Anime Central

About this happenin

Anime Central is a three-day anime, manga and Japanese pop culture convention held each May at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont. Its organizers call it the largest of its kind in Chicago and the Midwest, with more than 36,000 unique attendees. It never fully shuts down: video rooms run 24 hours and some events go all night. One of the country's larger artist alleys sells prints and original artwork. The gaming hall is free to play, with an arcade, PC and console games and tournaments. Guests from the Japanese and American anime industries sit on panels and sign autographs. There are concerts, dances, a manga library and the Masquerade, where cosplayers present skits and compete for prizes. It started in 1998, and volunteers run it for a nonprofit, the Midwest Animation Promotion Society. Getting in takes a membership badge, for the full weekend or a single day.

More in May: 9 other Chicago events.

Where

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center · 5555 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018