lots of chatter about it online - everyone wanted to go. COVID was almost completely gone, and it seemed like it would be the last big get-together of the year. And it was, with some minor setbacks.

It felt odd to be at the Los Angeles Convention Center for an event other than Anime Expo. Having only ever visited that venue for AX, it’s a bit of a Twilight Zone or alternate reality experience. It has much the same layout with the vendor hall, panels, cosplay and food vendors, but instead of anime everywhere and the AX-themed marketing, it’s a comic con.

It felt odd to be at the Los Angeles Convention Center for an event other than Anime Expo. Having only ever visited that venue for AX, it’s a bit of a Twilight Zone or alternate reality experience. It has much the same layout with the vendor hall, panels, cosplay and food vendors, but instead of anime everywhere and the AX-themed marketing, it’s a comic con.

Ah, New York City. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world. It also happens to have one of the largest anime conventions in North America. At just five years old, that’s quite an accomplishment. We always hear how expensive it is to live in big cities like New York City, and I imagine it must be equally as expensive to rent the Javits Center. Home to Anime NYC, this massive convention center sits on some prime riverside real estate. It takes a lot of courage to start an anime convention in one of the most expensive cities in the US. It’s a huge financial risk and there’s no guarantee that anyone will show up. If things go wrong you could find yourself in massive debt. If things go well, or well enough, you stand a good chance of becoming one of the largest anime conventions in the USA. You can also make a buck or two along the way.

Ah, New York City. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world. It also happens to have one of the largest anime conventions in North America. At just five years old, that’s quite an accomplishment. We always hear how expensive it is to live in big cities like New York City, and I imagine it must be equally as expensive to rent the Javits Center. Home to Anime NYC, this massive convention center sits on some prime riverside real estate. It takes a lot of courage to start an anime convention in one of the most expensive cities in the US. It’s a huge financial risk and there’s no guarantee that anyone will show up. If things go wrong you could find yourself in massive debt. If things go well, or well enough, you stand a good chance of becoming one of the largest anime conventions in the USA. You can also make a buck or two along the way.

Colossalcon East is an anime convention held at the Kalahari resort and water park in the Pocono Mountains area of Pennsylvania. It's the second Colossalcon event in a growing list which now totals four. Having attended the 2019 event I was curious how many people would turn up this year. The main Colossalcon event in Ohio still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic attendance numbers, but that may be due to a number of reasons other than COVID.

Colossalcon East is an anime convention held at the Kalahari resort and water park in the Pocono Mountains area of Pennsylvania. It's the second Colossalcon event in a growing list which now totals four. Having attended the 2019 event I was curious how many people would turn up this year. The main Colossalcon event in Ohio still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic attendance numbers, but that may be due to a number of reasons other than COVID.

Have you ever wondered how an anime convention starts? Many of the conventions you attend have probably been around for ten, twenty, maybe even thirty years. Dragon Con, Katsucon, Otakon, Sakura-Con, and so on. They all started somewhere, obviously, but how? Josh Wilson is the owner of Fandom Events and a veteran of the anime-slash-fan convention scene. He’s the show-runner of no less than nine events, including one called “Anime Texas” in Houston. Even though some of his events are having their first year in 2022, Josh knows a thing or two about conventions.

Have you ever wondered how an anime convention starts? Many of the conventions you attend have probably been around for ten, twenty, maybe even thirty years. Dragon Con, Katsucon, Otakon, Sakura-Con, and so on. They all started somewhere, obviously, but how? Josh Wilson is the owner of Fandom Events and a veteran of the anime-slash-fan convention scene. He’s the show-runner of no less than nine events, including one called “Anime Texas” in Houston. Even though some of his events are having their first year in 2022, Josh knows a thing or two about conventions.

If you’ve been paying attention to ZCAM then you probably noticed how quiet they’ve been for the past 6 months or so. Even Kinson Loo, the notorious CEO who often replies to questions in the Facebook group, was notably quiet during this time. Many people, including myself, assumed that they were secretly working away on some new product. Well, that’s exactly what they were doing. Z CAM has announced a new camera!

If you’ve been paying attention to ZCAM then you probably noticed how quiet they’ve been for the past 6 months or so. Even Kinson Loo, the notorious CEO who often replies to questions in the Facebook group, was notably quiet during this time. Many people, including myself, assumed that they were secretly working away on some new product. Well, that’s exactly what they were doing. Z CAM has announced a new camera!

If the measure of a convention’s success is the number of attendees, then Otakon 2022 was a resounding success. With more than 40,000 memberships, this year’s event was record-breaking and represents a growth of 56% over last year’s approximately 26,000 attendees. The previous attendance record was in 2013 with 34,211 memberships.

If the measure of a convention’s success is the number of attendees, then Otakon 2022 was a resounding success. With more than 40,000 memberships, this year’s event was record-breaking and represents a growth of 56% over last year’s approximately 26,000 attendees. The previous attendance record was in 2013 with 34,211 memberships.

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the largest fan events in the world. It has a reputation for drawing out big name celebrities and it's where movie studios often make big announcements. Fans are known to line-up for days to be among the first into the famed Hall H or to get that limited Funko character. The vendor hall is large and full of fun things to see. It's truly the premiere event in the world of fan conventions.

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the largest fan events in the world. It has a reputation for drawing out big name celebrities and it's where movie studios often make big announcements. Fans are known to line-up for days to be among the first into the famed Hall H or to get that limited Funko character. The vendor hall is large and full of fun things to see. It's truly the premiere event in the world of fan conventions.

If the anime community is a family, then Anime Expo is the family reunion. That's truly what this year's AX felt like. As the largest anime convention in North America, it was the gathering place for anime fans and cosplayers who have been apart for more than two years years.

If the anime community is a family, then Anime Expo is the family reunion. That's truly what this year's AX felt like. As the largest anime convention in North America, it was the gathering place for anime fans and cosplayers who have been apart for more than two years years.