Anime Expo

Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA). With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the first weekend in July, which typically coincides with the 4th of July, and lasts for four days. While currently hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in the past Anime Expo has been held in other locations such as Anaheim, San Jose, New York, and Tokyo. Anime Expo is the largest North American anime convention as of 2015.

Events and programming

Anime Expo features many events and activities during the convention for attendees to take part in such as guest panels, table top gaming, competitions, an arcade, and concerts.

Top attractions include events such as the Masquerade cosplay contest, the Anime Music Video (AMV) competition, Battle of the Bands, and SPJA’s Charity Auction. In addition, Anime Expo hosts a multitude of industry Guests of Honor (GoH), including notable music artists who often hold large concerts at AX. Anime Expo also has a large variety of focus panels, workshops, and events, some of which are fan or industry sponsored. Finally, there are also a number of film and video rooms presenting anime screenings that run all day and night.