Japan Expo 2013
Japan Expo’s first appearance or “impact” in the United States definitely came and went with a bang. With the knowledge that the con has kept to only Europe and Japan until this year, many of us Bay Area folks were excited for the fact that Japan Expo USA was being hosted locally. With familiar sights and an favorite convention center (Fanime, to be exact!) as the place to go, this expo was definitely not one to miss with its incredible Guests of Honor, concerts, and eclectic charms of cultural Japan. And the best part?
They were all accessible with ease.
To start off, the festival experience was pretty smooth from beginning to end, its organization impeccable. Registration was a breeze. No one had to worry about long lines, a bane for most convention goers, since attendees scanned in and out with their own QR codes. Picking up badges on site? That’s old news! Needless to say, for most of us it was a surprising beginning into an action packed weekend!
But there were also many other surprises Japan Expo had behind its sleeves. One was definitely the incredible line up of guests. From legends like Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (founding member of Gainax anime studio and also designer for Neon Genesis Evangelion) to Tatsuro Iwamoto (did someone say Miles Edgeworth?), Japan Expo was ready to offer fans opportunities to meet talents like never before. And just to top it off, other guests like 1000say, Dempagumi.inc and J-DEE'Z to fantastic American talents such as Felipe Smith, Michael Sinterniklaas, and Ian Sinclair and more were all readily available in panels, meetings, etc. There was definitely someone for everyone to get hyped about, no matter what type of fan they were!
And even with so many guests lined up, the autograph process was well thought out and quite fair; the time saved waiting in line for autographs was gladly spent on checking out the Q&A panels, picking up swag gifted by some sponsors, and socializing with old and new friends. Each guest had multiple signings scheduled throughout the weekend as well as special panels, giving it a more personalized experience for the fans.
Most of the festivals' fun activities were located within Exhibit Hall A, which made it easier as attendees didn't have to go far to check out the scene. Although most conventions regularly host vendors, artists and panels, Japan Expo brought a refreshing taste of Japanese culture to our palates.
Fans were practically living in the Japanese life, finding themselves easily surrounded with the roaring beats of the taiko drums and their brightly costumed drummers. For the more gentler of bunch, the classical sounds of the elegant koto, and the inspiring chants from Gamushara Oendan were available.
Children and adults alike were able to enjoy traditional Japanese activities as well like the booths demonstrating card games (karuta), beautiful floral arrangements (ikebana) , and the art of rice pounding (kagami-kai). There was so much packed into the three day weekend, there was not a single dull moment in sight.
One of the most exciting events within an expo were the concerts. A variety of music was showcased, and all the performers gave an energetic and passionate show. One of the most exciting concert turnouts was the performance by Noriyuki Iwadare and his band, playing songs from the video game classics Lunar and Grandia as well as Ace Attorney. It was not only amazing to hear fans' favorite video game songs performed live but seeing Iwadare playing the keytar and keyboard while hearing Yuka Hosio's angelic voice was such a treat. But this is not to say that the rest were anything to blink at!
Overall, Japan Expo's first impact went full blast and had a great turnout for being its first year in the US. This is definitely a con that not only offered fans an inside look to legendaries but Japan Expo also gave all of the attendees a chance to truly submerge ourselves in the Japanese culture--something that we don’t see as often in a convention. We definitely hope to see more in the upcoming years, and we're looking forward to the second impact!
Japan Expo Gallery Interview with Phoenix Write Composer Noriyuki Iwadare
