San Diego Comic-Con opened on Thursday with fewer big-name celebrity panels, but fans arrived in full costume and high spirits.
Richard Cao, 38, from San Diego, said he prepared for months to attend, losing 30 pounds to dress as bare-chested Inosuke Hashibira from the anime series 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.'
"I lost about 30 pounds over six months, that's just the physical, I guess, investment I made," Cao said.
This year’s event at the San Diego Convention Center lacks the usual Hall H A-list panels from Marvel and DC Studios, but highlights include 'Star Wars' creator George Lucas making his Comic-Con debut, Disney’s 'Tron: Ares' and 'Predator: Badlands' panels, and a discussion for 'Project Hail Mary,' starring Ryan Gosling.
The world premiere of the 'King of the Hill' revival will also feature co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels.
For the first time, Comic-Con will host a two-day music festival, Crunchyroll Anime FanFest, organized by Sony-owned anime streaming service Crunchyroll. The festival will feature anime music, including 'The One Piece 25th Anniversary Symphony Voyage.'
Crunchyroll has more than 13 million subscribers globally.
Despite rising travel and hotel costs, fans say the experience is worth it.
"It's totally worth it," said Sophia Blanco, 39, from New York City, who spent "a couple of thousands" on her trip.
"You go on vacation, you do anything, you're spending money. So, just spend money on what you enjoy, no matter what you do," she added.
The event runs from the 24 to the 27 July.
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Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks by the Iran-aligned group deepen regional tensions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit overnight.
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Ed Sheeran has broken his silence over Macklemore’s removal from his U.S. tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks, saying the decision was made by promoters and venues rather than him.
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