Anime Expo 2023 | BLEACH TYBW panel
Wow, what an experience! It was such a huge honor to be part of this panel by being on the stage with other cosplayers, Viz staff, and Ichigo's JP voice actor, Masakazu Morita!!
I wanted to write about my experience with it in case anyone is interested!
One of my best friends and I were cosplaying Rukia and Orihime (in a shihakusho) this day and we got in line early that was outside for the Bleach panel. As the line moved, we got stopped by Viz Media staff who handed us these numbers (7 and 8) and told us to enter to be part of the "Bankai Contest". At first, all of my friends and I thought it was a raffle because they first mentioned that we can win prizes. But when they told us that we get up on stage, I got nervous and was so hesitant that I almost said no, but thanks to my silly friends peer pressuring encouraging me, I chose to take it, thinking that if I changed my mind later I could just not go up.
The panel started and after about 3/4 of Morita's Q&A, there was a brief pause and the cosplayers who were given numbers were asked to come up to the front for the Bankai/Cosplay contest (There was a total of 11 of us). I thought, "Okay, I'll come up, I'm nervous as hell, but maybe I just stand there. I don't have my glasses on so I won't be able to see the audience's faces or see the sheer amount of people there, right?"
But we were told that the contest is more so who gives the best "Bankai!" shout and Morita will be the judge, and I was like oh no, I have to use my voice?! My mind was racing with how I should deliver my "bankai", trying to get a sense of how Rukia would say it. (Because well, we haven't heard it yet, but soon!)
At this point I think I astral projected because it was truly an out-of-body experience. After my silly and cringe "bankai" I stood next to my friend and the other cosplayers, as depicted in the photo above, while my brain and body were processing the shock of everything.
The Tosen cosplayer accidentally got chosen as being part of the Top 3 but to be fair he was really good so it wouldn't be surprising if he got chosen anyway! Morita then had to choose another cosplayer but when he said "Rukia", I physically turned my body slightly away from him because my brain was like DO NOT PERCEIVE ME, there are 3 Rukia's up here so surely I wouldn't be perceived, but he came up to me and picked me, and I was pretty much dying inside. ;;w;;
The winner out of the Top 3 was chosen out of audience applause, and the Tosen cosplayer won! The prizes were an autographed poster from Morita for each cosplayer, and the Top 3 received Bleach merchandise in a Bleach tote bag.
I didn't even realize I got 2nd place, I only found out about it when my friends told me after the panel ended LOL
Afterward, the panel showed 3 scene previews from Season 2 and they were phenomenal! Anime-only (new) scenes, the visuals, the sound design, it was so good! The cosplayers got front-row seats so my eyes got to drink it all up >:)
Sorry if this was too long of a post, but this was my experience at the Bleach TYBW panel at AX this year! It was absolutely crazy but a lot of fun, and it's crazier to think that I almost refused the number to get up on stage.
Thank you so much for reading!!~
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