Anime Expo 2008
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an anime convention that usually takes place on the July 4 weekend for four days each year in Southern California. The convention tries to include July 4 in its dates, except on the years when July 4 falls on a Wednesday. Anime Expo is hosted by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA). I went to San Diego for a vacation with wife and kids, then stopped down to cover cosplayers at AX. Do check out the cosplayer section for the nice pics. It is my first year at AX and thanks for the organization for the press passes for the two photographers who worked for me. I am very impressed with the amount of people who attend the expo. 43,000 people in the US for an anime event is a lot of people. And Los Angeles Convention Center is great.
Quick Review:
- Con Administration - Good
- The registration line is great. We got everything in 15 min. The only complaint I have is that the batch plastic broke a couple days when we were there. Also, they start doing bus pass verification half way into the con instead of telling people to get the stamp on the first day.
- Cosplayer Quality - Good
- The signatures of cons are all here. Check them out in the picture sections.
- Dealers Room - Great
- Love the dealers there. The place is so big and full of stuffs you can pick up. From manga, to dvd, to anime, to models, toys and many other otaku items. Most importantly, the prices are so good. Just walk around you can find items that swing between 15% up and or down. Buy so much gunpla back ... it is good Internet place without shipping.
- Artist Alley - Good
- Your local anime/otaku artist are all there. Very unique. For some strange reasons that I don't know why, I somehow feel the artist ally from fanime is more home.
The human "traffic" control is good in general. Although there is one part shown in this picture where you have to loop in and out of the dealer hall in a somewhat confusing manner with a corner that you can be stuck (with door closed).
There are cosplayer everywhere.
Exhibits Hall is a popular destination. In fact, there are many good deals from different vendors. You just have to work around and check out who gets the lowest price before you buy anything. I picked up a PG wing gundam for $115 and a vendor down the road can ask for $170 on the same thing.
Funimation, Namco, Bandai, ADV, etc are all there.
Gaia online is also there. A few of my ex-co-workers went and worked there now.
Kotobukiya is also there.
Somehow Kotobukiya does not have anything for sale ...
Here is the Art Show and Artist Alley.
Artists hard at work.
Ar, so glad Gundam 00 is coming to the States. The first season is so good.
The new Astro Boy movie is coming in 2009.
Are you a fan of deviantArt.com?
Let many other con, you get 24 hours video room ...
Game room ...
Video game room ... (what are they playing?)
Panels ...
And manga cafe.
This is where I did my private photo shoots at AX. Check them out at the cosplayer section!
Check out the super long time to get into an event.
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