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.
Anime Expo is the Big Kahuna of anime conventions. Based on Los Angeles, the event drew 115,000 attendees in 2019 and likely would have had even more for 2020 had it not been cancelled due to the pandemic. While the attendance numbers for 2022 were noticeably lower, it was still a very well attended convention. AX is the event that everyone wants to attend because everyone else is attending.
Tickets for this year's event were capped and sold out a week before the convention. This left some procrastinating fans without a ticket and no way inside, but it was nice to not be sandwiched in like sardines. The decision to limit attendance was likely driven by covid concerns. Although it was still busy and crowded in places, there was definitely room for more people.
The Cosplayers
As a content creator, Anime Expo is a real joy. If you take photos or video you'll find no lack of cosplayers at AX. People of all ages, abilities, and skill come out in cosplay and are willing subjects for anyone with a camera. There were so many cosplayers this year that you could shoot all day and not get the same person twice.
The lobby of the vendor hall serves as a grand backdrop for the event. The light blue terrazzo floor and towering atrium are recognizable icons of the venue. The glass and steel structure allows light to flood the floor and it stands out in the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. It may not be the prettiest location, but it's certainly not the worst.
Outside there’s a popular photo location called "horseshoes". Named so because of the horseshoe-shaped metal structures, you get a bit more variety compared to inside. A long strip of lush foliage is nestled against the parking garage so you can go from jungle plants to urban industrial in just a few steps. Turn around and you have the sleek and modern style of the Crypto.com arena to shoot against. The area is well-trafficked and cosplayers know to gather here, making it easy to find subjects.
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