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*A Reader asks: *

• Q: “I have been a long-time fan of attending anime conventions in the USA and enjoy going to panels, both professional as well as fan-driven. As I have gotten older, I have noticed an unusual trend with fan panels, which make up a good portion of the content, especially at small and mid-sized events. That is panel content talking about aspects of the anime fandom from the late 1990s and 2000s, when the first “anime boom” took place. Don’t get me wrong, I have fond memories of Toonami, Funimation, ADV, DBZ, and other popular brands from that time. There are some panelists who do try to find unique elements of the fandom as well at these smaller events. It seems there is an odd obsession with shows and movies from 20+ years ago, while more recent stuff might have a year of buzz before fading. I hardly see panels with the same level of fervor for the 2010s. Is paneling a thing for much older fans?“ *

Is paneling a thing for much older fans? That is a great question, and something I often consider as an “anime industry veteran” who enjoys writing and speaking about the business of anime. From a purely personal and professional viewpoint, I want to know what events and audiences might be interested in spending an hour with me discussing some of my favorite topics, movies, and series. I am a Gen X’er, so I could easily talk for an hour on subjects ranging from “Why Robotech is a much more enjoyable anime series than Macross,” or “Everything just looked better in 90s anime and here’s why.” These are provocative and enjoyable debates that many a salty, older anime fan would enjoy, while our younger compatriots would be left wondering what the heck we are all banging on about.

It is equally important to me to be relevant to all anime fandom, not just the older cohort. So I genuinely do think a lot about creating content that is relevant, fun, and appealing to younger anime fans. It doesn’t come as a surprise that this is a consideration of the programmers at small, medium-sized, and large-scale fan conventions, too. The number one aim of any convention organizer is to put on a safe, well-run, and fun event that provides value for money to the attendees, and hopefully, ensures many of them return for the next one.

To get to the heart of your question, yes, nostalgia amongst Millennials for the “Anime Boom” period covering the late 1990s to early 2000s powers a lot of panel programming at most small and medium-sized anime conventions in the United States today. A quick scan of the 2025 programs for a number of medium-sized conventions shows dedicated panels for perennial franchise favorites such as Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Dragon Ball, Gundam, and Pokémon. But, it is hard to argue that these brands aren’t also relevant to Gen Z audiences and even the older cohort in Gen Alpha. Nearly all of these brands have new franchise iterations currently streaming, as well as new TCG and toy/collectibles available. For me, it simply highlights the importance of franchise management in the Kidult age.

Millennials and older Gen Z consumers make up the bulk of attendees at conventions, so it makes sense that “nostalgia” is a key component of the pull factor for their consumption decisions. This cohort makes up the largest part of the contemporary anime audience as well. They’re the ones paying for those Crunchyroll and Netflix subscriptions, shelling out for repeat trips to the local multiplex for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, and powering the turnaround in fortunes for the global toy industry.

I find it remarkable that the majority of North American anime convention attendees are Millennials and older, considering how young the always-online anime fandom seems to be. Then again, attending an anime convention is a costly exercise. It requires travel, hotel accommodation, and spending money. That’s before you add in the cost of creating your own cosplay, and snagging a lot of officially licensed merch and goodies. Millennials can afford to attend more anime conventions annually than younger teens and college-age fans.

A lot has already been written about why there is a specific and deep nostalgia for characters, stories, games and toys of the 1990s and early 2000s. Popular music of the period is also enjoying a similar resurgence. Here in the UK, BBC Radio 6 celebrated “indie sleaze” during the month of October, while Adi Shankar is on a one-man mission to bring back Nu Metal. Sometimes this nostalgia isn’t just shared by the cohort it impacted directly. I attended the largest ever Deftones show in London this past June, and what blew me away was the average age of the audience. I attend a lot of concerts for bands from the 90s and early 2000s, but none of those shows can boast an average audience age of 19-21. Somehow, the Deftones’ back catalogue has reached an entirely new cohort (probably thanks to Instagram and TikTok), and it’s obvious to see that the music resonates as deeply with Gen Z as it does with Millennials and Gen X. Not bad for a bunch of 54-year-old dudes in a 37-year-old band.

Nostalgia hits differently for people born between 1981-1996 (Millennials). As you have noted in your question, the “Anime Boom” of the early 2000s provides plenty of content for anime convention panels. Many of the “killer apps” from this period are still super relevant and viable commercial concerns today. I have noticed similar nostalgic reverence displayed by my own Gen Z kid, who is 19 years old, so I think that nostalgic consumption driving the current Kidult trend is here to stay. Part of the reason is that nostalgia is sustainable, and it is something now recognized at scale by the Fan-Industrial Complex. The entertainment industry, including the events and licensing industries recognizes that nostalgia drives adult consumer behavior and decision-making.

Millennials are the first human cohort to see their nostalgia recognized and monetized at scale. The reason nostalgia is such a powerful driver of consumer behavior right now is that we are living through a time of great uncertainty, and that creates discomfort. Nostalgia is an emotional callback to a moment we felt happiest, safest, and most comfortable. It’s no coincidence that Millennials feel a deep emotional connection with certain anime franchises. When they were on the cusp of young adulthood, they were exposed to the most anime ever available at any time in American history. Streaming was starting to be a thing, anime was broadcast on national network television, and DVDs were easy to purchase and/or rent. Millennials were in the right place at the right time to be influenced by characters and stories at a core stage of their adolescent development, allowing them to form a deep emotional connection with certain intellectual property. For my Gen Z kid, it was IPs like Walking With Dinosaurs and Despicable Me that made a lasting positive impact. It is worth noting that he also displays the same affinity for Pokémon TCG and video games that I see people twice his age enjoying at conventions. Millennials and subsequent generations are likely to hold onto some of their childhood interests more tightly and for longer than previous generations because it is an acceptable thing to do today.

What I have realized while researching my answer is that today’s anime conventions are a diverse affair, and you are correct - the smaller conventions do offer a lot of opportunity for the predominantly Millennial-aged attendees to get their nostalgia on. However, the bigger coastal conventions like Anime Expo and Anime NYC tell a different story.

The largest anime fan convention in North America is Anime Expo in Los Angeles. This year’s event delivered a “turnstile attendance” of over 410,000 fans (compared to 392,000 in 2024), and “visitors from over 65 countries” showing continued growth at the top tier. The overall trend suggests that while we lost some conventions between 2020-2023 during the Covid Pandemic, anime conventions are bouncing back. In fact, Anime Expo is currently considering its future at the LA Convention Center, which suggests to me the organizers only expect attendances to grow over the coming years.

Large conventions that attract some of the biggest names in anime, publishing and video games as sponsors tend to have a panel-focus based on exclusive previews, slate presentations, and all-star creator panels. A quick look at Anime Expo and Anime NYC’s 2025 panel programs highlights some of the biggest anime series of the year including One-Punch Man, Gundam GQuuuuuuX, Demon Slayer, Gachiakuta and My Hero Academia.

When it comes to anime panels and the type of content they choose to cover, I have noticed a disparity between Anime Expo and its smaller counterparts like SakuraCon and regional fan-run conventions. Those events tend to have a deeper dive focus on anime of the 90s and early 2000s, while Anime Expo is definitely focused more on the now: the big new anime movies, the return of popular series franchises, big video game launches, and rising stars from Japanese manga publishing. Anime Expo’s programming strategy caters to the needs of multi-generational attendees and large international companies who sponsor the event such as NETFLIX, Viz Media, Crunchyroll, and Aniplex.

Larger conventions like Anime Expo must appeal to the broadest possible audience, which includes a heavy focus on the newest releases to attract a younger, highly-engaged demographic. However, you can still find plenty of panels and content for Millennial and Gen X fandoms at a variety of conventions. It is those truly dedicated anime conventions that have been organized and delivered by fans for fellow fans, where the real deep dive panels into a diverse range of nostalgia anime is a regular occurrence, along with other popular formats including AMV nights, Cosplay tutorials, anime pub quizzes, and the highly coveted ritual of the anime karaoke bacchanal. My personal favorite.

So, is paneling a thing for much older fans? Yes and no. If you’re looking for deep-dive nostalgia content about the 90s and 2000s anime boom, you’ll find it thriving at small and medium-sized fan-run conventions where Millennial attendees dominate and programming isn’t beholden to corporate sponsors. If you’re looking for cutting-edge previews and current content, the major conventions like Anime Expo and Anime NYC are where industry partners showcase what’s next.

The good news? North American anime fandom is large enough and diverse enough to support both models. Whether you’re a salty Gen X’er like me wanting to argue about Robotech, or a Gen Z fan eager to catch the latest Demon Slayer announcement, there’s a convention for you. My advice: choose your conventions based on what you’re seeking. Check the programming schedule before you buy your badge. And if you don’t see the nostalgic deep-dive panel you want? Consider running it yourself; most smaller conventions are always looking for passionate panelists who can bring something unique to their attendees. After all, conventions are still, at their heart, for fans by fans.

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