Relive Anime & Manga Events

181 anime & manga events the community showed up for — relive the night, then catch the next one.

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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero — Community Tournament SD

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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero — Community Tournament SD

May 23, 2026 $10 GameSync San Diego, 2860 Main St, …

GameSync San Diego, May 23rd. $10 to compete. The Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Community Tournament is the version of the game that the ranked queue can't replicate: a room, real people across from you, and the specific pressure of knowing that the person on the other side of the table has been in the training room longer than the character select screen suggests. Dragon Ball Sparking Zero at the tournament level is a different game than the one you've been playing online. The reads are faster, the character matchup knowledge runs deeper, and the crowd around a close set turns a fighting game into a performance. The GameSync setup — real monitors, proper controller support, tournament bracket management — creates the environment where the game gets played at its best. $10 entry. May 23rd. Register at gamesync.us or show up and enter at the door. If you've been playing since launch and haven't tested your game against anyone in person, this is the tournament where you find out where you actually stand. If you've watched competitive Dragon Ball but never entered a bracket, a local GameSync tournament is the right first step — small enough to be accessible, competitive enough to mean something.

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Community Night — May

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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Community Night — May

May 23, 2026 $10 GameSync San Diego, 2860 Main St, …

GameSync San Diego, 2860 Main St. May 23rd. $10. Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Community Night is the version of the game that ranked matches can't give you — a room, real people, and the specific energy of a fighting game played with an audience watching who has an opinion about every character select. GameSync runs the setup right: real monitors, proper controllers, a bracket that treats the evening like the event it is. Community nights at GameSync have the benefit of regulars — players who come monthly and have history with each other, which produces a level of play and a level of competitive conversation that you don't find at a random online lobby. The Dragon Ball community is vocal. A close match in this room has an audience. $10 at the door. May 23rd. If you've been playing since launch, show up and see where your game stands against the room. If you're new to Sparking Zero, community night is the right entry — you'll lose to players who can explain what you did wrong, which is how you get better. gamesync.us for the full event details and schedule.

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SD Comic Fest 2026

May 15 – May 17, 2026 Town and Country Resort, 500 Hotel…

SD Comic Fest is San Diego's answer to the San Diego Comic-Con overflow — a grassroots fan convention held in the spring that brings together the collector, creator, and fan communities that SDCC serves but in a more intimate, accessible format that specifically celebrates the print comics, vintage collecting, and creator culture that defined pre-corporate convention culture. Comic Fest focuses deliberately on what made comics conventions exciting before they became entertainment industry marketing events: original art dealers, back issue sellers, independent comic book creators at tables selling and signing their work, panel discussions about comics history and craft, and a collecting community that considers itself custodians of an art form. Cosplay is present but not the focal point. The vendor room at Comic Fest is a genuine market for original comic art pages, silver and bronze age books at fair prices, Golden Age finds, and small press publications from independent creators who wouldn't command a presence at SDCC's massive floor. This is where a collector who loves comics as objects — drawn pages, printed paper, the specific history of the medium — finds things they can't find anywhere else. SD Comic Fest typically runs in late April or early May in San Diego at the Town and Country Resort or similar event venue. The convention is all-ages and admission is charged at the door, with weekend passes available. Check the SD Comic Fest website for the confirmed 2026 dates and venue closer to the event.

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So-Cal Cosplay Shoot — Balboa Park

May 17, 2026 Balboa Park, 1549 El Prado, San Di…

So-Cal Cosplay Scene holds their community photoshoot at Balboa Park on May 17, 2026 — any fandom, any level of build, free to attend, in the most photogenic park in San Diego. Balboa Park makes sense for this. The architecture — Spanish Colonial Revival, warm and ornate — reads as a fantasy backdrop regardless of what you're cosplaying. A Zelda build photographs against the museum facades like a production still. A Star Wars costume catches the fountain light in ways that look impossible. The park provides all the production value. The community runs this as an open call: no entry requirements, no competition, no hierarchy. Beginners with store-bought costumes show up next to people who spent six months on a foam build, and neither group makes the other feel out of place. Photographers are welcome and encouraged — bring your gear. The shoot starts in the morning when the light is best and the park is quiet. Follow @socosplayscene on Instagram for the exact gathering point and start time. Just come. That's the whole instruction.

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Comic Con Revolution Ontario 2026

May 16 – May 17, 2026 $20-35 2000 E Convention Center Way, Onta…

Comic Con Revolution is a Southern California comic book convention celebrating comics, creators, and pop culture. The Ontario edition returns to the Ontario Convention Center for a two-day weekend event on May 16 and 17, 2026, bringing together comic book artists, writers, cosplayers, collectors, and fans of all ages. Unlike larger conventions, Comic Con Revolution Ontario is built around direct creator access. The floor is designed so attendees can meet artists and writers face-to-face, commission original artwork, pick up independent titles alongside mainstream publishers, and browse a dense dealer room packed with back issues, figures, and collectibles. Cosplay is celebrated throughout the weekend. Expect panel programming, artist alley, and vendor tables spread across both days. Saturday typically draws the bigger crowd; Sunday moves at a slower pace with more time to browse. The Ontario Convention Center is located at 2000 E Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764, accessible from the 10 and 60 freeways. Parking is available on-site. Tickets are sold through Showclix; weekend passes offer better value for attendees planning both days.

Anime Temecula Valley — Monthly Meetup May 2026

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Anime Temecula Valley — Monthly Meetup May 2026

May 17, 2026 Promenade Temecula, 40820 Winchest…

Promenade Temecula, 40820 Winchester Rd. May 17th. The Anime Temecula Valley Monthly Meetup is the version of the fandom community that exists outside of convention weekends — a regular gathering at a familiar spot for the people who care about anime and want to talk about it with someone who does too. Temecula's anime community has been building this through the monthly format: show up, bring whoever you've been watching, find the conversation that starts. The Promenade setting gives the meetup room to breathe — outdoor, accessible, easy to find and easy to leave if you only have an hour. But the meetups tend to run long because anime fans talking about anime in person rarely find a natural stopping point. Free to come. May 17th. meetup.com/anime-temecula for the details and headcount. This is the Temecula version of the community event that doesn't require a badge or a convention floor — just show up and introduce yourself to whoever's already there. The Inland Empire has a real anime community. This meetup is one of the places it exists.

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AniPop 2026

May 16, 2026 $12–$17 California Center for the Arts, Es…

California Center for the Arts, Escondido. May 16th, 2026. $12-$17. AniPop brings the anime pop-culture market to a performing arts venue in North County San Diego — one of the only events in the region specifically designed for the community between Los Angeles and the San Diego convention circuit. The AniPop floor is built around independent artists and anime merchandise — handmade goods, fan art, imported items, limited-edition products that circulate at conventions and don't exist in stores. The artists who table here chose this event specifically, which means the energy of the dealer's room is different from a mall pop-up: these are people who care about the work and came to be in a room with people who care about it the same way. $12-$17 for the day. The California Center for the Arts has the layout to handle this well — the performing arts complex gives the event room to breathe without feeling underpopulated. Escondido is thirty minutes from San Diego and an hour from Los Angeles, which puts it in reach for most of SoCal. anipop.us for tickets and the full vendor list. The artist alley is where the real discovery happens — slow down in that section. The piece you didn't know you were looking for is usually on the table you almost walked past.

One Piece Live Reaction Screening — Episode 1100

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One Piece Live Reaction Screening — Episode 1100

May 9, 2026 The Geek Group San Diego, 3015 Bey…

One Piece hits episode 1100. Watch live with the fans who have been there since episode 1. The Geek Group runs monthly communal screenings — full room, big screen, audience reactions that make the emotional episodes hit twice as hard. Snacks provided.

Little Tokyo Anime and Culture Night — Los Angeles

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Little Tokyo Anime and Culture Night — Los Angeles

May 9, 2026 327 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Los Angeles has a hundred anime communities. Most of them exist online. Little Tokyo is where they come to exist in person. The neighborhood has been the physical home of Japanese American culture since the early 1900s, which means it has something most anime meetup spaces don't: real infrastructure. Kinokuniya's two-story bookstore stocks manga series before they're licensed in English. Anime Jungle carries figurines, doujinshi, and cosplay supplies that you can't find at major retailers. The izakayas on 1st Street stay open late enough that conversations about what you watched can run until midnight. The informal gatherings here — watch parties in restaurant back rooms, group meetups before conventions, cosplay sessions in the Weller Court plaza — aren't always posted publicly. They form around things that matter to the community: new season premieres, convention preview screenings, merchandise drop nights. If you're looking for the LA anime community between conventions, this is where it lives. First and second Saturday evenings are the densest nights. Daikokuya ramen has a line by 8pm — get there before 7 if you want a table. Kinokuniya closes at 8pm, so arrive early if you want to browse the import section. The Weller Court plaza gets lively around 7pm on summer weekends. Metro A Line stops at Little Tokyo/Arts District station — no car needed. Parking in the Weller Court structure if you drive. Free neighborhood. No registration. The culture is here year-round, and it accelerates during AX week.

Dan Da Dan — Season 2 Premiere Watch Party San Diego

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Dan Da Dan — Season 2 Premiere Watch Party San Diego

May 3, 2026 Nerd Bar San Diego, 2847 Universit…

Dandadan Season 2 picks up where one of the most chaotic, tender, genuinely funny anime in recent memory left off — Okarun, Momo, and the supernatural nonsense that keeps pulling them back toward each other. Nerd Bar San Diego is screening the Season 2 premiere with the crowd that was already texting about it before the opening song ends. The show that proved shonen could be weird and still hit you right in the chest.

San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs at Petco Park

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San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs at Petco Park

Apr 27, 2026 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

The Chicago Cubs come to Petco Park starting April 27 in one of the most historically weighted pairings in the National League. The Cubs travel with one of baseball's largest and most vocal fan bases — there will be Cub blue in the left-field bleachers and along the first-base line before the first pitch is thrown, a reliable feature of any Chicago visit to any National League park. But Petco Park in April is one of the most beautiful baseball environments in the major leagues: the views from the upper deck toward the bay, the Gaslamp Quarter skyline visible over the left-field wall, and the Padres faithful showing a visiting crowd exactly what San Diego baseball looks like when the team is playing with purpose. April against the Cubs at Petco is not a casual visit — it is a reminder that the National League West intends to make its presence felt against a storied franchise.

My Hero Academia Final Arc — Watch Party SD

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My Hero Academia Final Arc — Watch Party SD

Apr 25, 2026 Free Geeks Who Drink at Novo Bar, San D…

The final arc of My Hero Academia is airing and San Diego's anime community is not watching it alone. Big screen, loud reactions, and the particular energy of a room where everyone has been following these characters for years. Show up early for the best seats. Someone will cry. That someone might be you.

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WonderCon Anaheim 2026 — Day 2

Apr 25, 2026 From $30 Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W K…

Day 2 at WonderCon Anaheim. The panels get bigger, the artist alley lines get longer, and the cosplay gets more elaborate. The second day is always the best.

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WonderCon Anaheim 2026

Apr 24, 2026 From $30 Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W K…

WonderCon fills the Anaheim Convention Center with comics, sci-fi, fantasy, film, and the cosplay community that doesn't need a San Diego hotel room to have the time of their lives. Panels from top creators, artist alley discoveries, and a dealer's floor that takes hours to properly explore.

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WonderCon 2026

Mar 27 – Mar 29, 2026 Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim…

Experience three days of nonstop pop culture action! From blockbuster panels and exclusive sneak peeks to cosplay competitions, celebrity meet-and-greets, and interactive gaming zones, WonderCon is a playground for comic, anime, and movie fans alike. Explore sprawling exhibitor halls, discover rare collectibles, and immerse yourself in the excitement and energy that only a premier fan convention can deliver.

Lost Coast Steampunk Consortium Convivial 2026

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Lost Coast Steampunk Consortium Convivial 2026

Mar 21 – Mar 22, 2026 Inn at 2nd & C / Historic Eagle Ho…

Step into a time-bending, Victorian adventure! This two-day steampunk convention offers immersive experiences, including workshops, panel discussions, cosplay competitions, and themed social gatherings. Explore intricate gadgets, elaborate costumes, and the unique community spirit of steampunk enthusiasts. Perfect for fans of alternate history, cosplay, and interactive storytelling—every moment is a journey into imagination and creativity.

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One Piece — Season 2

Mar 10 – Mar 12, 2026 Netflix

All 8 episodes of One Piece Season 2 — subtitled 'Into the Grand Line' — dropped simultaneously on Netflix on March 10, 2026. The live-action adaptation continues the Straw Hats' journey to the Grand Line with the Baratie, Arlong Park, and Loguetown arcs. Why watch: Season 1 proved live-action anime can work — Season 2 is the arc fans have been waiting for. Available now on Netflix. Updated: April 7, 2026.

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StocktonCon Winter 2026

Feb 28 – Mar 1, 2026 Adventist Health Arena, Stockton, …

Get ready for two days of pop culture immersion! StocktonCon Winter brings together cosplay enthusiasts, comic collectors, gamers, and anime fans for an unforgettable experience. Enjoy celebrity panels, interactive gaming zones, artist alleys bursting with unique creations, and epic cosplay competitions. From discovering rare collectibles to connecting with passionate fans, every moment is packed with excitement and fandom energy.

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