Anime NYC returned bigger & better for its 7th year from August 23-25, 2024! Held at the Javits Center in New York City, this year’s convention not only projects a record breaking 100,000+ attendance but a partnership with gaming expo Play NYC to create their largest Gaming Hall to date. And with everything else you love about anime conventions, Anime NYC was an absolutely exciting weekend filled with all things Japanese pop culture & beyond!
Anime NYC’s three floors allow you to enjoy a wide variety of experiences, including shopping for memorabilia at Artist Alley & vendor booths, video & tabletop gaming, cosplay meetups, VTuber performances (above), and autographs & photos with special guests like Bryce Papenbrook, Steve Blum, Aleks Le, and Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld… as well as lottery-based free signings with Shoji Kawamori, Toshio Furukawa, Studio Orange, and other guests of honor.
Buying Japanese collectibles couldn’t be any easier! All of the top merchandise can be found under one roof at Anime NYC: statues & figures, model kits, blind boxes, plushies, trading cards, acrylics, Blu-ray & DVDs, apparel, prop replicas, games, posters & original art, and much more from nearly 1,000 exhibitors & artists to shop from. Not to mention fan-favorite brands like V1 Tech, Bandai, Viz Media, Aniplex, Kinokuniya, Bushiroad, HYPLAND, and Anime NYC title sponsor Crunchyroll. Many offered first come, first served giveaways and fun backdrops such as Studio Ghibli’s Totoro photo op (below):
Throughout the weekend, fans can also take advantage of many free offerings & activities. We’re talking about panels & programming, advance movie screenings (City Hunter: Angel Dust & Transformers One) & anime premieres (DAN DA DAN & Terminator Zero), live demonstrations, and even food & drink samples from Otafuku & G FUEL. But one of the highlights every year at Anime NYC is definitely the Japanese Food Hall. This year’s selection had all kinds of Asian treats & sweets like Banh Mi, Takoyaki, Bento Boxes, Tanghulu, Ramen, Bao Buns, Bubble Waffles, Boba Tea, and Dumplings. There’s no reason to be hungry while exploring the con!
Meanwhile, the all-new Gaming Hall introduced Anime NYC to a whole new level of play, thanks to Play NYC. Video games, Japanese arcade cabs, rhythm games, TCG, Dungeons & Dragons, and even Mahjong… you name it! Indie developers were set up to show you the latest & greatest in gaming today.
Not only that, in combination with card game manufacturers Bandai, Bushiroad, Weiss Schwarz, and Grand Archive, there are so many ways you can put your TCG skills to the test. You might even walk away with a prize or free promotional card for participating!
Anime NYC always brings the best of the best to New York City! Next year’s dates have already been announced: August 22-24, 2025, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for announcements & ticket availability. And for even more coverage, check out our photo album and video recap below:
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