The Ghibli exhibition is a must-visit; the manuscripts and behind-the-scenes stories are truly invaluable.
First, I'd recommend Violet Evergarden. Next, A Silent Voice is also quite tear-jerking. Objectively, both have top-notch plots and soundtracks.
Older works are truly priceless... the new shows nowadays simply don't have this kind of texture. The older generation won't understand.
From a financial perspective: The cost of producing one season of an anime is approximately 200-300 million yen. Whether or not to proceed depends on how this investment can be recouped.
From a financial perspective: A storage unit costs $500-800 per month. That's $6,000-9,600 a year. If you buy a bookshelf, it's a one-time cost of $2,000. A bookshelf is more cost-effective.
Regarding the budget: $100-150 per person including food and drinks is more than enough. Splitting the bill is the fairest way.
The whole project can be done for $50-100, but the improvement in results is significant. It's a super high value-for-money upgrade.
If you're looking for offline events, that newly opened anime bar in Mong Kok is worth checking out. You can meet quite a few fellow fans there.
From a financial perspective: Anime-themed restaurants are on average 20-30% more expensive. If you consider it an admission fee, it's actually OK.
A financial planner's perspective: If it's a piece you genuinely love, spending money to collect it is a reasonable investment. Happiness is what matters most.