It’s a big weekend for anime, gaming, and manga enthusiasts alike as Friday morning, several conventions around the world will kick off! Today we have a special guide for each convention in hopes that you will attend. If you happen to be lucky enough to be near an event then, get your costumes ready, get your gamer faces on, and enjoy mingling with people who share your interests. There will be plenty of opportunities for photographs, panel boards, concerts, and much more. Buy a ticket before they sell out, official webpages can be found in the event profile.

Below is a guide for each event taking place this weekend. Unsure who the special guest is? Well click their name to head to their page! For an easy organized look at all of the details, visit our Events tab or click the convention title you find interesting.

Convention Info Guide, August 22nd-24th

Anime California Highly Recommended

Located in Garden Grove, California. Anime California will be hosting a Japanese cultural convention, including several amazing voice actors, musical artists, and industry representatives. Full Metal Alchemists Greed and Fairytail’s Natsu Dragoneel, will be signing autographs for free! The convention will also include a free concert for all attendees and even a video game tournament!

Type: Anime/Manga/Gaming

Featured Guests: Chris Patton, Cherami Leigh, Kira Buckland, Lolita Dark, Todd Haberkorn, more TBA

SaikouCon

Located in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania. SaikouCon will be hosting a variety of exclusively Japanese culture related events. Will include an Anime Industry Panel, cosplay, and several other booths.

Type: Anime/Manga

Featured Guests: RuffleButt Cosplay, The Adarna, Sci-Fi Photo Guys, Greg Houser, Bill Rogers, Marc Swint, League of Hot Geeks, Sonny Strait

Japan Expo USA Highly Recommended

Located in San Mateo, California. Japan Expo USA is an three day anime convention held during August at the San Mateo Event Center in San Mateo, California. Japan Expo has many prestigious guests coming to meet their fans during autograph sessions and to talk about their work, their careers, or their jobs during masterclasses and panels. Those guests are mangaka, anime directors, chara-designers, illustrators, video game creators, producers, musicians, singers, composers and even talented cosplayers. Don’t miss the chance of meeting famous artists and of getting to know more about them.

Type: Anime/Manga/Gaming

Featured Guests: A for-Real, Akai SKY, Shinji Aramaki, Hero Hiroka, Daigo Ikeno, Ilu Grace , DJ Kage, Akihiro Kanayama, Living Ichigo, Izumi Matsumoto, Mayuko, Sho Murase, Felipe Smith, Team Hideo, Gen Urobuchi, Akira Yamaoka

Kita-Kon

Located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Kita-Kon is an annual anime convention dedicated to uniting anime fans in the region. Voice actors from video games and animes will be attending the event.

Type: Anime

Featured Guests: Kyle Hebert, Leah Clark

Anime Revolution Highly Recommended

Located in Vancouver, Canada. Anime Revolution suggests everyone should come and at least check out the scene, regardless of how familiar they are with cosplaying. “Prepare yourself for a gathering of Vancouver’s most creative cosplayers and showcase your cosplay to like-minded fans! Whether you’re a cosplayer, or simply curious about the anime culture, you will find stunning cosplays that will either induce nostalgia, or bring out the inner fan in you! Don’t shy away and come experience the enjoyment of cosplay!” Anime Revolution will host many types of entertainment from panels, plays, concerts, autograph signing, and cosplaying. If you are at all interested in Japanese Culture, this is the one to go to. VIP tickets are SOLD OUT

Type: Anime

Featured Guests: Jessica Nigri, Meg Turney, Vic Mignogna, Yaya Han, Dean Redman, Lisa-Ortiz, The 404s, Fighting Dreamers Production, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Yoshiki Sakurai, Mike McFarland, Michael Sinternikklaas, Marina Inoue, Megumi Ogata, Origa, RinRin Doll

Otakuthon

Located in Montreal, Canada. As with most other anime conventions, Otakuthon offers a wide range of programming, exhibits, and other events. Otakuthon’s programming consists of cosplay events, a masquerade, vendors, an Artists’ Area, panels and workshops, game shows, anime video screenings, dances, karaoke, and music concerts.

Type: Anime/Manga/Gaming

Featured Guests: Nobuo Uematsu, Arnie Roth, Yui Ishikawa, Baby, The Stare Shine Bright (Featuring Midori Fukasawa), Spike Spencer, Shelley Calene-Black, Brett Weaver, Benyamin Nuss, Raj Ramayya, Masayuki Ozaki, Neko, Kaname, Yokai Project, Sebastian 3000, The 404s, Komachi Montreal, Daito Ryu Koryukan, Shidokan Kendo and Iaido Club, Feng Huang Wushu Club

Matsuricon

Located in Columbus, Ohio. Matsuricon is an annual Japanese pop-culture event that focuses primarily on Japanese animation (known as “anime”), manga (Japanese graphic novels), and video games. We also showcase both American and Japanese popular culture, due to the natural overlap of fandom from both genres.

Type: Anime/Manga/Game

Featured Guests: Kevin Bolk, Johnny Yong Bosch, David Brehm, Christine Marie Cabanos, Eyeshine, Scott Freeman, Josh Grelle, Darrel Guilbeau, James Hatton, Chuck Huber, Erik Kimerer, Lauren Landa, Scott McNeil, Danielle McRae, Erica Mendez, Matthew Mercer, Trina Nishimura, Professor Shyguy, Ayu Sakata, Ian Sinclair, Micah Solusod, Brad Swaile, Symphonic Anime Orchestra, Sarah Williams, Stephanie Young

Orlando Anime Day

Located in Orlando, Florida. Orlando Anime Day features an over 2,000 sq ft dealers room, Video/Event room, prize giveaways, raffle drawing, cosplay, and FREE Parking. A full day of anime fun for less then a movie ticket!

Type: Anime/Manga

Featured Guests: Community

CrucesCon

Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Las Cruces Game Convention (CrucesCon), is an annual event held by the Las Cruces Game Knights, a local video game club. Once a year, gamers from all around compete in high level tournaments while still enjoying themselves with an abundance of free play games. Gamers of all skill levels and genres are welcome and sure to have a memorable time at CrucesCon! There is also cosplay contests, food, raffles, trading card games, anime, and small, fun tournaments. Come get your game on, and bring serious gaming back!

Type: Gaming/Anime

Featured Guests: Elizabeth Sampat

Personally i find the most notable Conventions are Anime California, Japan Expo USA, Matsuricon, and Anime Revolution! Check out their guests!

Be sure to come back and comment how enjoyable the conventions were! Also post a comment or photo of who your favorite cosplays were.