Anime Expo 2018 | Who's going? What to buy? Where to go?

descending into idol hell on Wednesday.:D

Going to do some volunteer work for a day, and then go there as an attendee for 2 days. This is how I am making up for not going last year!!

Planning to least see Studio Trigger panel on Friday.

Might as well get this bumped, as pre-night was tonight. Celebrated July 4th by volunteering there for the whole day lol. It was fun helping set up one of the AX stores and seeing the place when it is more quiet.XD Got two 1 day passes from it, and am set for Friday and Saturday.

Going the next two days as attendee (have two concerts and a Jojo escape room), helping a friend booth in artist alley on Saturday, and still unsure about Sunday.

Coming for the full 4 days for the first time. Usually goes for Saturday only. Ended up skipping last year's.

Not sure if I'll buy much, but curious about the Entertainment Hall this year.

Prioritizing seeing the B/MnHA movie. Not sure how early I need to be to line up.

NOTE: Kingdom Hearts III is playable here like E3. Anyone who is willing to check it out, I wish you the best of luck.

I'm not going myself, but I helped to set up some panels and signing sessions with one of our artists, Eisuke Ogura.

http://nisamerica.com/blog/meet-takehito-harada-and-eisuke-ogura-ax-2018/

Linecon is real. Line for entry is a cluster of shit. Getting all sorts of mixed messages from staff. South hall has what seems to be 4+ for entry.

Hows the mha movie line

Wasn't able to go last year or this year, hoping to go back next year with a Premier Pass again.

I'm missing it for the first time in like 10 years.
Always remind people that there is a bunch of places to eat if you drive/walk a couple blocks down figuerora.
Beats paying 30 at the food trucks or the packed cafeteria there.

This is insane.
I just got here and there's a huge line to get INSIDE the expo.

Why?! It was never this bad last time I came here.

SparksterMeta0 said:

This is insane.
I just got here and there's a huge line to get INSIDE the expo.

Why?! It was never this bad last time I came here.

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The giant bomb effect son

I wish I could have gone.

But there's no way someone like me who has never traveled out of state by themselves would be able to go all thew ay to California alone, let alone afford it.

SparksterMeta0 said:

This is insane.
I just got here and there's a huge line to get INSIDE the expo.

Why?! It was never this bad last time I came here.

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That bad huh? Me and a friend are going to try to get there pretty early the next two days (especially since I still need to pick up my 1 day badges), so hopefully it won't be too hot then while waiting to get into the expo.

SparksterMeta0 said:

This is insane.
I just got here and there's a huge line to get INSIDE the expo.

Why?! It was never this bad last time I came here.

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If you aren't coming 2-3 hours early then it'll happen, it was the same as last year.

I remember going back when they were still in Anaheim during high school. Wiki has attendance then at 33k, it felt amazing then since they had everything ordered so art hall was a separate area and you could walk around freely. Last year was well over 100k. The LA expo center feels way too cramped, especially the open area before you walk in the halls, you're basically elbow to elbow with people during the busiest days.

Rue said:

If you aren't coming 2-3 hours early then it'll happen, it was the same as last year.

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Then I'll avoid that mistake for the rest of the con.
Thanks.

Luckily being a creative professional lets me skip all the lines to get my badge, but I do feel like the convention needs to move to Anaheim, a larger convention hall.

I'll probably only be there tomorrow. Just to hang out with some friends.

Question, if I buy the ticket one day online, where do i get my badge? Also, did anyone attend the Gunpla Beginner's workshop?

I'm working today but I'll be going to the Mega64 panel tonight. Then I'll be back Saturday and Sunday to cosplay Genji.

I'll be there! My band, Kirby's Dream Band is playing the stage at 7 pm on saturday. Come see a bunch of grown ass men in pink shred kirby tunes.

Are they airing the first episode of JoJo Part 5 here?

PMS341 said:

Are they airing the first episode of JoJo Part 5 here?

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Tomorrow

MetroidPrimeRib said:

Tomorrow

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Awesome. Cannot wait.

I'd like to go for one day. It's supposed to be very, very hot this weekend. Not sure if standing in a 2+ hour line for entry is something I'm up for.

Went for aqours last night, was amazing. Coming back up to la tomorrow for jsl and jkl on sunday.

studyguy said:

I remember going back when they were still in Anaheim during high school. Wiki has attendance then at 33k, it felt amazing then since they had everything ordered so art hall was a separate area and you could walk around freely. Last year was well over 100k. The LA expo center feels way too cramped, especially the open area before you walk in the halls, you're basically elbow to elbow with people during the busiest days.

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My first AX was in 2006 in Anaheim and it was great. I usually alternate going to AX or Otakon for summer cons so I did not go to AX this year. I hope once there contract is up in LA they will seriously look at moving it back to Anaheim, with its updated convention center is should provide a little relief with 100K people in attendance. You basically need the VIP badge if you want to hit up a lot of panels in one day.

My hero academia movie was really hype at the end. A lot of energy in the room.

ErichWK said:

I'll be there! My band, Kirby's Dream Band is playing the stage at 7 pm on saturday. Come see a bunch of grown ass men in pink shred kirby tunes.

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Really wish I could attend this year since you guys are playing. I missed y'all at MAGFest because of a conflict, so I'm hoping you make a repeat visit soon!

Thankfully I should be able to do this con again next year, with a lot more preparation this time.

Pasokon Deacon said:

Really wish I could attend this year since you guys are playing. I missed y'all at MAGFest because of a conflict, so I'm hoping you make a repeat visit soon!

Thankfully I should be able to do this con again next year, with a lot more preparation this time.

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Do you live in Los Angeles? Next month we are playing with Bit Brigade and the Megas!

Nope, I'm in North Texas, so all the good big cons (aside from PAX South) require a lot more planning and saving.

Temperance said:

My hero academia movie was really hype at the end. A lot of energy in the room.

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Ugh. I really wanted to see that, but it took me over an hour to even get inside the expo and tickets were gone long before I got in.

At the Dragon Ball panel and finally got my question asked.

Feep said:

Luckily being a creative professional lets me skip all the lines to get my badge, but I do feel like the convention needs to move to Anaheim, a larger convention hall.

I'll probably only be there tomorrow. Just to hang out with some friends.

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I assume the industry creative badge doesn't let you skip the panel lineups though - correct?

Lazlo said:

I assume the industry creative badge doesn't let you skip the panel lineups though - correct?

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Yeah, that's correct. It gains me access to like a weird room where they have snacks, or something, and that's about it.

Honestly I'm debating whether I should go at all. It's going to 105 degrees by Friday midday. Ugh.

This was an interesting start of the AX weekend despite the chaotic morning.

Exhibit Hall had so many people, like the rest of the Expo, it was almost suffocating.

Checked the Dragon Ball panel. It was OK, but great to see the voices of Goku, Krillin, and Bulma.

I checked the Monster Hunter panel, but it got a little boring and had some tech problems. And I was waiting in the heat for over an hour. Good thing I had water and one of those giant bags for shade.

My night ended checking out Funimation's Peep Show. It was... really interesting. And I won a prize to pick up tomorrow at the booth.

The highlight, though, was playing Virtual On at the Entertainment Hall's arcade. I remember owning the game on my Xbox 360, so it was great playing the old arcade cabinet.

Stay cool everyone. It's gonna be over 100* in LA tomorrow.

8:41am now and it is really getting hot.

Been a little more than a hour wait to get inside.

SparksterMeta0 said:

Ugh. I really wanted to see that, but it took me over an hour to even get inside the expo and tickets were gone long before I got in.

At the Dragon Ball panel and finally got my question asked.

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Oh, which question did you ask? My daughter loved that panel, mainly because it was basically just the voice actors cracking jokes.

The lines didn't seem to be too bad for me, at least compared to last year when it lined up all the way down to Chick Hearn way. The true test is tomorrow. The key is to not try to go in where the exhibitor hall is (forget if that's west or south) where the badge and swag pickups are, those lines are usually the longest and there are two ways in on the opposite side.

Exhibitor/dealer room is by far the worst, though. Still better than before, still overcrowded so badly that at times you can't move around the major booths. But still probably not as bad as SDCC. Early on there was a long line to get into the Entertainment hall and I have no idea why... we went in later but there didn't seem to be that much going on. Though I wish I knew all the One Piece hunt locations were in that hall before we started looking for them.

mrmoose said:

Oh, which question did you ask? My daughter loved that panel, mainly because it was basically just the voice actors cracking jokes.

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I asked about their favorite moment in dubbing DBZ, since there have been a lot of re-dubs post-Ocean cast (original, Ultimate Uncut, Kai, and Dragon Box [which I negleted to mention]).

Just waking out to LP2 is hell right now

They are giving out free water outside West hall main entrance

Was going to check out the Jojo panel, but Persona 5's is about to start soon.

Gonna see what that's about.

Really want to go but not for 80 bucks (and also it feels packed)

Didn't go to Studio Trigger panel in the end, cause they weren't planning to clear out the previous panel and the line was big. Had a good day otherwise, but will really try to see Jaeger premiere tomorrow.

Went through the exhibit hall, got the Persona 5 MC figma exclusive from Good Smile and played the upcoming MHA game. Entertainment hall was a lot of fun to go through also.

So, Im going to AX tomorrow for the first time time in 14 years ( since it was in Anaheim lol).

I hear the lines to get badges and get into the expo hall is hellacious.

How long does it take to get my badge and get into the Expo hall? Just trying to plan my morning out, thanks guys and gals!

Today I actually went to see some anime heh, seeing the US premiere of Sirius the Jaeger, and the first couple episodes of Kimba the White Lion, which really aged.:P Also got a Gundam model kit, cause screw it, I am interested in one of these things.

And thus that is it for me this year. Cya next year AX!

wolfshirt said:

So, Im going to AX tomorrow for the first time time in 14 years ( since it was in Anaheim lol).

I hear the lines to get badges and get into the expo hall is hellacious.

How long does it take to get my badge and get into the Expo hall? Just trying to plan my morning out, thanks guys and gals!

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Shouldn't be too bad since it's the last day, but I'm honestly not sure.

Did anyone hey attend the Bebop show at Lounge 21? Was a great show for those fans of the music.

Spending last day at the exhibit hall and Bandai Namco panel.

I also arrived to get a wristband for the AoT premiere.

Guys did the 2019 Premiere Badges seriously already sell out, or are they just not up yet? If it was a sold, will there be another round put up?