Anime NYC returned to the Javits Center in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, this year. The convention, which celebrated its sixth annual event and fifth in-person iteration, offers NYC fans direct access to panels and booths from some of the biggest names in anime and manga. For those who work in the anime industry, such as publishers and journalists, it also offers an unprecedented look into what fans are thinking about as they stroll the con floor.
We Got This Covered attended Anime NYC this year, and it should come as no surprise that there was one anime that stood tall above all others: Chainsaw Man. MAPPA’s ongoing adaptation of the action-packed Shōnen Jump manga has brought the series to an impressive peak, with scores of Denji, Makima, and Power artwork across the show. Plenty of Denji cosplayers in business pants, white shirts, black ties, and blond wigs could be seen throughout Anime NYC throughout the weekend, as well as endless con-goers dressed as Power, Makima, Aki, and Kobeni.
MAPPA couldn’t have planned Chainsaw Man’s release better this year, and Crunchyroll certainly took advantage of the hype by advertising the series across their booth. On Friday, before the show floor opened at 1pm, echoes of the series’ opening song could be heard reverberating across the Javits Center’s TVs. Again, this should come as no surprise to anyone who is following the larger industry at large. A quick look at Chainsaw Man’s search history on Google Trends reveals the show is enjoying a record high this fall, one that reached its highest peak when the series premiered in mid-October.
Spy x Family also had a sizable presence, accounting for the series’ ongoing popularity after its anime debuted in April. Plenty of cosplaying couples came as fatherly spy Loid Forger with his secret-assassin wife, Yor Briar. In one case, this reporter even saw a mother dressed as Yor while her young daughter tagged along as series-favorite Anya, the two’s pink-haired, esper daughter. Merchandise and artwork for the series was scattered across the convention as well, with a popular focus on Yor’s femme fatale nature and Anya’s adorable charm.
While Denji, Makima, and Anya are enjoying fan’s love at the moment, another series completely and utterly unavoidable at Anime NYC last year has fallen from graces. Demon Slayer, a manga and anime series about a young man who vows revenge after demons brutally kill his family and turn his sister into one of their kind, was unavoidable at Anime NYC last year. Ads constantly played for the series, merchandise could be seen everywhere, and Anime NYC heavily pushed the anime across promo material. This year, Demon Slayer merchandise was available, and Anime NYC tweeted out a kigurumi appearance for the series, but otherwise the show took a notably backseat appearance.
This may come as a shock for anime fans and industry members who merely crunch the numbers on Twitter and Google. A quick look at Google Trends comparing Demon Slayer, Spy x Family, and Chainsaw Man reveals the former and latter are far more popular than Spy x Family. In fact, Demon Slayer remains nearly as popular on Google now as it was one year ago at Anime NYC, when the series dominated the Javits Center’s TV ads. Even if series interest has dropped over time, it’s certainly far more widespread and well known than Spy x Family (which is already one of the hottest series airing to date).
While the original Demon Slayer manga has long been finished, a third season is still on the way. The anime’s second season wrapped up in February. Certainly Demon Slayer merchandise was received well among fans, too. Enough con-goers donned vendors’ Demon Slayer-themed kimonos to imply the series is still lucrative for the anime merchandise companies attending the show.
At any rate, it’s likely Demon Slayer will see renewed interest if the series’ third season airs during Anime NYC 2023.
