Anime Japan 2018 Attendance Challenges San Diego Comic Con

When it comes to pop culture conventions, it is hard to top San Diego Comic Con. The massive event [...]

By Megan Peters

When it comes to pop culture conventions, it is hard to top San Diego Comic Con. The massive event has become a staple for geeks worldwide as it attracts dozens of high-profile studios. The event combines all the best of comics, film, television — but that isn't all. Anime is a growing division of the convention, but SDCC isn't the only convention repping the fandom.

No, Anime Japan is making good on its otaku promises, and it did so with a record attendance this year.

Last week, Tokyo was taken over by thousands of anime fans and professionals for Anime Japan 2018. The annual event enjoyed a successful week as dozens of panels got underway and its massive dealer floor sold insane amounts of merchandise. With the convention over, Anime Japan has finally counted up its attendance report, and its record has surprised a fair few fans.

After all, the event did draw in over 150,000 fans. Yes, Anime Japan 2018 saw 152,331 attendees come through its halls last week. The staggering number marks a new record for the growing event, and the count shows how the convention can compete with with the likes of SDCC.

These days, there are no public attendance records for SDCC's latest events, but fans do have counts from years past. Back in 2015, the event brought in 167,000 fans, and the year was one where major superhero films went live. Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man both made their debut in 2015, and SDCC has only grown since. Estimations place the event at over 180,000+ attendees per year, and Anime Japan has room to challenge the global event if it continues growing at its current rate.

Anime Japan may be smaller than SDCC for now, but its massive attendance this year is still a testament to the growing popularity of anime. SDCC mixes a whole slew of industries together for a global event in the US, a country known for its broad entertainment sector. As for Anime Japan, the convention is done on a much smaller scale and geared primarily towards local audiences. The fact that 150,000+ fans showed up for this year's convention is hard to believe, and it is a good sign for the anime industry's future.

Which anime conventions do you always try to hit up? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!

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