[Anime NYC ’26] Choosin’ New York

Thursday: A Daiya no Ace Quest and 90s Anime Nostalgia

For my first day at Anime NYC, I cosplayed Misato Katsuragi from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It felt appropriate to kick off the convention weekend with a classic anime character!

My main mission for Thursday was actually something very specific: searching the Artist Alley for Daiya no Ace art.

I spent approximately three hours wandering around Artist Alley on this quest, looking through booth after booth in hopes of finding art from my favorite anime and manga series. Artist Alley can be overwhelming at Anime NYC because there are so many talented artists and booths to explore, but I was determined.

Thankfully, the quest was worth it!

This ended up being my most successful Artist Alley haul to date. I found some amazing Daiya no Ace art (7 different artists!!!) and was very happy with everything I picked up. I even snagged a Daiya no Ace zine! Sometimes going into a convention with a specific shopping goal can make browsing even more fun, especially when you finally find exactly what you have been searching for.

At 5pm, I attended the 90s Anime Meetup that took place at the Performance Stage.

As a 90s kid, it was super nostalgic. It was fun seeing fans come together to celebrate series and genres that have had such a lasting impact on anime fandom. I also snagged a banh mi bowl for dinner from Tea & Milk’s booth by the Performance Stage during this meetup.

At 9pm, the Mecha Anime Meetup took place at the Performance Stage. Both meetups were hosted by Anitomo.

The Mecha meetup was especially fitting considering I was cosplaying Misato! It was a fun time and cosplayers had the opportunity to walk the stage during the meetup.

 

Friday: yama interview and concert, & more

Friday was another packed day at Anime NYC!

For my cosplay, I dressed up as Hatsune Miku in her Rascal Devil outfit. Naturally, I had to attend the Vocaloid Meetup while dressed as Miku.

I always enjoy attending fandom meetups at conventions because they are a great opportunity to see everyone’s interpretations of characters and connect with other fans who love the same series or fandom.

Interviewing and Seeing yama Perform

One of the biggest highlights of my Anime NYC weekend was having the opportunity to attend a press conference with Japanese singer yama before their concert.

During the press conference, yama reflected on their growth as an artist over the past six years. Before becoming a professional musician, yama worked a full-time job while creating music and uploading covers to YouTube. Eventually, yama was discovered by a producer, beginning the career that has since taken them around the world.

A recurring theme throughout the conversation was evolution. yama discussed becoming more involved in songwriting and learning to embrace the uncertainty that came with exploring new creative territory. They shared that they want to continue trying new things and evolving as an artist without being pigeonholed into one particular direction.

I had the opportunity to ask yama about their favorite song they have released. While they said it was difficult to choose just one, they selected “a.m.3:21.” One reason the song remains special to them is because its arrangement has continued to evolve during live performances, making each performance a new experience.

I also asked what yama’s 2027 music goals are. Rather than revealing a specific project, yama shared that they are most excited about continuing to experiment and evolve.

Another interesting topic discussed during the press conference was the difference between creating original music and writing songs for anime. yama explained that writing original music can sometimes feel like navigating through endless possibilities, while anime provides an existing story and framework that they can add their own artistic perspective to.

Of the anime songs they have performed, yama said “Oz” from Ranking of Kings holds particular significance. They wrote the song during a period when they were feeling exhausted and lonely, allowing those emotions to become part of the music.

Later that evening, I attended yama’s concert at Anime NYC. After hearing them speak about their music and creative process earlier in the day, it was especially interesting to experience their performance live.

yama had mentioned during the press conference that this was their first time in New York City and that they were excited to experience the energy of the audience. The concert was definitely one of the highlights of my Anime NYC weekend and a memorable opportunity to see an artist whose music continues to evolve alongside them.

Of course, all that convention walking in the huge Javits Center eventually makes you hungry!

I checked out the food court in the Dealers Hall. Dream Asia returned to Anime NYC this year and presented the Japanese Food Court, offering convention attendees a variety of food options without having to leave the Javits Center.

While exploring the food court area, I stopped by Smoove and got a boba float. It was a nice sweet treat and a much-needed break after spending so much time walking around the convention.

In the evening, I attended a meetup with members of the local Lolita fashion community.

Anime NYC has always been an interesting convention for fashion because you can always spot attendees wearing J-fashion like gyaru, Lolita, punk, and more recently, Jirai Kei. You can also shop alt fashion vendors like Sweet Mildred, Dykemint, and h. NAOTO. If you’re a fan of vintage fashion, this was also Prince Peacock’s first year vending at Anime NYC. Prince Peacock has many vintage jewelry and recycled jewelry pieces!

Saturday: Window Shopping, and a Party to End the Night

Saturday was my final day attending Anime NYC.

For my cosplay, I dressed as Saber from the Fate/Grand Order and Honkai: Star Rail collaboration.

I stopped by the Honkai meetup and was able to attend part of it, although I unfortunately wasn’t able to stay for the entire event.

Afterward, I spent time exploring the Dealers Hall and doing plenty of window shopping. Anime NYC has so much to see, and sometimes it is honestly just fun to walk around and look at everything without necessarily buying anything.

Between the industry booths, merchandise vendors, artists, and displays, there was plenty to browse. After having such a successful shopping experience in Artist Alley on Thursday, Saturday was more of a window-shopping day for me!

Shoutout to SHWA who stopped me to ask if I could take a photo with the Saber bag they designed. I wasn’t expecting them to gift me the bag, but they let me keep it after the photo!

After spending the day at Anime NYC, it was time for a costume change. It felt so good to rip off my wig!

I changed into a bunny suit for the Yaoi x Yuri Party hosted by Sonic Boombox and Dykemint.

The party was a fun way to continue the convention festivities after leaving the Javits Center. There is always something special about after-parties during convention weekends because everyone gets to socialize outside of the convention itself.

The after party took place at SPIN in Times Square and was an event full of queer joy and amazing drag performers.

 

Anime NYC 2026 Highlights

While I did not have the opportunity to attend Anime NYC on Sunday this year, there were plenty of major highlights throughout the weekend.

Anime NYC partnered with the Japan Society to host the third annual American Manga Awards, celebrating achievements within the manga industry.

The convention also introduced Ani Mode at Anime NYC, a mini-event featuring a curated lineup of nearly 20 standout cosplayers. It was great to see cosplay continue to receive recognition as an important part of convention culture.

Anime NYC also offered a variety of premieres and panels throughout the weekend, including programming from Netflix.

The Kagurabachi Anime World Tour premiere screening was another major highlight for fans attending the convention.

For families and younger attendees, the Family Zone presented by Scholastic was a popular attraction. Fans who visited the area even had the opportunity to say hello to Captain Underpants!

With over 172,000 attendees this year, Anime NYC continues to grow at an incredible rate.

 

Final Thoughts

Anime NYC 2026 was another busy and memorable convention weekend for me.

My biggest highlight was probably my Daiya no Ace Artist Alley quest. Spending three hours searching through Artist Alley might sound a little excessive, but the hunt paid off because I ended up having my most successful Artist Alley haul to date!

Interviewing yama and attending their concert was another major highlight, and I was happy to be able to learn more about yama.

I also loved being able to attend several different community meetups. From the 90s Anime Meetup and Mecha Anime Meetup to the Vocaloid Meetup and local Lolita meetup, conventions are always a reminder of how many different communities exist within the larger anime fandom.

Anime NYC has grown tremendously over the years, and reaching over 172,000 attendees this year is an incredible milestone for the convention. With so much programming happening throughout the Javits Center, there was truly something for almost every type of fan.

Even though I did not attend on Sunday, I definitely felt like I had a full Anime NYC experience after three busy days of cosplay, shopping, interviews, concerts, meetups, and partying!

Until next year, Anime NYC!