SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 22: The Gundam booth during 2026 Comic-Con International: San Diego Preview Night at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Japanese anime came off its strongest theatrical year in the U.S. last year, but was noticeably absent from the halls of North America’s largest pop arts convention.

Last year, Demon Slayer held a prime spot in Hall H on the Saturday of Comic Con, a slot occupied by Marvel Studios in 2024 . In contrast, Crunchyroll noticeably scaled back its operations inside and outside the convention center. Even some manga publishers—such as Dark Horse Comics and the rebranded HarperCollins’ imprint KAZÉ—seemed to take a step back, expressing that they’ll saving their announcements for next month’s AnimeNYC.

Instead, this year saw a handful of industry anime related panels, such as the My Hero Academia 10th Anniversary panel, the Aniplex Industry panel, as well as the much-anticipated GUNDAM Showcase and the Bite Me: Calling All Vampires panel. All three had a large turnout, proving the untapped interest of comic fans in anime. Earlier this year, GEM Partners—a Tokyo-based company—reported 22% of Americans watch anime, and its hold on the American market is undeniable.

Anime in the Exhibit Hall

Anime was ubiquitous on the show floor through an industry and fan perspective. Cosplayers—young and old—walked around in Demon Slayer, Witch Hat Atelier, Apothecary Diaries, and ONE PIECE regalia. Momo and Okarun cosplayers went straight to the DAN DA DAN booth to catch Turbo Granny as the series tours the world through different conventions.

Licensed anime toys and other merchandise stood toe-to-toe next to well-known American characters like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Transformers as well as DC and Marvel superheroes. LEGO SMART Play Gateway showcased Pokémon alongside Star Wars, drawing in families and young adults to choose their starter with an interactive Poké Ball. Hasbro also announced the launch of its partnership with The Legend of Zelda through their newest line of 6-inch figures.

MORE FOR YOU

Manga publisher Kodansha brought a mini version of their Kodansha House LA experience, and wowed crowds with a live-drawing demonstration by Gachiakuta’s graffiti designer, Hideyoshi Andou.

Anime Partnerships with Korean Companies

Arguably, the DARK MOON franchise brought a fresh audience to San Diego as ENGENE—the official fandom name of ENHYPHEN—came to support the group. The vampire multimedia franchise saw explosive success as an anime series and made an impression as it took over the space in front of the Crunchyroll booth.

As a testament to the series’ popularity amongst Comic Con attendees, the booth freebies and the purchasable merchandise sold out before the end of Saturday (Day 3). Select fans were able to see ENHYPHEN perform at the intimate San Diego House of Blues. There, they were treated with a special DARK MOON video and other fan activities—a media mix promotional strategy perfected by Belift Lab and parent company HYBE.

Anime Continues to Capture America’s Attention

Unsurprisingly, most of the industry investment was concentrated on Anime Expo just a few weeks earlier. Yet, the continued presence of cosplayers and anime fans at San Diego Comic Con indicates were hungry for more.

Enthusiasts took pictures with their favorite franchises wherever they happened to be. Whether it be the Toei Animation booth with a cutout of Luffy or the TAMASHII NATIONS life size figure of Yuji Itadori of Jujutsu Kaisen, anime fans were simply happy to see their favorite series represented at Comic Con.

However, there was a clear programming hole this year: Crunchyroll’s usual takeover of Rady Shell. Last year, the streaming platform held a grand two-day celebration called Anime FanFest. The free, no-ticket required, event platformed a major lineup of J-Pop and anime-adjacent artists. The missing activation was taken over by Funko Fundays event, which cost $236.26 for two people.

Compared to the big promotions last year, including the highly visible Hall H Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle panel in 2025, Crunchyroll and Aniplex’s activities took a backseat. This year, the anime streamer brought a smaller scale of their Anime Expo 2026 booth with their Crunchyroll Store and Teoritta robot.

Comic book fans and critics—who attend the convention in droves—took note of the film’s early publicity and studio investment at Comic Con. Recently, the box office-slaying international film landed a surprising nomination for Best Superhero Movie at the 6th Critics' Choice Super Awards.

Regardless of whether it wins that category, anime’s impact on Hollywood is undeniable. Perhaps anime industry professionals and businesses will reevaluate their investment in broad reaching comic conventions as there’s still plenty of opportunity to grow.