Anime Expo 2016: Wrap

This a short wrap for a long con with a lot of stuff happening and even more to write about. One of the core realization in my mind is the ever-merging interest of Japanese (and US) companies trying to make something good happen with fans who love their stuff. This means that the growing closeness between the notion of “fan” cons versus “industry” cons is an overall good to attendees. TL;DR: Industry Booths are good too, especially when fan booths are the same show as always.

This AX was great, despite what AX has done, I guess.

As I write this, ironically it was fan crap that added an “icing” layer to this AX experience. I got a Yurang commission and is he good at this. I also got a couple from Shirahane Nao. All three costed some good dime but it felt more than worth it. AX autographs is next to the artist alley so I was able to shop around a bit in between sessions, scoring some cool prints that I promptly distribute to friends who might like it more… Even the Daisuki event I describe later in this post, is in a way, a fan effort.

To me, the number one draw of AX this year was Sphere. I won’t go into why but let’s just say I was able to interview them and hopefully write that up with a friend pretty fast. The intangibles of the interview however is a story you just have to ask me in person. Personally, after the big Japan Super Live concert on Saturday I was already done and done. Hi-five-ing that lineup is like awesome and how do I wash my hands? Everything that happened afterwards was icing. I just didn’t know icing comes in the form of Dreaming!!

On the IM@S Producer front, this AX was more HPT than ever. The circle is always the same, on some level, but the new networks and connections meant I got to meet more guys, socal and norcal and elsewhere. It’s great to see CG repped, even a year later. There was a Daisuki-sponsored meeting for IM@S and that was pretty hype, mostly because at the end of the stage some free stuff got given out. The free stuff happened to include ML3rd Live Tour t-shirts for staffs. That alone blew my mind and it’s pretty magical how all of it happened. I guess that’s another story I can only relay in person for the time being. Daisuki.net streamed and captured the whole event, on FB. Below is a better view of that key moment.

Calls at the Daisuki Booth im@s gathering, they were playing Cinderella Girls songs then for the encore: https://t.co/n5RhKbmOnE

— meta` (@metanyani) July 4, 2016

Million Live – Dreaming! PV at the @daisuki_net booth at AX pic.twitter.com/ANfkoCs73G

— MinhP?876 Easter Sunday (@MinhP765) July 5, 2016

I thought I can do the rest of the post like this:

Primary Objectives:

• Eat a Californian burrito: Completed (I had 3 burritos over the weekend)
• Get a few IM@S sketches: Completed (I got 3)
• See Sphere: Completed (YAAAAS I’m turning Dis…)
• Enjoy Japan Super Live: Completed (Well worth the trip alone)

Secondary Objectives:

• Hang out with hard-to-see bros: Completed
• Get a Yamayone Mai sketch of IM@S character: Partly failed; sketch acquired but Trigger IP only.
• Get a sketch from Yurang: Complete
• Say hi to Tsukigami Luna-sensei: Complete
• Get all my press interviews: Got 3 (out of…6?)
• Meet Aqours: Complete (partly)
  • Make an IM@S joke with Takatsuking
• Shoot some IM@S cosplay: Complete
• Harass Sekai Project founders: Failed I guess?
• See all AX-attending net friends: I’d say 80% completed.
• Attend a Matt Papa panel: Failed
• Eat something new: Completed (All these AX years I’ve never Carvery’d till now?)
• Get Akiman sketch: Success (And in return I had to buy 3 copies of Star Ocean 5 (as a joke))
• Haruna Luna Meet/Photo: Failed
• Eir blade autographed: Failed
• See Lia sing: Failed
• See Michi sing: Completed
• See Kawamori: Failed
• See Tsurumaki: Failed
• See all JP Seiyuu guests: Failed
  • Chikappe: Completed
  • Shintani: Failed
  • Sphere: Completed
  • Aqours: Sort of completed?
• Get PA Works co-founder autograph: Failed (but I bumped into him a bunch of time during the Bonburi event)
• Selfie with ZUN: Failed
• See Shinkai’s new movie: Failed

Hanging out with friends is always great, and AX this year is crazy enough that I couldn’t even see everybody I wanted to see. Bouncing between groups was something that had to be done I guess but it worked out for the most part, with just a few that I couldn’t see.

To wrap, thanks for everyone who helped with the info and ticketing. Definitely to AlexD as I always piggy back on his tenacious prep, but also to the Ps who showed up and I met either first time or repeatedly. This con was just that much more fun because of it. AX better thank all yalls.

Some pics.

PS. Didn’t do much food-wise this year because I shied away from the large crowds, both inside the LACC and outside, which means not much fancy food truck action. I got my burritos from Danny’s, which is just a block from the Residence Inn. Residence Inn is definitely better than the JW, in terms of price per performance. I dig their breakfast.

PPS. Thanks to Lumica for half-sponsoring our Daisuki P gathering LOL. After using Daisenkos all weekend I think I slightly prefer it to Flash Bombers, even if it is still more expensive.