Fans of anime and cosplay will gather this weekend at the Hilton Orlando for an event that celebrates Japanese pop culture.
The Sugoi Expo, which last came to Central Florida in 2022, brings guests a “uniquely intimate” and immersive fan experience that’s much smaller and accessible than an event like MegaCon.
“It’s a very accessible event where there’s not going to be huge crowds and the cosplay is going to be really fun and amazing,” said Ben Penrod, the event’s organizer. “We’re going to have a masquerade. We’ve got a costume pool party. I expect to see people in cosplay all weekend.”
Celebrity guests at the convention include Dan Green and Eric Stuart, both voice actors who worked on “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Pokémon.” Voice actors from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise are also attending for fan meet-and-greets.
During the day, guests can browse art from vendors, attend panel discussions about cosplay and animation or participate in special events like karaoke and an after-hours rave. Japanese artists Asaka and Stereo Dive Foundation will perform concerts as well.
Cosplay takes center stage on Saturday with the cosplay masquerade on Saturday, while the slate of events on Sunday brings an early Halloween costume contest. Guests can also enjoy a cosplay pool party on Saturday.
The Mirai Maid Cafe presents as a separately-ticketed event at the convention, where maids serve guests light bites and perform. The concept takes inspiration from Japan’s themed maid cafes.
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If you go
Sugoi Expo is open from noon-2 a.m. Sept. 19, 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Sept. 20 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 21 at 6001 Destination Parkway in Orlando. Tickets start at $27.99 for a day pass and cost $82.99 for a weekend pass. Use promo code SUGOI20OFF for 20% off adult, non-VIP passes. A kids’ pass for ages 10 and younger costs $7.99. More information: sugoiexpo.com
