Ahh… this will be the seventh time going to Anime Expo.
Do I qualify as a veteran, yet?
In any case, my plan.
Day 1 Plan
Anime Expo – Day 1 Plan
Doesn’t look like I’m going to hit the Exhibit Hall very much, as the Toshihiko Seki and Shokotan panels will be taking up a good amount of time. Also, afterward, I will probably need to be standing in line for the AMV tickets and whatnot. And, afterward, the AMVs themselves.
It’ll be nice if the #beastslair gang and I can get together for the AMVs. Or at least dinner afterward. Probably won’t be any time for a dance or anything. Also, it’ll be nice to see the usual host one more time, as he wanted to retire last year, but things were so horrible that he decided to stay on another year just so things could end on a good note.
Day 2 Plan
Anime Expo – Day 2 Plan
I’m mainly hoping for people to get up earlier than the day before and head over to the LACC, rather than groggily not doing so. It always seems to be a problem getting people up, as if sleep they’ve never had to go with only a few hours of sleep. Bleh.
I especially want to be early this day for the David Hayter panel. I’ll be bringing my MGS3 box with me (not the actual game) so I can have it signed sometime during the day. Hopefully during a time that isn’t inconvenient. Too bad I don’t have a PS3 and MGS4, but I’m not exactly rich, either. I don’t think any of the #beastslair people going have the game, so…
I wonder if they’ll let Banquo get his rifle stock autographed. ^^;
In any case, I’m hoping for a fun time at the Jyukai / Yoko Ishida concert. Woot.
If what the Anime Expo website scroller says is correct, then the Masquerade should be on Friday, not Saturday. I.E., Day 2 instead of Day 3. Unfortunately, some of the retards in charge of the site information and updates don’t really know what the hell they’re doing, as the schedule of programming still shows AX Idol as being on the second. I’ll probably make second backup plan in case AX Idol is really on Friday like their schedule says so.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to personally take a lot of nice pictures of the cosplayers, for a change.
I don’t think many family members realize I’m fairly snap happy if I actually have a digital camera in my hand. ^^;
After Masquerade, hopefully I can go to one of the dances, possibly with other #beastslair people. Club dances, mind you. I can’t dance for beans, anyway. But I at least can pretend I know how to dance.
With the help of large amounts of sugar in my bloodstream. >_>
Thank God for Denny’s. I love that restaurant.
Edit: Alright, I guess they’re referring to Masquerade Ball being changed to Friday, not Masquerade. Which is a sidenote of a dance on the schedule, displayed in a box, rather than actually having been put in the schedule itself.
… Can’t they just make a visual schedule for dances and gaming and make things easier? Consistency of design, dammit.
Day 3 Plan
Anime Expo – Day 3 Plan
Day 3 is a particularly troublesome day. I want to support Jyukai and secure her signature, but the Shokotan concert happens right afterwards. Being a main event, it would require tickets. There’s only a half-hour gap between the end of the Jyukai panel and the beginning of seating for the Shokotan concert; tickets very easily might be gone by then.
One solution is to have someone else wait in line for a ticket while I attend the panel, but I would feel guilty about that.
The other solution is to forgo going to the Jyukai panel and waiting in line for a ticket for Shokotan. orz
The latter solution might be what will end up happening, as I value going to a concert higher than going to a panel.
In any case, as alluded to before, the Masquerade is stated in the schedule to be on this day, and it is implied by the news scroller that AX Idol will be on this day in actuality. I will probably have to make a backup plan, as well. If AX Idol does happen on this day, I will be in luck, as I don’t plan on attending it!
This opens me up for the Exhibit Hall and several smaller panels and events, such as the Otaku Parliamentary Debate finals, the Dating Sim panel, and Last Comic Standing. I have no particular preference for most of them, but I’m sure Banquo of the #beastslair crowd would be interested in attending a few of them. So, it’d be fun to go in a group. I just want people to have a good time, really.
Day 4 Plan
Anime Expo – Day 4 Plan
The sad part about the last day is that there aren’t many events, and things end generally about 3PM. At least last year, we had a Transformers movie to wait in line and get excited over. This year, back to the Exhibit Hall for the last few freebies and deals. Or attending some of the panels specific to the last day, like the voice actors panel and whatnot. And convention feedback.
If this AX turns into a disaster, I will definitely have something to say. In fact, I probably will have something to say, anyways, as the AX website is very bad with giving names and whatnot. Thankfully, registration seems to be going smoother, and Day 0 registration day seems to have stuck as a lasting tradition. But, I’m interested in voicing my opinion about the updates. I’m looking at you, Joseph Kitzman. Too, I’d also be interested in getting their IT shop working efficiently and securely. Apparently, they have some serious problems getting things working. >_>
Finally, the closing ceremonies. Last year, it was actually entertaining, as they had some Central/South American homemade video about two otakus arguing with each other over something stupid, and then fighting some anime-like battle to the death. For something homebrew, it was pretty darn impressive.
I sure do hope AX will be good this year. Of course, it can’t be worse than last year, but for a few people, this is going to be their first Anime Expo, and I want to help make it a good experience for them, as well as help them realize that 1.) LA isn’t a dangerous, gang-infested slum of violence, where you have to live in constant fear for your life, and 2.) that anime conventions aren’t about having some horribly obnoxious otaku stinking up your personal space.
Alright, guess I’m done for now.