AnimeJapan, an industry anime convention that is open to the public for two of its four running days, was the first attraction I visited simply due to timing. It ran for my first weekend in Japan, March 25th-28th, and I decided to go so I wouldn’t need to wait a whole year!
AnimeJapan was operated in the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center, right next to Tokyo Bay. The day I went, March 25th, it was very cold and rainy and wet, and I spent over an hour waiting in *LineCon to get into the event. It felt like longer thanks to the weather.
*LineCon is a joke name for a convention in which you wait in line for admission for a long time.
When I made it inside, I was surprised by the general differences between this convention and American conventions. American conventions are one-size-fits-all type events, with third-party dealers, an artists’ alley for fan and general art creations, event panels (commonly with voice actor guests, comedy, etc.), anime screening rooms, cosplay events, rooms to play video/card/board games, and more. Japanese conventions, on the other hand, seem specialized for one specific aspect of anime. AnimeJapan is specialized for the anime industry and represents the largest gathering of industry representatives and exhibits in the world. Other examples of specialized anime conventions include Comiket, which is focused on doujinshi (fan comics), and Wonder Festival, which is dedicated to anime figurines. Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair seems to have a broader scope closer to what I’m used to in America, but I wouldn’t be able to make that determination for certain unless I went to the event myself.
One thing that struck me at AnimeJapan was the elaborate, impressive nature of the company displays. Life-sized and larger character cut outs and statues were the norm rather than the exception, and all of the big-name companies (for example: Square Enix, Kadokawa, and Aniplex, to name a handful) had massive exhibits, which included some combination of stages for actors and voice actors to perform, massive screens that were at least twelve feet tall, elaborate temporary constructions/structures for showcasing company history and future projects, and more.
AnimeJapan was very crowded, with long lines to enter enclosed exhibits. People were everywhere. Outside of the convention, the rest of Tokyo Big Sight (which includes restaurants, a convenience store, a train station, and more) was just as packed. I went to the convenience store to pick up lunch – there were long lines for the restaurants that I did not want to wait on – and there was hardly any selection left.
Admission for the event was very cheap, compared to conventions in America. I paid ¥2300 ($17.25 at current exchange rates) for a ticket in advance, and on-site tickets only cost a little more, at ¥2600 ($19.50). This is in sharp contrast to conventions like A-Kon in DFW ($70/¥9332.40 for a whole weekend) or Anime Expo (with a one-day pass of $70-80 and a full weekend pass for a whopping $165/¥21,997.80).
There was not much merchandise for purchase at AnimeJapan, compared to a dealer’s room at a convention in America. Some industry displays included an official merchandise stand for their franchises. Common merch included clear file folders and acrylic stands, and overall, the selection seemed skewed for smaller, lighter, cheaper items. I saw many figures on display, but none for sale.
Below is a gallery with pictures of the convention and displays. Enjoy!
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