San Diego Comic-Con kicked off on Thursday with a reduced number of high-profile celebrity panels. Nevertheless, fans showed up in elaborate costumes and enthusiastic spirits.
Richard Cao, 38, hailing from San Diego, shared that he spent months preparing for the event, shedding 30 pounds to portray a bare-chested Inosuke Hashibira from the anime series ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.’
“I lost around 30 pounds over the course of six months; that’s just the physical commitment I chose to make,” Cao stated.
This year at the San Diego Convention Center, the usual A-list panels from Marvel and DC Studios in Hall H are absent. However, notable highlights include the debut of ‘Star Wars’ creator George Lucas at Comic-Con, along with panels for Disney’s ‘Tron: Ares,’ ‘Predator: Badlands,’ and a discussion featuring Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary.’
The world premiere of the revival of ‘King of the Hill’ will also showcase co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels.
For the first time, Comic-Con will host a two-day music festival, Crunchyroll Anime FanFest, organized by the Sony-owned anime streaming service Crunchyroll. This festival will present anime music, including ‘The One Piece 25th Anniversary Symphony Voyage.’
Crunchyroll boasts over 13 million subscribers worldwide.
Despite the increase in travel and accommodation expenses, fans express that the experience is invaluable.
“It’s absolutely worth it,” stated Sophia Blanco, 39, from New York City, who spent “a couple of thousands” on her trip.
“When you go on vacation, you’re spending money regardless. So, invest in what you love, no matter what it is,” she added.
The event is set to take place from July 24 to 27.
