Anime Expo 2009: Cosplay To Win

The Anime Expo Experience

So how about that Anime Expo? I feel like I've become an old pro at this convention. This year however was my first as a volunteer. It was an interesting experience. Mostly I just acted as a door guard, making sure only people with the proper badges get into the room I was at. I was almost trampled to death by charging fans at a panel for Toshiyuki Morikawa.


This jumbo sized Red Zaku was on prominent display at one booth selling countless Gundam model kits, among other things. I do love me some Char Aznable related paraphernalia.


Funimation converted their Ouran Host Club section from last year into the classroom from Neon Genesis Evangelion. You can see some cosplayers lounging around, including two Rei Ayanami. There's an obvious joke to be made but I don't want to spill any spoilers.


I went to the Viz panel this year. To me the most interesting news is that related to Naruto Shippuden. I'm disappointed that the series won't be airing on U.S. television but it is heartening to know that the first DVD boxset is just around the corner. I also caught a Funimation sneak preview panel. The big surprise there was the first snippet of the Sgt. Frog English dub.


These stylized Dragonball figures were among the coolest bits of merchandise I saw there. Zarbon certainly never looked this cool.


IMAGI had a booth once again. They were still plugging their Astro Boy movie which finally comes out this October. This year though they were also showing off footage of their Gatchaman movie. I have no clue when that one will be released.


This giant collage of wall scrolls and messenger bags made for a particularly impressive looking booth.


Someone left these lying around. Don't you hate litter bugs?

Step Three Hundred Seven

Anime Expo 2009

I just experienced two very long days at Anime Expo. I even spent some time as a volunteer this year for the first time. I also did an awful lot of twittering while I was there. Some of the news that was made at AX this year include:

• Funimation confirmed its worst kept secret. The first thirteen episodes of Dragonball are finally coming to Region 1 DVD later this year. They'll be included in a boxset of the first 31 episodes.



• Funimation also the license to three versions of Evangelion 1.0 You Can [Not] Advance. 1.0 will be receiving a limited theatrical release this summer. 1.01 will be released on DVD in the fall. 1.11 will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray next year. Those folks at Gainax are worse than George Lucas.



• One huge surprise is the debut of a trailer for a new Trigun movie. It's already on YouTube. I never thought we'd see the day where new Trigun animation would actually be happening.



• Bandai had only one new title to announce but it's one that I'm really looking forward to, the Eureka Seven movie.



• Viz confirmed Naruto Shippuden won't be airing on Cartoon Network. They also announced the first Naruto Shippuden TV boxset for January and the first movie in November.

I'll make a more extensive write-up of my experiences later. For now though, enjoy a Prinny.

New Episodes of Haruhi Suzumiya

Kadokawa has made the first eight episodes of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya available with English subtitles for viewing on their YouTube channel. The episodes will be up until July 5th. Check them out before they're gone.


While the first seven episodes have long since been licensed and released over here, this is the official debut for the eighth episode in North America. See episode eight is actually the first episode of season two. One of the series' quirks is that the episodes are not broadcast in chronological order. This has continued with season two with the new episodes being mixed in with the rebroadcast of season one in Japan.

I've already watched episode eight a.k.a. episode one of season two (this can get confusing) and loved the crap out of it. I really hope Kadokawa continues to put up more new episodes after this.

Upcoming Appointment Television

• The newest (to the U.S.) Doctor Who special will premiere tomorrow night at 6 PM, 9 PM Eastern, on BBC America. It's titled The Next Doctor, which is intentionally misleading since the Tenth Doctor still has some time left before he regenerates. It's actually a Christmas special featuring the best gift of all: Cybermen. A second special, Planet of the Dead, will air on July 26th.



• The Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood is coming back to television as well. The mini-series Children of Earth will premiere on July 20th on BBC America. The mini-series is five episodes long with each episode airing on successive nights that week. I'm kinda bummed that neither Doctor Who or Torchwood are getting full series this year but any new programming is better than nothing.



• The second season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 begins this Monday June 29th at 8 PM, 11 PM Eastern, on the Sci-Fi Channel. I've enjoyed the heck out of Gundam 00 thus far and I can't wait to see how they follow up the first season's finale.



• After a long absence Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit is back on the air Saturday nights on [adult swim]. More importantly new episodes begin airing on August 22nd. That's nearly a year after the series first premiered. I'm glad they finally got their issues sorted out and we can finally see past the tenth episode.

When Shells Collide

Check out this promo 4Kids put out involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' 25th Anniversary this year. Pay very close attention when they start talking about the World Premiere of a new special. See if you can recognize the Ninja Turtles as they appeared in the original animated series from the 80s and 90s. You can also see Bebop, Rocksteady and the Foot Soldiers marching out from the Technodrome.



It seems this new feature will have the Turtles from the modern series meeting up with their classic counterparts. You can see more at the Behind the Shells Blog, where there are some scrambled images and hidden mp3s to be found. More details will be revealed at Comic-Con. Nothing gets my geek-ness more excited than a good fictional multiverse crossover.