Become a part of history by attending the first AkibaFest opening ceremony. Come and see the special guests and special performances on the main stage.
Do you have a costume or performance you want to show off? Then enter the Cosplay Contest at AkibaFest! Whether it’s a skit, a dance, or simply walking on stage, we encourage all cosplayers to enter! You’ll get a chance to show off your cosplay to attendees, and maybe even win some prizes from our industry partners! We welcome everyone to come and join the fun!
All sign ups for the Cosplay Contest will be closed at 3:00PM on 10/16, Sunday
Contestant Rules
Contest General Rules
How to Pre-Register for the Cosplay Contest
Cosplay Contest is operated by ACParadise. For more information about the contest please email: cosplaystaff@acparadise.com
Start your amazing AkibaFest experience with our industry guest Makicha! The up-and-coming artist and father of the AkibaFest mascot will be displaying his incredible skills and sharing his experiences in the anime industry.
Aniplex of America continues to provide North American fans with hit anime titles such as “Sword Art Online,” “ KILL la KILL,” “ Madoka Magica,” “ Blue Exorcist,” “ DURARARA!!x2,” “ Your lie in April,” “Fate/Zero” and “Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works” (just to name a few!). Come for the cool trailers, some awesome news and shiny prizes! Learn why so many fans agree, “It’s only the best with Aniplex!”
Join AkibaFest special guest Keigo Sasaki, the character designer of hit anime titles such as “Blue Exorcist”, “ERASED”, and “World Conquest Zvezda Plot,” as he discusses his work over the years. Learn how characters like Rin Okumura and Satoru Fujinuma were adapted from the original works. At this special panel, you’ll not only hear about Mr. Sasaki’s work but also bear witness to it during his drawing demonstration! There will also be a special raffle at the end of the panel.
Join AkibaFest special guests Director Ei Aoki (“the Garden of sinners Chapter 1,” “Fate/Zero,” “ALDNOAH.ZERO”) and Producer and President of Aniplex Inc., Mr. Atsuhiro Iwakami, (“the Garden of sinners,” “Fate/Zero,” “ Madoka Magica,” “the Monogatari Series”) for an intimate discussion and Q&A session on their involvement in numerous hit anime series. This is definitely a rare opportunity to hear about what is involved in directing and producing an anime in Japan. We will also have a special raffle at the end of the panel.
Join AkibaFest special guests Masayoshi Tanaka (Character Designer) and Hiroyuki Shimizu (Producer and President of A-1 Pictures) as they discuss their work in many heartwarming titles such as “Anohana (The Flower We Saw That Day)” and “The Anthem of the Heart.” Join these creators as they share their unique experiences during the production process. Mr. Tanaka will also be doing a live-drawing demonstration throughout the panel. Make sure to stick around for the special raffle at the end of the panel!
You must pay cover charge at the café. Additional food & beverage charges apply.
Arcane Maid Cafe is a high energy maid cafe and gaming experience based in the United States! We offer traditional table-side service, table-top games, console gaming, stage performances, and much more!
Come see a glimpse of what maid cafe is all about! Arcane Maid Cafe is excited to present a prize giveaway, maid dance, and a trivia quiz! So come visit our performance and experience the energy!
Join game producer Yosuke Futami as he gives an in depth look at the latest Sword Art Online Hollow Realization game which is coming on November 8th. Mr. Futami will also be giving fans a sneak peek of the upcoming mobile RPG Sword Art Online Memory Defrag!
Join veteran Voice Actor, Director and Producer Tony Oliver and Voice Actor Michelle Ruff for lots of fun and real information about what it takes to become a professional voice actor. Tony will touch on the basic skills any aspiring voice actor needs to succeed and give helpful advice and exercises you can do at home. He’ll also answer your questions about breaking into this exciting profession. A few participants will even get to step up to the mic and try their hand at voice acting a character from some of your favorite anime and games. This is a small slice of the full day workshops Tony teaches all over the country.
Go behind the scenes of your favorite anime English dubs with Bryce Papenbrook, Christine Marie Cabanos and Crispin Freeman! Find out what it was like working on shows like Blue Exorcist, Durarara!!, and Sword Art Online directly from the pros, and see what it's like behind the mic! Panel moderated by director Alex von David.
If you are a fan of anime, manga, and everything coming out of Japan right now you will not want to miss this panel! Crunchyroll, your official source of anime and manga, will be talking about their streaming service and all the hottest anime & manga they are streaming currently.
Looking for something new to watch this season? Want to hear about the hottest new anime from Japan? Then this is the panel for you! Join Crunchyroll as they highlight some of the latest anime hitting this simulcast season.
We bring acclaimed Anime and Japanese Movies to theaters near you including Sword Art Online and Yokai Watch. Come find out news on what titles we will be bringing you in the coming months.
Like swag? We will also be giving out prizes at the end. Make sure to stay tuned for a Surprise Announcement as well!
From Akira to Dragon Ball Z, hear the latest news, info, and announcements from North America’s largest anime distributor—Funimation. Live tweet with us using the hashtag #FunimationPanel for a chance to win prizes!
Funimation takes a look at some of our personal favorites from current anime and past classics. What’s your Funimation favorite? Share it with us using the hashtag #FunimationFave!
Jungle Fall Gunpla Mini-Cup is a themed Gunpla (Gundam Plastic Model) building contest, with entries limited to the current hottest Gundam titles . Contestants are judged on the overall quality of the build of their models:
Limitations:
Prizes will be provided by Bluefin!
For questions regarding the event, please contact at (213)621-1661 or info@animejungle.net.
Jungle and American Cosplay Paradise are hosting a Gunpla contest that tests a builder's speed and creativity! Builders of all ages and levels will compete to finish and customize a Gunpla model provided at the event in front of a live audience. Finished models will be judged and eligible for prizes and all contestants take home what they create. Come test your skills or watch the chaos unfold!
Sunday Oct. 16, 2016 at 4:00 pm, aExperience Arcanet the Big Tent Panel Room
10 Contestant slots Available!
To sign up, E-Mail cosplaystaff@acparadise.com with subject line AkibaFest Gunpla Speed Build Contest and include the following:
AkibaFest is very excited to be working with the Little Tokyo Business Association to bring a very special offer to all attendees. Show your general admission wristbands or film tickets at participating Little Tokyo stores to receive a special offer throughout the weekend! Whether it’s a special discount on some rare anime items or delicious Japanese food, take advantage of these special offers and have an amazing weekend at AkibaFest! And that’s not all!! If you bring your receipt from participating stores back to the AkibaFest Information booth, you will receive an additional gift!
[Click here to view the AkibaFest 2016 Attendee Special Offer!]
[Click here to download the PDF version]
Do you want an inside look at all that’s new and exciting from Sentai Filmworks? Of course you do. Join us for our industry panel!
Solve the puzzles and find Yo-Kai hiding throughout Little Tokyo!
SCRAP presents YO-KAI WATCH PUZZLE HUNT is a free, live-experience puzzle game in collaboration with YO-KAI WATCH in which players explore the Little Tokyo neighborhood in order to solve puzzles. There is no 60-minute time limit, and you can start, stop, and resume the game any time between 1pm and 5pm on October 15th and between 12pm and 4pm on October 16th.
To find out how to join the game: [Click Here]
Producer of the application will talk about the interactive character, Asuna, from Sword Art Online and how she will assist you in the morning with lively chatter and reminders.
Based on the epic Shonen Jump manga by Yoshihiro Togashi, this anime series has taken Toonami by storm and is coming soon to Blu-ray and DVD! Join the VIZ Media team as well as special guests from the cast as we embark on an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. Don't forget to pack your Hunter License and your most burning questions!
