Having finally visited Anime Expo for the first time in 2024, I decided it best to return, since it's always interesting to see what the second experience is like compared to the first. My expectations were pretty high given the standard set last year. Although Anime Expo runs more like a tradeshow or a commercial convention, there is a reason why it is the largest in North America.
Day 1 actually started with an interesting detour through the parking garage, since the priority access line shared between Press, Exhibitors, Staff, etc. was snaking into the parking garage from where we were entering. The line was quite long, but also surprisingly efficient. We still managed to get in before the exhibitor's hall was open, so it all worked out in the end.
Once we made our way in, we were treated to familiar convention vibes. There was already a sizable number of people inside because they let people into the convention center early, but just opened the individual halls at a later time. The walk over to the exhibitor's hall was a bit of a trek, though it was leisurely and mostly orderly.
It really helped that the venue itself was quite large, making the number of people feel lower than what it actually is. It isn't until you get close to the exhibitor's hall and other areas that you feel like you're in a crowd. The Artist Alley, from a glance at least, seemed wider than previous years, and the crowding seemed better than the previous year. However, some spaces were still crowded. Though, that might be down to how popular some of the booths are.
Getting into the exhibitor's hall just before the mass of people got in gave us a good sense of just how large this area was. The walkways were large enough for a sizable number of people and laid out in a fairly efficient manner. As it got busy, it was pretty clear which of the booths were busier as they had long lines, and some even had to give out tickets for people to come back at a later time.
One such booth was the Cygames booth. Obviously, with the release of Umamusume, it was going to get busy. People were lined up before the exhibitor's hall was even open, and the rush to get in line when it did open was reminiscent of Comiket. Needless to say, if you wanted some exclusive merch, you had to get there early as things were starting to sell out by the time we walked by the booth again later in the day.
This really brings back the earlier point of how things felt more commercial there. It definitely gave tradeshow vibes with just how much they're trying to sell you something. This is pretty much the modern-day anime convention, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in moderation. Even so, they had many giveaways and freebies just by walking by the many booths, even if they were trying to sell you stuff or at least advertise their latest project or work to you.
Left or right?
If you were a fan of standees at booths, you were in luck. Most of the big anime franchises you'd expect had standees or merch lined up along the various booths. Some companies you'd never expect to even attend with booths, such as TV Asahi Animation. I honestly did not even know they had a US/Western branch.
The entertainment hall, which mostly housed the gaming companies, was also a huge draw this year. Companies like Hoyoverse had to cap their lines and hand out tickets for a later time for people to even come back to buy merch. This was also the case with Yostar and some of the other gaming companies around that area. The lines were definitely reminiscent of Comiket and TGS.
Yostar even went all out and had cosplayers in wedding dresses for an assortment of Azurlane shipgirls. I guess you could have actually fought over your literal waifu. That and get a picture. At least if you were willing to get in line to do so. Nearby the various booths, we also had the previously featured booth tour of iBUYPOWER and HYTE.
Also in this area was the Arknights Endfield booth. They actually had a live demo of the game you could play with multiple PC's for you to try the game out on. Of course, they also had a variety of merch for sale and I even ended up getting suckered into buying two plushies. Because who can't use more plushies in their lives?
Outside of the main halls, there were also a variety of events, both run by the convention and outside the convention, on the weekend. Of course, Hololive Night was once again back with the Dodgers in addition to a One Piece Night. Based on the experience of one of our correspondents, the merch sales were much better this year with all of the stores having access to the merch. Say goodbye to that one giant line that took longer than the baseball game last year.
Although the Dodgers game was on our radar, we went to the J-Pop Sound Capsule concert, which featured FLOW, GRANRODEO, TOGENASHI TOGEARI, Sakurazaka46, Hiroshi Kitadani, and ASTERISM. I won't lie to you, I was mostly there to see TogeToge and FLOW. The concert didn't disappoint, and you certainly got a major dose of wotagei. So I guess, mission accomplished in a sense.
Outside of the major booths inside, they also took up more of the space outside to run booths and various food and drink stalls. It was a wise use of space and expanded the use of space outdoors. Surprisingly, the GFL2: Exilium booth was outdoors instead of indoors. It featured a cafe with some food and drinks in addition to merch for sale.
We'd be remiss to go one entire anime convention article without talking about VTubers. They were still heavily featured throughout the convention with multiple displays ranging from the companies themselves to other companies selling merch such as Good Smile. The VTuber industry is booming and the train doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
So what were my thoughts on my second year at Anime Expo? Honestly, it was still a great experience. It's hard to say if it was better or worse than my first experience. The vibes were still great, and there was definitely something for everybody. They've made some improvements in some areas, while some areas still need some work. Attendance continues to be high, so they're doing something right in that regard. There's a reason why this convention is the largest in North America, and the experience it provides is like none other.
Would I visit again?
Of course. I mean, they do say the third time's the charm.
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