As the President of AnimeCon.org and longtime convention organizer, I have seen the world of anime conventions change a great deal in the past 15 years. There are a lot of things to look out for now, and a lot has changed.
For example, autographs at anime conventions used to be completely free. Every guest would come to the convention to sign autographs simply out of their own love of anime, the genre, and the fans themselves. Anime voice actors were mostly people who were also “nerds” and anime fans too, and it showed in their dedication to the fans.
This slowly started tapering off in the past 10 years. It started with anime voice actors charging the conventions – rather than just the fans – big fees that could be $5,000 or $10,000, instead of charging each fan for a signature. And for a while, that was working out okay. Fans could still meet their favorite actors for free.
Nowadays, most autographs are not free with many anime voice actors. Autographs and even selfies with voice actors can cost anywhere from $20 to $50 per item, and this is driven somewhat in part to a huge resale market for signed Funko Pops on sites like eBay.
Is it a ripoff for the anime voice actors to charge money for their autograph? No, not exactly – after all, they have real lives and jobs that they have to take time away for in order to attend conventions.
The rip-off to avoid is seeing all these new “Pop Up” comic-con-style conventions with 20 of the top main-character anime voice actors. Why? Because these events have no care about anime fans, and are simply money grubbing schemes – while there might be 20 awesome anime voice actors to meet, autograph prices are jacked way up and the conventions sometimes even take a cut. So while you might pay $30 for an autograph at one legitimate anime convention, these “comic-con shows” will charge you $60 for the same autograph. Avoid conventions just because they have a big guest list, unless you have a lot of money to spend.
What we’re doing: At least half of our attending voice actors will sign at least 1 free item per person for free, such as a DVD or manga from home, or your convention badge, during our scheduled autograph signing times. And some of our favorite guests, like Greg Ayres and Gareth West, don’t charge anything for their autographs. Of course, there are restrictions – we don’t want autographs to go on eBay, so they won’t sign things like Funko Pops for free.
We think conventions should be about the community and getting to meet some of your favorite actors – it shouldn’t be all about money.
Another Rip Off
Another big rip off to avoid when it comes to anime conventions is when they surprise you with tons of little fees. For example, some conventions charge a ticketing fee that can be as much as $10 per convention registration. Or they will advertise a lot of special main events, but each one has its own fee.
Be careful of surprise “pop up” conventions with lots of awesome-sounding events, they could come with a lot of extra charges.
What we’re doing: All of our mainstage events, concerts, musical acts, comedy shows, etc, are all included with your badge price – and if we ever make an exception, we will make that very clear. We want our conventions to feel “all inclusive” – and that’s why our conventions have things like the unlimited-free-soda-rice-ramen ConSweet that we have, that no other conventions can replicate.
Anime conventions are more than just events—they’re a celebration of a community brought together by shared passion. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to preserve the spirit of anime conventions by putting fans first. From offering free autographs for cherished items to ensuring mainstage events are always included with your badge price, we believe conventions should be accessible and fun without hidden costs. We want attendees to experience the joy of meeting their favorite actors and enjoying incredible programming without feeling nickel-and-dimed.
At AnimeCon.org, we are committed to maintaining a fan-centric approach. By providing transparent pricing, inclusive experiences, and unique amenities like our free ConSweet, we strive to create a convention where the community thrives. Our mission is to keep the heart of anime conventions alive—a place where fans can celebrate together, meet their heroes, and immerse themselves in a welcoming, creative atmosphere. Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: on the fans, the fun, and the love of anime.
