What Castle Point Anime Convention does

Castle Point Anime Convention (CPあC) is a 2-day annual anime and Japanese media convention operated by Anime Critics United, Inc., a New York-based 501(c)(3) public charity under section 509(a)(2). Founded in 2008 by students of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, the convention relocated in 2018 to the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, where attendance reached 5,000 in its final year at Stevens and has been held exclusively since 2022. It self-positions as the largest student-run anime convention in the USA. All officers and department heads are current Stevens students, supported by volunteers from other NJ/NYC student organizations and alumni of the Stevens Anime Club.

The core product is the annual convention badge, supplemented by modular programming including an Artists' Alley with 102+ independent creators, a Dealers' Hall with 20+ licensed merchandise vendors, a gaming area with tournaments and arcade cabinets (Magic: The Gathering, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Rivals Of Aether 2, 2XKO), cosplay competitions (Masquerade, Hall Contest, Runway), fan-hosted panels, voice-actor guest appearances, and live music performances. The technology stack is entirely composed of third-party SaaS tools: Eventbrite for ticketing, Google Forms for applications and feedback, Discord for community engagement, Twitch for streaming, and Start.gg for tournament registration.

Revenue is generated primarily through attendee badge sales ($45–$65 individual, $10–$20 for Stevens students, $45 per person for groups of 5+), vendor table fees, press badge fees, and a year-round Etsy merchandise storefront. Distribution is event-driven and regionally concentrated in the NJ/NYC tri-state area, with marketing executed across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Discord, Twitch, and an editorial blog.

Name

Castle Point Anime Convention

Legal name

Anime Critics United, Inc.

Website

https://castlepointanime.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Castle Point Anime Convention is a student-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit anime convention held annually in Secaucus, NJ, serving anime, gaming, and cosplay fans in the NJ/NYC tri-state area with badges, vendor halls, tournaments, and guest programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anime Convention Events

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Collectibles & Hobby Shows (MPAGAFAN)

Keywords

• Anime convention events
• Cosplay competitions
• Gaming tournaments
• Anime merchandise vendors
• Voice actor appearances

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Attendee Badge Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling convention badges/tickets at various price points for Saturday, Sunday, and 2-day attendance, including pre-registration and at-door pricing. Also includes group pricing for bulk purchases and student discounts.
2. Vendor Table Fees: Revenue from Artists' Alley and Dealers' Hall table fees. Artists' Alley tables are 6x2 ft; Dealer spaces are 10x10 ft with two 6x2 ft tables.
3. Press Badge Fees: Press badges offered at $25 each (with complementary 2-day badge included in press package) for content creators covering the convention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Castle Point Anime Convention is a 2-day annual anime and Japanese media convention held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, offering ticketed badge admission that includes access to Artists' Alley, Dealers' Hall, Gaming Area, Cosplay Events, Panels, Guest Appearances, and Musical Performances. Founded in 2008, it is positioned as the largest student-run anime convention in the USA and is operated by Anime Critics United, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Product overview

Castle Point Anime Convention (CPあC) is a 2-day annual anime and Japanese media convention operated by Anime Critics United, Inc. as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Founded in 2008 and held at Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, it is the largest student-run anime convention in the USA. The convention offers a unified event experience centered around the core 2-day convention badge, supplemented by modular programming components: Artists' Alley (100+ independent artists), Dealers' Hall (licensed merchandise vendors), Gaming Area (arcade/board games/tournaments), Cosplay Events (Masquerade/Hall Contest/Runway), Panels (fan-hosted workshops and Q&As), Guest Appearances (voice actors/musical artists), and Musical Performances (concerts/idol showcases). Ticketing is handled through Eventbrite integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPあC 2-Day Convention Event Annual 2-day anime and Japanese media convention held at Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. The largest student-run anime convention in the USA, featuring artist alleys, dealers' halls, gaming areas, cosplay events, panels, and guest appearances. Ticketed via Eventbrite with Saturday, Sunday, and 2-Day badge options for individual anime and manga fans.
• Artists' Alley
• Dealers' Hall Exhibition hall featuring 20+ vendors selling licensed anime, video game, and cosplay-related merchandise including official figurines, wall scrolls, apparel, trading cards, manga, Blu-rays, DVDs, video games, Gundam kits, and accessories. For licensed vendors and anime merchandise buyers.
• Gaming Area Gaming lounge featuring free-play arcade cabinets (Dance Dance Revolution, Street Fighter Third Strike, Taiko no Tatsujin), a board game library of 100+ games, and organized tournaments for Magic: The Gathering, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Rivals of Aether 2, and 2XKO. Tournament registration handled via Start.gg. For gaming enthusiasts and competitive players.
• Cosplay Events Cosplay programming including Cosplay Masquerade (performance competition with skits), Hall Contest (craftsmanship judging), Cosplay Runway (walk-on showcase), and Cosplay Meetups for various anime and video game fandoms. For cosplay hobbyists and costume enthusiasts.
• Panels Interactive fan-hosted panels and workshops covering anime topics, cosplay tutorials, game shows, trivia, voice acting, idol culture, and industry insights. Panel applications are submitted via Google Forms. For anime fans and convention attendees.
• Guest Appearances and Autograph Sessions Special guest appearances featuring voice actors, musical artists, and industry guests who conduct Q&A sessions, autograph signings, and panels. 2026 guests include Ricco Fajardo, Shu Uchida, Yuina, Kira Buckland, Zeno Robinson, and Lotus Juice. For anime and voice acting fans.
• Musical Performances Live stage performances including Yuina Concert (solo live debut in USA), Lotus Juice Concert, MEadowLANDS Idol Showcase, and AniParty DJ dance event featuring anime, J-pop, and Vocaloid music. For anime music fans and concert attendees.
• Press Badges

Quantifiable outcome

• 18+ years of operation since 2008
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anime Critics United, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent nonprofit corporation that operates Castle Point Anime Convention. Anime Critics United, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation in New York, exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, classified as a public charity under section 509(a)(2). The organization has released annual tax filings from 2017-2021 publicly.
• Meadowlands Exposition CentercoreOthersPrimary venue for Castle Point Anime Convention located at 355 Plaza Dr, Secaucus, NJ 07094. The convention moved here in 2018 and continues to use this location for main events, exhibitors, dealers' hall, artists' alley, and gaming areas.
• Harmony Suites and Courtyard by MarriottminorOthersSecondary venue locations referenced for Magic: The Gathering tournaments and other events. Courtyard by Marriott is listed as a nearby hotel option.
• Dealers' Hall VendorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor20+ vendors participating in Dealers' Hall including HOLOSQ, NJIT Minicon, Derpycon, Zenkaikon, Anime NYC, CloverPuff, Otaku Collection, Anime Pavilion, HKT Import Toys, Idol Research Club, JHouse Rock, Urban Sheek, Anime Gift, Destination Anime, Aniparty, Amber Gryphon Armory, MUTEKI SALES, Sugee, DiaSplits, JPUSA Enterprises, Whiscal Road Records, and Collectors Anime. Vendors sell anime, video game, cosplay merchandise, figures, apparel, trading cards, manga, and more.
• Artists' Alley ArtistscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor102+ independent artists participating in Artists' Alley, selling art prints, keychains, buttons, charms, plushies, apparel, stickers, stationery, commissions, and more. Artists include _naidraws, tkimchi, tanjumie, TTREX, Shidreamin, and many others listed on the Artists' Alley page.
• Stevens Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of Castle Point Anime Convention founders. All officers and department heads are current students of Stevens Institute of Technology. The convention originated at Stevens campus (started with 400 attendees in 2008, grew to 5,000) before moving to Meadowlands Exposition Center in 2018.
• EventbritecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary ticketing and registration platform for Castle Point Anime Convention badge sales, including both pre-registration and on-site badge distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Anime Boston: Anime Boston is a large Northeast anime convention featuring guests, panels, cosplay, gaming, dealers, and artists. It is comparable as an established anime convention serving a regional fan community with a similar event-based model.
• Tora-Con: Tora-Con is a student-run anime convention associated with Rochester Institute of Technology. It is comparable because it shares Castle Point's student-led operating model and anime fan convention format, though it serves a different geography.
• Zenkaikon: Zenkaikon is a Pennsylvania anime and science-fiction convention offering guests, vendors, cosplay, gaming, and fan programming. It is comparable because it serves a similar Mid-Atlantic anime and fandom audience and appears in Castle Point's vendor ecosystem.
• Katsucon: Katsucon is an established anime convention in the Washington, D.C. area with cosplay, panels, guests, artists, and dealers. It is comparable as another East Coast anime convention, but it primarily serves a different regional market.
• Setsucon: Setsucon is a Pennsylvania anime convention with programming around anime, cosplay, gaming, panels, artists, and vendors. It is comparable as another community-oriented anime convention with a college-linked operating heritage and regional fan base.

Broad incumbents

• Otakon: Otakon is a major East Coast convention focused on Asian pop culture, anime, manga, music, and gaming. It is comparable as a larger incumbent in the anime convention category, though it operates at a broader scale and geography.
• Anime Expo: Anime Expo is one of the largest anime conventions in North America, with major exhibitors, guests, concerts, panels, cosplay, and fan programming. It is comparable as the scaled benchmark for anime convention operations and monetization, although much larger than Castle Point.

Direct peers

• Anime NYC: Anime NYC is a large New York City anime convention with guests, exhibitors, cosplay, panels, and fan programming. It is comparable as a nearby anime-focused convention competing for overlapping NY/NJ attendees, vendors, guests, and sponsors.
• AnimeNEXT: AnimeNEXT is a New Jersey anime convention serving fans through panels, guests, cosplay, gaming, and vendor programming. It is highly comparable because it addresses the same regional anime convention audience and event format as Castle Point Anime Convention.
• DerpyCon: DerpyCon is a New Jersey fan convention covering anime, gaming, sci-fi, cosplay, and pop culture programming. It is comparable as a nearby multi-fandom convention with overlapping attendee, vendor, and programming categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/castlepointcon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CastlePointAnimeConvention
• Facebookfacebook.com/castlepointanime
• Instagraminstagram.com/castlepointanime
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/castle-point-anime-convention

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Castle Point Anime Convention