Along with cosplay contests, meet-and-greets and its masquerade dance, the anime convention hosts open voice acting auditions for Bang Zoom! Studios, whose recent English dubs include “Demon Slayer,” “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure,” “The Seven Deadly Sins.” Bang Zoom! will fly one chosen contestant and their +1 to Burbank, California, to dub an anime.
For its 22nd year, Metrocon (stylized all-caps) also brings special guests Tia Ballard, who has voiced over 300 anime projects, and Emi Lo, known for voicing Lucy in “Cyberpunk” along with many others offering autographs, photos and signed Funko Pops.
The highly competitive cosplay contest is guest judged by cosplay teams Re:Star and Pins-Snip. Categories include craftsmanship, performance showcase and junior showcase.
The masquerade dance on Friday—a separately ticketed event—pays homage to Obon, the Japanese summer festival honoring ancestor spirits.
Tickets start at $40 for Metrocon, happening July 25-27 at the Tampa Convention Center.
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This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2025.