Anime Expo
Event and Travel guide
In 2008, club members Alvin Yoshida, Kell Komatsubara, Mari Okazaki and Sa1kano took the anime pilgrimage to AX. This article was compiled by Alvin and Kell for all those who wish to do the same in 2009.
Anime Expo, is held every year on the 4th of July weekend. From it's humble beginnings to 2008's 43,000 attendees, it is the largest anime convention in North America.
2008 was a year of growing for Anime Expo, as they had maxed out at the Long Beach Convention Center and made the move to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the heart of L.A. When the announcement was made at the end of AX 2007, there was a lot of apprehension about the new venue. Downtown L.A. was not really known for its friendly atmosphere, and the forums were ripe with gripes about the choice of venue AX staffers had taken. Talks of the homeless, gangs, ect were the main points of concern within the AX forum, and it did bring a bit of concern to us.
However, Anime Expo's staffers WERE listening to what was going on in the forums. They took all the gripes and concerns, and made the venue the best ever AX! Some of the concerns, were getting back and forth to the hotels. A lot of people were asking for shuttle service to and from the hotels, so AX hired buses to run 24 hours a day to bring con goers to AX safely. In fact, the shuttles were FIRST CLASS! They were not no school bus or vans, but TOUR BUSES like what you see ROBERTS HAWAII and POLYNESIAN ADVENTURE runs.
Event and Travel guide
In 2008, club members Alvin Yoshida, Kell Komatsubara, Mari Okazaki and Sa1kano took the anime pilgrimage to AX. This article was compiled by Alvin and Kell for all those who wish to do the same in 2009.
Anime Expo, is held every year on the 4th of July weekend. From it's humble beginnings to 2008's 43,000 attendees, it is the largest anime convention in North America.
2008 was a year of growing for Anime Expo, as they had maxed out at the Long Beach Convention Center and made the move to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the heart of L.A. When the announcement was made at the end of AX 2007, there was a lot of apprehension about the new venue. Downtown L.A. was not really known for its friendly atmosphere, and the forums were ripe with gripes about the choice of venue AX staffers had taken. Talks of the homeless, gangs, ect were the main points of concern within the AX forum, and it did bring a bit of concern to us.
However, Anime Expo's staffers WERE listening to what was going on in the forums. They took all the gripes and concerns, and made the venue the best ever AX! Some of the concerns, were getting back and forth to the hotels. A lot of people were asking for shuttle service to and from the hotels, so AX hired buses to run 24 hours a day to bring con goers to AX safely. In fact, the shuttles were FIRST CLASS! They were not no school bus or vans, but TOUR BUSES like what you see ROBERTS HAWAII and POLYNESIAN ADVENTURE runs.