A&E

Anime Event Takes Over Miami Airport Convention Center

Animate! Florida 2017 was a three-day convention that took place at the Miami Airport Convention Center from Oct. 6 through Oct. 8.

The event featured video games, arts and crafts, tabletop board games, strategy puzzles, mazes, around 200 booths and tables with vendors, celebrity guests, artists and art exhibits. This year, the convention had more than 450 hours of events with question and answer sessions, shows, workshops, tournaments and thousands of dollars worth of prizes.

Guests included voice actor Keith Silverstein, actress Maile Flanagan known for her role as Naruto Uzumaki in Naruto, English actress Victoria Atkin known for portraying Jason Costello in the British soap opera Hollyoaks and voice actress Cassandra Lee Morris.

Cosplayers Ramon Diaz and Christy Rivera dressed as The Joker and Harley Quinn.
Power Couple: Ramon Diaz (left) and Christy Rivera (right) share a tender moment as The Joker and Harley Quinn during Animate! Florida 2017.
OMAR NEGRIN / THE REPORTER
Gamers playing retro video games.
Game On: A group of gamers play retro games such as Super Smash Bros. Melee, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Mario Kart: Double Dash on a variety of consoles at Animate 2017.
OMAR NEGRIN / THE REPORTER
Katelyn Santiago dressed as Asada Shino.
On Target: Katelyn Santiago nails her cosplay impression of Asada Shino a character for the Sword Art Online series of light novels by Reki Kawahara.
OMAR NEGRIN / THE REPORTER
Brandon Flynn and Alex Adere with their artwork.
Crazy Collectables: Brandon Flynn (left) and Alex Adere (right) make handmade, metal framed art, getting their inspiration from characters such as Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z, as part of their business, Crazy Collectables. The duo sold the artwork at Animate! Florida 2017.
OMAR NEGRIN / THE REPORTER

Omar Negrin

Omar Antonio Negrin, 28, is studying in the paramedic college credit certificate program at Kendall Campus. Negrin, who graduated from G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School in 2015, will serve as a photographer for The Reporter during the 2024-25 school year. He previously served as a photographer for the paper from 2016-18 and is currently an emergency medical technician/firefighter with American Medical Response.

Omar Negrin has 2 posts and counting. See all posts by Omar Negrin