Animate! Columbus cosplay and anime event happening soon

Those who have wanted to meet the voices behind your childhood icons like Spider-Man, Ash Ketchum and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will have a chance to do so at Animate! Columbus.

The anime, animation and cosplay event is next weekend, July 19-21, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Credit: Pedro Rivera SKYP3R Photography

Credit: Pedro Rivera SKYP3R Photography

This convention is themed around animated shows past or present, anime or western.

One of the main attractions is an extensive list of celebrity guests. Iconic voice actor Josh Keaton, known for playing the famous wall-crawler in “Spectacular Spider-Man,” and award-winning Maggie Robertson from “Resident Evil Village” are scheduled to appear.

There will also be appearances from the four turtles from the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cartoon, the actors behind Cyclops and Magneto from “X-Men ‘97,″ and anime voice actors from “One Piece,” “Dragon Ball” and “Jujitsu Kaisen.” The full list of guests also includes famous authors, cosplayers, artists and comedians.

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Animate! Columbus, an annual event since 2022, is organized by GalaxyCon, an independent company that runs pop culture conventions across the country.

“We started in 2006, and I put on a small little show in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale and drew 1,500 people,” said president and founder of GalaxyCon Mike Broder. “It’s that 10,000 hour rule. You (have to) put in 10,000 hours into something to get really good at it.”

Credit: John Manard

Throughout the weekend, there will be a number of different activities and panels for guests. On Friday in particular, guests can make Pokémon crafts, learn about the history of arcades, play various board games, learn about abandoned theme parks and more. The weekend will also include cosplay contests, autograph signings and live pro wrestling.

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A full schedule is available online and will be distributed to attendees at the event.

Animate! Columbus will also feature a full exhibitor hall, where guests can purchase merchandise, art and collectables.

Credit: Pedro Rivera SKYP3R Photography

Guests are encouraged to cosplay as their favorite characters as long as they follow the safety policies. For example, lightsabers and fake weapons are allowed but no real weapons will be permitted.

How to go

What: Animate! Columbus 2024

When: July 19-21; 2 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.

Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center: 400 N. High St., Columbus

More info: galaxycon.com

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Alex Cutler

Alex Cutler is a graduate of Sinclair Community college, with degrees in Communication and Multimedia Journalism. Alex looks to continue his education and career in the near future.