Did you all know that Anime Expo 2024 actually marked the 33rd anniversary of the convention? Thus, it explained why this year, they pulled out all the stops for AX. This even included closing off all of Pico Blvd in order to make an “AX Crossing” reminiscent of the famous Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan. What else did AX 2024 do to celebrate that anniversary? Well, let’s find out together, shall we?

Anime Expo 2024: A Look Back

Anime Expo 2024 visual.
A pretty and appropriate piece of art to celebrate Japanese animation here.

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is proud to tally up the results of Anime Expo 2024. Over the four days of AX that took place from July 3 – 6, 2024; the convention saw a turnout of 407K+ attendees from over 64 countries. Apparently, that massive number of people heading in to spend money generated an estimated economic impact of over $100+ million for area hotels and businesses. In fact, it did so well that the CEO of SPJA himself wants to comment on that impact. You can read his words below:

We’re so proud of the team’s hard work to bring friends, families, artists and fans together to celebrate the creativity and artistry of the best of Japanese pop culture. With this year’s show, we aimed to expand the event space by shutting down Pico Blvd to create AX Crossing, a brand new area inspired by the famous ‘Shibuya Crossing’ filled with a plethora of diverse food vendors and performances. With more space, more stages and more to do than ever, there has never been a better time to start attending Anime Expo.

Ray Chiang, CEO of SPJA

Why So Many?

As to why so many people were so interested in Anime Expo 2024? Well, AX 2024 not only featured “blockbuster world premieres“, but also “panel sessions featuring a luminary list of more than 300+ guests and industry appearances from the biggest names in anime, manga and Japanese pop culture” for attendees to enjoy. The list of guests included Delicious in Dungeon creator Ryōko Kui, mecha visionary Shōji Kawamori, Persona 3/4/5 director Katsura Hashino, Studio Ghibli’s Yoichi Nishikawa, Seven Deadly Sins creator Nakaba Suzuki, Renowned Master of traditional Edo style kites Mikio Toki, and former Takarazuka Revue members Hiroki Nanami and Urara Reimi.

Not only that, but attendees could also enjoy music from various artists at Anime Expo 2024. The list of artists included Obey Me!’s inaugural 3D concert “Overture,” the exhilarating “TUBEOUT!” virtual festival and the ALL STAR STAGE – MUSIC UNIVERSE that features performances by ST☆RISH, QUARTET NIGHT and HE★VENS.

What’s Next for AX?

As the final touch here, the SPJA also announced that Anime Expo 2025 next year will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center on July 3 – 6, 2025. 4-day badges for the event will go on sale sometime in early 2025, so you have plenty of time to prepare for that. You can do so from the official Anime Expo website.

For more on Anime, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.

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