Convention - Anime Expo 2025 : A Deep Dive into the Most Unforgettable Booth Experiences of the Year

By Mulder, Los Angeles, Convention Center, 04 july 2025

Anime Expo 2025 was more than just a celebration of Japanese pop culture—it was a full-scale immersion into the soul of modern fandom. From July 4 to 7, the Los Angeles Convention Center transformed into a labyrinth of spectacle, sound, and sensory overload, as hundreds of booths pushed the limits of creativity and fan engagement. With towering displays, exclusive merchandise, and intimate meet-and-greets, this year’s booths weren’t just vendors—they were stages, galleries, arcades, and sanctuaries for the anime-loving public. Each one told its own story, and each gave fans something unforgettable to carry home. What follows is a detailed look at the booths that turned heads, broke records, and made headlines—each one a testament to the evolution of Anime Expo into a global cultural phenomenon.

One of the most talked-about surprises this year came from Displate, which made its Anime Expo debut with an arresting presence at booth #SH‑1008. Known for its premium metal posters, Displate didn’t just bring merchandise—they brought an entire mini-city dubbed the "Displate District." Inside the space, fans wandered under blacklight in the "Glow Alley," where cosplayers participated in a photo-ready catwalk and collected stamps for special rewards. According to Zuza Szczepecka, the company’s Brand Marketing Lead, the goal was simple: “We wanted to bring collectible passion into a shared physical space.” Limited to just 1,000 pieces each, the poster drops included legendary franchises like Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, each priced at $99. Fans described them as “anime artifacts,” with many buying more than one to preserve sealed in packaging. This wasn't just a booth—it was a shrine to art, fandom, and nostalgia, drawing lines that wrapped around the hall daily.

Meanwhile, HoYoverse returned with its ever-massive Genshin Impact experience at booth E-75 in the Entertainment Hall, and they outdid themselves in every possible way. Beyond the wave of new merch and interactive sets, they launched an original training quest that could only be accessed at the convention—a mysterious mission teased by the presence of a “powerful, unknown character.” This prompted Reddit speculation about upcoming storyline twists and possible animation leaks. “On-site rewards, brand-new merchandise… and a special training quest issued by someone who is mysterious and incredibly powerful!?” one fan posted, prompting over 2,000 upvotes in less than 24 hours. While some tempered expectations regarding the long-rumored Genshin anime, the booth still delivered a theatrical flair—complete with exclusive voice line stations and free mystery bags for completing scavenger hunts. For many, it was the most “gameified” booth of the expo, where fans weren’t just observers—they were adventurers.

Over in South Hall, Cygames brought high-octane energy with its booth at #SH-714, celebrating titles like Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, and EVO favorite Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. Play stations were constantly full, but the real treat came with the surprise appearance of cosplayers on stilts dressed in derby uniforms who galloped across the carpeted expo floor. Laughter and applause followed their every movement, as they playfully challenged attendees to "photo races." It was an absurd, delightful, and totally unforgettable experience that showcased how Cygames fully embraces the crossover of performance art with gaming culture.

Perhaps the most lavish presentation of the entire convention came from Aniplex of America, whose booth #1920 spanned over 9,000 square feet and hosted a live mini-stage for musical acts, trailer premieres, and creator signings. The booth became the pulse of the Exhibit Hall—particularly during the impromptu crowd singalong to the Demon Slayer opening theme. As lights dimmed and hundreds of glow sticks lit up the darkness, one fan whispered, “This is our church.” Beyond the emotional resonance, Aniplex of America also showcased anniversary tributes to fan-favorite properties and offered a catalog of limited-run merchandise that sold out by mid-afternoon each day. Their booth exemplified how branding, atmosphere, and emotional storytelling can converge into something far beyond marketing—it was a shared cultural moment.

Meanwhile, WEBTOON Entertainment carved out a dominant space of their own with a multilayered push to redefine how webcomics intersect with animation. Not only did they invite legendary Tower of God creator SIU for exclusive meet-and-greets, but they also hosted panels on writing high-impact action sequences and adapting serialized web content into screen-ready storyboards. “It all started from a doodle I made on a napkin,” SIU confessed to a rapt audience, prompting a wave of applause and viral TikToks that reached over 400,000 views by that evening. According to an investor update released by WEBTOON’s parent company, this presence was part of a strategic plan to assert dominance in the U.S. anime market—highlighting a shift from passive content syndication to full-blown production powerhouses.

The entertainment didn’t stop there. NTT Solmare brought the house down with a 3D live concert featuring characters from Obey Me!, backed by choreographed dance routines from new units Ex and Bee. The booth became an unexpected breakout hit, described by many attendees as a “mini anime musical” complete with confetti, light cues, and AR effects that danced across visitor phones through a custom app. One YouTuber commented, “I came for the merch, I stayed for the musical.” It was a high-concept approach that blurred the lines between game promo and performance art, setting a new gold standard for what mobile gaming booths could look like.

And we can’t forget the meteoric rise of VTuber culture, on full display this year thanks to VShojo NOVA and fan-favorite Ironmouse. The VShojo NOVA panel stunned audiences with the surprise debut of their original single “Starry Connection,” complete with holographic visuals and an animated teaser that premiered exclusively at AX before dropping on Spotify. Meanwhile, Ironmouse took over the Good Smile Company booth with a fan meet-and-greet so popular that attendees formed mini communities while waiting—one group even brought homemade cinnamon rolls in honor of Ironmouse’s well-known sweet tooth. Her candid livestream the night before the event, where she cried tears of joy talking about her journey to AX, had fans emotionally primed for what became one of the most beloved fan interactions of the weekend.

In the end, what made Anime Expo 2025 so special wasn’t just the scale of its booths or the exclusivity of its merch drops—it was how each exhibitor used their space to celebrate community. Whether through live concerts, scavenger hunts, theatrical cosplay, or heartfelt panels, the booths weren’t just vendors—they were living, breathing hubs of connection. Anime Expo 2025 proved that fandom is no longer just about consuming content—it’s about participating in a shared mythology, one pop-up at a time. And for the thousands who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles this July, the memories won’t just live on in collectibles—they’ll live in their stories.

You can discover our photos in our Flickr page

Photos and videos : Nickolas Logan