SUGAR LAND, Texas – Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, The Anime Bar in Sugar Land. will have something for everyone to enjoy and keep coming back.
Opened in August 2022 as the brainchild of Anime Matsuri, the largest convention in Texas and second largest in the U.S. KPRC 2 digital producer Ahmed Humble first touched on Anime Matsuri and Anime Bar for a report naming Texas the best state for anime conventions and cosplay enthusiasts.
“The anime and cosplay community has done astonishing here in Texas, and it is more than an honor to be part of this growing scene,” Deneice Leigh, founder/chairman of Anime Matsuri and owner of The Anime Bar said. “Hosting the largest anime convention in the South and among the largest in North America, we’ve seen this community flourish before our eyes.”
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“The Anime Bar is another place for fans to meet up, cosplay, watch anime, and enjoy what they love about our scene throughout the year,” Leigh added. “Texas is thriving as a cosplay and anime destination for enthusiasts nationwide. It’s exciting and wonderful!”
Joey G, who works as a bartender at The Anime Bar and is a well-known cosplayer, admitted to how welcoming the community is and said she feels right at home each time she goes to work.
“It’s amazing how diverse, inclusive, and supportive it is. Especially given the opportunity to work at The Anime Bar!” she said. “I’m totally in my element here.”
After hearing from them and their more than 12,000 followers on Instagram, I was more than excited to check out The Anime Bar to see what all the buzz is about. I went on a Sunday during Karaoke Night, which is one of many popular events the bar hosts.
SEE ALSO: Texas tops best U.S. state for anime conventions, cosplay enthusiasts
Despite it being a Sunday, it was a pretty packed crowd but when you walk into The Anime Bar, you’re welcomed by dazzling lights and incredible artwork from popular anime shows that I grew up watching like Dragon Ball Z. After that show is where my knowledge of anime disappears, but to see how welcoming everyone was, I felt so comfortable there that I almost forgot I was on an assignment.
That type of fun and inclusivity is exactly the theme The Anime Bar’s general manager, James Hammond is striving for.
“This is a place you escape reality and get away from all the problems of the world,” he explained. “People of all backgrounds cosplay, play games, sing, and drink together.”
Being the skeptic that I naturally am, I tried looking for a flaw but only found mouthwatering food, creative cocktails that tasted as good as they looked, as well as hypnotic events like karaoke battles, watch parties, and a space where people can play video games on a giant screen.
Not to mention, anyone who enjoys the nightlife knows parking is usually a problem, but not for The Anime Bar, which boasts a large parking lot at no cost! So if Sugar Land is a bit of a drive for you like it is for me, it’s totally worth it.
“When you go to Anime Matsuri you see people from all walks of life having a good time and interacting with each other,” Hammond explained. “We wanted to recreate that same atmosphere. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in love with Anime since the 80s, you’ve only watched a few episodes or you’ve never seen it before, this place was designed for everyone to have a good time. The events are designed to mesh both worlds together.”
I certainly walked away with the feeling that The Anime Bar is a unique place that manages to see its vision realized. And if that’s not a call for cheers, I’m not sure what is.
“This is the only place, in Houston where you can walk in and see everyone in the building dancing, singing, and interacting with each other, no matter their background,” Hammond concluded.