Anime Expo 2007
The World’s Largest Anime Convention!
by Hiroshi Kawabata
On the American West Coast, every year the world’s largest scale anime convention, “Anime Expo” (AX) is held. This year, the get-together moves from Anaheim, where it has been held for the past four years, to Long Beach after an absence of five years and will take place over a four day period from June 29th to July 2nd. “Anime Expo,” which originally saw the first light of day in California, was started more than ten years ago as an event sponsored by Japanese makers to introduce American fans to Japanese animation and after the makers withdrew from the scene, it was reborn at the hands of fans themselves. After that, it was not just a place for anime fans to have interchanges, but where there were rare chances to meet creators and such things as invitations were made to wonderful guests, so it also developed as a place where the latest news about Japanese produced anime was publicized. There is even a theory that the way of calling it “Japanimation,” which was a hot topic a few years ago, originated at AX. And now, it has matured to be an event that makers connected with the present day Japanese anime cannot pass by.
AX is operated by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) with participating enterprises and the number of attendees increasing year by year, so that last year there was a growth of 30% from the previous year, to approximately 40,000 people. The total number of people who attend over the period that the event is held has climbed to 120,000.
Speaking of last year as an example, the place where events were held did not stop at the inside of the convention center, but also included the adjoining Hilton Hotel and Marriott Hotel, where there were showings of anime films, various workshops where one could learn how to draw anime, a cosplay competition, which might be described as a masquerade, dance parties held from morning to night, a karaoke corner, game corner and card game corner among other activities. In addition, something that attracted the most attention of the attendees was an event in the style of a lecture meeting called a panel. This panel was held under the sponsorship of AX and the sponsorship of participating enterprises, with the AX sponsored panel being made up of a majority of guests from Japan and that held by the participating enterprises featuring a majority of anime voice actors and creators from the individual companies’ productions. Several of the panels were held at the same time, so it was essential to check beforehand to choose well and in that case they were quite interesting. Even if one did not choose well, they were still interesting in their own ways. That is because according to the content, the level of the participants varied wildly.
Besides this, there were exhibition booths, concerts and auctions, with events regularly being held more than ten at a time. With this number of events, every anime fan would definitely find a place to spend time in keeping with the individual’s interests and no doubt spend the whole day enjoyably.
Because of that, the meeting places swelled, while the Anaheim Convention Center, which is known for having a huge space, had its four huge exhibition halls combined into two, with a ballroom and conference rooms and not satisfied with that, it spilled over to the neighboring Marriott Hotel and Hilton Hotel. At the hotels, during the period that AX was underway, the extraordinary became the ordinary condition. At Starbucks, Charlotte the Vampire Hunter D and Marie Antoinette of “The Rose of Versailles” were drinking coffee (both were in dresses so there was no feeling of its being incongruous) and great numbers of nult and sailor warriors appeared in groups crossing the street in front of the hotels.
The guests this year at AX held in Long Beach will be tremendous. The public guests invited to this year’s AX will be the director, Michael Arias, of the theatrical anime, “TEKKONKINKREET,” which was a big topic of conversation when it was released in Japan, the director Araki Tetsuo and character designer Kitao Masaru of another anime, “Death Note,” Inoue Eisaku, the director of “ONE PIECE” and the recently released “The Rose of Versailles” and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn who has been active as a recording director. In addition, from the popular anime, “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,” known for playing the role of Haruhi, the role of Yuki and the role of Mikuru are Hirano Aya, Chihara Minori and Goto Yuko. The guests appearing this time have been on what has been dubbed the “SOS Brigade Invasion Tour,” the most well-known of the anime events in the United States and has greatly helped to promote “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.” The “SOS Brigade Invasion Tour” is sponsored by Bandai Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures USA which have released “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” in the United States. Starting at 4:30 pm on June 30th, three musicians will give a live concert at one of the venues of AX, the Long Beach Arena, featuring songs like “Hare Hare Yukai” and “Bouken Desho Desho?” In addition, during this time period the three will make appearances at such things as individual events which are called panels and autograph sessions.
This year at AX, including this live performance, seven live concerts are planned. In the past, there has never been this number of guests invited for live shows. The following is an introduction of the artists performing in concerts during the period that AX is held this time.
On June 30th, Tsuchiya Anna, who, as an actress in the film “Shimozuma Monogatari” (released in America as “Kamikaze Girls”) played the part of Shirayuri Ichigo, will give a concert lasting approximately one hour. Anna performed the singing part in the anime “NANA,” which has added to her popularity in America. While Japanese motion pictures experience difficulty in finding an audience overseas, she is one of the rare personalities who has become popular in America and she has played a big role in promoting the Gothic Lolita fashion of Japan.
Ishikawa Chiaki will perform live on July 1st. Ishikawa is not only a vocalist, but a multi-talented lyricist and songwriter among other things. In addition, Kajiura Yuki will be paired with the music group See-Saw. From its monster hit album, “Mobile Suit GANDAM SEED” it will perform its ending song, “We were so together.” and from “Mobile Suit GANDAM SEED DESTINY” they will sing, “You Resemble me.” They will also perform music from “.hack,” which has gained great popularity in America. Ishikawa is very popular among anime fans, even in America and there will surely be much interest in the live concert this time.
On this same day, July 1st, the musical unit band, “Oreskaband,” which is comprised only of females, will give a live concert at the same place. Oreskaband is a rock band comprised of six girl high school students and will perform “Pinocchio,” the ending theme song of the anime “NARUTO,” which has earned great popularity in America and “20 nails,” the ending song on the album “Bleach.” Furthermore,
Oreskaband’s signature song, “Pinocchio,” has been adopted as the formal commercial song of AX 2007.
The final day of AX 2007, July 2nd, Momoi Halko will take the stage. It has just been announced that Momoi has been formally invited as a guest of “CONNICHI2007,” an anime/manga convention to be held in September in Kassel, Germany. She has a wide-ranging talent that is not limited to music and voice acting and with her activity in her base in Akiba culture, has been supported by international anime fans as a result. Momoi is holding live concerts as a formal guest in huge anime conventions in the two regions of America and Europe.
Besides this, as an industry guest of AX, “savage genius” of Victor Entertainment will also give a live concert. Savage genius is a musical unit made up of vocals by “AA” and compositions by Takumi. They will perform anime songs such as “Uta-Kata,” “EREMENTAR GERAD” and “Jigokushojo~Futakomori.”
Furthermore, on the first day of AX, June 29th, the four artists, YOSHIKI, Gackt, Miyavi and Sugizo will participate as the super group S.K.I.N. in their first live concert. The Big Two of the “Visual Rock” world are joining forces for the first time in S.K.I.N., with YOSHIKI on the drums and piano and Gackt handling vocals. Described as the “21st Century version of X-Japan,” it seems destined to become a super band. The origin of the formation of this new band was the spur given by the cult popularity in America of the Japanese Visual Rock, a part of the anime culture. This past May 5th in Baltimore, Maryland at the biggest anime event held on the East Coast, “OTAKON,” YOSHIKI was invited as a special guest, named as “Legendary Artist.”
YOSHIKI chose as the guitarist for the new band Kawamura Ryuichi, together with the core member of LUNA SEA, Sugizo. His father and mother performed in orchestras, so he was raised in a musical family and besides playing guitar, he also plays the violin. In their indie days, he was attached to the label that YOSHIKI ran and established his reputation from the start for performing and composition talent. They have been friends for close to twenty years and seem to have developed absolute faith in each other. YOSHIKI says, “At first sight, he has something different about him, like a spaceman and he has a pure spirit in regards to music.” With Sugizo also, “A good older brother, an older brother who can be depended on. I was honored to have him call on me,” expressing his delight. Four years ago at a music event there was a first meeting with Gackt. In the beginning, they viewed each other as rivals, but recognized each other’s talent. With a smile, Gackt says, “At that time we both walked away after fighting. (Laughs.) A kid’s fight. At that time, I thought, ‘What a shame it came to that,’ but we’ve gotten back together and I’m happy.” Sugizo adds, “He has an absolutely unique character with charisma. He is a private person who doesn’t reveal that part of his life, but when you meet him, you know that he is someone you can trust.” The band has been active since 1997, when X-Japan split up. Gackt also in 1999 left the group “MALICE MIZER” and turned solo, while Sugizo has been doing the same exclusively since the break up of LUNA SEA. These marquee members of the three Visual bands that were truly representative of the 1990s together form a dream band.
According to the latest announcement, practically all of the live performing guests of AX have been set and all seven acts make up a never before seen magnificent array of talent. Detailed announcements regarding concerts and other event information will be available on the AX website, released regularly, so be sure to check it every day.
If AX 2007 fans go to see all of these concerts, it seems unlikely that they will be able to participate in any of the other events. In addition, AX, which up to now has focused exclusively on Japanese anime and manga, as with the sponsorship of the SKIN concert, may be said to have broadened and intensified its interest in a wider spectrum of Japanese culture.
AX is the largest anime and manga convention in North America and it will not only bring together the core anime fans that have come up to now, but will attract a general strata of anime and manga fans who like anime and manga and in so doing help it to expand rapidly. The number of attendees will be greater than the 40,000 of last year and reach the highest number of any event in the past.
Finally, since this year’s AX 2007 will be held in Long Beach, with convenient transportation from nearby suburbs located in Los Angeles, the live concerts would seem to surely attract more than anime and manga fans and have the power to bring in new participants.
Anime Expo 2007
Friday, June 29 to Monday, July 2, 2007
Long Beach Convention Center
300 E. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802-4825
www.anime-expo.org