FanimeCon 2023 Comes Back to Life at San Jose Convention Center

FanimeCon 2023 Comes Back to Life at San Jose Convention CenterTikTok - TomBobBlender
Nina Singh-Hudson
Published on May 25, 2023

The long awaited return of FanimeCon, Northern California's largest anime convention, is finally here! Starting this weekend, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center will once again be filled with excitement and color, as fans gather to celebrate their love for anime and Japanese culture from May 27 through May 30, 2023.

Since its inception in 1994, FanimeCon has been committed to providing a diverse range of events that cater to all age groups and interests. This year's lineup does not disappoint, with an assortment of guests set to make an appearance. Among them are cosplayers VampyBitMe and Maguma, content creator Alvin Zhou, and costume makers HokuProps. Voice actors Xanthe Huynh (The Irregular at Magic High School, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day) and David Vincent (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Tekken) will join virtual guests Aoi Yuki (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, The Seven Deadly Sins) and Keisuke Ueda (My Hero Academia, My Sweet Tyrant) as special guests, as reported on KRON 4.

This year's FanimeCon will also host a variety of events such as speed dating, karaoke, and the Black & White Ball. However, some past events like cosplay chess and the masquerade will not be returning for this year's convention. Those who had purchased tickets for FanimeCon 2020 are granted the opportunity to attend this year's event, according to the KRON4.

@tombobblender I will be attending FanimeCon 2023 in San Jose California! I hope to see you there! #fanime #fanimecon #fanime2023 #cosplay #undertale #papyrus ♬ Earth Island - My Singing Monsters

FanimeCon 2023's guest list has expanded with some unfortunate news. According to the FanimeCon website, voice acting Guest of Honor Cherami Leigh will no longer be able to attend this year's convention. She was previously scheduled to attend FanimeCon 2023, but unforeseen circumstances led to her cancellation. Fans will have to wait and see if Leigh can join the convention in 2024.

As FanimeCon's official slogan goes, it is a convention "by fans, for fans." The convention brings together fans who share their passion for anime, Japanese art, and popular culture. Visitors have the chance to connect with fellow fans through the FanimeCon Forums, where they can discuss the convention, anime, J-rock, and much more.

This year's FanimeCon marks the return of the much-anticipated MusicFest, featuring Keisuke Ueda as the MusicFest Guest of Honor. Ueda will perform for the first time outside of Japan at the event, according to the FanimeCon.