The best Anime Expo 2023 afterparties
Starting this Saturday, Anime Expo will take over the L.A. Convention Center for four straight days of anime goodness. After the sold-out convention ends, folks want to keep the party going. Fortunately, a slew of afterparties will go down during the convention that will keep everyone satisfied. We picked out some of the best ones taking place. Check out our review and photos from last year’s Anime Expo here. Catch previous news updates on Anime Expo 2023 here.
Friday, June 30
Summer Kick Off Party @ Grand Star Jazz Club (943 Sun Mun Way)
8 p.m. - 2 a.m. (buy tickets here - $10)
21+ event
DJs from Tune in Tokyo, AniClover, AniParty, Anison Hijack, Series Ai, and Montaime will join forces to kick off summer with some city pop, anisong, J-pop, and more. Yeah! Lights will also be giving away a Pen Light at midnight.
Saturday, July 1
SMT 30th Live: Band of Shadows @ The Novo (800 W Olympic Blvd)
8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. (buy tickets here - $70, must have Anime Expo badge)
18+ event
Shin Megami Tensei's 30th anniversary celebration takes over The Novo with a special concert event celebrating the franchise’s music. The concert will feature special appearances by vocalist Adriana Figueroa, violist Drew Alexander Forde a.k.a. ThatViolaKid, drummer Leah Bluestein, and guitarist Shota Nakama. A limited number of tickets are still available right now. An Anime Expo badge is required to attend.
Yoi Toki: A FutureFunk/Vaporwave Party @ Don Quixote (2811 E. Olympic Blvd)
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. (buy tickets here - $15, free before 10 p.m.)
21+ event
Don Quixote will be the place for a celebration of all things vaporwave and future funk. DJs Valentine, Jak Syn, and Trucks Passing Trucks will deliver a slew of tracks for the Anime Expo crowd. Tickets are on sale for $15 for guaranteed entry, but you can get in for free if you enter before 10 p.m.
AniRave @ Secret Location
11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (buy tickets here - $10, free til midnight in cosplay)
21+ event
AniRave will be throwing on a special afterparty at a secret location on Saturday night. Attendees of previous AniRave events have sung its praises, and this event shall be an absolute blast. The event is free for those in cosplay until midnight. For those in plain clothes and cosplayers coming in after midnight, it's $10.
Sunday, July 2
Anime Expo Summer Fest @ The Novo (800 W Olympic Blvd)
7 p.m. - 12 a.m. (buy tickets here - $60, must have Anime Expo badge to attend)
All ages
Anime Expo will take over The Novo for their Summer Fest concert event. The show will be co-headlined by Cö shu Nie (Jujutsu Kaisen; Tokyo Ghoul) and Mili (Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045; Goblin Slayer). Other acts slated to perform include Yameii Online, Mii, Mirei, and Welksie. A limited amount of tickets are still available. Attendees must have an Anime Expo badge to attend.
Hollywood Johnny's Nu-Noise @ Secret Location
7 p.m. - 12 a.m. ($10 at the door, RSVP for more info)
All ages
Hollywood Johnny's Nu-Noise will bring together a slew of touring acts alongside some great local electronic acts from the region. Touring acts slated to perform include Bubblegum Octopus (who was recently featured in the soundtrack for the video game Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer), Dead Fern, G://ANON, and KJ Valium. Local support for this show include Death Envy, Nephilia, Soiled Dolies, Paimon's Box, and Breakdancing Ronald Regan. Head here to RSVP for the event.
Cosplay Deviants Afterparty @ The Belasco (1050 S Hill St)
9 p.m. (buy tickets here - $32.50)
21+ event
Cosplay Deviants return to The Belasco for another exciting Anime Expo afterparty. Attendees will gain gift bags upon entry. Cosplay Deviants will have a booth at this year's Anime Expo located at booth 4525.
AMV Hours @ Monty Bar (1222 W 7th)
9:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. (RSVP for free here)
21+ event
If you grew up in the early 2000s, you knew AMVs were all the rage. Today, thousands of creative people still combine their favorite anime scenes with their favorite songs. Holiday Kirk and others will join forces to take anime fans back to the old days by spinning a slew of noticeable jams all night.
Monday, July 3
AniWaves 2 @ The Queensberry LA (Figueroa Alley On 8th between Flower & Figueroa)
4:20 p.m. - 10 p.m. (buy tickets here - $35)
21+ event
AniClover will take over The Queensberry LA for their second installment of AniWaves. For this event, naePi-YO and DJ CAESAR from TOKYO will be flying in from Japan to spin alongside DJs such as Kairos, Ketten, and Mikanmaru24.
AX 2023 Neon District @ LACC West Hall B, Main Events
8 p.m. - 1 a.m. (buy tickets here - $45)
18+ event
This year, Anime Expo's Neon District will deliver co-headlining sets from Shaquille O'Neal (a.k.a. DJ Diesel) and m-flo’s Taku Takahashi. Other acts slated to spin include Softest Hard, Kotori, and Assertive.
Tuesday, July 4
Fake Star USA Presents Constellations Vol. 4 @ 1720 (1720 E 16th St)
7 p.m. (buy tickets here - $35)
All ages
Fake Star USA will take over 1720 to bid farewell to Anime Expo with volume four of their Constellations live concert series. The show will feature live performances from BPM15Q and PAiDA with DJ sets from D-YAMA ad DJ WILDPARTY.