As you have probably already guessed, Anime Expo 2020 is officially cancelled due to safety concerns around the coronavirus. For those who already purchased tickets, the expo will offer to either refund the cost of your tickets or to give you a pass that is valid for the 2021 expo. Hotel rooms booked through the expo will automatically be cancelled.
Ray Chiang is the CEO of Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), the company that hosts AX. He officially canceled the event on April 17th, but SPJA’s work is not done. They’ve taken to using their platform to educate about COVID 19, support their partners, and highlight good deeds in the community. The AX Twitter account shared that Volpin Props made more than 220 face shields from 3D printers, and distributed them to frontline and healthcare workers. They also shared five designs for fans to download and 3D print masks at home if they are able.
For anyone - but especially cosplayers - with sewing talents, AX shared a tutorial made by Cupcake Cosplay for how to stitch together your own face mask out of fabric. This will help keep crafters busy at home, and could help friends and family by keeping them protected. AX is also using their platform to uplift artists, like Acky Bright, by showcasing art on their website. In this case featuring a cute anime girl with pink hair, a plush toy, and a face mask. Who wouldn’t want to wear a mask after seeing how cute she looks in it?
AX also has a call to action for fans to support causes like MasksforDocs, We Need Handmade Masks, #GetUsPPE, Masks for Heroes, and the Emergency Design Collective. These actions work to get masks to healthcare workers, match people who can make masks from home to people who need them, and getting personal protective equipment to front line workers.
Anime Expo plans to be back and in full force July of 2021 for its 30th anniversary.
Source Anime Expo Twitter
