Anime Expo (2014)

¿Cinco de Julio? Not really, but it sure is for the biggest annual event: Anime Expo 2014!

As you might have guessed, this is my very first time attending such event. I really wanted to expand my tastes in anime, plus a convention filled with mostly nerds and geeks was a sight to reckon with. Add to it pretty women cosplaying, minus the kooky perverts who've never been "touched," and you've got yourself an event never to forget.

I showed up as early as 6AM to pick up my one-day badge, and immediately ran into two of my coworkers. Taking various pics of booths, signs, people and awesome and pretty cosplayers, it was a packed house. Having showed up early, I never got the chance to sit down, thus walking and standing nearly 7 hours in a row. Around 1PM, I became physically tired, and it was so crowded that I was getting claustrophobic. Plus, leaving early would help avoid major traffic. Let's not forget, it's right next to the Staples Center, where the LA Kings just won their Stanley Cup championship. This couldn't be a worse place to be stuck in traffic.

As of this writing, I'm in my mid-twenties and showing up at this event was time travel—surrounded by high schoolers talking about anime, clumped up in a group of folks with similar interests, while being too awkward seeing girls they like (we were all like that at one point). What was fascinating were the women cosplaying showing the most skin that attracted the most attention. There were dudes also cosplaying and showing skin but not many women flocked to them to take their pictures, which makes you wonder about the whole gender ideal. Nevertheless, all the cosplayers felt like celebrities to me, except the brooding egos, media hypes and boring publicity stunts.

The vendors were generally very nice (one of them, my coworker and his girlfriend). I signed up, for free, to retrieve manga via phone app. I was thinking of buying an anime series on DVD (forgot the name) that also included a free Game Boy Advance game with it. It got me thinking because of the price, the game itself and if it's an RPG—my personal favorite genre. I held back and didn't buy it, so I very much spent the rest of my time walking and finding other fellow coworkers and a former coworker—she cosplayed as well.

Took mostly female cosplayers since they stole the show. However, when I took a picture of the beautiful girl cosplaying in green, the guy next to her got insanely jealous, as she laughed mercilessly. To the tall girl who cosplayed in green (Picture #14-49): are you going out with that guy next to you? Although women find it cute when a guy gets jealous, and jerks find it easy to pick on a quiet, introverted geek up until he's in a relationship with a hot girl, I really think you can do better. There are nerds that are as tall, if not taller, than you are, and feel that's a better fit for you. That dude next to you needs a damn chill pill. Then again, this isn't the first time another guy gets enraged and jealous at me showing cool and respect to a woman he's with, coworkers or otherwise—something good guys know how to do. After taking her picture, I knew I was going to post it on this website, and here you go, fans: her picture is #14. Enjoy!

Other than that, I learned something: I learned how much we admire the Japanese culture. Many others think their culture and customs are too weird to take in, but I find it amazing and fun. The Japanese are very nice people, and it showed on this convention. As for what I learned from the cosplayers: living out your fantasy as your favorite character proves you can make anything happen, in addition to having a good time using it to feed others come meeting new people. I find this event more festive and enjoyable than Halloween.

I had no idea video cameras were allowed. Will consider so, though I may upgrade my current one some time. Thank you Anime Expo for an unforgettable experience for a first-timer! I will definitely show up again next year.

Note: if you are one of the cosplayers featured here, contact me so I can give credit where due and link to your website/blog.