Japan Expo Report

H

hopeful_monster

Thousand Master
First time I've been to this one, but was kind of expecting May/October Expo mark 2. Which it was but wasn't, there were alot of the same stalls and people, but there wasn't the crush... or smell. There were also other stalls and thingies.
Kay start at the begining, got there about tenish and still managed to get a goody bag, (with Gundam Gashapon, game demo's, bits of dead tree and the most useful thing of the day Utawarerumono fan to help keep you cool). Getting in took only about 10 - 15 mins and the first thing i noticed was the space, you could walk and breath easily it was a bit smaller than the MAy expo. Quick wander round showed the usual stalls (ADV, Manga, MVM, Beez, Tokyo toys etc) but quite a few different ones, like Kendo Association, Japan Centre, JAL, British origami society and such like. So did the usual rounds of entering any competition i could, picking up freebies and getting the stuff that would go fast ( like unboxed DVD's £1 from MVM). Missed the screening of Solid State Society, but apparently it was mard by the drumming (which you could feel in your bowels from across the room).
At lunch met up with Jayme (think i saw one or two others but not sure) and we had a long chat about anime, Japan, and history, also had a good chat with the people at Beez and met Faust from there. then went back in for the major spending spree.
  • Robotech New Generation EDE (every damn episode)
    Scrapped Princess EDE
    Z.O.E. EDE + OVA
    Golgo 13 Queen Bee
    Samurai Seven 1&2
    Chobit's 1&2
    Tenchi Muyo! Mishoshi Special
    Very Shiny and Expensive Limited Edition Patlabor Movies 1& 2
Plus a sushi maker, Blue Midget (from Red Dwarf)badge and candy (couldn't find the cool coffee candy though). There was also an anime panel with the usual suspects (Manga, Beez and ADV), and while there were no ground breaking revelations there was a funny bit where some one tried to get a subs vs dubs argument going but got the correct response of 'Meh, we do both so who cares?', and the challenge to all cosplayers from Hugh from ADV, do a good Revy from Black Laggon and he'll give a prize.
All in all a good expo, less commercial than May and October ones but with just as many good deals.
 
First time I've been this one myself, must agree with hopeful_monster alot less packed and more moving space!

6:30 - Set of from home, met with with friend, when down to Warringon Bank Quay Station, got on the train at 7:15am.

9:40 - Got to London Euston, moved towads underground, got Northern Line and then DLR Line to Custom House.

11:00 - Wayhey got there!, we checked out all the stalls, then we watched some people on stage come out and show off there cosplay.

12:00 - Spend £200 :oops:, Adv Films, MVM, Beez and Manga shalls had alot of offer, I noticed some titles not even out till next month!

13:00 - We went out for a break and coffee at Costa Coffee.

13:30 - My friend asked did I bring it? I said part of it, however, I said I wouldn't cosplay since I didn't have everything...... we tossed a coin, he won and then he dared me to ware it :shock:, he said he'd wear the headband :lol:, we went back in for an hour got a few more things.

14:30 - We decided to leave for the day, didn't spot or see anyone :(, got back in Warrington at 6pm.

Yes my friend took a picture of me *feels silly*.
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/6043/snv30058jc9.jpg

Overall was good fun, I'm looking more forward to October since more people will be around and hopefully a full cosplay to show :roll:.
 
Wish i could have been there as was hoping to pick up the statue of Cloud Strife on his Daytona, will have to wait until October to buy it
 
I went and enjoyed myself got there at 0930, bought tickets and played bleach 2nd ds till the queue started moving. The goody bag was excelent and my gundam is currently sitting my pc moniter and the sss poster on my wall. Had a good look around and was impressed by the amount of merchandise being sold, the joys of no p&P.
I bought my self a zabimaru (the only thing is now i want to make a sectioned one to hang on my wall), a 1/24 scale tachikoma and volume 3 of evangelion (hopefully on monday 4&5 will turn up) and a bleach art book.
 
Got there rather late, about 12ish i think.

No queue for tickets, went in, wondered around for a bit, played a bit of the new 360 Naruto game. I went into the free roaming Kohana, but the person who had control over the game made me go back into VS' battle. *sigh*. still looks great. Filled out ADV's survey, got a raffle ticket. . .didn't win anything. Was planning on getting the snazzy Elfen Lied box set, that didn't happen, i purchase Negima 1 - 5 tankobons, also with the two quid i had, a FMA poster.
Only one DVD purchase, This Ugly Yet Beautiful World volume 3 (apparently a awful ending though. haha)
Watched the 4:30ish thing with the hosts, whom i recognized the girl from Anime Network, they were showing off a few select Cosplayers, the Lucy one being my favourite.
Some random took a picture of me and my mate who i was with, because she wanted some general people, i was curious after if it was MG from here, and i still don't know if it was.
After buying a sandwich, Tuna and Sweetcorn to be exact, and also a Hershey's chocolate bar, that was what purchased food wise, and i was completely out of money.
One of my favourite stalls would have to be the one selling RAW tankobons etc. they had the Lucky Star manga, a bit pricey though. Everything else was brilliant there. Japanese manga feels, looks, and overall is so much nicer than the crap we get translated and sold over here.

Okay thats in a totally wrong time order, and all i can be bothered to type up right now. :D

Can't wait for the next October expo now!
 
hopeful_monster said:
Jayme said:
hopeful_monster said:
At lunch met up with Jayme
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Sorry to disappoint you, but it wasn't me; if i am who you are talking about anyway.

I'm going up there tomorrow (Sunday)
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My bad it was Jimi-Jam
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Yes, that would have been me. :)

Good meeting up, had an interesting chat about various things – still pondering over how we managed to get on to the topic of Hitler and how he should have played the game Risk and known better than to invade Russia.

Was my first venture to an expo – think I can only be thankful it wasn’t as packed and manic as the others sound. Had hoped there might have been a greater emphasis on aspects of Japanese culture, and having given myself the strict instruction not to spend anything, so was left a little wanting finding mostly lots of stalls simply selling things.

Still an interesting to event to attend though – watched some of the Kendo demonstration, bit of the Gothic Lolita show and enjoyed browsing titles in the full rack of manga Tokyopop had on display. Was interesting seeing the array of people in various states of cosplay – some clearly very well done, quite impressive.

Thought I’d include a picture below of my extravagant expenditure totalling £3.20 - and the Wasabi Peas weren’t even for me.
The irony is I could have got these direct from the shop itself just ‘round-the-corner’ from my brother's flat in Soho.
Live and learn.
 
Wasabi Peas are weird, I've got them in a few internet orders before from some Japanese grocery companies. Not quite sure if I like them or not. The Koala stuff is sexcellent though, the Cafe Latte flavour I got from Jbox = orgasm. :D
 
First time I had been to anything like this and thought it was very good. Thought it was quite small when we first arrived but still spend about 5 hours in there! :)

Some of the Cos-players' costumes were great - loved the Zelda posse - so hats off to you guys. The dudes on the DDR stand were cool too. Stood there for ages watching the little show-offs! The dolls on the doll stand (sorry - can't remember the name) were surprisingly amazing things to see. They were really something else.

Spent loads on the Japan Centre stand as they gave us free Sushi. Got loads of those Koala Chocolate bears and 4 packs of those ultra-sour sweets. They rock.

Also got a toy No-No for my brother and my girlfriend got a starter pack of pens from the Letraset stand. She's a really good artist so she fancies having a bash at drawing manga / anime characters. I picked up a few DVDs and a Sega VGM CD that has all the Outrun BGM on from the arcades - as well as Afterburner and Space Harrier. woot. :)
 
i was gonna go to that expo! i think they have been two this year in london japan ex and london expo???? i may be wrong X.X both times i was supposed to be going with a group of people dressed as ganguro well as gyaru/gyaruo.

but apparently we had to hate al the cosplayers there so i didnt wanna go i mean!

cosplayers are cute. if i went to it i would have wore a pikachu kigurumin! >.<


i also watched an expo on youtube ....yeah i know pretty sad lool
 
CitizenGeek said:
I'm so jealous of you guys :-( I wish I lived in the UK, near London so I could go to these expos!
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Yo, you wanna go to an expo go to Eirtaku in the DCU during November.
Or Tomo-dachi up North.Im goin, not sure if there still taking bookings or if you have the money on short notice but you can check it out here if you wanna.
http://www.tomo-dachi.com/
 
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