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North America’s largest celebration of Japanese animation and pop culture expects to welcome its biggest audience ever when nearly 200,000 fans descend upon the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 3 – 6 for Anime Expo (AX).

2014 Anime Expo with Master of Ceremonies Danny Choo and Cosplay models from the Sailor Moon Series

North America’s largest celebration of Japanese animation and pop culture expects to welcome its biggest audience ever when nearly 200,000 fans descend upon the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 3 – 6 for Anime Expo (AX). With its largest and most diverse program schedule ever, the massive interactive entertainment extravaganza will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese anime (animation), manga (comic books), music and fashion as never before. Fabled for the legions of “cosplaying” fans who transform themselves into their favorite animation characters through elaborate costumes, wigs and make-up, AX attracts Japanese culture fans from across the country and around the world to connect with other fans and for the rare opportunity to meet and hear from some of the most famous anime, manga, musical and fashion artists from Japan. AX is a marathon of exclusive screenings; artists’ panels; live concerts; fashion shows; cosplay, karaoke and video competitions; non-stop video gaming and unsurpassed shopping from more than 300 vendors.  Among the event highlights will be the first U.S. reunion of the entire English voice cast of the immensely popular Sailor Moon series and a major celebration of the new hit series, Kill la Kill, with six members of the Japanese production team, a concert, exclusive screening and more.  For those interested in exploring anime and manga from an academic perspective, AX will host a symposium on these art forms with talks by leading scholars from colleges and universities around the world. In 2014, AX takes cosplay to new heights, unveiling a trio of anime-themed sets where cosplayers can have professional photos taken; presenting the U.S. debut of professional cosplayers from Korea and Italy; and offering its richest prizes ever in the wildly popular Masquerade, in which fans who transform themselves into their favorite anime and manga characters and put on their own show before an audience of thousands.  AX will also put fans into the action by giving them a chance to break into the field of voice acting by hosting open auditions for the English version of the hit TV series Magi: The Kingdom of Magic.

Prices range from $35 for a one-day adult pass to $70 for a four-day adult pass.  A four-day pass for children ages 6 – 12 is $25.  Children 1 – 5 are free.  To register for Anime Expo 2014, please visit Anime Expo.

 

Hours:
July 3               11:30 a.m. – 2 a.m.
July 4               10 a.m. – 2 a.m.
July 5               9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
July 6               9:45 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Address:
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

For more information, visit Anime Expo or call 714-937-2994

This segment aired on the KTLA Morning News on Thursday July 3, 2014