AnimeNext returns to the Jersey Shore this weekend. Here’s the panel schedule for 2018!

Independent anime, manga and Japanese pop culture convention AnimeNext is making its way back to the Atlantic City Convention Center in “The World’s Famous Playground,” bringing with it a litany of anime, manga, music and voice talents, along with enough cosplayers to fill the city’s 4 mile boardwalk.

Inaugurated in 2002, AnimeNext has been in Atlantic City since 2016 and this year looks to be the largest event yet, with Japanese rock bands, game shows, an masquerade ball, famous voice artists & animators, dozens of panels for fans & students, and live demonstrations.

Guests at this year’s AnimeNext include: Japanese rock band ALL OFF; animator Shinji Aramaki; voice actress and ADR script writer Katelyn Barr; Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam Park, the Black Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers); voice actress Caitlynn French; animator and director Kenji Kamiyama (Mini Pato, Jin-roh, Blood the Last Vampire); singer Marina Kawano; voice actor Kyle McCarley; Japanese fashion designer MINT; voice over artist Bryce Papenbrook; actress and vocalist Juliet Simmons a.k.a. JubyPhonic; voice actor Bill Timoney; and Japanese rock drummer U.

I’ve also sorted through the PDF panel list from the AnimeNext website and listed them below. Keep in mind, this schedule is subject to change so check the AnimeNext website for the latest updates.

Friday

  • Weird Game Consoles
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 318
  • Whadda You Know Mullet: A Voltron History Panel
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Import Gaming 101
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 405
  • Anime Before Astro Boy
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 320
  • An Introduction To Group Cosplay
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 319
  • Disability in Anime and Manga
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 304
  • Cosplay 101: How to Look Great without Breaking Bank
    11:15 AM – Panel Room 319
  • Japanese Pro Wrestling: DDT
    11:15 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Game the Gamer
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 304
  • Battle of the Animes! The Card Game
    12:30 PM – Tabletop Gaming – CCG
  • 404: File not found – Videos the Internet Forgot
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Doll Life
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Lesser Known Magical Girls: The good and the NO
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Cosplay Makeup 201: Drag Influences
    1:15 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Community, Lore, and Roleplay in Final Fantasy XIV
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 319
  • My Hero Aca-AnimeNext!
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Bad Anime, Bad!!
    2:30 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Exclusively Inclusive: The Black Nerd Experience
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Beginners Guide to Crossplay
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Pepakura: The Art of Papercraft
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Japanese Pro Wrestling: NJPW
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Collecting Anime Vinyl
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 319
  • The Business of Cosplay Photography
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 405
  • The Evolution of Yaoi
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Pokebiology 101
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 318
  • New Anime for Older Fans
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Traveling the Grand Line: The Ships of One Piece
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Crazy Japanese Music Videos
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Chaldea Symposium
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Intro to 3D Printing for Cosplay and Everyday Use
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Brand-new Idol SHenanigans: Alternative and underground idol groups in Japan
    7:15 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Toonami Generation: A celebration of 20 years!
    7:30 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Cosplay for Anyone: Guide to Photoshoots
    7:45 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Urbanime: American Urban Culture and it influence of Anime’s Popularity
    9:00 PM – Panel Room 319
  • ASPERGER’S AND FANDOM
    9:00 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Diversity in Anime/Manga
    9:15 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Wotagei 201: Introduction to Waza
    9:15 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Go Nagai in the USA (18+)
    9:15 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Late Night with Anime: When, Why, & How? (18+)
    10:15 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Fanservice Fiest Hentai Panel (18+)
    10:15 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Why Do We Like Anime? Choose Your Own Adventure Game Style
    11:15 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Before Madoka: Deep Dark Magical Girl Series and Moments
    11:30 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Beyond the Tentacle Chronicles
    11:30 PM – Panel Room 319
  • [adult swim] Revolution
    11:30 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Discussion of Japanese Gay Life (VICE: Gaycation)
    12:15 AM – Panel Room 318
  • 403: Forbidden- Videos the Internet Forgot 18+ Edition
    12:45 AM – Panel Room 319

Saturday

  • Anime Burger Time
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 304
  • “I’m Telling You,” Translations are Really Weird!
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Anime Armaments & Toon Tactics
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 319
  • Literary Anime: Series that were originally Light Novels
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 318
  • Cosplay Basics
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 405
  • Advising an Anime Club; Getting Cross-Curricular!
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 405
  • Order Up: Cooking Manga/Anime
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 320
  • So Your Kid Wants to Cosplay…
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Sailor Moon & Feminism
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 319
  • 2017: Anime’s Turning Point
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Beyond Food Wars: The culinary world of Japanese media
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Anime Killed the Manga Star
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Cosplay for Anyone: Body Painting and other FX
    1:00 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Weiss Schwarz TCG – The Anime Card Game
    1:30 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Otome Games 101: Romance Delivered, On Demand!
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 318
  • American Comics for Manga Fans
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 405
  • AnimeCons TV Live!
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Anime Fight Club
    2:15 PM – Panel Room 320
  • +2 Comedy Stand-Up Comedy
    2:45 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Closet Cosplay 101
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Japanese Indie Music: Shinkyoku
    3:30 PM – Panel Room 319
  • The Good Bad and Ugly in Anime
    4:00 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Would You Rather: Anime Edition (G)
    4:00 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Beyond Wandering Son: Transgender Representation in Anime and Manga
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Cosplaying with Spoons
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Anime Art Tutorial Live
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 311
  • American Animation
    4:45 PM – Panel Room 319
  • These Are A Few Of My Favorite Scenes
    5:45 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Shodo 101, Japanese Calligraphy
    5:45 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Welcome to Japari Park!: The Kemono Friends Story
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Proxy 101: How to Buy from Japan
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 311
  • RPG Maker 101: An Intro to Development and Community
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 318
  • The Insane Manga Challenge VIII: Return of the Manga
    6:00 PM – Panel Room 320
  • The History of American Anime
    7:15 PM – Panel Room 311
  • Love Live! In Real Life: Japan’s Idol Music Scene
    7:15 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Welcome to Eorzea – A Final Fantasy XIV Panel
    7:15 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Totally Subversive Toons
    7:30 PM – Panel Room 304
  • Let’s Dive (Part 2): More History of Cyberpunk Anime
    8:15 PM – Panel Room 405
  • Cosplay 201: Light Up, Move, and Make Some Noise
    8:30 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Don’t WIG out just yet!
    8:30 PM – Panel Room 318
  • From Under The Bed: Horror in Anime & Manga (18+)
    9:00 PM – Panel Room 311
  • On the Edge: Tackling Sexuality in Anime/Manga (18+)
    9:00 PM – Panel Room 320
  • 2 Deep 4 You: Shows You Didn’t know You Didn’t Know featuring Monster Musume
    9:45 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Anime Name That Tune!
    9:45 PM – Panel Room 318
  • Would You Rather: Anime Edition (18+)
    10:15 PM – Panel Room 301
  • Top 10 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Villains (18+)
    11:00 PM – Panel Room 318
  • 20 Contemporary Manga Recommendations For Grown Ups (18+)
    11:00 PM – Panel Room 319
  • Yuri For Yaoi Fans! (18+)
    11:15 PM – Panel Room 320
  • Let’s Riff a Hentai Live! (18+)
    12:15 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Insane Manga Challenge Adult Edition 7 (18+)
    12:30 AM – Panel Room 320
  • The Metal ‘n’ Anime Connection
    1:00 AM – Panel Room 405

Sunday

  • Animation in Anime
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 319
  • Bigly Anime Trivia
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 320
  • Japanese Coffee Culture
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 302
  • AMVs: The State of the Art
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 301
  • Jojo’s Posing School
    10:00 AM – Atrium
  • Tommy: A True Journey through American Anime Fandom
    10:00 AM – Panel Room 311
  • Japanese Feminism 101
    11:15 AM – Panel Room 405
  • Anime and American Cinema
    11:15 AM – Panel Room 319
  • Welcome to the Velvet Room: Your Guide to Persona
    11:45 AM – Panel Room 318
  • Let’s Learn! Japanese 101
    12:30 PM – Panel Room 311
  • How to Panel 101
    1:45 PM – Panel Room 320