Earlier in July, the Los Angeles convention center was host to the 2010 Anime Expo, the largest event of its kind in the United States. Drawing in crowds from around the world, this gathering of industry professionals and fans was all about this very popular Japanese pop art form that is found in television, films, video games, books and more. Organizers of the 4-day convention report that more that 100,000 attendee visits were counted and spectators say they saw nearly as many costumes on display.
A rainbow of wigs and outrageous outfits added color to the exhibit halls as costumed-fans perused merchandise, attended workshops and generally just hung out cosplay-style with each other. If you're not into manga and anime, you might need to be informed that "cosplay" means "costume-play" in world-wide teenage slang. If you didn't know better, just glancing around the expo would lead you to believe that you've landed on another planet. But attendees report that the Expo is their new reality - so welcome!
One of the most popular events during the Anime Expo is always the Masquerade - although with all the costumes, everyday could be considered a masquerade party day! The Masquerade event is like a huge costume-talent show where individuals or groups get on stage to perform as their favorite anime, manga or Asian-origin video game characters. The anime costumes are judged based on craftsmanship on a three-tier system - novice, intermediate and master! This way, everyone that comes to the masquerade from newbie to seasoned showman all have a chance to win prizes in their category.
Even if you never have a chance to rub shoulders with the most die-hard of anime fans in LA, you can still host your own cosplay event by inviting your buddies over for video games and hanging out. From Naruto and Sailor Moon costumes to the characters from Bleach and Full Metal Alchemist, there should never be a shortage of mens and women costumes to slip into.
