Maid cafes where customers are treated like guests in a mansion, an Itasha car show, cosplay galore and virtual idol concerts — for anime lovers, Christmas is coming early this year. More than 35,000 people are expected to visit the Georgia World Congress Center from Dec. 12-15 for what’s being billed as the Southeast’s largest anime convention, Anime Weekend Atlanta.
Event organizers made a big change this year, leaving the Cobb Galleria Centre after more than two decades of conventions for the Georgia World Congress Center’s larger space. Anime Weekend Atlanta’s new home will be the Congress Center’s 3.9 million-square-foot Building C.
A dragon’s hoard worth of anime icons will be in attendance. The music will be pumping, holograms humming and costumes dazzling for four days of celebration. With twice as many artists on the schedule and five times the vendor space, it’s going to be a big year for the annual anime celebration.
“It’s been fun,” Anime Weekend Atlanta CEO Faisal Ahmed told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about organizing this year’s supersized event. “It’s definitely a lot of work, but it’s basically getting to throw a giant party with a bunch of nerds and focusing on bringing cool experiences to the South.”
Big stars from the realms of anime and video games will make appearances this year. Baldur’s Gate 3 actor Devora Wilde will be greeting fans of her character Lae’zel. Wilde’s fandom has mushroomed as the result of the game’s reported 15 million sales for developer Larian Studios.
What is Anime Weekend Atlanta?
Anime Weekend Atlanta is a celebration of all things anime culture. Most of the main cast from major anime hits “Jujutsu Kaisen,” “Spy × Family” and “One Piece” will be in attendance, signing autographs and taking photos with fans. Wilde will be joined by Baldur’s Gate 3 cast members Jennifer English, Neil Newbon and Theo Solomon to chat with attendees as well.
It’s a rare opportunity for artists and fans to connect in ways that sometimes prove more significant than expected, for both parties.
Credit: Anime Weekend Atlanta
Credit: Anime Weekend Atlanta
“I imagine that the fans very much feel like they’re meeting us, and that’s so cool for them, but I don’t know if they realize that it’s also very special for us,” Wilde said. “I would say all of us have been brought to tears by people’s stories or someone that we’ve met.”
The Bulgarian-born actor has heard her fair share of touching stories since the game’s release in August 2023, giving her a new perspective on convention culture.
“Now I’m at a convention every weekend,” she said. “It’s a whole new world. There are so many things I’ve learned. It’s like a microcosm in itself. It’s like a mini universe of its own. It has allowed us to meet people face to face and to really see the impact that this game has had on people and the characters have had on people.”
No doubt, that actor-fan connection is playing a role in the Atlanta gathering’s growth. Ahmed projects the convention’s economic impact to be roughly $11 million this year. That’s more than double what it was seven years ago.
“That’s been incredible, because I never saw acting as a life-changing thing,” Wilde continued. “For me, it’s fun. I get to do what I love and call it a job. We’re not brain surgeons. We’re not curing cancer. When you hear people — a lot of people — say, ‘I’ve had a really tough year, and this game has helped me through a dark time’ or ‘I was depressed, and this game helped me.’“
For Wilde that sort of feedback has been a revelation, a big “wow.”
“You can be part of somebody’s journey toward a better life for themselves and coming out of that dark place,” she continued. “I just didn’t realize that. It’s very special.”
What else is there to do and see?
Anime Weekend Atlanta this year also will feature tabletop and trading card gaming. Arcade games will be available, too, alongside around 30 virtual reality stations. Indie game developers will have booths as well.
“Swinging over to the anime side, we have a bunch of fan panels, as well as 30-plus voice actors, producers and artists that actively work on live productions,” Ahmed said.
Those guests, including Wilde, will be doing panels, meet and greets, taking pictures and signing autographs for fans.
Credit: Anime Weekend Atlanta
Credit: Anime Weekend Atlanta
Visitors who don’t want to miss a beat will want to check out the event’s music scene. Starting at 11 p.m. and ending around 4 a.m., there will be raves on the nights of Dec. 13 and 14.. There are also nearly a dozen concerts scheduled throughout.
On Dec. 15, the Hololive Stage World Tour ‘24 — Soar!, will feature virtual idols AZKi, Tsunomaki Watane, Moona Hoshinova, Kobo Kanaeru, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina’nis and Hakos Baelz.
Popular performers and rising stars alike will be participating in the Starlight Idol Festival, where singing and dancing take center stage.
“You can really think of it like ‘American Idol,’ but idol culture is a lot bigger in Japan and Korea,” Ahmed said. “It’s picked up a lot of momentum in America. For the past 10 years, we’ve been allowing indie idols and aspiring idols to come perform on a proper main stage. Over time, we’ve upped our standards, so we have (more accomplished) domestic idols and then some international ones that come to perform.” Newer idols will find performance opportunities this year on what’s being called the Comet Stage on Sunday.
More than 40 cars will be featured in the Itasha Display car show, where gearheads show off rides with unique body wrappings that represent their favorite franchises.
Credit: Photo: From cobbgalleria.com
Credit: Photo: From cobbgalleria.com
“We also have programming that’s geared toward the younger audience, including academic programs about the culture and history of Japan,” Ahmed said.
If Anime Weekend Atlanta sounds almost as large as, say, Japan, Wilde encourages first-time guests not to be intimidated, “Most people I’ve met that are like, ‘This is my first convention ever,’ all sort of loved it,” the Baldur’s Gate 3 star said. “So just have a go, see if you like it. I’m sure there’ll be something to everyone’s tastes.”
IF YOU GO
Anime Weekend Atlanta
Dec. 12-15. Doors open at noon Thursday and close at 6 p.m. Sunday with around-the-clock programming available throughout. To attend, you must register for a membership at awa-con.com/2024-registration. Single-day memberships, $50 to $65; multiday pass, $95. Georgia World Congress Center offers on-campus parking for visitors. Book a space, starting at $16.95, at gwcc.parkingguide.com. 285 Andrew Young International Blvd., Atlanta. More information: awa-con.com.
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