Ryan and Amanda's Report: Anime Expo 2013

Hey everyone, welcome to mine and Amanda's report on Anime Expo 2013! This year has been a phenomenal year for all of us. Isn't that right, Amanda?
...Yeah!
It's funny, cause normally this isn't my writing style, but, it's very unique that we get to write together for the very first time.  Well, let's get started, shall we?

Cara's PMX 2013 Review

I’m going to apologize right off the bat because I was only able to attend half of the convention due to health problems. However, I believe I got a good enough feel for the convention to put out a good review. Tally, another correspondent for this blog, attended as well; so you can look at her review too. Anyway, let’s start!

Matthew's Quick Hit Reports: NorCal Fall Cosplay Gathering 2013

For awhile now, the NorCal Cosplay Gatherings have been a staple within the community here. It's held every quarterly at various parks in the Bay Area and the turnouts have been increasing with this recent one held at Vascoe Lake Park being the highest ever in its history. I finally had a chance to come out here and check this event for myself, and I had a very good time.

Nate Reports: Japan Expo 2013

You would hear about Japan Expo around areas in Europe as it is one of the biggest conventions in the area. Just last year, they have held a record attendance of 208,000 attendees! Wow even Anime Expo can't beat that! It's so big that they would put a subsidiary convention in the United States. And wouldn't you know it, Japan Expo's first US convention was located here in the Bay Area. Of course I would take advantage and planned to attend this convention hoping for an awesome time (before school begins for me.....)

Ray Reports: Japan Expo USA 2013 - A Taste of European Conventions

When I first heard of Japan Expo making plans to expand to the U.S., I didn't think much of it. That is, until I heard that the show was to be held at a very familiar location: The Santa Clara Convention Center. Knowing that the Paris-based show was to take place in the very city I live in, I was instantly on board with attending.

Japan Expo USA: First Impact (Robbie's Report)

The lead up to Japan Expo USA's first year was a bit of a bumpy road, but it had a nice payoff. As with all things, it had some issues that are in need of addressing, but I think that the good outweighed the bad by far, and sets a nice starting point for its future years.

In Memoriam: Elizabeth Stevenson, 1985-2013

When I got word of Elizabeth's death via Facebook and decided to go to the Saturday mass, I didn't have any idea of who she was. But as a long-time member of the NorCal cosplay community, I wanted to pay my respects for someone who has fallen.

I showed up about 9:50am. I asked some of her friends if they needed help getting a memorial collage, and as I was helping I saw photos of her cosplaying as Vash and Wesker.

I said to myself "Oh boy, things just got a lot harder."

Nate Reports: A Japan Expo Preview

As part of the ongoing coverage of the California conventions, the press team of Japan Expo will be providing a little preview of what we expect to see over at this brand new convention that is conveniently located in the bay area. So without further delay, here's my overall aspect of the new convention, Japan Expo.

Pre-Japan Expo Thoughts (Robbie Edition)

When it was first announced that Japan Expo was setting up in the states, the fans went wild with speculation and excitement. It didn't hurt at all that it'll be held in the Santa Clara Convention Center, where Fanime once called home. Now, with the convention just days away, we have a better look at what's to come.

Ray Pre-Reports: Japan Expo 2013

In the past two years, we've seen a couple of Northern California conventions switch over to Southern California: WonderCon from San Francisco to Anaheim, and Yaoi-Con from Burlingame to Long Beach. Although the two cons are recently making plans to move back up, this trend left us folks in NorCal with two less conventions to go to.

Fortunately, in their place we get Japan Expo, a major Europe-based expo with a 2012 attendence of 208,000 that recently expanded to have a U.S. branch. And by a stroke of fortune, they've chosen my hometown of Santa Clara to host their first American iteration.