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Anime Expo photo gallery
World's largest exhibition of Japanese anime and manga brings out the comics-obsessed.
Otaku alert! Downtown Los Angeles was virtually overrun last weekend with young, animation-obsessed Japanophiles dressed as their favorite manga characters, sci-fi movie heroes, and the just plain bizarre as the 17th annual Animé Expo takes over the L.A. Convention Center. The ever-growing Expo showcases the newest domestic and imported animé and manga collections for fervent fans to adore. The four-day convention included a number of panels, workshops, film presentations, live competitions and interactive events for fans and industry insiders.
An estimated 103,000 attendees -- up a few thousand from last year, according to organizers -- descended on the Convention Center from as far away as Utah, Arizona and Japan to parade around in their "cosplay" outfits (for "costume play": dressing up in costumes like their favorite anime characters), check out the karaoke contests, attend signings, take part in panel discussions and, of course, browse the rows upon rows of booths at the confab.
Honored guests at the event included the director of the original "Pokémon" television series, Masamitsu Hidaka, who also has a highly anticipated new project, "Linebarrels of Iron," an adaptation of a popular battle robot manga. "It girl" Shoko Nakagawa, a TV celebrity, voice actress and illustrator in her native Japan who's "Shokotan Blog" has received over a billion page views, also played a set from her recently debuted album, "Big Bang."
An estimated 103,000 attendees -- up a few thousand from last year, according to organizers -- descended on the Convention Center from as far away as Utah, Arizona and Japan to parade around in their "cosplay" outfits (for "costume play": dressing up in costumes like their favorite anime characters), check out the karaoke contests, attend signings, take part in panel discussions and, of course, browse the rows upon rows of booths at the confab.
Honored guests at the event included the director of the original "Pokémon" television series, Masamitsu Hidaka, who also has a highly anticipated new project, "Linebarrels of Iron," an adaptation of a popular battle robot manga. "It girl" Shoko Nakagawa, a TV celebrity, voice actress and illustrator in her native Japan who's "Shokotan Blog" has received over a billion page views, also played a set from her recently debuted album, "Big Bang."
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