This time of year has a kind of fleeting beauty to it. The warm days are starting to get shorter, yet the heat is still present. As the days go by we know that Autumn is coming and we want to make the most of the last days of Summer. This was the mindset I had when attending the Anime and Gaming Convention London August 2025. The event was again held in the Novotel, Hammersmith. The spaces of the hotel were occupied with stalls selling all manner of themed merchandise. Every anime you can think of was represented, together with a strong dose of Pokemon and other Nintendo related franchises.
Swords, BB guns, and Pokemon
The convention had many cosplayers, most dressed as obscure anime characters. There were also the popular series represented. Characters like Toad, Princess Peach, Luffy, Goku, and more were on show. Like previous Anime and Gaming Conventions, many stalls were selling plastic swords and BB air guns. This was slightly surprising. I think that the swords were understandable as some anime and gaming character use them. Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 comes to mind. Or the various Fire Emblem characters that use swords.
However, it was just the sheer number of stalls selling swords that was surprising. Furthermore, selling BB guns at an anime-focused event seems out of place. This isn’t a paintballing exhibition. It’s a convention where nerdy kids go to chat and have fun with other nerdy kids. The space isn’t a BB combat arena. Regardless it was a small thing that I noticed. Maybe next time it would be better if there were less guns and swords.
Duncan Gutteridge – Games and Art
Personally, the highlight of the event was meeting Duncan Gutteridge. This artist had drawn the cover art for both the European versions of Sonic 3 on the Sega Mega Drive, and the box art for the European version of Sonic Triple Trouble for the Sega Game Gear. While Mr. Gutteridge hadn’t been involved in the in-game art, he was a key member of the European team that localized some Sonic games that were released in PAL territories. He was keen to speak of his experiences with Sega and was showing off various pieces of his Sonic art when we met him.
I felt lucky to have been able to meet him for free! He was in a cornered-off area of the convention, and it wasn’t a paid meet and greet scenario as is often the case. He seemed like a nice chap and was keen to discuss his art. Sonic Triple Trouble is arguably the best Sonic game on the Game Gear, and I think it is cool that he was so key to the marketing of such a niche, yet well-loved Sonic title.
Last Convention of the Summer
Getting to the Novotel at 4 PM meant that many of the talks and activities had ended. Stalls were still set up, with artists selling their mainly homemade wares. There were also a few people wandering around in cosplay, but generally, things were winding down. Me and my usually punctual friend had been working over the weekend, and a surprise shift meant we arrived at the convention at the last minute. Pokรฉmon still had a huge presence in the form of trading card stalls. The video games themselves were not to be found, as the consoles had been packed away.
However, for those who wanted to continue, parties were being arranged. I’m sure that if we had been involved in the event as volunteers, we’d know more about the post-convention events. However, as two weary thirty-something year olds, we had no invitation. Not only were we at the convention late, but this is also technically the last convention of the summer, since at the time of writing, it’s September 1, and the start of Autumn. Nevertheless, my friend and I had a pint of lager at the convention bar and reminisced about more eventful times. The convention and the summer was over for another year.
Conclusion
Overall, the Anime and Gaming Convention London August 2025 was a great convention, full of color and cosplay, where those interested or passionate about anime and gaming could meet with like-minded people and have a good time. If you had money to spend, you’d probably have a better time. The stalls were filled with a wide variety of memorabilia.
Although I arrived late, meeting Duncan Gutteridge was the highlight of my day. Mr. Gutteridge drew the artwork on the Sonic 3 and Sonic Triple Trouble European box art. He worked for Sega of Europe and getting the chance to chat with him was a special moment. He may not be Yuji Naka (the creator of the Sonic series), but his insights are still interesting and valuable. The Summer is over now, but a special Autumn could be on the way.
