| |
 |
|
|
Hidiri
- Anime model from Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
Anime
Enthusiasts Gather at the
9th Annual Anime Expo
Stay
tuned as AC Team covers the 10th Annual
Anime Expo! July 5-8, 2001 in Long Beach,California
Go
to Anime Expo 2000 Photo Gallery
New to Anime? Click here for an interview with
anime fan Kevin Lillard
Pikachu
was there...So was Sailor Moon, Gundam, Dragon Ball Z, Escaflowne
and Neon Evangelion...in Disneyland?
Not even
Mickey Mouse could have taken away the exciting presence of anime
at the Disneyland Hotel Resort and Convention center in Anaheim,
California.
 |
|
Anime
fan -
Aldrich Bautista
|
Anima
Expo 2000 was the ninth annual anime fest, the largest convention
of its kind devoted to Japanese animation and manga (comics) in
the United States. If you are a fan of Princess Mononoke or the
latest Dragon Ball Z, this was definitely the place to see and be
seen.
A
record-breaking attendance of more than 6,500 anime fans attended
four nonstop days at AX (Anime Expo 2000) over the 4th of July weekend,
many dressed as their favorite anime characters. Events included
special previews of upcoming film, TV, comic and video series, seminars
with anime artists and producers, awards ceremonies, a charity auction
and a masquerade party. It was a total anime smoozefest.
|
|
|
|
|
(L
to R): Kie Gruenke "Officer Jenny," Lily Gruenke "Officer
Jenny," Kiyoshi Okuma "Subaru," & Jessa Deaubl "Subaru"
|
Jeanne
Becaon - "Lilith" in Dark Stalker, video game
|
Anime
fans pose for our camera!
|
It
was fun getting to know some of the anime characters and their artists
at this year's extravaganza.
 |
|
|
"Gundam"
|
Gundam,
in case you haven't heard, is a mobile suit for the federation which
has been made into legend, the symbol of the resistance movement
in the long-standing animation. The Gundam series has survived through
videos, comics, books, TV shows, video games, toys and t-shirts.
While Gundam continues to be popular among animation fans, it wasn't
the only anime attraction at the convention.
Gundam
is one of hundreds of anime characters. Other notable series include
Trigun, Escaflowne, Neon Evangelion, and of course, the most mainstream
of all...Pokemon.
These
characters come in all sorts of styles, shapes and personalities
and seem to come to life before your eyes. Anime series vary in
theme, story line, and attract diverse audiences. Doraemon, for
example, is based on the adventures of a futuristic blue-colored
cat. Cowboy Bebop is about a bounty hunter in space with female
comic characters sporting chests way beyond 48D.
Newsgroups
online were abuzz over the reported delays at this year's Anime
Dealers Room, where anime dealers show their wares for sale. Stories
indicate that, Disney Hotel management along with Anaheim police
reportedly were brought in to scout the dealers hall area to purge
the public areas of X-rated products after a complaint was made
by a convention attendee with her child who viewed one dealer selling
X-rated materials to minors.
Like
true core enthusiasts, newsgroups debated online the pros and cons
of such a sweep calling it the "Dealers Room Incident." A convention
management spokesman went online responding to members of the newsgroups
with an apology, "We are taking steps to make sure that this situation
never occurs again and also that the dealer who ruined the experience
of the...fans in attendance. will not be invited back to AX ever again...We
are making sure that this will never occur again."
 |
|
|
Heather
- Anime fan
|
|
|
This
was no ordinary convention. The interactive attention to detail and
dialogue between the fans and the conference organizers is impressive.
It was evident even before the convention was officially over, with
members eagerly plotting out suggestions online for improving next
year's gathering.
 Click
here for video
Fans
screamed "Bandai! - Bandai! - Bandai!" while jumping up and down and
raising their hands as high as possible to reach one of the red Bandai
T-shirts being flung out into the crowds at the Bandai exhibition
booth.
go to page 2 of 2
Go
to Anime Expo 2000 Photo Gallery
|
