Anime Expo 2023 opens to massive turnout

Today, on July 1st, 2023, Anime Expo opened today to a sold-out show and drew incredible crowds of fans. The crowds have grown so large that it is now straining the comfort level of some of the attendees.

Anime Expo is the largest Anime Convention in North America.

The Los Angeles Convention Center is a significant economic driver for Southern California. It attracts millions of visitors annually and hosts hundreds of conventions, trade shows, and exhibitions yearly. With more than 720,000 square feet of exhibit hall space and 147,000 square feet of meeting room space, it can hold some of the largest conventions in California. However, starting in 2016 Anime Expo began to draw crowds of over 100,000 people.

At rope drop this morning, the crowds waited patiently in the South Hall Lobby for the Exhibit Hall doors to open. Looking out over the sea of people, it’s hard not to wonder if it’s safe. It might look like a scary sight to see so many people standing shoulder to shoulder. But once the exhibit hall doors opened, attendees patiently climbed the stairs and headed toward their destination.

And although everything was under control, it’s easy to imagine a scenario where it would take very little to tip this crowd over the edge and into a dangerous situation. A fire or an earthquake could spread panic and make it difficult to move around in this crowd. Personally, I love having Anime Expo in L.A. but perhaps the convention has outgrown the space at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Maybe it needs to move into a space like the San Diego Convention Center. There the facility boasts a 2.6-million-square-foot building along the waterfront in downtown San Diego, steps from the hotel and restaurant hotspot, the Gaslamp District. The San Diego Convention Center is no stranger to large events and is home to one of the most celebrated geek culture events, San Diego Comic-Con.

 

Large crowds are nothing new on the Saturday of Anime Expo.

Anime Expo (AX) is a 4-day event that takes place annually over the 4th of July weekend. And to be fair, the Saturday crowds are typically the largest turnout. The other days of the convention are historically not as busy as the Saturday of the con.

This year, Day 1 of AX happened to land on a Saturday. Making the opening day of the con a bit larger than in previous years. And just because Anime Expo felt overcrowded today, it does not mean that it will be overcrowded for the rest of the convention. But given the fact that the event is sold out, it will still be very packed.

AX of the most incredible anime events in the United States

Anime Expo, with its massive exhibit hall and extensive programming, is a must-visit for any fan of anime. It is not your average hometown convention. This event is massive and takes up space at the convention center and the surrounding areas. This event features the best in Japanese entertainment, music, fashion, and video games.

 

For example this evening AX held the first-ever live, anniversary concert for ATLUS in the United States. The Shin Megami Tense 30th LIVE: Band of Shadows Concert celebrates the 30th anniversary of the legendary Shin Megami Tensei series with a night of music. The concert was hosted by popular voice actors from the Shin Megami Tensei series, including Christian La Monte and Daman Mills.

Cosplay reigns king at this event. The World Cosplay Summit USA Finals, which take place during the Masquerade, determine the US representatives for the Cosplay Championship at World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya.

There are Cosplay Repair Centers available for attendees who need help keeping their cosplays together. As well as a whole section of the exhibit hall dedicated to cosplay photo sets. You can also find tons of attendee-run cosplay meet up! These make great opportunities to connect with other fans and take pictures of cosplayers from the same fandom. The convention offers plenty of locations in open areas where attendees can meet and take photos.

Across social media fans expressed concern

On TikTok, user @alex_hodges express their disappointment with the crowds at the event. They were stuck in a series of long lines that made their time at Day One of AX unpleasant. They referred to the convention as “Sardine Con”. And it’s easy to understand their frustration.

And although the crowds can be very overwhelming, convention organizers do their best to prepare for that. AX has a variety of lounges where you can relax and unwind. The Beer Garden is a great place to enjoy Japanese-themed cocktails and food under beautiful paper lantern décor. The Manga Lounge has over 4,000 volumes of manga to choose from, so you can find something to read that you’ll love. Lounge 21 is a 21+ lounge with drinks and nightly performances. The Karaoke area has an extensive library of anime and game soundtracks, J-pop, and more, so you can sing your heart out. AX Dance is a space where you can dance the night away to J-pop, house music, and more. The Quiet Room is a great place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of the convention.