SoCal News Desk

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 3, 2026) — Anime Expo 2026 (AX 2026) Day 1 has begun. The 4-day convention will run through July 5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, bringing together fans and professionals from around the world for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America.

In its official press release, Anime Expo 2026 announced that it is now in its 35th year. AX 2026 is hosted by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and educating the public about Japanese entertainment and pop culture. This year’s four-day convention extends beyond the Los Angeles Convention Center into surrounding venues, including Crypto.com Arena, The Novo, Peacock Place, and L.A. LIVE, with Figueroa Street transformed into a festival corridor that connects fans across the expanded campus.

Ahead of the show’s opening, SPJA released the full programming schedule, featuring exclusive premieres, highly anticipated panels, and appearances from Industry Guests. AX 2026 will showcase content and collaborations from top partners, including Aniplex of America, Arc System Works America, ATLUS/SEGA, Bandai Namco, CD PROJEKT RED, Crunchyroll, HoYoverse, Hulu, KADOKAWA, Lucasfilms, MAPPA, NEXON Korea, Secretlab, Square Enix, Takaratomy, VIZ, and many more.

In addition, attendees will have access to new projects, exclusive merchandise, and collectibles from more than 400 exhibitors representing leaders across anime, manga, video games, music, and fashion.

“This year’s Anime Expo is our largest and most expansive event to date,” said Ray Chiang, CEO of SPJA. “With such a diverse lineup of exhibitors, panelists and guests, AX 2026 reflects both the continued growth of the event and its increasing impact on Los Angeles. We’re proud to deliver an experience that raises the bar for fans while contributing meaningfully to the local community.”

In addition to a lineup of major studios, many games and virtual groups and agencies also showcased collaborations. In the South Hall, there was the collaboration between Nom’s Cafe x Holostars English and hololive English x Diner Caravan.

In addition to merchandise and panels, there were many exhibitors creating live experiences throughout the convention.

Attendees can download the Anime Expo mobile app on their smartphone to access up-to-date information on schedule, guests, maps, exhibitor list, artist alley list, and more. For more details on Anime Expo 2026, please visit the official AX website, and follow the official social channels for regular updates via Instagram, X, and Facebook.