Our Experience at Anime NYC 2025!
From vendors and events to high prices and overcrowding, here’s the good and bad of this year’s con.
I’ve been going to Anime NYC since it first launched at the Javits Center in 2017, and I’ve had my fair share of experiences! The earlier days were rough, with barely a quarter of the 3.3 million square feet used and only three days available for fans to explore. Over time though, Anime NYC has grown to become the biggest East Coast anime convention—and that makes me smile. I love anime, and seeing appreciation for the medium only grow proves this isn’t a fad, but a full-blown revolution for us otaku! Anime NYC 2025 has come and gone, and I was lucky enough to attend all four days this year. There were highs, there were lows, and I’m here to share three of the best things and three of the not-so-great things from this year’s con. A huge thanks to all who made Anime NYC 2025 possible—it’s no small feat to pull off an event this massive!
The Good: Lot of Variety
Back in the early days, Anime NYC felt barren. You’d see big names like VIZ Media and Crunchyroll, but only a handful of vendors overall. This year was a huge improvement. Vendors included One Peace Books, Yen Press, Seven Seas, Kinokuniya Books, and plenty more. Stock was plentiful and it felt like every aisle had something new to discover. Beyond the big names, there were also small vendors selling food, figures, and creative merch. While I’d always welcome more, Anime NYC 2025 easily had the best variety of vendors yet.
The Bad: Prices
Let me preface this: I know tariffs, inflation, and the economy have driven prices up everywhere. That said, Anime NYC 2025 was expensive. A single taco cost nearly $6, and many figure prices were $5 higher than last year. Some vendors even doubled prices compared to what I’ve seen online. There were bright spots—One Peace Books had a fantastic manga sale at $5 per volume on day one and four—but overall, the high prices were hard to ignore.
The Good/The Bad: More Fans
This one cuts both ways. The good: more fans means Anime NYC is thriving and almost guarantees another year. Bigger crowds attract more vendors, special guests, and events. The bad: the Javits Center space still isn’t fully used. Compared to New York Comic Con—which uses the entire building—Anime NYC 2025 only filled about 40%. With only the main floor, a lower level for gaming, and a small event space, things got cramped fast. I couldn’t even see some of the big voice actors due to massive lines and time constraints. Add in summer heat and, well…let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant. For Anime NYC 2026, please expand to at least three floors—and move the event back to winter!
The Good: Nice Variety of Events
Anime NYC 2025 delivered big on events. Whether you were into VTubers, gaming, or concerts, there was always something to do. I checked out Japanese-exclusive games, joined the hype with VTuber fans, and even got to try the new Kaiju No. 8 game—which has me seriously hyped. The mix of activities helped make each of the four days feel unique and never boring.
The Bad: Not Enough Focus on Games
While there were fun titles like Honor of Kings and Kaiju No. 8 to try out, AAA gaming presence felt lacking. The gaming hall had popular staples like Tekken 8 and Super Smash Bros., but I expected more new announcements or demos. As someone who enjoys anime, manga, and video games, I wish Anime NYC would lean more into the gaming side of otaku culture in future years.
Conclusion
Anime NYC 2025 was a blast. While it’s not on the same level as the biggest conventions yet, it’s clearly evolving in the right direction. Prices, crowding, and gaming presence are areas that need improvement, but the variety of vendors, events, and guests kept me entertained all four days. Will I attend Anime NYC 2026? Absolutely—though I hope to see more space opened up and a bit more balance in programming. For now, I’m happily exhausted and grateful for the experience!
