Anime Los Angeles 2023 Recap: One Day Isn't Enough

The year of the rabbit begins with heads replaced with chainsaws and pinked haired students. It is time to enjoy all that is anime during Anime Los Angeles. It was no surprise to see tons of cosplay and merchandise dedicated to two of the hottest anime series of the moment: Chainsaw Man and SpyxFamily. Yet despite their popularity, there tons of other anime and video game series represented during the convention. For ALA is a convention for attendees to proudly showoff their anime hearts no matter how popular or obscure it is.

During the first weekend of 2023, the Long Beach Convention Center was the new site for Anime Los Angeles (ALA). ALA began as a convention in 2005 at the moderately sized Airtel Plaza in Van Nuys then expanding to the much larger venue, Ontario Convention center, before heading down to Long Beach. It must be an internal joke that the convention continues being held on the fringes of what is considered Los Angeles county.

Each convention year, ALA gets bigger as it expands programming to cater to all kinds of fans and it’s seriously a lot. Way more than one day can handle.

Limited schedule and energy reserves forced this correspondents ALA experience of 2023 to be attempted in one day. An insane undertaking as ALA is a behemoth of an anime convention spread over four days. It must be duly noted that a lot could be done in one day but will come nowhere close to experiencing the full scope of the convention. There was just so much to see and do! Genuinely jealous of those who were able to enjoy the convention two or more days

Long Beach Convention Center is easily accessible as it close to freeways and a short walk from the city metro rail station. Driving is the most convenient and efficient way to the convention center but the expenses of gas, parking, and time spent in traffic can be expensive. The alternate route via metro system is inexpensive in price but extremely inefficient as it can take hours to get to the destination and there is a high percentage of dealing with unsavory passengers. From Union Station to Long Beach, the trip is about 2 hours. Not to mention, the metro stations is not a great place to wear a cosplay. The mere idea of a hem trailing upon those floors makes the blood curl.

Upon arrival at the convention center, there is already a flurry of activity. Cosplayers can be seen at almost every scenic point around the center within group meetups or partaking in smaller shoots. Areas adjacent to the convention center offered plenty of aesthetic backdrops to cater to different cosplay styles. The expansive fountain in front of the of the theater was ideal for great flowing outfits or costumes of the whimsical romantic nature. The windows of the center offered industrial mood. The newly constructed rainbow bridge offered architectural arches and occasional greenery for cityscape vibes. Then there’s the other end of the convention that offers ocean views. Tons of ways to create a solid backdrop to the cosplay that took years of your life.

Through the security checkpoints, into the registration room, and out into the hallway, one has to take a moment to reorient themselves. Long Beach Comic Convention is a multi-layered center. The main floor of the exhibit hall was down the escalator on one floor. Another level below that took you to more lounges or game rooms. The upper level were dedicated to videos or quiet spots. Biggest tip: wear comfortable shoes and pack light.

Then the next question: what to do? Take a moment to sit on one of the many lounge chairs on the floor to peruse through the program book. Unlike other conventions, ALA offers more than just the code of conduct and programming. There are activities within the pages to play bingo to earn ribbons, information on cosplay meetups, and other ways to enjoy your convention.

For this one day endeavor, the goal was to explore and see what happens. The flow of the crowd led right into the heart of ALA: the exhibit hall. This was where the wallet was most threatened and the senses were quick to overload. The floor was not just full of vendor selling all sorts of merchandise. There was an area displaying the anime art cars from Senpai Squad Net. featuring cars decorated in honor of SpyxFamily, Demon Slayer, and more. There was a long, super long line for the maid cafe. Which was a shame because it would have been such a much more delightful memory to eat and watch the maids perform the Ouran High School Host Club theme song inside the tent than not so discreetly bopping outside

The bulk of the day was spent trying not to get too dizzy on the exhibit hall. The artist alley portion, known for fan art and independent creators, spanned half of the exhibit hall and was at least ten aisles of whiplash inducing merchandise. It was hard to casually browse as there was just too many things to buy. Another con tip: nab some icy hot patches to apply to the neck after the con.

Most of the time in the hall was spent attempting to keep a tight rein on the wallet even while admiring the anime art that was recognizable. After a while though, it all just bleeds together from the sheer volume of it all. After a few hours of browsing, it became difficult to generate much interest at the boothes. A vendor would need to be creative or unique to garner a second look,

Anything cute and boba will generally do the trick. Breanna, designer behind the Mini Boba Boutique, was one of the most friendliest faces out there and made it super easy to stop and browse her wares. Mini Boba Boutique was a minimalist cute take on the love for boba and other drinks. The eye-catching shirts proudly displayed “Thai Tea” and “matcha” on collegiate font atop catchy colors.

**Mini Boba Boutique**

**minibobaboutique.com**

As overwhelming as the exhibit hall is, there is that special rush of happy energy upon seeing items of an anime that you love with every fiber of your cells. Especially when it’s one of the most prettiest thing to catch the eye. These stunning trinket resin trays with the Fruit Basket characters created by Ittsumo Kawaii were not to be passed over.

**Ittsumo Kawaii**

**ittsumokawaii.com**

Once the feet were screaming for a break, it was time to sit down and catch the ALA Fashion Show held in the ballroom on the upper room. It was one of the most varied fashion shows to grace a convention crowd. The designers showcased looks that embodied street wear, kawaii, science fiction, and fantasy.

Natashia Miyazaki fashion

https://www.natashiamiyazaki.com/

At some point, a break for food was much needed. ALA offered an area for food trucks outside the walls, The prices for the food trucks were definitely steep but exhausted attendees were not given much choices. Those who still had energy to spare to walk has plenty of reasonable options outside.

Outdoor seating area surrounded by food trucks

The day concluded with an interview with Molly Searcy. Searcy is a delightful voice actress known for her work in Akame in AKAME GA KILL!, Centorea in MONSTER MUSUME, Jeanne in THE CASE STUDY OF VANITAS, Rory Mercury in GATE, Isuzu Sento in AMAGI BRILLIANT PARK, Mako Reizei in GIRLS UND PANZER, Flare in THE EXECUTIONER AND HER WAY OF LIFE, MASKING in BANG DREAM!, and Princess Honey in SPY x FAMILY. You can check out the interview below

From there, the day concludes with aching feet, a bag filled to the brim with swag, and a list of anime to check out. Even though there wasn’t a chance to explore the lower level for the table top gaming, lounge, and panels, it was still day will spent.