Tokyo Comic Con 2019

This year will mark Tokyo’s third Comic Con, and the scale promises to be even more massive than in previous years. The event will have cosplayers, a cosplay contest, gatherings, meet-and-greets, an artists’ alley, booths, exhibits, stage events, and a Japanese food court.

As expected, there will be celebrity guests. Last year’s lineup featured Mads Mikkelsen (Doctor Strange, Hannibal), Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings, Star Trek), Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly), Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy), Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad), and… the face of Marvel himself, Stan Lee. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, also attended as a guest. Unfortunately, these meet-and-greets are not included in the admission fee, so you’ll have to pay extra—and the fees are steep.

Even if you don’t plan to splurge on meet-and-greets, the cosplayers, displays, merchandise, and the fact that Tokyo now has a large-scale fan convention that’s oriented more towards Western media are still good reasons to give the event a try. Just make sure to prepare your wallet, as this event isn’t exactly a cheapo option – for one, the entrance fee for 2017 was much higher than the first year’s. (Admission is free for children of elementary school age and below, while a discount is available for junior high and high school students.)

(Adriana Paradiso)