Utah Loves Its Anime

Utah loves anime, and no I’m not talking about the pervy ones that everybody loves to joke about.  

Though Utah has a conservative reputation and for good reason, it hasn’t stopped people from building a pretty large anime community. The state has seen an uptick in interest in anime conventions in recent years. However, these dedicated fans aren’t just gearing up for these events, they're living for them.

Being an anime lover/cosplayer/convention fanatic/ gamer is a year-round event.  

Axion Salt Lake City said there were four conventions just this year. Two have already passed but the other two are in October and September so you can still go. Though the conventions themselves aren’t held consistently throughout the year, the preparation can take months! 

For those unfamiliar with cosplay, let me explain.  

Many people who go to these conventions that feature voice actors and other cosplayers often build a costume to go in. This way they can pay homage to their favorite characters, meet other fans of the same anime, and just look super cool.  

Cosplay is simply costume play but it’s also so much more. It can sometimes be months of finding materials, trying to be accurate, and figuring out how to put it together. Its a huge deal.

Since the rise of TikTok, cosplayers have taken over the internet and can be found on all major social media platforms. They use trending songs, show building processes, and even do makeup tutorials. It’s a total blast for any fan.  

There are more than just conventions in Utah that show just how much people love the genre.  

Utah even has a pretty huge podcast dedicated to reviewing animes called “Anime Out of Context” and the creators are in Salt Lake City! The show has over 3,000 followers on Twitter and over 4 million downloads on PodBean.  

Fun fact: I was able to speak with them via email back in 2019 when I was just a college student. It was for a school project! Crazy how time flies... 

Anyway, Utah is obviously hopping on the anime train, and you should too! The animations are not only beautiful, but the storytelling is sometimes really intricate and super emotional.  

For a list of anime conventions visit Animecons.com 

Give it a chance! The rest of the state has.  

Fun Fact (last one, I swear): Century Link did a study in 2022 to see what anime states searched the most, and Attack on Titan made the top in Utah. EREN YEAGER!!!