UlasanAnime.com – Anime Expo 2017 proved to be an event of mixed experiences, marked by exhaustion and a realization of the convention’s inherent challenges alongside its highlights.
The lack of sleep significantly impacted the author’s ability to fully enjoy and process the convention, leading to a feeling of not operating at optimal conditions.
Despite the personal fatigue, Anime Expo 2017 was described as “pretty epic” primarily due to the presence of Anime World Matsuri (AWM). Outside of these Cool Japan-sponsored music festivals, the convention retained its characteristic expansiveness.
AX is known for its vast scale and extensive programming, but this also translates to massive crowds and, unfortunately, disappointing line management practices. This often results in attendees being able to experience only a fraction of the events they planned to attend.
This year also marked a significant first for the author: attending a concurrent anime convention, the Bushiroad Festival (Vanguard & Buddyfight Fest), held at the Long Beach convention center. This event ran alongside Anime Expo and even included a New Japan Pro-Wrestling event.
The author had never visited Long Beach before, making it a convenient opportunity to explore the area. The two-day festival overlapped with AX, which meant missing out on key events on Sunday, including the world premiere of “Violet Evergarden.”
Upon arriving just after midnight on July 30th, the author had minimal sleep. The early start was to secure concert tickets, uncertain of the pickup process. While Thursday’s situation sounded promising, ticket collection proceeded without major issues.
The remainder of Thursday was occupied with various tasks, including courier duties, offkai (off-site gatherings), callbook preparations, attending a live event, and more offkai, extending into the early hours of July 1st.
Beyond the AWM events, many AWM guests had limited public engagements. Some participated in autograph sessions on Saturday, including Angela, Minori Chihara (Minorin), Wake Up, Girls! (WUG), andkonomi Suzuki (Konomin).
The author attempted to obtain autographs from all four but was unsuccessful, even after queuing since 3 AM. This early camping also negatively impacted Saturday’s plans, including a scheduled press event, due to feeling unwell.
The autograph line on Saturday was plagued by rampant line-cutting and looping, leading to a significant disappointment for the author. A friend’s intervention, securing an Avex booth autograph ticket from the dealer’s room, provided some assistance.
Despite holding a Premiere badge, the autograph line chaos delayed ticket acquisition past 10 AM, effectively eliminating any chances of obtaining limited-quantity items from the exhibition hall.
In a rather serendipitous turn of events on Saturday, there were numerous opportunities to see Wake Up, Girls!, culminating in an elevator encounter. The group was frequently seen around the JW Marriott, and many attendees had sightings.
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For the author, Anime Expo effectively concluded on Saturday night after the AWM JSL (Japan Super Live) event. Separate write-ups were created for these two shows.
Sunday was dedicated to enjoying events at Long Beach, including “Bang Dream” and “Rummy Labyrinth.” A notable stage show featured the two “Vanguard” actresses, Aina Aiba, and three English voice actors engaging in various activities.
This cross-collaboration was particularly interesting, highlighted by a game of telephone where a line from “Vanguard” was passed down, starting in English and devolving into unintelligibility, with a Korean segment involving Aimin.
“Bang Dream’s” first live performance in the USA was well-received, considered an improvement over their Anisama performance the previous year. The crowd was enthusiastic, and attendance exceeded expectations, with many AX attendees present.
The event featured call books and 1.5′ UOs (Ultra Orange glow sticks), which, while perhaps not ideal, contributed to the energetic atmosphere.
Following BushiFest on Sunday afternoon/evening, the author embarked on a “fat tour” and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. A minor mishap occurred when attending the “wrong afterparty,” but this was deemed fortunate given the author’s declining energy levels.
On Monday, the author attended a Miss Monochrome software panel featuring Ai Kayano (Hocchan), showcasing a game called “Showmaker” slated for Steam release with simultaneous English and Japanese distribution. It was a pleasure to see Kayano again and witness the audience’s unique questions.
The author also caught Asian Kung-Fu Generations’ second show at The Novo. The band delivered a polished and expert performance, characteristic of a top-tier Japanese rock act, for better or worse.
With limited prior knowledge of their songs, the show was primarily a learning experience. The band seemed to cater well to their fans, making the performance effective.
This experience was reminiscent of attending a Spitz concert, where the author found themselves dozing off midway, a situation attributed to personal fatigue.
Before heading to the Hocchan panel, the author briefly visited Lumica’s booth after a large gathering and played some “Million Live!” content. The “Million Live! Theater Days” mobile game launch the night before AX had also disrupted packing plans.
Monday evening concluded with a relaxed session of playing Weiss Schwarz cards in a friend’s room, an activity that seemed to have successfully encouraged more of the author’s acquaintances to engage with the game.
Tuesday was largely dedicated to wrapping up any remaining tasks. A brief visit to the charity auction revealed some appealing items, though none fetched exorbitant prices. Sketches typically sold for a couple of thousand dollars at most.
Most auction items originated from animators and producers, with notable contributions from the Neptunia artist. A foray into the Entertainment Hall included trying out the Showmaker VR (Vive) and discovering a Shadowverse booth offering cards for completing Take Two demos, though they had run out by the time the author arrived.
On Sunday afternoon, the author visited The Grove, a popular tourist shopping area in LA. This detour was partly a way to engage in activities outside of attempting to replicate WUG selfies, as there were limited other options.
Returning before checkout, a final dinner was enjoyed at Fogo de Chão, followed by a “double final dinner” at Yard House, marking the second visit to the establishment this year. The evening was described as “pretty chill” again.
Reflecting on Anime Expo, the author believes the convention would be excellent if it were more focused and streamlined to the attendee’s specific interests. The primary issue lies in the time-intensive and often uncertain nature of many desired activities.
The author expresses frustration with AX’s persistent inability to manage autograph lines effectively, preventing mass cutting and disorganization. The sheer size of the convention center also presents a logistical challenge, making navigation difficult.
The communication regarding ticket pickup was also noted as a point of dislike, although it did not ultimately cause significant problems.
This year’s AX highlighted a growing disconnect between the author’s evolving fandom priorities and the convention’s operational style. Fewer autograph items were collected, no sketches were acquired, and Saturday was largely consumed by time-consuming activities, preventing participation in desired press events.
This felt like a scheduling issue compounded by the autograph line problems. AX increasingly appears to be a significant distraction from the “really good” aspects, such as the fan activities and the AWM events themselves.
In this regard, AWM was a resounding success, made possible by Anime Expo. Gratitude is extended to the Cool Japan organizers for facilitating these events and for bringing IDOLM@STER and Wake Up, Girls! to perform.
Special thanks are also given to Angela and Minori Chihara, who deserved proper showcases at AX, referencing past negative experiences at the convention.
The author acknowledges that the primary draw for attending AX, and for AWM to produce shows there, remains the attendees themselves. The success of any event hinges on the active participation of its audience.
The afterparty organized by the author is speculated to be a first of its kind in America, though confirmation is lacking. Regardless, the positive outcome of the event is appreciated, mirroring the overall AX experience.
PS. On the culinary front, the author finally visited notable establishments like Lunesia and Ham Ji Park, as well as Homibing. All meals were described as delicious and reasonably priced, with special thanks to local guides.
Lunesia, in particular, is highlighted as a noteworthy contender in the dim sum scene, offering a fusion approach with traditional elements and unique twists.
A more AX-related discovery was the happy hour at the downtown LA Fogo de Chão, offering affordable appetizers and beers during weekdays, which were considered quite good.
PPS. The best AX picture is credited to Matsuzaki Rei’s phone.
