Anime Los Angeles 2013 begun on a sunny January South Bay morning. This was one of my rare appearances on the West Coast. I decided to wear Yukiko from Persona 4. The weather was nice and warm. I picked up lunch from a local diner and headed off on the 405 freeway to the LAX Marriott. By the time I reached the hotel lobby at 11AM, the con was already in full swing.

Registration

Because Anime Los Angeles does not give out badges for the press, both industry and press have to purchase badges like the regular attendees. The at the door price soared to $60 for the full weekend. Luckily, thanks to Partners in Crime, I was able to find a group discount for $35 for the full weekend. The line went out the door into the patio, but it no longer than 20 minutes to pick up my weekend badge. Among the swag ALA gave out was an eco friendly bag and the usual program paraphenelia.

Cosplay Chess

The human board game of wits is one of Anime Los Angeles' most popular events. This event is run by several of our friends. Unfortunately, not many people understand that putting together Cosplay Chess is a group effort, not a singular person. Cosplayers signed up to participate in either the white team or the black team. The event was held on the patio area of the Marriott. Photographers can view the show from the upper level to get an aerial view. I felt that the turnout for Cosplay Chess was much smaller this year. Then agan, the event was not even given the usual chess board. Makeshift tape was used to create the squares.

Podcasting 101

The one panel that I attended was the podcast panel run by Cosplay Jam. Unfortunately, there were only five people in the audience, but it was still an engaging conversation between the panelists and the audience. Audience members were interested in running a podcast. I even chimed in by talking about programs I used and other best practices in running a podcast. Though I've been involved in producing podcasts for quite sometime, this was a nice refresher and a nice way to meet other podcasters in the anime community.

Momotama Concert

Anime Los Angeles often invites a slew of musical guests. Most of these guests are local to the Los Angeles area, so don't expect any international acts. However, it's also a nice venue to support friends perform. Our colleague, Mikarin, had her band performing in the late afternoon. Though I've been more accustomed to the likes of the Spoony Bards and the Black mages, Momotama provided a more mellow and smooth mix. There was not many people in the audience, but it was very enjoyable. Momotama typically performs in Little Tokyo whenever there's a huge cultural festival going down. Check these guys out and support your local indie group.

Latitude 33 and Other Dinning Options

For dinner, I decided to stop by Latitude 33. This was one of the more pricey places to dine. I usually don't mind spending a bit extra for a meal. I ended up sharing a quesidilla appetizer. Because it was on the more pricey side, it was very quiet and not filled with too many kids. Most of the younger fans went to the nearby Denny's, In and Out, and Carls Jr.

Starlight Ball

Anime Los Angeles had their second run in hosting a ballroom dance. It was about the same size as last year. Two conference rooms were combined to make a very simple ballroom to fit about 20-30 people. There were Christmas lights decorated around as well as music provided by Black Vash (aka Nate) from his personal collection and from requests on the Starlight Ball facebook group. This time around, Brain Age Guy provided dance lessons prior to the ballroom dance. While I did not dance, it was fun to pepole watch. The dance also had a cosplay contest to crown king and queen of the ball. I really would like to see this event gain more momentum because I think it can be something really big in the future. Considering Southern California does not have a con with a huge ballroom dance event, this event can be bigger and better. I see potential.

Rum Party

Warning, this event contains no real alcohol. As per tradition, Anime Los Angeles has a rum party. Inspired by the Pirates of the Carribean movies, the rum party is almost like a pirate themed medival festival in the middle of this anime con. People still attend and play the games and bid on the wenches. Yet, year after year, I feel this event is loosing momentum. I do appreciate the design and effort put into it, it's just an event that''s starting to feel out of place. The pirates and ninjas debate is so last decade and Johnny Depp is a Native American...or at least tries to be.

Project Cosplay

I really wished I had the time to participate in this event. As per tradition, conventions typically have an Iron Cosplay or a competition where cosplayers are given limited resources and time to make a costume based upon a theme. Ginger and Chloe were running this show. Contestants were given less than two hours to complete something either from manga or American media. Now here's an event that's evolving with the times and never stays stale! Though I stuck around to watch the busy bees construct and conjur up design concepts, the event looked really fun. All I need is an adventerous team...

Overall, the first day was all right. The con itself was laid back, but it seemed more people were interested in hanging out in the pool deck and in the lobby than for the actual con. Programming rooms were not as full, but even more of a concern for the con and the hotel, the second floor reeked of marijuana (I'm allergic, but thankfully had no serious reactions) and there were a reported amount of people bringing open containers in the main lobby.

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