Jul 08, 2014 Anime Expo 2014 recap
It’s been a while since I’ve checked out Anime Expo. Probably five years ago–right when it moved from Long Beach to the Los Angeles Convention Center. But I decided to go again this weekend and it was awesome. Of course there was plenty of high-profile programming dedicated to North American premieres (Bayonetta), new installments of favorites (Naruto), and reboots (Sailor Moon). And there were Anime Expo debuts as well, such as the first appearance of a booth from Voltage mobile romance games, where a pal Tad happened have a gig playing a demon hunk! But unlike Comic-Con, the true stars at Anime Expo are the fans.
Yes, I rifled through stacks of old Rumiko Takahashi manga and ogled at vintage Raydeen and Ultraman toys. I spent some time admiring the latest pieces from Good Smile, too. And Danny Choo’s Smart Doll, what! But the coolest moments were spent walking around, seeing fans dressed as their favorite characters. It does feel a little creepy to be taking pictures of cosplay when you aren’t dressed up–at least I wore an old Sonic Youth concert shirt that appropriated vintage anime image–but it’s slightly less gross in a culture of exhibitionism. Photographers gather like gangs of sharks around cool costumes, and their subjects love the attention.
One aspect of Anime Expo that was new to me was the “Cospitality Lounge,” where cosplayers could adjust their costumes and makeup. Nearby were several environments, from goth to classrooms to cherry trees, but while the canned backgrounds are pretty cool, they also lack the spontaneity of bumping into someone dressed as your favorite manga or anime character and asking for a picture in crowded corridor, the exhibit hall, or even a snack bar. There seems to be more crossover fandom these days, too. In addition to manga and anime characters, I spotted Marvel superheroes, steam punks, a cross-dressing Dr. Who, and an excellent Bride of Frankenstein. So weird to see her in color!
Even better is bumping into old pals–like Bill from Giant Robot days who now with DVDASA. Fandom has brought dorks like me, him, and the majority of my friends together, and now I’m extra geeked about Comic-Con. I’ve been attending since I was a kid and still feel like one when I’m there. But in the meantime, I’ll be happily dusting off my Evangelion DVDs in my old Kimba T-shirt. I’m not completely out of touch with the scene, I’m just O.G.
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