LOS ANGELES – Anime Expo 2025, North America’s largest celebration of Japanese pop culture, has concluded its successful four-day run on July 7th. The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) announced that while the event shattered previous attendance records, it is now re-evaluating its long-term home of Los Angeles for future conventions.
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Record-Breaking Attendance and Over $100 Million Economic Impact
The 34th Anime Expo, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and surrounding venues, drew a sold-out crowd of over 410,000 attendees from more than 65 countries. The event is estimated to have generated an economic impact of over $110 million for local hotels, restaurants, and businesses.
Despite facing several challenges earlier in the year, the event once again united fans, creators, and industry professionals from around the globe to celebrate the best of Japanese pop culture, including anime, gaming, fashion, music, and art.
Star-Studded Guests and Over 1,300 Hours of Programming Captivate Fans
Anime Expo 2025 featured a vast and diverse lineup of over 1,300 hours of programming. The schedule was packed with live concerts, world premieres, exclusive screenings, cosplay showcases, and panel discussions with special guests that kept the halls buzzing with excitement.
This year’s guest list included some of the most renowned creators in the industry:
- Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XIV and XVI.
- PEACH-PIT, the manga artist duo known for Rozen Maiden and Shugo Chara!.
- Mokumokuren, creator of the acclaimed manga The Summer Hikaru Died.
- Ryukishi07, famous for the Higurashi: When They Cry and Umineko: When They Cry series.
- Paru Itagaki, the creator of SANDA.
- Yasuto Sasada, an artist who captivated attendees with live drawings over the four days.
Adding to the spectacle, the Japanese women’s professional wrestling league Sukeban held its inaugural world championship match at the event, drawing an enthusiastic crowd. To accommodate its scale, the expo expanded beyond the convention center to include the Peacock Theater and Peacock Place.
Potential Move from Los Angeles Driven by Venue Concerns
In an official statement, the SPJA announced it is re-evaluating Los Angeles as its host city due to the event’s rapid growth, evolving production needs, and soaring labor and venue costs.
This consideration is compounded by uncertainty surrounding the planned major expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center, originally scheduled ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
“The Los Angeles Convention Center has been our home for over 15 years, and we are deeply grateful for the continued support of the city and its community,” said Ray Chiang, CEO of SPJA. “However, our top priority is always to provide the best possible experience for our attendees and partners. As we evaluate our next steps, we are committed to transparency and finding the best path forward for the future of Anime Expo.”
Future Event Information
SPJA is now preparing for its next event, the spin-off “anime expo chibi.” This smaller-scale convention is scheduled for November 8th and 9th, 2025, in Ontario, California. Tickets are currently on sale via ShowClix.