Anime Expo 2013 - the biggest one to date! Today we take a look at my Day 1 - Opening Ceremonies in the morning, Press Conference in the afternoon and spending time in the Exhibition Hall and at our Mirai Mart Booth in the South Lobby.
Guests for this year were Eric Vale, Kyle Hebert, Christopher Sabat, Johnny Yong Bosch and Eyeshine, Mari Okada, Starmarie, Ram Rider, Noizi Ito, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Kazuhiko Inoue, Keigo Sasaki, Kaya, Moon Stream, Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Megumi Han, Masaaki Yuasa, George Wada, Porno Graffitti, CELL, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Kazuchika Kise, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Vic Mignogna, Ryohei Huke, Aya Ikeda, Carat and KANAME☆ (copy pasted from Wikipedia)
This year I continued my role from last year as Master of Ceremonies for Anime Expo.
Since 2008, AX has been held at the Los Angeles Convention Center located at 1201 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, CA 90015.
The Exhibition Hall - its huuuuuge! You need at least a full day in here to catch everything.
Setting up our Culture Japan Booth in the morning before running off to...
...rehearse for the Opening Ceremonies ^^
Chit chats with comrades Alodia and KANAME.
Our Taiko drummers open the event.
Together with my co-host Courtney.
Alodia!
KANAME.
Voice Actress Megumi Han.
Voice Actor Vic Mignogna.
Voice Actor Kyle Hebert.
Voice Actor and Actor Johnny Yong Bosch.
Japanese visual kei musician Kaya.
DJ Ram Rider.
Carat & Aya Ikeda.
Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn) Director Kazuhiro Furuhashi.
Blue Exorcist Supervising Animation Director and Character Designer Keigo Sasaki.
Masaaki Yuasa - worked on Crayon Shin-chan, Hakkenden, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Samurai Champloo and Kick Heart.
The boss of Production IG - Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.
After I told him that he looked like Dr Spock ^^
Kazuchika Kise worked on Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Blood +, xxx Holic, Evangelion: 1.0, Miyamoto Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai, Basara – The Last Party, Blood-C The Last Dark, and most recently Ghost in the Shell: ARISE as Director and Character Designer.
George Wada - worked on Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings, Kimi Ni Todoke, Guilty Crown, Robotics;Notes, PSYCHO-PASS and Attack on Titan as Producer.
Porno Graffiti!
Time to get the big boss to do the deeds on the long time tradition of filling in one Daruma eye at the beginning of AX.
Can somebody remind me why I made this face?!
Off with Alodia to my booth to take photos.
Alodia as Mirai in Winter School Uniform and Mini Mirai.
Thanks again to all who dropped by to pick up some goodies!
The Exhibition Hall about to open.
No time for sleep or breakfast so need to make up for it at lunch in the Green Room.
Time to check out the Exhibition Hall which is fitted out with carpet to make it a bit easier on yer feet.
Together with my man from Kinokuniya - hmmmmm. Whats that we are holding?!
Press Conference time.
Group photo with some of the folks who came to my press con.
Interview time with Japanator.
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Bushiroad had a huge space for their card gaming.
Thai food for dindins.
The menu for our guests in the Green Room back at the hotel.
Met up with Ito Noizi-sensei in my sleep gear ><
I had no idea she was following my Twitter account - got a DM from her and we hooked up that night in the Green Room for some chit chats.
Turns out that we got many mutual friends like DMYO-sensei and Nishimata Aoi-sensei too ^o^
Find out more about Culture Japan Convention - August 17 - 18th 2013 in Penang Malaysia >>>