The Anime Expo 2007 Report

This weekend my bestfriend D and I went to the Anime Expo in Long Beach.
I promised that while I was there to GM Tristan that I will try to look for signs of Ragnarok Online while in the convention
Last years Anime convention was held in Anaheim, this year they tried doing it in supposedly a bigger function area in long beach even acquiring the nearby Renaissance Hotel Ballroom for the Masquerade Ball ( which I missed) and a Anime Dance scene.

Unfortunately it was more chaotic this year. t of the kids lined up till outside the Convention center as compared to last year the line was only indoors. The human traffic was congested since there were no signs telling you were exactly do you need to go. Unless you can read very fine print of small bond papers rare posted over doors (given you can find a door)

A lot of people may comment that the dress up this year was better but not for me. Then again I never got to see the Masquerade ball so I can’t exactly comment on that.

Most of the main events were

AX IDOL ( Voice dubbing contest) – they asked me to join for the voice of Haruhi but I declined since I have no idea what to do with a Gutar Hero for 1^st Prize

Masquerade Ball

AX Dance Party

Bandai Panel forum

Gundam Exhibit

Chiaki Ishikawa Concert

I was able to find some Ragnarok Online items. One was a Korean Illustrators Book featuring 3 of the Official RO illustrators, SR Youkan being my favorite however I didn’t buy due to the cost ( 50$)

There was one who Cosplayed as a LoliRuri and an official kRO FanBook 2005 title again expensive.

There was some anime movies veiwing like that of Hikaru no Go. WITH HORRIBLE Dubbing but great story line. And a personal favorite,Howls Moving Cstle.

They did featured some mmorpgs, one of the Being GAIA online as one of their primary sponsors. Lineage was the one last year. Final Fantasy Online too was featured and there was this other game being sponsored by NIX America, but I couldn’t read the name right.

We went to the gaming room where the did MMORPGS to console, a Halo 3 competition, Naruto card game, but we had to leave because my friend commented “ smells like geek” No seriously the room smelled like bad breath.

Later on the night me and my bestfriend went to check out the AX Dance. The Masquerade ball was more formal doing basic waltz and swing but the AX Dance was the clubbing scene for the anime expo people. Ok Im not a discriminatory person ( sorta) and I am part geek, but the whole room was dull of cosplayers dancing around smealling really HORRIBLY sweaty and it was the GEEK scene for clubbing. The DJ was cool don’t get me wrong, the songs were ok, even had a Michael Jackson dancer on stage but the fact I was dancing and then suddenly 2 cosplayer girls suddenly got at it ( yes made out) they were 18, and guys were wooting around, some with braces while wearing a weird box on their head….that was just uhh….I don’t even know how to describe it.

Here is a sampler Video as well