Big news for anime fans suffering from post-con blues: During the closing ceremonies of AX it was announced that Anime Expo will be hosting Anime Expo Ontario on Nov. 12-13, 2022. Fans will be able to return to the acclaimed anime convention in San Bernardino County this fall.
This will be the first time Anime Expo has been hosted outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center since they made the move from Long Beach Convention Center in 2007.
Anime Expo allowed physical attendance to con-goers for the first time in two years after COVID-19 protocols closed all large-scale events. This reopening included strict vaccination and mask requirements that went through a number of changes after online backlash from fans earlier this year.
Demand for Anime Expo 2022 was at a fever pitch with tickets for being completely sold out bu June 28, according to Anime Expo’s official Twitter account. The exact number of tickets sold is unknown, but Anime Expo 2019 had an attendance of 115,000.
Anime Expo also announced that it will be returning to the Los Angeles Convention Center next year for Anime Expo 2023. The event will take place Saturday through Tuesday, July 1-4. Tickets for Anime Expo 2023 and Anime Expo Ontario are not yet available for purchase.
For more anime news and Anime Expo coverage, make sure to check out Rafu Shimpo’s anime section: https://rafu.com/category/entertainment/anime/
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By HIKARU ITO
I remember going in 2018 for the first time, with friends in my guild on TERA Online. It was incredibly overwhelming and busy, but I enjoyed it so much. Ended up going in 2019 and was heartbroken when the pandemic shut everything down and cancelled AX20 and AX21. This year, I ended up going with some good friends I met on VRChat, and ended up finally going to AX22, and we all had the time of our lives. We’re already looking for AirBnB’s for next year’s trip.