Anime & Manga Events

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DragonCon Watch Party — Los Angeles 2026

Coming Soon

63 days away

DragonCon Watch Party — Los Angeles 2026

Sep 3 – Sep 7, 2026 Los Angeles, CA

While DragonCon itself is held in Atlanta, Los Angeles has one of the strongest fan communities for the convention in the country — and every Labor Day weekend, that community gathers for local watch parties, cosplay meetups, and the shared experience of watching DragonCon programming online together rather than celebrating apart. The LA DragonCon Watch Party brings together fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, gaming, anime, and genre entertainment who couldn't make the Atlanta trip — or who treat the Labor Day local event as a warm-up for planning next year's pilgrimage to the convention itself. The gathering typically happens at a nerd bar or geek-friendly event space in the Los Angeles area and combines DragonCon programming via livestream with local cosplay competitions, trivia, panel discussions, and the specific energy of a fan community that considers itself a genuine community. DragonCon programming streams publicly for some events through YouTube and official channels during Labor Day weekend — the watch party format provides a collective experience that watching alone at home can't replicate. Cosplay from DragonCon-adjacent properties is always present, from Tolkien to Star Trek to Critical Role to D&D. The specific venue varies annually — check Los Angeles genre fan groups on Facebook, the LA Geeks social networks, or r/losangeles for the organized 2026 watch party location. All ages at most venues; some locations are 21+ depending on the host bar.

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🌎 Nation's Best 64 days away

Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026 — Tampa, FL

Sep 4 – Sep 6, 2026 Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Fra…

Labor Day weekend in Tampa, 75,000 attendees, every comic and pop culture genre represented under one roof. For the Southeast, this is the one. What it feels like: The floor is enormous and overwhelming in the best possible way. The guest list runs three tiers — Hollywood actors from beloved properties, comic industry legends, and independent creators who set up Artist Alley as their primary annual market. The celebrity photo ops and autograph queues are well-organized (this is not always true at conventions this size). The cosplay is extraordinary: TBCC has developed a reputation as one of the premier cosplay destinations in the Southeast, and the Saturday costume contest is a legitimate event in its own right. Worth it? Who it is for: Tampa Bay Comic Con is for the fan who wants the full convention experience — celebrity access, comic industry presence, Artist Alley depth, panel programming — without flying to San Diego or navigating New York. If you are in Florida, the Southeast, or anywhere on the East Coast outside New York, TBCC is the answer to the annual SDCC envy. Labor Day weekend timing makes it a natural end-of-summer anchor. What to know before you go: Single-day tickets are available but weekend passes sell at significant discount and most guests who buy one-day wish they had bought three. The Convention Center is on the Tampa Riverwalk — easy ride from downtown Tampa hotels, difficult to park near, worth planning around. Saturday is the fullest day; Sunday is noticeably more relaxed with shorter autograph queues. Bring cash for Artist Alley — the independent creators who make the floor special tend to run cash-only or Square Reader setups. The cultural moment: Tampa Bay Comic Con has proved that the Southeast has a fan community that rivals any market in the country. The convention exists at a scale — 75,000 attendees — that should require a city like New York or Los Angeles, and it happens in Tampa every year. That is not a small thing. TBCC is the proof that the culture is everywhere, not just concentrated on the coasts.

Coming Soon

23 Gathering

64 days away

SacAnime Summer 2026 – Sacramento

Sep 4 – Sep 6, 2026 SAFE Credit Union Convention Cente…

SacAnime Summer 2026 runs September 4–6 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, California. One of the most consistently well-organized regional anime conventions on the West Coast, SacAnime has built a reputation for accessible, community-first programming that draws fans from across Northern and Central California — and regularly attracts Southern California con-goers who want a fall convention between Anime Expo in July and the fall circuit in October. Programming spans three days across multiple convention spaces including the main convention hall, Memorial Auditorium, and the Hyatt Ballroom. Expect guest panels, voice actor signings, cosplay competitions, gaming rooms, a dealer hall, an artist alley, and late-night programming that runs well past midnight. Guest lineups typically include English and Japanese voice actors, animation industry professionals, and cosplay celebrities. Sacramento is approximately six hours from San Diego and five and a half hours from Los Angeles — a realistic Labor Day weekend road trip for dedicated convention fans. The convention center sits in downtown Sacramento, walkable from hotels along the K Street corridor. For SoCal fans who attend Anime Expo and FanimeCon, SacAnime Summer fills the September gap in the West Coast con calendar and typically offers more accessible crowds and shorter signing lines than the larger cons.

Coming Soon

35 Gathering

65 days away

Long Beach Comic Con 2026

Sep 5 – Sep 6, 2026 From $34 Long Beach Convention Center, Long…

Long Beach Comic Con returns to the Long Beach Convention Center September 5-6, 2026 — two days, the more intimate sibling of San Diego Comic-Con, with celebrity guests, comics, collectibles, and a crowd size that makes the whole thing feel accessible. Tickets from $34. LBCC is what SDCC used to feel like before it became a media industry event. The Long Beach version is still primarily about comics — the publisher rows, artist alley, the writers and artists who show up specifically because this audience is there for the work. Celebrity guests do panels and signings at tables you can actually reach without a lottery system. The cosplay is excellent because the Long Beach community takes it seriously and the convention is the right size to see it properly. Two days. The Long Beach Convention Center is right off the water — good lunch options in the Pike and along the waterfront within walking distance. Saturday is the busier day; Sunday is the quieter version with the same floor and shorter lines. Single-day tickets available at longbeachcomiccon.com. Parking in the convention center structure. This is the one that actually feels like a convention.

Coming Soon

29 Gathering

65 days away

Anime San Diego 2026

Sep 5 – Sep 6, 2026 San Diego Convention Center, 111 W…

Anime San Diego takes the San Diego Convention Center for the first time September 5-6, 2026 — a new convention for a city that already has Anime Expo three hours up the freeway, building something that belongs to San Diego specifically. Two days, panels, cosplay, vendors, and the community that shows up for the first edition of something they want to exist. First editions have their own energy. The people who come to a convention's inaugural year are not the ones who show up when it's already established — they're the believers, the ones who want to be part of something before it grows into what it will become. That makes the floor different. The vendors who exhibit at a first-year show chose to be there specifically. That enthusiasm travels. The San Diego Convention Center is a world-class facility that handles events with experience and scale. Having it for a first-year anime convention is a statement. Tickets at animesandiego.com. September in San Diego produces some of the best weather the city offers. Come on Saturday if you can only make one day — the second day of a two-day con is where the floor really opens up.

Itasha & Livery Expo 2026 — Anime Car Culture at OC Fair

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24 Gathering

65 days away

Itasha & Livery Expo 2026 — Anime Car Culture at OC Fair

Sep 5, 2026 OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Dr…

Itasha & Livery Expo 2026 brings the world of anime-wrapped cars to the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Itasha -- literally 'painful car' in Japanese -- is the art of wrapping your vehicle in full-panel anime artwork. What started in Akihabara has become a global subculture, and SoCal's JDM and anime communities have made it their own. The expo floor features itasha builds from across Southern California and beyond, with competition categories for best full wrap, best partial, best theme interpretation, and best in show. Beyond the cars themselves, expect vendor tables from anime merchandise suppliers, JDM parts retailers, and wrap studios; panel discussions on the craft and community of itasha; and a crowd that sits at the exact intersection of anime fandom and car culture. This event has one of the tightest community profiles in SoCal's event landscape. The people who come to Itasha Expo are not general anime fans or general car enthusiasts -- they are both, deeply, at the same time. They have Discord servers, Instagram pages dedicated to their builds, and they have been waiting for a SoCal event to match the itasha shows that happen in Japan. OC Fair & Event Center: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Easy access from the 405 and 55 freeways. Parking available on-site. Tickets available in advance online -- general admission and VIP tiers available. Bring your camera. The builds will be worth it.

Itasha and Livery Expo 2026 — Orange County

Coming Soon

13 Gathering

65 days away

Itasha and Livery Expo 2026 — Orange County

Sep 5, 2026 OC Fair and Event Center, 88 Fair …

The Itasha and Livery Expo is one of Southern California's most distinctive automotive events, bringing together the worlds of anime fandom and car culture in a single showcase at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. Itasha — a Japanese term for cars decorated with anime and manga artwork — have developed a passionate following across California, and this expo is the largest dedicated gathering of these custom vehicles in the region. The show floor features dozens of itasha from across SoCal, spanning everything from vinyl-wrapped street cars adorned with characters from popular anime series to full custom builds with airbrushed artwork and matching interiors. Livery designs from gaming, motorsport, and pop culture are also showcased alongside the anime-themed builds. For anime fans who have never encountered the itasha scene, this event is an introduction to a community where automotive craftsmanship and fandom intersect in unexpected ways. For car enthusiasts who love anime, it is a pilgrimage. Family-friendly, with food vendors and merchandise on-site. September 5, 10am to 8pm at the OC Fair and Event Center.

Coming Soon

🌎 Nation's Best 71 days away

Rose City Comic Con 2026 — Portland, OR

Sep 11 – Sep 13, 2026 Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE M…

The Pacific Northwest version: September, Portland, three days at the Oregon Convention Center, comics and pop culture organized by people who genuinely love it. Three days of convention floor, panels, and programming across the Oregon Convention Center. The comics presence is genuine — this is a convention where you can spend hours in artist alley talking with independent creators, not just waiting in line for celebrity autographs. Celebrity guests span comics, film, and television, with signing and photo opportunities throughout the weekend. The cosplay scene is one of the strongest on the West Coast: the hall is dense with elaborate builds and the crowd treats it as a showcase. Gaming rooms, tabletop areas, and panel programming round out a schedule that can run ten hours a day for serious attendees. Rose City is built for people who care about comics as an art form — not just the IP franchises, but the creators and the medium itself. It is also genuinely family-friendly: the scale is accessible, the crowd is welcoming, and tickets are priced at $17–$105 depending on day and package. For cosplayers, the Portland fanbase means extraordinary hall costumes without the New York or San Diego Comic-Con crowds. If you have been priced or exhausted out of the bigger conventions, Rose City delivers the best of what those events promise at a fraction of the friction. Friday hours are 1 to 8 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM; Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The Saturday crowds are significantly denser — Sunday is the calmer entry point for first-timers. Artist Alley is the heart of the show; budget time and money for it. The Oregon Convention Center is served by Portland MAX light rail — the Convention Center stop drops you at the door, making a car unnecessary if you are staying downtown. Rose City Comic Con has become the essential West Coast convention for independent comics, occupying the space between the industry-scale San Diego Comic-Con and the grassroots spirit of smaller regional events. Portland's identity as a creative, DIY city gives the convention an energy distinct from LA or Bay Area equivalents. This is where you find what is coming in comics before it reaches mass market shelves.

Coming Soon

🌎 Nation's Best 71 days away

FAN EXPO Dallas 2026 — Dallas, TX

Sep 11 – Sep 13, 2026 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Ce…

The largest pop culture convention in Texas fills the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for three days — every genre, 65,000 attendees, the full convention experience. Enter the convention floor on Saturday morning and the scope of FAN EXPO Dallas becomes clear immediately: this is a convention designed to hold the full range of fan culture under one roof without fragmenting it. The anime wing hosts voice actor signings and screening rooms; the gaming section has playable demos and tournament brackets; the horror area draws cult actors and practical effects artists; the comics floor features creators behind titles both mainstream and independent. Celebrity photo ops and autograph lines run throughout the weekend — FAN EXPO's booking operation is one of the most reliable in the industry, meaning the guests announced are the guests who show. The Cosplay Red Carpet on Saturday is a highlight: contestants from across Texas and the surrounding region bring builds that rival anything at the coastal mega-cons. The crowd energy at FAN EXPO Dallas skews genuinely enthusiastic rather than industry-transactional. FAN EXPO Dallas is for anyone who has ever wanted to see their favorite franchise represented at scale — not just as merchandise, but as community. If you are in Texas and you have been waiting for a convention that takes pop culture seriously, this is it. It is family-accessible without being dumbed down, competitive without being exclusionary, and large enough to spend a full day discovering things you did not plan for. First-timers frequently note how manageable the floor layout is compared to larger conventions despite the scale. The Friday preview session runs 4-9 PM and is notably less crowded than the weekend days — if you have a three-day pass, Friday evening is the best time to cover artist alley without competing for space. Celebrity photo ops sell out weeks before the event; book through the FAN EXPO app as soon as your guests are announced. The convention center is accessible from the Dallas Convention Center DART station, which is the practical choice on Saturday when surrounding parking fills. Bring a battery pack — you will be on your phone for the app schedule, maps, and photo documentation all day. Saturday afternoon sessions are the peak crowd window; Sunday morning is the quietest time slot. FAN EXPO Dallas earns its place on Falkor Nation's Best list because Texas has earned a proper flagship pop culture convention and this is it. The Dallas edition has grown into the defining fan event for the entire South-Central region — the convention that people in Houston, Austin, Oklahoma City, and beyond mark on their calendars. For anyone who loves genre entertainment and has not yet made the trip, FAN EXPO Dallas 2026 is the year. September 11-13 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas. Tickets at fanexpohq.com/fanexpodallas.

Little Tokyo Anime and Culture Night -- Los Angeles September 2026

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23 Gathering

72 days away

Little Tokyo Anime and Culture Night -- Los Angeles September 2026

Sep 12, 2026 327 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles is the oldest Japanese American community in the country and on weekend evenings it functions as the unofficial gathering point for LA-area anime and Japanese culture fans. The stretch of 1st and 2nd Street between Central and Alameda runs izakayas, ramen shops, Anime Jungle with dedicated anime merchandise, Kinokuniya Books, and coffee shops where people sit for hours discussing shows. The monthly Anime and Culture Night draws the community that lives here year-round, not just the convention crowd that shows up twice a year. Street performers, pop-up cosplay groups, and informal meetups fill the sidewalks from early evening into the night. Browse Anime Jungle for figures, tapestries, and limited releases. Kinokuniya carries Japanese-language manga, artbooks, and music releases alongside English-language anime. The ramen spots fill up fast. Arriving by 6:30pm avoids the longest waits at Ichiran, Daikokuya, and Shin-Sen-Gumi. The Metro Gold Line stops at Little Tokyo/Arts District station. Street parking is available on surrounding blocks. No ticket or registration required. Monthly on the second Saturday.

Coming Soon

16 Gathering

75 days away

Marvel's Wolverine

Sep 15 – Sep 18, 2026 From $70 PS5

Insomniac Games confirmed September 15, 2026 for Marvel's Wolverine — a PS5 exclusive set within the same universe as Marvel's Spider-Man. James Howlett fights through brutal Madripoor-set action with visceral claw mechanics. Announced at PlayStation State of Play. Why play: If Spider-Man 2 set the standard for superhero games, Wolverine is the darker, more violent counterpart — built by the team that knows how to make Marvel games feel real. Updated: April 7, 2026.

Coming Soon

78 days away

Pacific Pinball Expo 2026 — Alameda

Sep 18 – Sep 20, 2026 Alameda, CA 94501

The Pacific Pinball Expo in Alameda, California is one of the largest pinball collector and player events in the Western United States, drawing machines and enthusiasts from throughout California and beyond for a full weekend of free-play arcade and pinball games, collector seminars, restoration workshops, and the competitive play that has made Alameda's annual expo a pilgrimage event for the serious pinball community. The Pacific Pinball Museum operates year-round in Alameda as the primary public pinball collection on the West Coast, and the annual Expo amplifies that resource with additional machines brought by collectors specifically for the event. The Expo's weekend format puts hundreds of machines on free play — a format where you pay once for admission and play unlimited games on every machine in the hall. The machine selection at Pacific Pinball Expo emphasizes historical breadth: electromechanical machines from the 1950s and 60s sit alongside solid-state classics from the late 1970s through the 1990s Williams and Bally golden era, through modern machines from Stern and Spooky. Restoration seminars by experienced collectors cover electrical troubleshooting, playfield restoration, and parts sourcing — practical knowledge that the machine-owning pinball community finds difficult to find in any other format. The Expo is held at a venue in or near Alameda, approximately 45 minutes north of San Jose and 20 minutes from Oakland. Shuttle service from BART is typically organized during the event. Full weekend passes and single-day admission available.

Coming Soon

16 Gathering

79 days away

Pop-Up Anime Museum — San Diego

Sep 19, 2026 Free / $15 premium Westfield UTC, 4545 La Jolla Villa…

Westfield UTC, 4545 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego. September 19th — free entry, $15 premium access. The Pop-Up Anime Museum arrives in San Diego for a limited run, bringing the kind of immersive exhibition experience that makes anime's visual world take physical space. The Pop-Up Anime Museum is built around the art — official production art, recreated scenes, large-format installations from anime titles that the community has been in love with for years. The experience is designed for sharing: the environments photograph well because they were designed with the visual logic of anime itself. You move through rooms that feel like you walked into the show. Free entry covers the open gallery. $15 premium access unlocks additional installations and the full experience. September 19th. popupanimemuseum.com for the schedule and ticket options. Westfield UTC is accessible from all of San Diego — parking is straightforward, the mall gives you a meal before or after. If you've ever wanted to be inside the shows you've been watching, this is the event. Limited run — it won't be here long.

Coming Soon

26 Gathering

79 days away

K-Pop Takeover San Diego 2026

Sep 19, 2026 TORO, 672 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA…

K-Pop Takeover comes to San Diego for a high-energy afternoon where K-pop fandom meets club culture at TORO on Fifth Avenue in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. This is the event for fans who want to celebrate their favorite artists, hear the hottest tracks, and connect with the local K-pop community in a real venue setting. The K-Pop Takeover format mixes DJ sets of fan-favorite tracks, from classic 2nd generation hits to the latest from 4th gen groups, with a social atmosphere that encourages cosplay, fan outfits, and merch displays. The crowd is mixed: hardcore stans who know every B-side, casual fans who want a fun afternoon out, and first-timers discovering the genre through friends. All of them end up knowing each other by the end. Doors open at noon with last entry at 1:00 PM. Under-18 attendees must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older. No outside food or beverages permitted. The event includes flashing lights and high-volume music. Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026. Time: 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Last entry: 1:00 PM. Venue: TORO, 672 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. Tickets: Available via Like It Love It Events. Ages: All ages; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older.

Harajuku Day Los Angeles — September 2026

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79 days away

Harajuku Day Los Angeles — September 2026

Sep 19, 2026 333 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA …

Every third Saturday at Little Tokyo Galleria, people show up in full coord. Not for a special occasion — because this is the occasion. September marks the transition: cotton gives way to velvet, bright pastels go muted and architectural, and the layering begins in earnest. The September 19 edition runs noon to 5 PM at Little Tokyo Galleria, 333 S Alameda St, Los Angeles. Independent designers and importers sell pieces you will not find at any standard retail store. The photography alone is worth showing up for — the Galleria's architecture and the Little Tokyo streetscape make for a visual backdrop that routinely ends up in fashion editorial shots. Free admission. If you are somewhere in the spectrum of kawaii, alternative, or Japanese street fashion, this is the SoCal event that makes you feel less alone in your aesthetic choices. September is also the natural reset point — summer's boldness gives way to the year's first layering, and the shift shows in what vendors bring.

Coming Soon

15 Gathering

80 days away

So-Cal Cosplay Shoot — Waterfront

Sep 20, 2026 Free Embarcadero, San Diego, CA 92101

Embarcadero, San Diego. September 20th. Free. The So-Cal Cosplay Shoot at the Waterfront is the open-air version of the community photoshoot — San Diego Bay in the background, the Embarcadero giving every costume an urban backdrop with water and skyline in the same frame. The Embarcadero setting works because the visual vocabulary is different from Balboa Park. The industrial waterfront, the ferry docks, the harbor patrol boats, the downtown skyline at sunset — characters who photograph against Spanish Colonial Revival architecture at Balboa Park read completely differently at the waterfront. It's not better or worse; it's a different image. Free to come. September 20th. Follow @socosplayscene on Instagram for the exact gather point and start time. The waterfront light is best in the late afternoon — arrive early enough to get the golden hour before the event fills in. Any fandom, any build. Photographers with gear are welcome and encouraged. The shoot is organized but relaxed. Come in costume and find the right backdrop.

MTG Reality Fracture Prerelease — TCS Rockets

Coming Soon

85 days away

MTG Reality Fracture Prerelease — TCS Rockets

Sep 25, 2026 7626 Miramar Rd Suite 3900, San Di…

New Magic set, new archetypes, new reasons to stay at the game shop until midnight. Reality Fracture Prerelease at TCS Rockets gives you six packs, 40 minutes to build, and three rounds to figure out what you opened. The format rewards improvisation more than Standard ever does. Prerelease is also the best time to try a new set without having invested in singles. If the mechanics work for you, you know before you spend. If they don't, you still played three rounds of Magic with people who are equally deep into the cards.

MTG Reality Fracture Prerelease — Game Empire

Coming Soon

22 Gathering

85 days away

MTG Reality Fracture Prerelease — Game Empire

Sep 25, 2026 1795 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA…

New Magic set, new archetypes, new reasons to stay at the game shop until midnight. Reality Fracture Prerelease at Game Empire SD gives you six packs, 40 minutes to build, and three rounds to figure out what you opened. The format rewards improvisation more than Standard ever does. Prerelease is the best time to try a new set without having invested in singles. If the mechanics click for you, you know before you spend. If they don't, you still played three rounds of Magic with people who are equally into the cards.

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