Anime Expo 2008 - Day 1
Posted by 0rion on July 4th, 2008 - 1:46 pm
This year’s Anime Expo, although not nearly as exciting as last year’s all star guest appearances by Halko Momoi, Ishikawa Chiaki, Nagahama Hiroshi, and Hirano Aya & Co., has nevertheless been as crazily entertaining as ever. From guest discussion panels to anime music videos to wacky cosplayers lined up in the halls doing Carmelldansen, there’s no shortage of fun and frenetic activity to be found.
Anime Expo 2008’s Guest of Honor roster can’t touch last year’s amazing guests, but it seems they managed to get together a great guest roster nevertheless.
(click the photos for larger versions)
From the left: Toshihiko Seki, Masahiro Ando, Masamitsu Hidaka, Hiromi Kato, Takada Akemi, Dewa and Manami of Jyukai, Nakagawa Shoko (Shokotan), and finally David Hayter, a.k.a. Solid Snake. I think he got as much of a crowd reaction as all of the other guests combined, especially when he did his Snake voice. =P
I had the opportunity to attend the focus panels for both Toshihiko Seki and Shokotan, and both were highly entertaining, but very down-to-earth individuals. Shokotan in particular, for all her e-fame and top singles and whatnot, was just like another congoer running around taking cosplay photos with people and just generally enjoying herself. It was really a nice change of pace from most of the guests who tend to stay aloof behind their wall of agents, and who don’t interact with their fans at all outside of sanctioned events.
In addition to all that, she was more than happy to demonstrate her crazy kung fu skill for us, as well as doing an impromptu Sorairo Days rendition in order to teach us all the proper motions. Note the Kamina pose, hand upraised. ^^
And yes, she is cosplaying as Rurouni Kenshin. Lots of fun and a very nice change of pace from the more usual celebs like CLAMP two years ago, who were hardly seen the entire show except for select glimpses by a few lucky fans.
Omae no doriru de ten wo tsuke!!
Photography was, as always, prohibited in the AMV Contest so no images from that, but let me just say…man, they REALLY raised the bar this year with the quality of the AMVs that were shown. Almost all the entries were not only well done technically, but were also thematically or humorously creative.
I haven’t had time to look and see whether any of the creators have made their videos available on the ‘net yet, but two in particular to keep an eye out for are a Gurren Lagann AMV starring Kamina singing the “Be A Man” song from Mulan, and a second AMV from Haruhi using the song “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne…but sung by Itsuki. Good Lord I nearly laughed up a lung at that one. To all the creators whose videos were shown, cheers! This year’s was definitely the best AMV show I have ever seen.
Now I must be off to catch more of the ridiculous animu action, so I’ll have to leave it at that for the time being. I’ve got tons of great cosplay shots I want to showcase later (including some cool uncommon ones like Itoshiki Nozomu from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and a great Shinigami-sama outfit from Soul Eater), as well as broader coverage from the con, but time’s a wastin’ so I must be off.
Again sorry for the sparse details, but the con calls. More coverage coming soon assuming I don’t get run over by by the thundering herds of yaoi paddle wielding crazed fangirls. 
~0rion
Well, I make AMV’s and I bet that anyone one of mine…. would never even make it past the qualifying round
If this blog keeps toying with my heart, I don’t know what I’ll do. Stay Epic. Please ;_;
THIS BLOG!! IT’S ALIVE!!!
THIS BLOG!! IT’S ALIVE!!!
This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog. This blog.
Shit, I want to meet David Hayter too.
@ Lupus
Heh, he was really cool. Very chill dude, took pictures with people and drew random sketches and just generally seemed like a nice guy.
@ Others
Thanks for the support guys! Just so ya’ll know, I am planning to post other coverage from the con, just been working on sifting through the mountain of pictures from the con so that I have some material to work with.
Also it’s Guff’s fault for calling me up and distracting me with his grand tales of adventure in Japan. =P
THIS LOOKS SO FUN
Oh ho, you were there?
I LOVED, no, LOVEDDDDDDDDDDD Shokotan’s concert. Too bad I couldn’t go to her panel or the autograph signings ~ Had to skip David Hayter’s panel too… ahh, so much I missed, yet so much I saw o_o
A friend of mine just told me he is gay but it is not as shocking as compared to the return of posts here at Epic Win.
@The Sojourner
Oh my…I’m not quite sure how I should take a comment like that. o_0
@ Icystorm
Sad times that you missed seeing Shokotan’s panel! It was one of the most energetic and fun guest panels I’ve gone to, mostly due to Shokotan’s crazily high energy and easygoing nature.
Glad that you made it to the concert, though!