# Anime NYC

Anime NYC is an annual three-day anime convention held during August at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

## Programming

The convention typically offers arcade games, an artist alley, concerts, manga library (Carolina Manga Library), masquerade, panels, screenings, vendors, and video and card games. Anime NYC offered 100 hours of programming in 2017, which increased to more than 150 by 2024.

## History

Anime NYC's organizer LeftField Media was founded by the creators of New York Comic Con, and also run Washington DC's Awesome Con. New York was chosen for the event due to its lack of a large anime convention. The first Anime NYC took over a year to plan and used two halls in the convention center. In the convention's first year, they did not use the amount of space used by New York Comic Con. New York City declared an Anime NYC Weekend for the 2017 convention. Anime NYC added more floor space in 2018, with additional expansion planned in 2019. The convention also hosted Anisong World Matsuri at the Hammerstein Ballroom.
In 2019, Anime NYC used all of the Javits main event space, but did share some of the venue with a chocolate event. Artists alley was moved into the dealer's hall, which was doubled in size. New York City Councilmen Ben Kallos and Kanji Yamanouchi, Japan's UN representative both attended the event. Anime NYC 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual event was hosted by Anime NYC and NTWRK from November 17–20, 2020 as the convention's replacement.
The event returned for 2021, with all attendees required to present proof of at least partial vaccination for COVID-19 or a valid medical exemption (as required under the Key to NYC Pass health order) and wear a face covering. The convention sold out of several badge tiers prior to the event occurring and the Artists Alley was located in its own space for the first time. Registration had long wait times on Friday, with the line being several blocks long, due to a significant number of attendees arriving early. The event made entrance changes for Saturday and Sunday that largely resolved the line issues.
On December 2, 2021, Anime NYC received national media attention after reports of attendees that had tested positive for the newly-discovered Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (including one that was only the second confirmed case in the United States); the variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) four days after the convention had concluded, leading to discussions over how long the variant had spread in the U.S. prior to its formal designation as a variant of concern, and if there had been further spread at the event. All attendees were urged to receive COVID-19 testing; research by the CDC published in February 2022 found that the combination of "multiple, simultaneous prevention measures" resulted in a low level of transmission, reporting a positivity rate of 2.6% (119 positive cases) out of 4,560 attendees tested.
Anime NYC in 2022 continued to have COVID-19 policy that required vaccination or testing. A vendor was injured during load out at the end of the convention, and required hospitalization. In 2024, the convention moved to August and used the full main building of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This was an increase of around 250,000 square feet in comparison to the 2023 event. Attendance also increased significantly in 2024, reaching 101,000.

## Event history

| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
| November 17–19, 2017 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 20,000 paid (est.) | Bryson Baugus, Makoto Bessho, Christine Marie Cabanos, Danny Choo, Charlet Chung, Jonny Cruz, Robbie Daymond, Sandy Fox, Scott Gibbs, Kaz Haruna, Kate Higgins, Yoko Ishida, Kyle Jones, Naruyoshi Kikuchi, Lauren Landa, Narae Lee, Cherami Leigh, Kyle McCarley, Erica Mendez, Amanda C. Miller, Phil Mizuno, Chris Niosi, Masakazu Ogawa, Yuko "Aido" Ota, Hiroki Otsuka, Christopher Sabat, Shin Sasaki, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Fumihiko Sori, Gaku Space, Masaki Tachibana, LeSean Thomas, Mike Toole, True, Uncle Yo, Cristina Vee, Chihiro Yonekura, and YuffieBunny. |
| November 16–18, 2018 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 36,000 (est.) unique 50,000+ turnstile | Aimer, Tia Ballard, Mica Burton, Ray Chase, Danny Choo, Robbie Daymond, Toru Furuya, Kun Gao, Todd Haberkorn, Luna Haruna, Hironobu Kageyama, Brittney Karbowski, Hiroshi Kitadani, Shigeto Koyama, Linda Le, Narae Lee, Cherami Leigh, Vic Mignogna, Max Mittelman, Masakazu Morita, Morning Musume, Range Murata, Shoko Nakagawa, Shinichi Nakamura, nano, Becka Noel, Naohiro Ogata, Tony Oliver, Bryce Papenbrook, Mayumi Shintani, John Swasey, Cristina Vee, Kari Wahlgren, Hiromi Wakabayashi, David Wald, and Tyler Walker. |
| November 15–17, 2019 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 46,000 (est.) total | Bryson Baugus, Justin Briner, James Carter Cathcart, Clifford Chapin, Ray Chase, Eunyoung Choi, Danny Choo, Zack Davisson, Robbie Daymond, Abby Denson, Maile Flanagan, Jessie James Grelle, Hilary Haag, Todd Haberkorn, Erika Harlacher, Riichiro Inagaki, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, JAM Project, Takahiro Kimura, Michele Knotz, Rie Kugimiya, Josh Martin, Kristen McGuire, Amanda C. Miller, Misako Rocks!, Max Mittelman, Sarah Natochenny, Ichiro Okouchi, Rumi Okubo, Lisa Ortiz, Chris Rager, Carrie Savage, Satoshi Shiki, Atsumi Tanezaki, J. Michael Tatum, Yoshiyuki Tomino, True, VOfan, Mamoru Yokota, Zaq, Guilty Kiss, Miku Itō, Yukana, and Aoi Yūki. |
| November 17–20, 2020 | Online convention | | |
| November 19–21, 2021 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 53,000 turnstile (est.) | Zach Aguilar, Shinji Aramaki, Ray Chase, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Amber Lee Connors, Zack Davisson, Robbie Daymond, Richard Epcar, Doug Erholtz, Ricco Fajardo, Alexander "Octopimp" Gross, Lex Lang, Aleks Le, Amanda "AmaLee" Lee, E. Jason Liebrecht, Eric Maruscak, David Matranga, Max Mittelman, Emily Neves, Tony Oliver, Bryce Papenbrook, Anairis Quiñones, Zeno Robinson, Michelle Ruff, Christopher Sabat, Sean Schemmel, Natsumi Ueki, and Robert Woodhead. |
| November 18–20, 2022 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 55,000 turnstile (est.) | Johnny Yong Bosch, Ray Chase, Rosalie Chiang, Stella Chuu, Zack Davisson, Robbie Daymond, Kôhei Eguchi, Ricco Fajardo, Ayako Kawasumi, Shigeto Koyama, Shizuka Kurosaki, Cherami Leigh, Adam McArthur, Max Mittelman, Shuko Murase, A New World, Bryce Papenbrook, Derek Stephen Prince, Natalie Rial, Eric Roth, Michelle Ruff, Adam Savage, Yoko Shimomura, Sushio, Hiromi Wakabayashi, Kiyotaka Waki, Yoshihiro Watanabe, Wig-Wig Cosplay, Anne Yatco, and Acky Bright. |
| November 17–19, 2023 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 60,000 unique 63,000 turnstile (est.) | Zach Aguilar, Kosuke Arai, Christine Marie Cabanos, Ray Chase, Jo Chen, Stella Chuu, Allegra Clark, Zack Davisson, Robbie Daymond, Shao Dow, Ricco Fajardo, Olivia Hack, Hiroyuki Imaishi, Yutaka Izubuchi, Erica Mendez, Masahiko Minami, Max Mittelman, Mori Calliope, Sarah Natochenny, Bryce Papenbrook, Laura Post, Zeno Robinson, Jonah Scott, SennaRin, David Sobolov, Abby Trott, Kazuki Ura, Cristina Vee, Hiromi Wakabayashi, Mai Yoneyama, Fuwawa and Mococo Abyssgard, Koseki Bijou, Shiori Novella, Nerissa Ravencroft, Hoshimachi Suisei, Cö Shu Nie, Survive Said the Prophet, Hiroyuki Sawano, Kana Ichinose, Lynn, Atsushi Abe, Acky Bright, Ayunda Risu, Moona Hoshinova, iRis, Haruki Ishiya, Moe Kahara, Kobo Kanaeru, Yoshiki Kanou, Kenn, Shou Komura, Pavolia Reine, and George Wada. |
| August 23–25, 2024 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, New York | 101,000 | Hakos Baelz, Laura Bailey, A.J. Beckles, Anjali Bhimani, Steve Blum, Zack Davisson, Ricco Fajardo, Toshio Furukawa, Masashi Hamauzu, Ninomae Ina'nis, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Shoji Kawamori, Takanashi Kiara, Masashi Kudo, Aleks Le, Yuji Matsukura, Kylie McNeill, Matthew Mercer, Max Mittelman, Liam O'Brien, Philip "Canvas" Odango, Bryce Papenbrook, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld, Chiwa Saito, Jonah Scott, Abby Trott, Kana Ueda, Yoshihiro Watanabe, Scott Westerfeld, and Travis Willingham. |