Justin Choi
Fri, July 3, 2026 at 11:29 PM UTC
2 min read
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- Anime Expo in Los Angeles was disrupted by a heavy police presence during an unofficial late-night gathering of cosplayers playing riichi mahjong outside the convention center.
- The LAPD responded to the growing crowd outside the convention center, with attendees gathering for an impromptu game of riichi mahjong, a Japanese tile game popularized in anime.
- Despite the police presence, Anime Expo continued with thousands of fans participating in cosplay gatherings showcasing detailed costumes of characters from popular anime shows, with single-day adult tickets priced at $109.75.
Anime Expo descended into chaos early Friday when a swarm of police officers converged on an unofficial late-night gathering of cosplayers outside the Los Angeles Convention Center
The massive four-day Anime Expo celebration of Japanese pop culture kicked off Thursday, drawing thousands of fans to downtown Los Angeles
After the first night of festivities, attendees gathered outside the hub for an impromptu game of riichi mahjong — a Japanese variation of the classic tile game made famous in anime such as “Saki.”
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But the growing crowd quickly attracted an equally sizable response from the Los Angeles Police Department, whose van was spotted near the scene as officers moved in
Despite the heavy law enforcement presence, the LAPD told The California Post that officers were simply following standard protocol because of the event’s massive crowds
“Never mind they observed, reported and left. THEY BROUGHT A PADDY WAGON. THEY WERE READY TO LOAD US UP,” an X user posted online
Riichi mahjong, often referred to as “Midnight Mahjong,” is played by fans nightly during the first three days of the anime event
“There’s apparently a ‘secret’ mahjong event (they made flyers for it lol) that is going to take place outside near the con like on the closed off street for the con during the after hours,” a Reddit user noted in a thread last year
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“I know last year they were doing midnight along Chick Hearn outside of the Peacock Theater, and there was someone teaching people how to play mahjong in the JW, near the Crunchyroll lounge,” another user said
During Anime Expo, thousands of fans come to partake in cosplay gatherings to show off their detailed costumes of their favorite anime characters
Cosplayers usually dress up in characters from popular shows like “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Demon Slayer,” and eventgoers can even host their own themed cosplay meetup
Single-day adult tickets for Saturday were priced at $109.75, while children’s admissions were valued at $42.75
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