It’s the first week of July and for the third time in a row, my fellow NOC writer Josephine Chang and myself will be back in the halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center among thousands of others (last year had 110,000 attendees) from July 4 to July 7!
With so many events, concerts, panels, cosplay meet & greets, and parties to attend to, it can be quite a daunting task to choose what the heck you want to do.
Truth be told, I still don’t know either but that is the magic of this particular convention as unlike standard American pop culture conventions, anime conventions don’t stop after 5 to 7pm, it goes on ALLLLLLLLLL DAY what with all the games you can play, the anime shows you can watch, the delightfully insane after parties to dance your butts off to, and just all around continuously feeling the pulse of excitement that will last well into the night.
But let’s talk about the signature events Anime Expo is known for, ey?
AMV Competition
July 4th Thursday 8pm
Main Events — LACC Hall B
This was, and still is, the best way I have discovered new animes to check out simply through the AMV (Anime Music Video) competitions that is “a visual rhapsody of music and anime featuring a wild assortment of music videos created by fans”. Out of all the events they have in Anime Expo, this may be my most favorite.
Anime Expo Fashion Show
July 6th Friday 1230pm to 3pm
LACC / Live Programming 1 (Petree Hall)
I’m not too familiar with this one as I tend to be a lazy ignoramus when it comes to fashion but from my friends who regularly attend Anime Expo conventions, this one is something to definitely check out as well:
“Japan is home to some of the most cutting-edge fashion trends in the world, and each year, Anime Expo takes pride in its efforts to showcase and introduce a variety of Japanese fashion each year. Since the first Fashion Show in 2012, AX has featured over ten different authentic Japanese clothing brands, as well as a new generation of models. Attendees are able to shop each brands’ offerings in The Annex @ Kentia Hall, as well as meet the designers and guest models for autograph signings and/or photo opportunities.”
The Masquerade
July 6th Saturday 8pm to 11pm
Main Events @ LACC Hall B
Without fail, we have always attended the masquerade for the Anime Expo as there’s always a good time to be had watching the hard work the cosplayers put into their outfits in this annual competition that has been running for over 25 years. The prizes for the winners have definitely become more substantial as the selected chosen receive some pretty nifty cash prizes and a chance to enter the worldwide cosplay competitions and take their game one step further. It is however a ticketed event so if you wish to attend, be sure to click on the link above and get your ticket as they will be $5 to $15.
Late Night Comedy Showdown
July 6th Saturday 1030pm to 1230am
Live Programming 1 — LACC Petree Hall
Wanna heard late night comedy but hyper fused with anime culture and all things dirty and naughty? No seriously, it’s pretty crass so you must be 18+ to attend this. I’ve been watching the past 2 years and have thoroughly enjoyed myself each time so this is another signature event that you must check out.
The Anime Expo Concerts
These are definitely the more pricier events out of all things to do at the Anime Expo but when Josephine and I were able to check the concerts they had last year, there is NOTHING like experiencing J-POP and the fabulous light show that accompanies it. This year, Anime Expo will have more of a variety as they not only have Aqours but also classical soundtrack music thanks to the legendary composer Yoshihiro Ike who will grace the attendees with his presence & special guests!
Aqours from LOVE LIVE! SUNSHINE!
Friday, July 5, 2019
Doors Open VIP 5:00 pm / GA 5:30 pm
Show Starts 7:00 pm
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Doors Open VIP 11:00 am / GA 11:30 am
Show Starts 1:00 pm
Both concerts at The Novo by Microsoft @ LA Live
“Aqours (pronounced “aqua”) is the school idol group formed in Uchiura, Shizuoka, for the multimedia project “Love Live! Sunshine!!” The project started in April 2015 and spread across various media including CDs, live events, magazines, and mobile apps. The first single “Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai?” was released in October 2015. Season One of the TV Anime aired during the summer of 2016 followed by Season Two during the autumn of 2017. In 2019, an anime movie was released which attracted a large audience. Aqours also actively held live performances, and on November 17, and 18, 2018, their 4th live concert was held at Tokyo Dome. They performed in front of 150,000 fans from the venue audience to the live viewings worldwide. Aqours will hold concert LOVE LIVE! SUNSHINE!! Aqours World LoveLive! in LA ～BRAND NEW WAVE～ at Anime Expo 2019!”
Yoshihiro Ike: Anime Soundtrack World
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Doors Open: 11:30 AM
Show Starts: 12:30 PM
Main Events @ LACC Hall B
“Yoshihiro Ike: Anime Soundtrack World event features a 50-piece orchestra that will bring to life the greatest collection of anime soundtracks from Tiger & Bunny, Saint Seiya, B: The Beginning, Dororo and Rage of Bahamut:Genesis. Also, the greatest collection of game soundtracks from Shadowverse. Immerse yourself in memorable moments from these titles as Ike takes the audience on a live symphonic journey performed with over 50 of the best musicians from Nashville and Los Angeles, along with a special performance by a koto harpist, Mana Yoshinaga, and a shakuhachi flutist, So Tanomura, from Japan. This performance truly reflects the international scope of Yoshihiro Ike’s work. For more information on Yoshihiro Ike, please visit www.ike-yoshihiro.com.”
And that pretty much covers the signature events that Anime Expo is known for! Stay tuned for our NOC Twitter account for any panels we’ll stumble across, with one of the biggest news being that they are screening the first 10 minutes of the final Evangelion Rebuild film. I emphasize this particular one as I’m a ginoromous fan of this show and that it’s been eight (EIGHT!!) years since the last Rebuild film came out so suffice to say, the anticipation for this one is immense.
And as mentioned previously, we will be sure to take pictures of the amazing cosplay we will see throughout the weekend, especially that of our own fabulous Josephine Chang, who you can see above cosplaying as Raiden. In the meantime, for those of you who attending, we hope to see you there and stay cool & hydrated!
