Photos: Costumes come out for Anime Expo 2010 in L.A.
Lauren Wills, 18, of Nevada, dressed as Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” has difficulty climbing some steps as she walks through the Los Angeles Convention Center with her sister Kathryn Wills following close behind in Japanese street fashion. The Anime Expo -- the world’s largest celebration of animation and Japanese comics -- has been held in Los Angeles the last two years. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa poses with anime characters as he walks through the Los Angeles Convention Center for the first day of the 2010 Anime Expo. The four-day convention is expected to draw about 100,000 guests. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Susan Reinhofer -- dressed as Ranka Lee from the Macross Frontier series -- is one of the thousands of guests expected to attend the anime convention this weekend. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Megan Daugherty, 21, right, is dressed as Kaoru from the Japanese band Dir En Grey, and John Maret, 23, left, is dressed as game character Bridget from Guilty Gear. Both from Colorado, they wait in line with eager anime fans to enter the Los Angeles Convention Center for the first day of the Anime Expo. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Rosabella Scarlet, 21, of Atlanta, dressed up as Oz from Pandora Hearts, waits for friends outside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Fans walk through the expo in elaborate costumes and break out into impromptu performances of popular songs and dances from Japanese animations. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
April Apodaca, right, dressed as Princess Mononoke from the Japanese animated film of the same name, poses for a photo by Mathew Borisoff, left. The four-day Anime Expo features workshops, competitions, art displays, film screenings, Japanese bands, and more than 400 vendor booths. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Evan Greenwood of Long Beach, dressed as Brook from the One Piece anime series, strikes a pose as fans walk through the Los Angeles Convention Center for the 2010 Anime Expo. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
From left, Matthew Marek, dressed as Space Ghost; Zach Hinkley, dressed as Zero; and Elena Borne, Anne Marie Pilard and Loren Jaxson, dressed as characters from “Alice In Wonderland,” wait in line with eager anime fans to enter the Anime Expo held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Artist Jennifer Shi, 17, of Maryland sells her original artwork of anime characters at the Anime Expo. With more then 400 vendor booths, the four-day convention celebrates Japanese pop culture with events such as film screenings and panel discussions with anime and manga creators. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)