Gundam warriors, League of Legends characters, comic book cosplayers and a bevy of mashups (Samurai Mario, anyone?) crowded the main lobby of the Los Angeles Convention Center this weekend for the 25th edition of the Anime Expo.
Visitors navigated their way through an artists alley for hand-drawn renditions of their favorite characters, but even with 40% more space in which to operate this year, many places were hot and cramped. By the time Anime Expo closes on Monday, the four-day event expects to have crossed the 100,000 attendance mark.
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, organizer of the expo, will continue its programming on Independence Day with a full slate that includes open mike karaoke, a panel on the popular cartoon and video game "God Eater" and the finals of the e-gaming tournament.
The related Anisong World Matsuri concerts were a success, filling L.A. Live venues, organizers said. Anticipation for Sunday's world premiere of the movie "Your Name," by director Makoto Shinkai, spurred fans to camp out for seats on Saturday night.
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