Anime Expo 2024: A Fan’s Perspective

Anime Expo 2024 has come and gone yet again, and with every closing of another book in the geek library, the time has come to reflect on what we’ve just experienced. As a long-time fan of anime and a long-time attendee of Anime Expo, a question that once whispered in my mind gets louder each year. That question is: Why do we do this to ourselves?

What Makes Anime Expo so Worth it to Attendees?

This article is not a complaint in the least bit. There are many things one can complain about, such as the long lines, the extreme temperatures, and the overall overcrowding of the convention center. These are things that we’ve all, those of us who have braved Anime Expo, can, will, should, and do complain about. And it’s actually what leads me to this article: why do we do this to ourselves every year?

The reason can be summed up simply by saying that we do this because, deep down, we know that it’s fun. It’s fun to get ready for a convention with the excitement of seeing a cool cosplay. Some of us who are busy most days of the year only get to see our friends at conventions like this. Maybe there’s a voice actor or a famous cosplayer you’ve been waiting to meet, and this is your chance. Maybe this is the year where you went all out on a cosplay build, and it’s your time to shine.

In some instances, Anime Expo provides a previously overlooked population of fans a place where they can be themselves. This is extremely important, especially for those of us who came from a time when liking anime wasn’t as cool. Spaces like these rock.

Anime Expo is a different kind of beast when it comes to Los Angeles conventions. You get both the best and the absolute worst when it comes to a convention experience. However, every year it sells out. Every year things are moved around, and each year the cosplay drama keeps going. However, it wouldn’t be Anime Expo without any of it. So whenever that nagging question of “why do we do this to ourselves” creeps into my mind when I think of Anime Expo, I’ll look at my badge, and the cool action figures I got and tell myself: because it’s fun and because it’s Anime Expo.