8Bit/Digi

The Fan Expo SF 2025 Weekend at a Glance

After a day of festivities with the family, the fandom community of the Bay Area came together for a weekend at Fan Expo San Francisco 2025. Be it wanting to meet your favorite stars or enjoy one of the last major conventions of the year, this was one of the highlights of the Thanksgiving Weekend.

Fan Expo San Francisco 2025 was an event that brought together pop-culture icons, acclaimed performers, along with famed comic book artists and writers. Hosted at the Moscone West, fans from all over the Bay Area gathered for an eventful weekend. 

Dealer’s Hall and Artists Alley 

The dealer’s hall is where guests can find vendors like their local comic book shop or sellers of collectible merchandise. The artist’s alley is where one can meet comic book artists and creators, along with independent artists and self-published creators. Even if you have no shopping agenda, it’s still fun to look through all the cool stuff and meet the many artists and vendors.

Nekomimi Punks were back at their usual spot to sell artwork that will only appeal to cultured fans. A staple of the Bay Area anime scene, they are known for their mature take on iconic video game and anime characters. Visitors could buy large and medium sized prints along with wall scrolls and more.

Teddy Bear Club: AA for Hitmen is a comic series that follows a group of former assassins seeking peace after a career in violence. Fans and guests could meet the writer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, while learning more about the series. Copies of the book were available for purchase at his table.

Sour Cherry Comics is a San Francisco based LGBTQ+ run comic book store. They are known for selling unique comics / graphic novels and providing a creative space for comic writers and artists of different backgrounds. During the weekend, they were selling a variety of comics while also bringing awareness to the work they do for the community.

Dope Cat Comics is a comic series that is created and independently published by Mike Boheem. It’s about a cat that smokes dope and experiences mind-blowing adventures. Fans of this cult series could meet its creator, pick up some issues, or buy some merch.

Community Zone

The dealer’s hall was not just a place for merchants and companies to promote their work but also a gathering of local fandom communities. The Community Zone was home to a number of local fan groups. These are communities dedicated to bringing fans together or uniting the fandom for a noble cause.  

Among the Star Wars fan clubs present were the Wolves of Mandalore and the Golden Gate Garrison. Golden Gate Garrison is the Bay Area branch of the 501st Legion, dedicated to accurately recreating the uniforms and armor of the Galactic Empire along with the First Order and the Clone Troopers. Wolves of Mandalore is the Central California branch of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club, dedicated to helping fans create their own custom Mandalorian cosplay, complete with a unique artistic style and the background of their character.

San Francisco’s Japantown is one of America’s oldest Japanese communities, with the Japan Center Mall hosting a variety of vibrant cultural events throughout the year. Community leaders and partners were present to promote several upcoming events, such as Godzilla’s Seven Decades.

Bay Area Kei is an organization dedicated to educating the community about J-Fashion and organizing events centered on the culture. They are known for hosting online programs and coordinating pop-up shops and social mixers that connect enthusiasts. During Fan Expo, they were working to bring better awareness of their work and to reach out to other J-Fashion enthusiasts. Their next event, Ursa Major: Cosmic Carnival, will take place at Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco’s Japantown from December 12th to 14th.

Panels at Fan Expo SF 2025

Fan Expo is not just about meeting new friends or exploring the dealer’s hall and artist alley; it’s also a chance to gain some insight. The event organized a series of panels that discussed a variety of topics. They would feature major stars, industry insiders, or community organizers. 

These are some of the panels that fans got to check out during the weekend:

Resident Evil: Two Heroes, One Mission: Nicole Thompkins and Nick Apostolides presented an inside look into the iconic horror game with two of its major stars. Nicole Thompkins (the voice of Jill Valentine) and Nick Apostolides (the voice of Leon S. Kennedy) share some behind-the-scenes stories about bringing their characters to life and what it’s like to work on the iconic horror series.

Grand Theft Auto, Here We Go Again! Q&A with Ned Luke, Young Maylay, Shawn Fonteno, and Steven Ogg was a reunion of the stars who made Grand Theft Auto an iconic series. Young Maylay from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was joined by Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno, and Steven Ogg from Grand Theft Auto V. They each shared stories about working on the game and their post-GTA careers before taking questions from the audience.

The Foundation for the Eradication of Gen 5 Pokémon has long been a staple of the Bay Area fandom community, making their presence at Fan Expo essential. Over the weekend, they showcased two of their classic panels. Dubs vs. Subs returned for the first time since 2019 and offered a spirited argument for why dubbed anime is better. Sonic: An Unfortunate History explored the legacy of SEGA’s iconic mascot with some hard to accept facts.

Things to Do at Fan Expo SF

The weekend was not just about panels and shopping but also about having fun with friends. From tabletop games to cosplay gatherings and more, there was no shortage of activities. Here are some of the activities one could stumble upon:

Special Guests allow fans to meet their favorite performers or industry insiders at either a panel or autograph session. Among the guests were Young Maylay, the cast of Grand Theft Auto V, voice actor Richard Horvitz, Justin Briner from My Hero Academia, and Gillian Anderson from The X-Files just to name a few.

While not organized by Fan Expo, there were random moments in which guests would gather for a game of Pokémon Go. With several gyms around the convention center, there were moments when guests would gather to participate in raids. Others would take a break and catch any Pokémon within their area. 

Fan Expo organized several Cosplay Meetups during the weekend based on the most popular franchises. Those wanting to participate could meet at one of the designated spots for a photo shoot while networking with other fans.

See You In 2026

Fan Expo San Francisco has confirmed that they will return in 2026. The next event will take place from November 27th to November 29th. No information about the event is available and tickets will go on sale in the future.

Did you get a chance to check out Fan Expo SF 2025? If so then share your story in the comment section below.

Disclaimer: Fan Expo provided me with a pass for the weekend.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.