Southern California expanded its convention circuit on September 5th and 6th with the launch of Anime San Diego. Held inside Halls E through H of the iconic San Diego Convention Center, the inaugural gathering was orchestrated by the production team behind Anime Las Vegas and Anime Pasadena. Positioned as an accessible, family-oriented weekend, the event offered attendees artist vendors, retro gaming tournaments, and a roster of prominent industry voice talent.
Attractions and Retro Gaming
The show floor immediately commanded attention with towering inflatable figures, including massive representations of iconic Pokémon and the Colossal Titan from Attack on Titan. Adjacent to these displays stood a retro gaming lounge balancing vintage hardware—ranging from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo 64 to GameCube—alongside modern setups and rhythm staples like Dance Dance Revolution and Love Live!.
In an unexpected programming twist, the exhibit hall placed a full-scale pro-wrestling ring alongside the main stage, hosting exhibition bouts across the weekend. Complementing the stage entertainment was a dedicated showcase of custom itasha vehicles, displaying elaborate anime-themed vinyl wraps on both sports cars and motorcycles.
Guest Lineup and Growing Pains
Autograph seekers drew substantial crowds toward the interactive zone. Veteran voice actor Dante Basco (Avatar: The Last Airbender) anchored prominent signing queues alongside international guest Yoshimasa Hosoya (Sosuke Yamazaki in Free!). The guest list also featured notable English dub talent:
- Anjali Kunapaneni (Coco in Witch Hat Atelier)
- Emi Lo (Maomao in The Apothecary Diaries)
- Maile Flanagan (Naruto Uzumaki in Naruto)
- Zeno Robinson (Jabber Wonger in Gachiakuta)
First-year logistical challenges surfaced predominantly in the vendor and Artist Alley sectors. Merged into a shared perimeter, walkways became congested during peak hours, particularly with families taking advantage of free entry promotions for children under 12. Cosplay gatherings on the outer terraces also suffered from uneven communication and low Sunday turnout. Nevertheless, Anime San Diego established a promising regional baseline that could mature into a staple fixture for the community.
