MechaCon is, the annual three-day anime convention held during the summer, will return this weekend since canceling last year’s event due to Covid-19. It is the oldest active anime convention in Louisiana. According to organizers, the convention “was conceived as a revolutionary Anime [experience,] utilizing a unique three-fold approach focusing on Japanese animation, Japanese culture, and Transformers. The brainchild of two close friends, Pete Bares and Jon Russo, the convention soon became the largest, longest-running and most successful anime convention in Louisiana.”

Various internationally recognized anime voice actors, such as Danielle Chambers, known as Maharo from My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising Movie will be on hand, as well as local enterprises as Po’Cast New Orleans and Monkey Fun Studios, New Orleans-based creators of tabletop role-playing  gaming experiences such as Spirit of 77, Bedlam Hall and A Town Called Malice. Cosplay ambassadors include Daman Mills (voiceover actor best known as one of the voices of Frieza in the Dragon Ball Z franchise and Weiss the Immaculate in Final Fantasy VII: Remake) and Atlanta-based award-winning cosplayer AllieCat.

Events will include autograph signings and cosplay burlesque. Since Mayor LaToya Cantrell has encouraged all indoor events to utilize masks to stay safe against COVID variant precautions, the convention has stated: “We encourage everyone to consider wearing a mask despite their vaccination or negative COVID-19 test status. However, wristbands will still be available to vaccinated persons who provide vaccine proof and unvaccinated persons who provide a negative COVID-19 test result dated within 72 hours before wristband pickup, along with a matching I.D.”

The event takes place Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25 at the Hyatt Regency, 601 Regency Ave., New Orleans. Passes are available for the full weekend or per day, starting at $30 per day. For tickets and more information, please visit here.