ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Thousands of anime fans filled the Coliseum in St. Petersburg for the 4th annual anime event, celebrating Japanese pop culture with costumes, contests, and interactive activities.
WATCH: Thousands attend 4th annual anime event with colorful cosplay and Pokémon fun
Attendees, many of whom were dressed as their favorite characters, came from across the Tampa Bay area. The weekend kicked off with a large Pokémon celebration, drawing crowds to shop from numerous vendors and enjoy free video games.
The event also featured panel discussions with popular anime voice actors, cosplay costume contests, and hands-on workshops for fans of all ages.
"Japanese animation was like to cosplay, not just put on the costumes," said Dewey Caruthers, the organizer of Anime St. Pete. "Create the costumes, many of the costumes we see today are movie-level quality that they use in Hollywood, that much attention to detail, time, and money have been put into creating the costumes."
Organizers said they are already planning their next gathering at St. Pete Comic Con in February.
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