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Archives for Cosplay

By Maurice Lewis

I have been attending AX (Anime Expo) for about 6 years.  The expo has come a long way.  The sheer diversity alone had me shocked.  I’m used to seeing young and old fans at the convention, but to see families attending the expo is quite refreshing.   Anime Expo’s attendance had  really made me realize how big its fan base had become.  It seems like every year  the anime crowd gets younger… or maybe im just getting older.  

One of the main things I didn’t like about  AX, is the fact that it’s held at the LA Convention Center.  I’m sure you’re thinking it’s grown so much so this venue  suits it perfectly.  I’d much rather have AX held at the Anaheim  Convention Center or some other family friendly place. Why? Everything was accessible; hotel, restaurants that were reasonlable priced; parking. I felt like everything was closer and one can party from one area to another all 4 days.  AX feels a bit watered down due to the fact that  the sponsoring hotels aren’t as close to the actual convention.

 This years cosplayers really stepped up their game. 99% of all the cosplayers put a lot of effort into their characters.   More people are starting to take the art of cosplaying seriously.   Half of my days were spent just socializing with all the different  attendees.  The passion that people have for anime is a lot like the  passion that Trekkies have.  Cosplayers came in every shape and size and age group.  I saw a lot more girls and guys dressed in lolita and what impressed me was the fact that some guys were better lolitas than the girls. Some ideas were so creative; combining elements of different anime shows.

 A long day of walking and talking made me hungry. I enjoyed the vast variety of food trucks. There were so many selections so close to the convention center with just about anything you can hope for.  These  weren’t your average “Roach Coaches” but well decorated carriages of delectable fare.   I ate Filipino Food, ( Pancit Bihon and lumpia) and it was delicious.

Programming was also on my list for this year.  I had attended a few panels. I didn’t see Viz around so I looked for some other source of anime goodness.  The arcade was another spot that programming always did well in and was the next spot on my list.  Finding the arcade was a bit difficult, almost like an easter egg hunt.  I finally arrived at the arcade andd I thought to myself “WOW! what happened to all the games, and the well maintained Japanese  arcade cabs”.  I only saw a few Bemani games and  the usual Capcom fighting games. The selection and condition of the arcade cabinets were not as good as I remembered them. I decided to play some Street Fighter 4, and  was impressed with the level of competition from some of the female gamers. Through some investigative reports I found  out that a lot of the games that were  scheduled to be brought into the arcade were canceled due to Microsoft  renting the Arcade room for use almost immediately after AX. Also the former provider of the Arcade’s cabinets closed down and the cabs provided were from a different supplier.  There was also a console room that I wanted to check out.   The console room is also a great place to test your gaming skills against other AX attendees.  My friends ntered a bunch of the  fighting game tourneys that were available. They had controllers available or you could have brought your own custom stick.

 Here were some of the fighting games that were listed and schedule for tourney play.

 Tekken 6

 Marvel Vs Capcom 3

 Smash Brothers Brawl

 Tatsunoko v. Capcom

 Mortal Kombat

 Super Street Fighter 4

 An exciting event that happened this year was the talk of a bomb threat.  What had happened was that an unclaimed package was found around the West Hall of the convention center.  AX made every effort to see if someone had lost this item but it remained unclaimed.  The LAPD was called and they cleared the West Hall side of the convention center and treated this package as a bomb.  This cancelled all programming and any special events that were scheduled during this time. I had been privy to witness a small crowd gathering outside of South Hall.  The convention staff and the LAPD were quite effective and it was determined that this was a false alarm!

 Some of the must see things and highlights of AX especially this year  were the AMV’s (Anime Music Videos) and the live concerts.  I heard  this year AMV’s were the best AMV’s AX as ever had.  The AMV’s always took  place the opening night of AX and they were a real treat to watch.  If  you’re into J-rock or J-pop, then you must attend some of the live concerts.  

The Atmosphere of AX was one that will have attendees coming back for more. I’ve been to a lot of  conventions, but AX still keeps me looking forward to coming back each year.  AX is the only convention where I can  say that I feel like we’re all connected.

 Why is AX for you? Well, here are my final thoughts.  If you’re  looking for an out of this world experience, you should attend.  If  you’re looking to create some friendships, you should attend.  If you  like Anime, you should attend.  If you’re a guy and you’re looking for  your Anime princess or vice versa you should attend.  AX had everything… If you’re a hardcore Anime Fan, they have tons of panels  to keep you informed on whats going on in the world of Anime.  If  you’re a gamer and want to experience playing games with new people;either the arcade and console room will keep you happy.  If you want to  relax, just watch some Anime in the video rooms.  If you like Role Playing, there were tons of cosplayers that love to role play.

 Last but not least, if you’re looking to buy something from your  favorite anime, or love J-music, you will find items that you won’t find any where else. (well you can also try Comic Con International in San Diego if you can get in) If you are interested in anything i’ve mentioned above, whether it be  for one day or all four days, you must attend the Anime Expo.

By Sean McQuillan

I love conventions.  When I’ve gone to the San Diego Comic-Con there is always a wonderful feeling in the air.  Never before have I been in a place with so many people and felt a wonderful sense of camaraderie.  From the merchants to the fans, from the cosplayers to the exhibitors, there is a great sense of shared enjoyment.  It’s always been a great coming together of the industry and its fans.  When I heard that I was going up to Anaheim to cover a new anime convention I was super excited.  While I do enjoy several anime series, I’ve always identified myself as a comic book geek rather than an Otaku.  This was going to be my chance to experience a different kind of convention, and I had high expectations.  And so, this last 4th of July weekend I had the opportunity to do coverage of the AM2 convention.  When I set foot into the main floor I was taken aback by how bare it was.  It was far from empty, but had an inconceivable amount of free space compared to my Comic-con experience.  I quickly got to work chatting up con-goers and photographing ever one in costume.  Less than an hour into taking pictures and interviewing people, I came to the simple realization that, despite the smaller size, AM2 had all the energy and enthusiasm of a giant convention.  Live music and shows on stage were a wonderful touch, and gave it a more social experience.  If you can make it next year, I highly recommend you catch the 8-bit music styling of The Icarus Kid. The hilarious Iron Cosplay is great too, with random con-goers invited on stage where other con-goers use arts and crafts to improvise a costume for them.  AM2 is certainly in its infancy, with this being its first year, but it’s off to an amazing start. 

With such an amazing experience at AM2, I was excited when I got to go up to Los Angeles to catch the last day of Anime Expo.  I had heard from my colleagues that it was much more on par with Comic-con in terms of attendance and size.  When we got there I was certainly pleased to see many more people in costumes, but was immediately taken aback by how many refused to allow their picture to be taken.  In my two days at AM2 I had taken over 350 pictures of wonderful costumes, and only twice was I ever refused.  At Anime Expo four out of five cosplayers refused to be photographed and seemed offended at the suggestion.  With large halls off the main floor being used as rest places for weary con-goers I figured I could get a glimpse of the culture of Anime Expo.  I was pleasantly surprised to find an improvised dance group, trying to include more people in what they called “The Ninja Game.”  Once again however, I was met with suspicion and distrust when I requested to take their pictures.  It was as though they didn’t want their secrets getting out, or that I was some tabloid photographer.

While it may sound like I’m bashing Anime Expo, I certainly am not.  I’m sure I caught many of these people at stressful moments, or when they were simply tired of being photographed all day.  If you enjoy Anime Expo, than certainly don’t let me dissuade you, but if you’re looking for something with a more personal feel with all the energy of a big convention then I would heartily recommend trying AM2.

pictures by Natasha Campos

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by Marcio Guastavino

Though I’m now in my humble abode typing this out, I still have the longing to be out and about joining the masses in a cosplay frenzy. The worst part of con going is the ride back home to normalcy. The last day of AX was a shopper’s day to scavenge anything he or she could find at a good deal. I myself found a very talented artist who made me a new Berserk key chain! Best con gift I’ve gotten myself in a long time. We looked around for more cosplayers to photograph and said goodbye to friends before we made the long trip home. We got tons of pictures and got whatever last minute things we really wanted to do out of the way. All in all I would say AX was very successful this year. Sadly AM2 did not meet the cut, but when you have two cons, one big…on pretending to be big, there’s always going to be one that’s favored. I would suggest that the AM2 guys try to make their con on a different date. Competition is healthy I suppose, but it’s also expensive I’m sure.

There usually isn’t much to see panel wise on the last day. We weren’t really dying to check any of the workshops or closing statements so e stayed on the floor for the most part. The dealer’s room closes at 3 on the last day so we headed out early to beat the traffic and called it a day. We had a ton of fun and can’t wait to do it again next year! Until then we have the Vegas cons to check out and they’ll have to fill in the void until we can get ourselves to California again. We hope everyone had a blast and we’ll be sure to see you again next year!!

by Marcio Guastavino

What can I say? It’s good to be back in LA and enjoy the nice cool breeze and temperatures that don’t rise up to excruciating. Another year of anime and cosplay goodness. So what do i expect from AX this year? Well so far it’s pretty much what I got last year, but is that a bad thing? In my opinion it’s much better actually. Think about it. There’s been controversy over the AX vs AM2 for so long now that no one really thought AX was going to be as good as it was in previous years. I will say this right now, AX has so far been everything last year was with the exception of the lack of interesting panels. That’s my opinion of course. I’ve been extremely picky and refuse to sit in a panel talking about how much a company can’t tell us. I’m all for new anime, but I’m here to scope out the scene, mingle with the peeps, and find out why I decided to hit up AX for 3 out of the 4 days I’m here and not AM2.
The first thing I noticed was how SPACIOUS everything was. And while I know they are creating the illusion of having as big an exhibit hall as they did last year I know for a fact they’ve lost some of the exhibits they’ve had over the years. Not going into details, but let’s get down to why this is a good thing. I personally find it rather silly to overrun the exhibit hall with the same crap over…and over….and over again. I swear I see the same plushies, pillows, posters, etc. in every other booth with the exception of some rarities here and there. This year we have a less confined amount. More space means you get more walking room. Yeah it still gets crowded, but not as crowded as before. And what’s this? They put in carpeting!? Hot dang, now my feet won’t yell at me when I get home and change out of my cosplay. The other thing they did was increase the size of the ”artist alley” and moved them to the back instead of squished in one corner of the convention. The amount of artists this year is insane, but when you have a lack of exhibitors I think you can open the doors wide for various artist that want a chance to show off their work. I asked a couple of them how they liked this change and they agree that being out in the open is much much better than crushed to the side. The whole artist alley section is basically viewable once you enter the hall, so they aren’t overlooked in any way and believe me when I say there’s a lot to see. That said, I would say that someone checking out the exhibit hall for goodies can do it within an hour if they’re just skimming through. The most important thing is that the people are still as animated (putting it nicely) and as excited as ever to be there. Which is what AX has always been about. Those that love anime gathering together to show off their costumes and the hard work that went in them….plus meeting some cool voice actors and getting some info from panels, but that’s far from the main point. Which is that, so far, I’m having a good time. Three more days to go and today was just the tip of the iceberg. We’ll see what tomorrow brings! Make sure to check Natash Campos’ pics of various cosplays and her coverage of the Hetalia History panel on TME’s Vlog site on youtube.

by Marcio Guastavino

You enter the convention after driving for awhile and your main concern is getting your badge first and everything else second. You park your car, you adjust yourself making sure everything is perfect before you make your grand entrance. You look good, you’ve worked on your cosplay for endless nights and today it’s going to pay off. You walk through the door and you barely get inside the main door when someone asks, ”Excuse me can I get a pic!?” You say of course, and give them your best pose. They say, ”thank you”, you say, ”you’re welcome”, and everyone gets on their merry way. Remember, you gotta get your badge first. So you finally get inside, and along the way you’ve heard your name called and you turn around to signify that you’ve heard it and try to keep your pace, but whoaaaaa. Someone steps in front of you and wants another pic….”What’s one more”, you think as you give them another pose. What if I told you that this happens every time you need to be somewhere? See, I know what you’re thinking reader. ”Why don’t you just politely decline and then just get your stuff done?” Simple…it’s because you can’t. Remember how long it took to glue that one piece to the other piece that one night for your cosplay? And now you’re here and everyone loves it and everyone who gets a pic is going to get one because you love the attention. So believe me when I say that you WILL out all your bags down EVERY time for a pic. You WILL have different poses set up for every picture you take. You WILL tell yourself the bathroom can wait so the camera man can take the best friggin photo he’s going to get at that convention. You know why? Because you’ve worked your butt off and the blood, sweat, tears, and money (definitely money) that went into your perfect cosplay is going to get every piece of recognition that comes your way. That’s how it’s like, and that’s how I feel. Some just come for the glory of showing off and there’s nothing wrong with that. On that note, I had my photo taken 34 times today. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Tips for Cosplayers and Other Convention Attendees
By Natasha Campos

For beginning cosplayers, try to choose characters whom you can relate to—personality-wise or appearance-wise. Studying the character’s mannerisms and/or speaking voice will also help you to “get in character.” Try not to get TOO in-character as other people may find this annoying—it’s always good to keep a good balance of yourself and of the character role you are assuming.
If the cosplay requires a change in appearance, such as dyeing one’s hair or wearing a wig, determine which choice you will be comfortable with if you choose to wear the cosplay to a convention.

Creating or putting together a cosplay takes a lot of time and dedication!! It’s always a great idea to print out various reference photos to determine the various materials that you will use in constructing the cosplay. A helpful idea is to draw arrows to each article of clothing or prop you see in the photo and write down what fabrics or objects you will need. Depending on how sturdy & durable you need the costume to be, there are many helpful tutorials and guides online on how to use foam, plastics, wood, textiles, or whatever items you will be working with in making your costume. Research your fabrics!! If the costume requires “shiny” fabric, then “shiny” fabric should be used. If the costume requires more a more “solid” textile, do not use any other sort of fabric unless you are absolutely SURE that you can make the fabric “work” to your costume needs.

In preparation for an anime convention, consider the amount of time you need to put everything together (3-6 months in advance would be good, depending on the intricacy of your costume). DO NOT try to “slap everything together” in the last week or two! Another important point to consider is your budget—how much are you willing to spend on your costume? Again, do not feel discouraged because a certain cosplay may look “too expensive” or “too complicated” to make—simply do a little online research or ask other cosplayers what they would suggest, you’ll be very surprised with what you can come up with on a budget!

If you’re attending a convention and are going to be in cosplay for more than 4 hours, bringing an extra set of comfortable (and possibly “matching”) footwear with you is a good idea. Be sure to take periodic rests and/or sit down every so often—standing/walking for prolonged periods of time may cause back aches.

As a cosplayer, people will want to take pictures of or with you! Try to have photographs done in a location away from other convention attendees and convention traffic in general. Taking photos in the middle of a crowd of people make for unsightly photos and possible photo-bombing! If you do not feel comfortable having your photo taken—whether by yourself or with someone else, give a clear, but polite verbal refusal. Do not automatically assume that it is alright to touch younger children who want a photo with you even if they request to “hold your hand” or have you place your hand on their shoulder—wait for the parent or guardian’s permission to do so.

For cosplayers who are yielding props or large-sized prop weapons—be aware of how it is being handled and be careful of whom it may come into contact with (whether knowingly or unknowingly). If a convention attendee asks permission to physically touch or handle your prop/weapon, it is up to you whether you feel comfortable enough to allow that person to do so. If you have to take a break and sit somewhere, keep your prop as close to you as possible and in a position where it will not become a hazard to other people.

Constructing a cosplay doesn’t need to be a one-man show—ask, ask, ASK for help when you need it! Don’t be afraid to ask a fabric-store sales associate what fabrics would be best to work with when sewing your costume. If you have friends who are talented in prop-making, enlist their help and offer to return the favor at a later date. If you have friends who are into cosplay as well, another great idea is to come together and have a (or several) “work-on-cosplay” session(s)—this way, everyone can throw around ideas and offer each other help in building up costumes. It’s also a fun way to bond with other cosplayers

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