By MARIE SEKIGUCHI, Kizuna NCI Intern
On September 30 and 31 the 8th Anime Impulse Orange County (AIOC) convention took place. As one of the younger anime nerd and fan conventions, it is slowly gaining recognition. This year especially, since the pandemic in 2020, there was a long and eager line to redeem registration and get inside the Anaheim convention center.
Some of the main attractions of Anime Impulse are the myriad of famous voice acting guests. For example, the famous YouTuber CDawgVA with over 3.2 million followers, his YouTube channel can be found here: CDawgVA. Before the convention even began, reservation tickets to see him were sold out. Additionally, AIOC hosted singer and voice actor: AmaLee and Johnny Yong Bosch who voices over 100 beloved characters in anime, movies, and TV shows.
Like most anime and entertainment conventions, there was a vendor’s hall and artist’s alley. Well-known companies such as Yakult and Indomie gave out free samples and had fun activities for even guests who were not there exclusively for anime.
KAELYN LAM
Unlike most other conventions, Anime Impulse is known for it’s K-PLAY! FEST and Collector’s Expo. If you are a K-pop fan or enjoy collecting playing cards such as Lorcana and Pokemon. Showing once again that you do not have to be a fan of anime to attend anime conventions. At just $45.00 for all three events, Anime Impulse is a place for anyone and everyone for a fun weekend activity.
Make sure to grab your tickets for the Dallas convention or next year’s Anime Impulse convention in Orange County at their website: https://animeimpulse.com/
KAELYN LAM