This Labor Day weekend San Diego can enjoy a new convention dedicated to anime and cosplay — Anime San Diego.
In July, Anime San Diego used Comic-Con as a perfect place to launch a new fandom-fueled convention. Anime San Diego did not have any panels or a booth, but it did host a pair of parties to get people excited about the convention that arrives this weekend.
Anime San Diego will follow in Comic-Con’s footsteps and take over Halls E through H at the San Diego Convention Center.
Marketing director Colin Bass said Anime San Diego will join five sister conventions dedicated to anime and cosplay that already exist in California, Arizona and Nevada.
But since Bass hails from San Diego, he said, “I would love to build a community here of people, new people that haven't been to our other cons."
Anime San Diego will have anime karaoke, free video game and arcade zones plus multiple panel schedules.
"One is the main stage with all the celebrities,” Bass explained. "One is the fan zone, which is more fan-based but also has more intimate panels with the celebrities. And then we have the Creator Panel Zone, which is all fan-made panels. Go to our website, decide what you want to do, and build your schedule."
And since anime cosplay can be epic, Bass said Anime Con will "have cosplay meetups, which I really like because the fans pick the time and place and put it all together for their fandom. We have an adult cosplay contest on Saturday at 6 p.m. and then a kids cosplay contest Sunday at 5 p.m. So lots of options."
And if you are into trading card games, Anime San Diego has you covered.
"We have an entire trading card game arena where you can do free play, but we also have a game that we love and helped create called the Four Empires TCG,” Bass said. “We're also going to have a lot of different vendors that sell trading cards as well. So you can sit down, play some games, go shopping, or learn how to play Four Empires."
Anime San Diego should not be confused with San Diego Anime Con, which celebrates its fourth year in November.
"We are not adversaries,” Bass insisted. "I think we're friends, and I think it's kind of just a community that makes these things so special. But I gave them a free booth and passes because I just want to let them know that we're there for them, they're there for us."
For anime fans, that simply means more events to enjoy. The inaugural Anime San Diego takes place this weekend at the San Diego Convention Center. Tickets are available online and at the door. But prices go up Friday at midnight.
