Maidens of the Kaleidoscope

~Beyond the Border~ => Sara's Audio-Visual Import-Overflow Retail => Topic started by: noodles on April 13, 2011, 08:16:56 AM

Title: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on April 13, 2011, 08:16:56 AM
This is going to be my first con of any kind. Who else is going? And on what day? c:
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: axman36 on April 13, 2011, 08:51:52 AM
I'm gonna go. Probably will go on Friday and Saturday.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Quad City QBs on April 13, 2011, 01:16:06 PM
I'll prrrrrobably be there.  Depends on whether I'll be located in a transit-accessible area.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Rin Kagamine on April 13, 2011, 01:35:55 PM
Not this year, but I'm thinking of going next year
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Silent Harmony on April 14, 2011, 05:24:00 AM
Thinking about it, but at least it's not too far of a drive.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: pineyappled on April 14, 2011, 05:25:22 AM
All four, probably. I'm going as Mokou. Probably.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on April 14, 2011, 07:15:28 AM
I'll at least be there on Saturday. It's a drive, though. I still gotta see who's going with me. If we can afford a room somewhere I might be able to fit another day in there. Never done this before, not sure what to do :ohdear:

I wish it was still in Anaheim so I could just WALK DOWN THE STREET TO THE CONVENTION CENTER
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Mr_Bob on April 14, 2011, 07:57:12 AM
It's not even June yet.  I'm not thinking this far ahead yet.  Put me down as Possibly.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: orinrin on April 15, 2011, 04:20:47 AM
I already registered for Friday and Saturday.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Kiro on April 18, 2011, 05:09:17 PM
I'll be going this year, hosting a friend from New York. Probably Saturday and Sunday only. Hopefully the Touhou gathering is on one of those days.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: PX on April 19, 2011, 12:10:03 AM
I'll probably sign up to work 12 hours the first day, then get the next 3 days for free :V
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: pineyappled on April 19, 2011, 01:36:52 AM
Never mind, I'm only going for the last two days.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on April 19, 2011, 07:46:47 AM
Damn, I don't get to see Piney's Mokou?

Though I think I might look at motel pricing if I get both days off

EDIT: both weekend days at least
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Yuyuko Yakumo on April 19, 2011, 09:22:45 PM
Going every day, woot.

Well, it's my first Anime con so you can't blame me.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: pineyappled on April 20, 2011, 11:21:04 PM
Change of plans. I'm not going at all because I'll be in Mongolia. No idea what there is to do in Mongolia, but...
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on April 25, 2011, 06:29:08 PM
Well, I hope it's safe in Mongolia. And not too cold.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Yuyuko Yakumo on May 14, 2011, 02:40:50 AM
I believe this warrants enough for a necropost.
Hatsune Miku to perform US debut at Anime Expo (http://www.anime-expo.org/2011/05/12/japans-virtual-pop-star-hatsune-miku-to-make-u-s-concert-debut-at-anime-expo-2011/)
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Kiro on May 14, 2011, 02:54:02 AM
I believe this warrants enough for a necropost.
Hatsune Miku to perform US debut at Anime Expo
 (http://www.anime-expo.org/2011/05/12/japans-virtual-pop-star-hatsune-miku-to-make-u-s-concert-debut-at-anime-expo-2011/)

Oh my. I guess it fits. Although now that I see the current guest list, I'm way more excited about Kalafina.  :*

Also according to cosplay.com, the Touhou gathering will be Saturday, 1 PM, West Hall. I'll be there.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Yuyuko Yakumo on May 14, 2011, 04:38:16 AM
Didn't know they would have a Touhou gathering. Then again, why wouldn't they? I'll make note of that. :3
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on May 19, 2011, 10:42:44 PM
I'll be going Saturday, but now I think I'll only be there for a day, since there's a FREE anime con in Anaheim on the same weekend that I'll be going to on Friday.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Formless God on May 20, 2011, 06:28:28 AM
FREE anime con
in Anaheim
WHAT YOU SAY
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: pineyappled on May 20, 2011, 06:33:36 AM
http://am2con.org/
That it?

I promised a friend last year that we would get a table in AX's 'artist's' alley.
Gotta work harder. :P

Oh, and my parents fixed the flight thing, I'll be there for two or three days.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on May 20, 2011, 04:15:45 PM
http://am2con.org/
That it?
That's the one. Should I make a thread?
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Kiro on May 20, 2011, 08:42:50 PM
*goes to am2con.org*

Pirate Rum Party?!  :getdown:

11 AM...  ???

Wait a darn minute... is there going to be actual rum?

BTW, I miss AX's Summer Festival.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Kiro on May 27, 2011, 05:29:05 AM
Wait, you have to buy tickets to concerts and the masquerade now?! Found out when I went to register today.

Btw people, Hatsune Miku concert already sold out. Kalafina tickets and Masquerade tickets still available. $15 each. Don't put off registering if you want to go to these.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Formless God on May 27, 2011, 07:56:52 AM
Uh, you have to register on their website first ? I thought I could just waltz in after picking up a badge/pass on-site. And having the pass alone isn't enough to view the concerts ?
It's my first time and I'm pretty clueless about this ._.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on May 27, 2011, 03:43:51 PM
My first time too. Yeah you really won't be able to do any of the concerty stuff without registering online first, but I'm pretty sure you can still buy a badge at the entrance, it just costs a lot more and you have to wait in more lines
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Kiro on May 27, 2011, 05:20:01 PM
Argh, now I feel terrible for not explaining stuff.

Go to www.anime-expo.org, click Registration, then Register Now. It is generally much easier to pre-register; you will get an email later on with a barcode that they will scan when you arrive at the pre-registration line. Nowadays, that should be quicker than buying a pass at the door (since you have to fill out everything on the spot). It's also a little cheaper now too. You need the pass to go into the Exhibit/Merchandise Hall, any panels, and any concerts.

The pre-registration line will be busiest on the first full day, Friday, but will also be somewhat busy on Saturday for the people who aren't attending all 4 days since Saturday and Sunday are the main events. The line to get into the exhibit hall every morning at 10:00 will be LONG, but say you get in line at 9:30, you'll probably be in the hall by 10:30 or 10:45. I don't bother trying to be one of the first people in line anymore. If you're going to buy stuff, keep in mind the vast majority of booths will be selling manga and DVDs. All of them tend to have large discounts on bundles of manga and DVD boxsets. You usually don't have to worry about any of that selling out in the entire Hall unless they are new releases like the latest volume of Negima or something like that.

There are a few Touhou/doujin centric merchandise booths. Hen Da Ne is the one that sticks out in my mind; most well known for the guy screaming out YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII and selling giant YAOI paddles. There will be some Touhou doujin there. Kinokuniya will have a booth, usually in the middle of the Exhibit Hall with their array of Japanese manga and artbooks. That's one place you might get the official ZUN printed works. If they don't have it there, you can request the cashier to see if they can bring any for the following day. Or just drive to Little Tokyo where the store is (just 10 minutes away from LA Convention Center). I think there are a few other booths that may have Touhou plushies and other small goodies. Be warned it won't be cheap.

BRING CASH!!!

Bring enough cash! I usually buy manga and sometimes a few Touhou things or anything else that may catch my eye. I usually bring about $300. Most, but not all vendors accept credit card. And ATM lines SUCK. And I don't really do this, but it makes sense that if you ask an Artist in the Artist Alley for a drawing commission, that you'll have to pay in cash. Do check out the Artist's Alley if you have the time. There are some neat little trinkets or drawings you can get there that will be unlike anything you could buy at the Exhibit Hall. Go early if you want a commissioned work since they need time to get it done.

CONVENTION FOOD IS EXPENSIVE AND OVERCROWDED!!!

If you can bring something light to eat and stuff into your pocket or small backpack, that would be best. I usually don't bother eating lunch when I go to AX. That's spending money yo! There's nothing really walking distance from the LA Convention Center either.

I also refer to Cosplay.com's forum for a list of series related cosplay shoots. The primary thread is here (http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=228848). To reiterate, the Touhou gathering is on Saturday, 1 PM in the West Hall. Memorize or print out the map at the bottom of the first post for general purposes. The last one I went to 2 years ago had people hanging around for almost 2 hours. Bring a camera. If you want to take a picture of someone as you're walking along, ask them politely. If you're at a group shoot, fire away with everybody else.

I do not know if there is a Touhou fan panel this year. And I've never seen one at AX in previous years. I'll look into it later.

Just take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere. And seriously, go to the Kalafina concert. I think it will be awesome. I'm skipping the Masquerade.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Widermelonz on May 27, 2011, 05:47:42 PM
I'll be attending AX Saturday only, and I'll be going to the Miku and Kalafina concerts too. This'll be the first time I'm attending AX. I'm a long-time visitor of Comic-Con, but now it's turn to shit so I'm going to AX instead this year. Plus, Miku and Kalafina are what pushed me to finally register.

I couldn't get a hotel, so I'll be sleeping in the car for the night. Then I'll probably visit AM2 the next day, since it's free. Oh and they have an arcade with BlazBlue and Guilty Gear.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: pineyappled on May 28, 2011, 01:42:17 AM
I usually waited until after the con to get food outside the center. Just bring a shitton of snacks and you'll be fine.

Never buy official artbooks inside, it's likely to be very overpriced.If it's very popular, you can find it in other places. Even Kinokuniya's booth overprices compared to their store, about fifteen minutes away from the con center. Doujin works you should get. They're very hard to impossible to get for a reasonable price outside. I'm not too sure on whether or not they carry official ZUN stuff.
Don't buy AA stuff unless it really catches your eye. A standard poster-sized print comes for about $15.
Also, OP of the Touhou thread at cosplay.com
Quote
Cosplaying our favorite IOSYS Girls~!
The Touhou Project, many have seen the videos on Youtube but very few Know anything about the Universe behind the adorable girls~!

RIGHT I WAS GOING TO SIGN UP FOR MOKOU BUT NEVER MIND.
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on May 31, 2011, 12:29:59 AM
mokou is your favorite iosys
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: ふとくていなねこじょおう on May 31, 2011, 03:20:39 AM
I believe this warrants enough for a necropost.
Hatsune Miku to perform US debut at Anime Expo
 (http://www.anime-expo.org/2011/05/12/japans-virtual-pop-star-hatsune-miku-to-make-u-s-concert-debut-at-anime-expo-2011/)

Want to go...

Want to go so bad...

But it's sold out already.  :qq:
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: Formless God on June 01, 2011, 05:03:30 AM
Well

shit

looks like I'll only be able to attend the last day.
If there's even anything left to see.

Oh well ... how about AM2 ? People say it's free but the website still mentions stuff about $25-ish tickets :/
Title: Re: Anime Expo 2011 (Los Angeles)
Post by: noodles on June 01, 2011, 10:55:00 AM
It is free. The ticket just gets you better seating at events, faster lines for autographs, and such things