Posted in: Anime, TV | Tagged: anime, anime expo, Jujutsu Kaisen, Los Angeles Convention Center, SPJA, The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

Anime Expo Announces Smaller Spinoff Con Set for This November

Anime Expo closed out its 31st convention during the first weekend of July with the announcement that a new, smaller "anime expo" would be arriving in November. The 31st Anime Expo returned to the Los Angeles Convention Center this year live and in-person, bringing together fans and industry professionals for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America. Hosted by The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), the sold-out four-day convention saw attendees from over 70 countries descend upon the city of Los Angeles to generate an estimated positive economic impact of over $100 Million for local hotels and businesses. Fans that were unable to attend in person also had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of AX virtually through Anime Expo Lite (on Twitch and YouTube).

During the holiday weekend full of blockbuster announcements, SPJA closed out the convention with one of their own: the introduction of "anime expo," a smaller-scale spinoff convention that will allow fans an additional opportunity to celebrate Japanese pop culture this November in Ontario, California. The event, which will be focused primarily on the exhibit hall and artist alley experience, will take place November 12-13, 2022, at the Ontario Convention Center. Ticket sales for the slightly smaller superspreader event will be open in the coming months.

"Seeing our Anime Expo family once per year simply isn't enough, which is why we're incredibly excited to bring the brand-new 'anime expo' event to Ontario, California," said Ray Chiang, CEO of SPJA. "Anime Expo 2022 was a success, and we look forward to carrying that positive momentum into this smaller-scale show that provides a unique, more intimate opportunity for fans of Japanese pop culture to come together a second time this year."

Meanwhile, the first in-person convention since 2019 welcomed fans back to the Los Angeles Convention Center with over 1,000 hours of programming, including Japanese musical guests SG5 and Travis Japan, renowned DJs Steve Aoki and TeddyLoid, and Guests of Honor including Studio MAPPA CEO Manabu Otsuka, Jujutsu Kaisen screenwriter Hiroshi Seko, Ranking of Kings director Yosuke Hatta, WIT Studio producer Maiko Okada, and Anime Expo Mascot MAX creator Mika Akitaka.

Anime Expo 2022 boasted over 30 exclusive world and North American premieres, more than 250 star-studded industry panels, celebrations, special performances, and concerts from both world-renowned and up-and-coming musicians, and much more. Overall, Anime Expo's 300,000-plus square foot exhibit space hosted over 400 exhibitors, over 300 industry appearances and more than 400 artists across four days.

"After three long years away from the Los Angeles Convention Center, it was incredibly important to all of us at SPJA that our community is welcomed home with a truly unforgettable convention experience," said Chiang. "And, thanks to all the participants–including exhibitors (small and big alike), artists, industry and sponsors–and the incredibly hard work and dedication shown by each and every volunteer and staff member, we're proud to say that this year's show not only met, but exceeded our expectations. We can't wait to show you what we have in store for next year!"

Anime Expo will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1-4 2023. Ticket sales for Anime Expo 2023 will be announced in the Autumn of 2022 on its website.

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