New York Comic Con organizer Reed Exhibitions (see 'NYCC -- They All Got In') has announced that it will host the New York Anime Festival December 7th through 9th at the Jacob Javits Center.  The December dates will allow out of town attendees to see New York at the height of the holiday season.

Like New York Comic Con, the show will have both a trade and consumer focus.  Video, book, and comic retailers; librarians; and other professionals will attend to do business with each other and with exhibitors.  Consumers will find screenings, cosplay, guests and panels, other ways to experience Japanese culture, and an exhibit floor with the exhibitors and products that anime fans want to see. 

John McGeary, Show Manager for NYAF, explained the inter-play with New York Comic Con.  'We are using our experience at new York Comic Con as our springboard,' he said.  'We will continue to have strong anime programming at NYCC, but at the same time, we want to serve the anime community directly by giving them their own show.'

Announced sponsors for the event include some of the most important companies in anime and manga:  ADV Films, Anime Insider, Anime Network, Anime News Network, AnimeNEXT, Diamond Book Distributors, ICv2, Newtype USA Magazine, Playthings, Tokyopop, and Viz Media.

The last major anime show in Manhattan was Big Apple Anime Fest in 2003.