Normally on a July 4th weekend we'd be down in Los Angeles with 100,000 other fans for none other than Anime Expo. COVID19 has put a wrench in convention plans for the year but that doesn't mean absolutely nothing will be going on. Anime Expo, Funimation, Aniplex, and a Canadian named Kurotsuki have taken it upon themselves to hold events online. We'll be focusing on the SPJA's "Anime Expo Lite," being held on July 3-4, for this article.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been trying for a lot of industries, anime included. Japan is currently in the midst of a rising number of confirmed cases and their animation industry has been heavily affected as well with numerous projects both serial and theatrical being put on the backburner. The music and event industry has not gone untouched as well. Concert performances and conventions have been cancelled worldwide in an effort to stave off super spreader events.

This doesn't mean that everything has to stop, though. Thanks to the internet, content can be streamed straight to would-be attendee homes.

CharaExpo 2019 takes place in a little more than a month and and Bushiroad has been kicking up a storm with their announcements. CharaExpo is Bushiroad's spotlight convention for a variety of their franchises like BanG Dream, Cardfight Vanguard, Revue Starlight, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. The event takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center on December 7-8.

Tickets are $30 for the whole weekend and $17 per day single. At the door prices raise to $20 each. One of the reasons Bushiroad is able to bring as many top-name talents is because they are the source company for many of these series and franchises. The value for the price is on an unheard of basis nowadays so if you're interested in any of Bushiroad's many series you should make an effort to attend.

Find out what Idea Factory has been up to at Anime Expo 2019 as David gives us a quick rundown on what they showcased including the upcoming Azur Lane: Crosswave.