Anime Central 2026 will return from May 15 to May 17 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center near Chicago. The convention remains one of the Midwest’s biggest celebrations of anime and Japanese pop culture, bringing together anime fans, gamers, artists, and creators for a weekend full of events and activities.
This year’s event will feature more than 180 retailers, over 200 artists in Artist Alley, and a huge gaming hall with Japanese arcade machines, rhythm games, retro consoles, modern games, and tabletop gaming hosted at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. Visitors will also be able to enjoy cosplay photography studios, indie game showcases, and the return of the Itasha car show.
Anime Central 2026 will also host two special premieres. Fans can attend the U.S. premiere of the anime Goodbye, Lara, produced by Kadokawa and Kinema Citrus. Director Takushi Koide, producer Sayaka Ueda, and Momoko Hatooka will appear during a special discussion panel.
The convention will also present an exclusive preview of Dragon Striker, a new animated series from Disney. Creator Sylvain Dos Santos and director Charles Lefebvre will introduce the series and discuss its inspirations during a panel moderated by Ravi Baichwal.
Another important event is the return of the Global Anime Challenge, a project that supports new anime creators from around the world. This year’s guests include directors Keisuke Shinohara, Yusuke Yamamoto, Ayumi Moriyama, and Takushi Koide. They will participate in a special panel on May 16 featuring live drawings, discussions about anime production, and giveaways for fans.
Music will also play a major role this year with the theme “ACen the Musical.” Concerts from FictionJunction and performances celebrating THE IDOLM@STER and THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS are planned during the convention.
Fans can find schedules, updates, and badge registration on Anime Central Official Website and more convention news on the Anime Central Blog.
About Anime Central:
Anime Central (ACen) is the largest anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture convention in Chicago and the Midwest. Anime Central 2026 will take place from May 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare and Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
Source: Press Release
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