We had the privilege of covering Anime Expo once again this year. T.R. Racki, who has graciously volunteered to cover Anime Expo for us on an annual basis, took a different route this year, joining with our friends at Jesus Otaku on their annual missions trip to the con.
Anime Expo 2024 marked the tenth anniversary of Jesus Otaku’s mission of letting congoers know that “You Are Loved Just As You Are.” Ever looking for new stories as part of the Anime Expo experience, I had a chance to attend a series of seminars leading up to their big event, received a sit-in at their booth during the four-day convention, and finally went to the big all-hands meeting well afterward.
Launched in 2014 during a brainstorming season in Japan, the group is currently led by Cecilia and headquartered in Southern California, with several chapters spread throughout the U.S. As part of a recognized 501(c)(3) organization, it operates entirely on volunteers who combine to give thousands of hours and the financial support of many gracious donors. Its mission is to provide outreach to an underserved community that has been hurt—and often ignored—by the church.
Given the current divisive nature of religion in the United States, demographical data can be difficult to collect. Fortunately, the International Anime Research Project offers one of the most comprehensive reports on the anime fandom. Their census-of-sorts lines up with general trends that the Pew Research Center has been reporting on annually. Religion is declining in the US and so is life satisfaction:
A compass without a north will spin incessantly. For those who believe humans are divinely created by a supremely loving God, and require a personal relationship with Him to find completion, the challenges of this life make a lot more sense. However, for the 50%+ of the anime fandom that subscribes to atheism or agnosticism, life can be much more difficult. For a traditional, often deeply conservative church that struggles with the complex issues of sexuality and modern culture, outreach to the anime fandom can seem quite foreign. Jesus Otaku is a frontline steward in bridging this gap and Anime Expo is their mission field.
For those unaware, Anime Expo is North America’s largest annual anime convention and third largest pop culture convention, with an attendance in the neighborhood of 130,000. AX2024 was no different, boasting one of the highest attendances on record. This year, the organizers implemented a number of positive changes that greatly improved the overall experience, which in previous years struggled with situations of massive overcrowding. One change they did not make, however, was the exclusion of Jesus Otaku, despite the actions of “Christian” protestors outside the event verbally harassing attendees. This choice stands in contrast to some anime conventions moving to exclude religious organizations, something I experienced for the first time earlier this year. Consequently, when attending Anime Expo as a member of the press, it was with the realization—and gratitude—that they willingly approved both the faith-based Beneath the Tangles and Jesus Otaku organization to be a part of their event.
I interviewed the Jesus Otaku missionaries concerning their experiences at AX2024 and what it meant for them. Here’s how that conversation went:
Brooke: Being my first year running the space, I was nervous about a lot of stuff, including leading the event from across the country. God let everything run so smoothly. For example, we arrived each morning with plenty of time before the Exhibit Hall opened, whereas in previous years there were always a lot of delays. Every day we weren’t super rushing around. We had time to pray. It just seemed like God gave us a lot of margin that we haven’t had in previous years, which is really awesome and wonderful and something that I was kind of worried about beforehand. When our post-con survival guide handout ran out, we were able to get more on short notice. Parking can be a real challenge, but we were able to score some really awesome parking spots and didn’t have to walk super far. God’s provision showed through in big ways and little ways.
Kathy: On the last day this older gentleman came to the booth. He asked what we were doing there, then shared he became a believer later on in life, but his son had turned to agnosticism because they weren’t sure if God was real. I got to chat with him and share that it’s kind of hard to leave a family member’s salvation in God’s hands when we know, we can’t change them. My own dad isn’t a believer. I shared with him about my father and how we need to give grace to others and be patient, praying for each other, waiting and seeing what God is doing. It’s a daily journey to leave this up to God. We were able to pray for each other at the booth. The gentleman took some of our handouts to help share with his son to bring him back to the faith.
Brooke: While sitting with Paul, an attendee from the day before approached the booth and bee lined it right for him. The conversation started strongly, with them asking if Paul was familiar with scripture, what his favorite verse was, and his opinion on what his thoughts and beliefs were. The attendee said he had a friend who was a professed Christian but was practicing an LGTBQ lifestyle, and they were conflicted by it. Paul’s eyes got really, really big. I could tell he was freaking out internally. It just so happened that I have a friend who’s exactly that situation so I was able to step in and continue the conversation, and give that provision to Paul. AX was an experience of leaning into trust.
Paul: At the start, I was not sure how the team’s roles would play out, however, God had everybody where they needed to be. On point from Brooke taking the reins talking to the one gay friend, to Gwen with your interaction with a Black Clover cosplayer, to how Calvin was talking with some of the attendees, and Galen interacting with the other attendees in person as Pegasus (Yu-Gi-Oh!). That was such a big moment and there are many more stories like that where people ended up where they needed to be.
TR: Throughout AX there was a “Hell & Damnation” protestor posted outside the convention grounds who shouted down all the attendees with various degrading statements on their way inside. Some of these derogatory statements were relayed at the JO booth. A pair of young women commented that it was nice that “not all you guys are bad” when interacting with the space.
Galen: So my interesting story is experiencing the strengths of the body [of Christ] through ways that we didn’t expect. I got to see this guy called Tim there. He was cosplaying and is part of some other Christian organizations that do convention stuff. I thought we were the only ones doing that kind of outreach, aside from the people outside with signs.
I actually got to meet him at [San Diego] Comic Con because I do a service there as a panel on Sundays. It was really cool just getting connected and realizing that we’re not the only people who are out there. Tim shared with me some of his group’s old [outreach] stuff. They knew who we were from two years ago. I didn’t realize there’s actually a whole bunch of people who see [anime outreach] the way that we do and want to further God’s Kingdom in that sort of way. That was really uplifting for me.
Brooke: Yeah, that’s awesome. I spoke to a guy that used to live in California. He was telling me that he just went to a convention in Tennessee. There was a young lady who was basically running a panel and doing what we do, just having open conversation about things. The panel was to kind of guide the conversation a little bit but it was very open. So I was like, “My gosh, she was just doing a booth in panel form,” and he was like, “I know.” So there are people all over the place which is so cool.
TR: Galen, AKA Pegasus, was a huge draw at the JO booth, interacting with attendees in character, using mannerisms and a tone of voice that caused multiple requests of, “Yugi-boy” while attendees posed for pictures. A number of attendees would also challenge Pegasus to a card duel, and the two would battle it out right there, often both sides using flamboyant monologue like a scene ripped right from the anime series. “I summon <card title> to do <action> against all your creatures!” Attendees would stop in their tracks in the isle, shout “Pegasus!” and rush over, creating a crowd — and a waiting duel queue — around the battle.
Gwen: Galen, I am impressed by your maturity because when it comes to cosplay, especially if your cosplay is a really big hit, it’s really easy to get swept up in popularity. It’s just really easy for it to become more about “What is my Cosplay? Is it working?” and it can really feed your ego. I’m just so struck by how you remained focused the entire time on the attendees. But I also knew you were having fun because you knew that you were sharing your joy with other people and that lifts them up. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate you because that [trait] is not a given. That’s something that God develops.
Galen: I got it because of my old pastor, who taught that if I was going to perform on stage, I had to make it about God. That really stuck with me. I just kind of carried that on to especially performance art.
Gwen: On the last day there was a Black Clover cosplayer who seemed agitated. He came to the booth and said he wanted to check if we were sharing the whole gospel. I explained to him that many in attendance have been hurt by the church and we have to start with where people are at—that Jesus loves them as they are. You have to share this part first before sharing more.
It turned out that the Black Clover cosplayer used to be involved at his church but has since left. He said he decided to live a sinful lifestyle.
I was able to say, I relate to that because I’ve been stuck in sinful cycles before but am always struck by how God’s grace is so much deeper. More than we can imagine. Even when we’re not faithful to Him, even when we choose to engage in sin, God is not far away at all. God is willing to be patient and still walk alongside us. There’s God’s grace. Israel fell from God many times but God remained faithful. Specifically, God told the Israelites that he would take their heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).
I explained that God understands where you are at right now. We’re only engaging in sin because we’re trying to fill a God-shaped hole in our hearts. Sin only solves the missing piece temporarily. The Black Clover cosplayer agreed, and he seemed like a person just on the edge of a change. I explained that God is willing to work with you where you are. You don’t have to be God’s enemy. Jesus works in the gray areas. By the end of our conversation, the cosplayer was at peace.
Paul: One lesson I took from AX is that even the smallest amount of work matters. I’m not very good at interacting socially. But I still made an effort to try and get the small stuff done, like if someone needed supplies or whatever, little things to make everybody’s jobs easier. This allowed the rest of the team to take their places where they needed to be, so that way when the interaction happened, they didn’t have to worry about multitasking. Instead, they could focus on one-on-one engagement to reach a deeper level. It gave a deeper meaning to the whole verse of always being ready in season (2 Timothy 4:2). I’m not sure what everybody’s denominations were, but that didn’t matter. The main mission was to share the love of Jesus with the community. Everyone should work together on that mission and not let the small stuff divide us. That’s probably one of the biggest blessings I took away from all this. I didn’t even know if everyone in the group actively went to church, but with everyone working together, that didn’t matter.
TR: On Days 1 and 2 of the convention, Calvin ran a storyboard exhibit, engaging with attendees who came by to check out the art.
Calvin: Most of my conversations were quite long, 15 to 20 minutes. One individual really opened up to me and shared her personal story regarding drawing. It was her dream to draw and be an artist, but couldn’t because of physical injury at a young age. As she was sharing, I asked the Holy Spirit for courage and the right words of encouragement. After she finished, I asked if I could pray for her healing and if she was open to it. The look on her face and in her eyes was of acceptance. I prayed for her. For her to find peace. For healing of her hand and wrist. She was moved to tears. I thanked her for sharing her story and told her to feel free to come back later to hang out with the Jesus Otaku team.
Gwen: Calvin I have to tell you, that when I heard of your concept of the storyboard, I didn’t get it. I was like, “How do you connect with people in this way?” Then I got to see you in action. I was so floored. Everything was done with such thought. How it slowly revealed itself. How so much thought was put behind it. It was so polished. It worked so well. I would have never thought about putting something like that at the JO booth. Oftentimes attendees would say, “You’re at AX, where’s your comic or story? Show us.” Calvin, you really spoke to that question. You positioned the storyboard so people could have a one-on-one conversation with you, even the shy, quieter individuals. Some were so nervous that they chose to face away from the aisle. People could walk up, and not be seen, and feel safe. You lost your voice from so much talking. Thank you for bringing your creativity into your thoughtfulness. Not every creative idea is a good one, but it all lined up. And it was amazing to see it in action.
Calvin: God gets all the glory for what happened. Having a meaningful experience with one person, ministering to even just one person, is success. God continues to surprise each of us in different ways. God has really had me reflect on the deep love The Father has for His children. Feeling compassion for others. Understanding God as our father, how he sees us as His children, His sons and daughters. Feeling peace that we can’t earn God’s love, or salvation. It’s a gift. God wants to speak more to the anime community.
Gwen: A theme that stuck out to me for this year was how many different organizations participated, like the Christian Comic Arts Society and Beneath the Tangles. All the branches of Christ come together for a centralized effort. It felt like everyone was brought together with purpose and we were able to go a lot further than ever before. It was really great to see everyone in sync like that. We’re not alone in this. It was great to see so many local believers come to the booth, inquiring on how to increase local LA outreach efforts. Let’s come in together and help one another. We’re really not alone in this. Let’s see more partnerships come together.
Brooke: I was struck by how everyone was like family, the peace, even when meeting everyone on the team for the first time. The maturity of everybody on the team. You grab a ton of young adults who may or may not know each other from all across the country. You throw them in a house where they really only have a bathroom and a half. Everybody’s just okay with it. And I’m like, “‘That doesn’t happen very often.” The only explanation for it is the Holy Spirit. My mother loved assisting the team, and running the home base. When everybody asks my mom, “How was the mission trip?”, her response is, “I loved it.” Even with only three hours of sleep each night. That doesn’t even cross her mind. She’s just like, “I loved it.”
I’ve definitely fallen in love with everybody in California. I would always tell her after I come back [from a previous AX] that, “I don’t know how to explain it. They’re like family and I’m not anxious around them. It’s just like I fit right in. I’m at peace.” Even for the first time meeting you guys, it was like it always was supposed to be and really, I think, the only explanation is just the Holy Spirit.
Cecilia: I am just really proud of everyone. I was thinking about how it’s been 10 years since JO first had a booth at AX. It’s really amazing that there are people who have brief interactions with us every year and come and seek us out to make that connection with us. “What are you doing this year? What do you have this year? What are you passing out?” It’s funny because when we first started, we realized it’s not gonna be deep ministry, just watering seeds. But over the years it has kind of become that. Because of our consistency in presence.
Gwen: While folding paper cranes, two folks stopped by that I had met at anime conventions, whether it’s Crunchyroll Expo or a previous Anime Expo. I was surprised to see them, having not spoken to them in over a year. They said they wanted to make sure to come by and stay to talk. We had a long conversation. I was really struck by that. So much time has passed. But they haven’t forgotten. It’s kind of like watering seeds. But only just a little bit of water at a time. You think, “It’s just a little bit, what will it do.” It just reminds me how God is still working.
Brooke: That’s cool. Yeah, origami was fun. That was a great conversation and a good way to spend time with people very intentionally.
Gwen: Those chairs! People love sitting down. Tremendously. (AX has few sitting opportunities, leaving people on their feet for hours.)
Brooke: Yeah, somebody asked me about the trip, and the chairs were definitely mentioned. I explained we do activities where attendees can sit down. People don’t realize that there are signs everywhere that say, “Don’t Sit” as the fire marshal will get mad at you.
Gwen: Yeah. Yeah.
Shira: Wherever I am at the booth feel like I am a support person. What’s what I am there for. Getting people to come to the booth. Reminding attendees to make their wish on the wishing wall, making sure they grab the handouts and stickers. I always feel like I don’t necessarily get to have deep long conversations with people but, instead, get to help facilitate better conversations for others. This year we had such an amazing team and everything just went so smoothly. Everything just seemed to go together. Like what Brooke was saying, how just everything really worked out. Which was so nice. There were just a lot of things where we were smoother than in previous years, like with the chairs and attendees being able to sit down.
TR: Someone was having a hard time putting their wish on the wishing wall. And so I’m like, “Here, let me help you.” I was trying to respect the privacy of the wishing wall and not look at the wishes. But as I was trying to help the person tie their wish to the wall, one of the wishes slipped out right in front of me and my eyes couldn’t help but read it. It said, ‘I wish for self-worth.’ That just really touched me, that people at the convention, that’s what they’re really looking for. And hopefully, we could help them feel like, “You have value to God,” and, “You have value to others,” by our being there. Hopefully, something we did there helped redirect their lives.
Shira: Before AX this year I was at a church conference with a lot of Japanese churches in attendance. I got to tell them I was doing AX. Their response was “Wait. That’s a thing? They’re just a bunch of people who love anime and love Jesus? Could we do that? That’s amazing, didn’t know we could do that!” I’ve actually had a lot of parents who’ve come up to me, asking about, “My kids are super into anime-” and all those questions that I’m sure all of you guys are familiar with and I think they are seeing there’s ministry opportunities in this. They’re kind of like, “I always saw it as a hobby not necessarily something that God could use.” I think it kind of gives them something new to think about. To kind of challenge people, to encourage other people to think, “God can use this too.”
Manga and webcomics as an outreach to the anime fandom.
JP: I’m somebody who really struggles with speaking. I’ve always been the action kind of person. Just tell me what to do and then I’ll go do it, right? When you’re a dancer that’s basically what you do. You see something, you listen to what they’re trying to say, then emulate and embody whatever form that they’re teaching. Then you become a replication of that. In a way that resonates whenever we’re following Christ, when we follow Him and emulate Him and share that love. So that’s something that makes sense to live out.
But to speak into it or to communicate it? It is something that over the years I’ve always tended to shy away from because I get a lot of people who tell me, “We don’t understand you.” So it’s just like, okay, then maybe I’ll just stay quiet. But I guess this year was where I’ve definitely started diving more into Scripture, into Hebrew and Greek, trying to get on a deeper level, to be able to be bolder in terms of speaking.
It’s easier for me to gravitate to people who don’t know Christ and to share his love for those who do not know him. But then there are also the people who challenge our theology. I would tend to shy away from those kind of conversations. But over the past year, from diving deeper into Scripture, I’ve been able to talk more about those things. While engaging with an Orthodox Greek over theology, he started to become very receptive to our mission and I was like, ‘Wow, how God works on this level.’ I didn’t realize that I could connect to others this way.
And then when we had that one person come over to the booth that wanted to do the interview. Normally I would just shy away and somebody else do it. But this time I wanted to take a faith step to speak into it. In my mind is it gonna be a ‘gotcha’ person, just there to get a reaction, get the views. But this interview was a conversation about, “Hey how did your ministry come into being?” And I was able to share how it started with a meeting season in Japan, finding the joy of what God had done in that small moment, to be where we are right now ten years later, that this is something God has shepherded all along.
Brooke: Yeah, God made sure you got that interview in because they’re announcing that the Exhibit Hall is closing during the interview and I was like, ‘All right, are we going to get kicked out?’ The staff was saying, “They’re still here.” But we weren’t.
JP: I have yet to see the interview. I hope God looks at it and is happy with it and that the video impacts others.
Brooke: Would anybody like to pray us out?
JP: Yeah, I can do it.
Brooke: Awesome. Thank you.
JP: Thank you that we get to come together to have this discourse of our events at Anime Expo. I thank you God for the many gifts and talents you’ve brought back together and thank you for the willingness and the providence that you poured in. And I thank you for bringing people in who are curious and want to feel your love God. I pray that the connections that we make will be fruitful and point more people ever toward you. God, we ask these in your name. Amen.
We encourage you to check out what Jesus Otaku is doing in their mission work and to consider supporting them. Thank you, again, to T.R. for covering Anime Expo for us, and for the convention for allowing us to cover the event once again!
