Anime Night

We are officially one month away from our favorite cities on Earth 🚨🤘🏻

When we made our first debut in Upstate NY in February of 2024 we never expected this region of cities to become a place that feels like home for Anime Night, but because of all of you — it did.

This is something brand new for us, not only as a new theme, but a whole new concept as “Anime Night Presents:” with these two being the FIRST “Anisong vs VGM” dates ever booked. There was no better place to launch this idea but here in Rochester and Syracuse.

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What is ANISONG VS VGM?

Inspired by the legendary crossover games that defined a generation, ANISONG VS VGM brings anime and video game music together for one unforgettable night.

Featuring live performances from Shadow Realm | The Anime Band and Super Thrash Bros., plus a cosplay exhibition with Anime & Video Game champions, artists, vendors, photo ops, and interactive fan experiences—all celebrating the music that defined a generation.

No sides. No rivalry. Just two worlds colliding for one incredible night.

📍8.06 | Photo City Music Hall | Rochester, NY
📍8.07 | Middle Ages Brewing Company | Syracuse, NY
🎟️ Tickets on sale now at the link in bio.

There’s not a city in this world that we can think of as a better place to lay the OG Anime Night format to rest.

The heart that the Hampton Roads area has is unmatched, and with now two visits to Norfolk and one to VA Beach under our belt, we can say confidently THIS is the best place to see amazing cosplay on the East Coast

Your love for anime, for music, and for the art of it all is unmatched, and every time we return you show us a time we surely won’t forget.

We also want to thank Josh Coplon of LAVA Presents for taking a chance on our event so early on, and continuously bringing it back through the area. The Annex is an amazing venue and it felt like home coming back to it.

ICYMI - the next and FINAL Shadow Realm | The Anime Band in the area will be at this year’s NekoCon this November 6th-8th. We’ll be there all weekend and we can’t wait to see so many friends and see why Neko Con is Virginia’s longest running anime con!

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🎨: Meg Wills
📸: Abigail McNatt Photography

Baltimore, we’re excited to introduce another incredible cosplay guest joining us this Friday!

Please welcome reagan to Anime Night as one of our featured guests cosplaying as Agnes Tachyon from Uma Musume!

Cosplaying since 2015, Reagan specializes in wig styling and sewing, combining technical craftsmanship with a passion for bringing anime characters to life. Their dedication to the art has earned them “Best Novice at MiryokuCon 2025” along with multiple Judges’ Choice Awards for dance covers, showcasing talent both on and off the stage.

When reviewing applications for Baltimore, their work immediately stood out to our team and quickly became one of our favorites. With a love for series like Madoka Magica, Love Live, and Kill la Kill, they embody the creativity and artistic expression that make the cosplay community so special, and we’re thrilled to have them join us this Friday.

Planning to cosplay at Anime Night? Let us know who you’re coming as in the comments below and be sure to register for our cosplay exhibition at the link in our bio 👇🏻

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Anime Night is a full-scale anime experience—centered around a live performance by Shadow Realm | The Anime Band, a curated cosplay exhibition, and a vendor & artist market built for the community.

📍 Zen West
🎟️ Tickets on sale at the link in bio