[EVENT] AKB48 at Anime Expo 2010, Los Angeles

[TheAnna18]

Anna is here to post some of her autographs

Those are from the second session.

[immo]

The guy who was nervous was probably iamnotfunny. I was at the table when you asked those questions.

And seeing Reina's autograph, she put 'cute' for most people. LOL. I'm not special. hahahaha. ah well. I had so much fun and right now I'm going through AKB48 withdrawal...

[IANF826]

...but she described it as a sour soup, and me and another guy said, " sinigang!" and she said thats it ! haha.

I was the other guy, the same guy who was playing that pong game on the iPad in the line for the Q&A panel. It was funny how staff told us to leave and get up but the girls kept talking and we just stuck around til we were pretty much forced to go.

I wasn't the nervous guy, there was that one guy who wouldn't even look at the girls sitting right next to me and Sayaka just called him out on his nervousness.

*Edit*
I didn't get "cute" on mine, but I was just happy to have her autograph. For the people who got things signed, can you post a picture of it please. Thank you.

[immo]

ah, my bad. I remember it was close to you I think. lol. And I remember poking you and going 'say something!' lol

[IANF826]

That was at the Moeno and Mochi table...they were so pretty and I was tired from running to get my badge so I was speechless. You sat next to Sayaka at that table...jealous.

So, who's still in LA and who's back at home going through withdrawal?

[sixerz1]

Hey what's up everyone (I was the guy with the blue SD hat). I don't post very often but I just wanted to come by and say it was cool meeting my NYC veterans again! Gideon much respect for coming to LA (like we did when we went to NYC) and leading the encore charge, and Lord Kyrie I'm proud to know a guy who always keeps it real with the matching pink shirt, hair, and fingernails for Haruna! Also wanted to say what's up to csumechan and kds48... you guys were as cool as I remember and I'm glad you came out. Also if you were there hahaxwill, I wish we could of kicked in line too... it isn't complete without you and the twins here man!

It was also good seeing the nihongogo members in full force (Jet I saw you with Lawrence in the exhibit hall on Saturday but I didn't get to say what's up to you because the crowd blocked me) and Del and Korp were cool as always hooking us up with AKB buttons, stickers (I wanted to take a picture by the 8 on the floor in front of the H!P booth but they might think I did it haha) and water to everyone while waiting in line.

And lastly I'm glad to of met all the new s48 members and lurkers. It was funny because I'd be listening to my headphones and everytime I turned around they'd be someone new behind me haha. You guys were all cool, and I wish we could of hanged out more (had other business to attend to during non AKB events haha). Immo thanks for whacking me when I got distracted by my glow sticks at the concert, and Des-law it was cool kicking it with you in line during the early morning hours haha. Also Zin and Alvin if your reading this it was cool meeting you guys too, and thank you for being an excellent part of the "team" haha. Lastly to the guy and his sister waiting with me in the second autograph session, what's up and aren't you guys glad we made the right decision!?
later,
Jay

[ucla10]

And seeing Reina's autograph, she put 'cute' for most people. LOL. I'm not special. hahahaha. ah well. I had so much fun and right now I'm going through AKB48 withdrawal...

Reinyan wrote "happy" under mine. Maybe because I told her to "Ganbareinyan," which she repeated while making the nyan fists (I think, it's all a blur but I remember someone doing something like the nyan fists and it makes sense for it to be her).

So, who's still in LA and who's back at home going through withdrawal?

I'm at home in LA going through withdrawal.

[TheAnna18]

So, who's still in LA and who's back at home going through withdrawal?

Withdrawl!!
I flew home on the 3rd (way too early!) and I was trying to hold back tears on the plane. ;_; I never want to leave California...

[flagator21]

Wow, they autographed whatever you guys wanted (within reason)? Very cool!

Thanks for sharing your experiences/pictures, everyone! Here's hoping they come back to NY next year. It'd be fun to hang out again with you guys again

...and yeah, withdrawl bites. I hope it's not as bad this time around for the NY veterans who went to LA

[gyan]

ANIME EXPO REPORT PT.2 DAY 1
AKB48 IDOLS WHO CAN SING DANCE ENTERTAIN.. .. AND MAKE GROWN MEN CRY

(FIRST AND FOREMOST SORRY FOR ALL MY SCREAMING IT CAN BE ANNOYING AND I BLURT OUT THE MOST RANDOM THINGS- AM NOT SURE WHY I KEEP SAYING HAPPY B-DAY AACHAN LOL- ALSO SORRY FOR THE FAIL OF NOT ROTATING THE VIDEOS)

THE RED CARPET:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYydxEkXKM4

when i said nice hair to erena and puffed up my hair she looked and puffed up her hair too!
when i shouted team 4 to mochi she turned around and saw my shirt and was so suprised and happy!
when i shouted sashi last she once again looked back and waved (i swear this girl doesn't miss anything)

THE OPENING CEREMONIES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my9khV7fWkY
Their English is getting better and all of a sudden i want shrimp now.

THE CONCERT

WAS AWESOME!
I DANCE, CHEERED AND CRIED MYSELF TO DEATH.
LOST MY VOICE, RE-INJURED MY ANKLE MORE, AND CRIED OUT OF PURE HAPPINESS.
IT IS AN EXPERIENCE ONE MUST GO THROUGH CAUSE NO AMOUNT OF DESCRIPTIONS CAN COME CLOSE TO DESCRIBING IT

.

THE AUTOGRAPHS

SAYAKA - First of all she is so much beautiful in person. I told her maganda (beautiful in fillipino) sayaka and she smiled and said thank you, when i gave her the cards she was so amazed with it and looked at every card back and forth almost as if she has not seen it before (which probably is true) she even showed it to mochi. She pulled out the card and then asked if it was ok to sign the card and not the plastic i said yes please sign the card. Afte that i said salamat (thanks in fillipino) and she replied salamat po (thanks to someone who is older or person with higher status) Oh man sayaka you are so polite!

MOCHI - She saw my team 4 shirt again and i pointed at her picture on it. She smiled and was so happy. I got a special team4 mention on it and she gave me back the cards she openly offered her hand with a hand shake and i shook it without thinking even though there is no touching. BTW she was my temporary replacement oshi this time even though she loves everyone.

MOENO- She was cute and very kind but i did not know much about her so i just said sugoi concert, she personalizes everyones by asking their name and we have to spell it out to her. she was kinda offering her hands for a hand shake, but staff was looking and i was kinda rushing so i just kept saying thanks and bowing almost raising my hands. (now i regret it and want to apologize to moeno)

RIE- she is another one preetier in real life. when i approached her tsundere was playing in the background and i did a few dance moves from the song she was like THATS ME! ITS ME! (again now i regret not saying something about amina, tomochin and her and tsundere)

AKI - I asked how is winkun. Ah winkun she replied as if she was missing him. I got a special please support winkun text on my autograph because of that. She is so so much lovlier in person.

Reina- is cute as always, but not being able to think of a thing to say to her all i could say was reinyan kawaii. It was fast but at least she wrote something which i think she put for everyone else.

Sasshi- Since i took fast with reina i had more time with sashi, she did not personalize anything but she talked alot. she asked amina oshi? I said Hai, and she started saying something in japanese about amina's blog and all i could say being not able to understand it was yeah i read her blog and then thumbs up. Well the guy in front of me was taking a bit long with ami so i had longer time with sashi, i started saying i read her blog and i thought it was funny and i followed it with ha ha ha for her to understand. She's like no not ha ha ha, more ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... I thumbs up again and she said I try. ( dang sashi is really starting to grow even competing for temporary replacement oshi lol)

Ami- i said mayuge kawaii, and she smiled and signed and said thank you.

CONT...

[bloggingpig]

>ALOT of people were waiting in line for it, and they were able to sell like 100 american CD's of AKB48 to people >waiting in line.

At least 150-200 people in line by my count. Varies depending on whether friends were out getting food, bathroom, etc.

Bathroom break was the saddest for those at the end - some AX staff announced we're starting in a few minutes, closing the line, and if you're not back, you ain't getting back in line. Period. >.< But only about the first 50 got in, in groups of 10.

I'd estimate CD sales at at least 200 (saw empty 50 count boxes x 4) since they manged to blow them out by the end of the signing session. The guy selling them even gave a thumbs up to mgmt up in the front rows when the last group of 10 were in, so obviously happy on both Maru Music and AKB sides. Oh, well - $3000 towards the girls vacation money =]

---

I only went Day 0 and 1. 0 to pickup the badge & tickets to try&avoid the day 1 hell. And because the night before Tweet said raffled Meet & greet tickets. Day 1 was concert & autograph and our main goal. Could have gone Day 2-4, but figure let's not be greedy and didn't go. Friend agreed, so we stayed home after Day 1 and did other things - like July 4th parade at Huntington Beach, CA (200,000k+ people yearly! and 3 P51 flyovers this year).

After all, too much can be like .... an .... obsession, right? lol... (Not that tracking down rare concerts like FujilandQ is obsessive. Just for completeness sake! Honestly!! =P)

---

Looking at photos of the nY and paris concerts, I'd say that the Paris one looked even better - more packed up front, exciting. NY was ... well like when any big star hits NY for a concert. LA in comparison? well, you could park a truck in the empty rows up front left&right and not even crush a soul.....

Hope someday, more AX LA pro pics go up. Been browsing through the very nice ones of Paris, and oooh, nice concert photography! (eg http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=a ... ris&m=text) The girls really pop out of the background with the nice colored stage backlighting! Nothing like several thousand $ SLRs.... mine's so sucky, they'd just pixellate and blur if I tried....

Definitely need to start planning the Pilgrimage - Akiba next year to see the girls live.

Saw one photo of MMusume in Paris - looks like a nice trip for them this year. Swapped with AKB vs. last year, so that's nice exchange!

[immo]

better get this out of the way before my memory gets hazy...

IMMO'S AKB48 in LOS ANGELES REPORT!!!!

DAY 0:

I got on the plane in Toronto early ass and made good time to Los Angeles. Got into the airport and just stood around waiting impatiently for my bags. I was gonna wait for the hotel shuttle but after talking to some guys in line who were like 'seriously, we've been here for almost half an hour' I was like SCREW THIS and took a taxi to the hotel I had booked for a day to get my folio and drop off my bags.

After checking in and getting my folio, I walked to the convention and met up with stage48 people. There was a sign there and a whole big ass group of us sitting around just chilling. Me in my purple AKB48 hat got waved down and I sat around and got to know everyone. Just saying, it was awesome to be around people who loved the girls as much as I did, or maybe even more.

We wqaited for maybe an hour before the line started moving us in and thank god I asked someone about the premiere pass because we bypassed the retarded normal lines and went straight to get our passes and tickets. There was a bit of problems getting the concert tickets though, as AX is highly disorganized and were JUST busting tickets out of brown envelopes at the time and seperating the good front row tickets from normal tickets.

While we waited, there was a girl at a table off to the side with a table and a whiteboard with 'AKB48 meet & greet raffle!' written on it. You only got one chance to get these tickets and seeing the raffle just made me cringe inside. I had thought I could pay for the tickets and be able to see the girls, but with the raffles, my chances of seeing them face to face was shot to hell. I *really* wanted the meet & greet. REALLY. So while some of the S48ers held my place in the line for concert tickets, I sucked it up and went over there to try my luck.

Guess what? No luck. So I went back to the concert ticket line to try my luck with the concert tickets... and I'm sure some of you have seen videos online: FRONT ROW DEAD CENTRE, BABY!!!

But then I went back to the raffle to just hang around and give the girl at the raffle table sad-face. Everytime someone got a ticket we would cheer and every time someone didn't, we would be like But honestly, I was feeling pretty shitty. Meet & Greet was the only way I knew I was gonna see the girls and talk to them.

When it was getting time for the meet and greet and melon and koopa were gonna head over there for the M&G cuz they got tickets, I decided to go over too. My whole thing was if I couldn't see them in the room, I might as well be outside cheering people on and perhaps catch a first glimpse of the girls and hopefully, my leader Takamina. hahaha.

When the girls showed up downstairs, I'm pretty sure I was the first one to spot them and I was like "GUYS! GUYS! They're here! They're here!!!" and jabbered like an excited fool. I didn't see if Takamina was there or not but I just poked my head over the side of the second floor and yelled out "TAKAMINA!!! TAKAMINA!!!!"
Cameras turned up towards me and the girls all looked up to see who the crazy was screaming out for Takamina.

Just my luck, none of the girls were Takamina. hahah. I'm such a damn idiot.

But the girls came up and went into the meeting room while everyone with tickets went inside and I was left outside holding someone's bag. T_T I could just HEAR them laughing and talking inside and I was feeling happy that I saw all the girls that came but bummed out to the max that I wasn't in there.

ALL OF A SUDDEN... someone came out and said there were FREE SEATS!!! And one of the security people asked AKB management if they should bring some people in and IMMEDIATELY, I was down on my knees and begging like a DOG. Like. A. DOG.

The guy nodded at me and was like "If they let us, then we'll bring you in cuz you were the first one here and I'll let you in."

Guess who got in to the meet and greet?

First table I was at was with Moeno and... Mocchi I think (clarify for me if I'm wrong, guys) and I had a BALL asking them questions. Told the girls I found out about them cuz I watch their shows and was talking my ass off like an idiot. Even managed to be like "Yo, Moeno.... DOROBO!" and she was like "ahahah... ha. " I also manged to pimp out S48(REPRESENT!) and even mentioned nihongogo. Their translator wrote down the websites and passed it to the two girls. Though after a while I was like... what would happen if some of the girls managed to stumble into krazy kamp in the nihongogo forums? O_O Hahaha. The girls asked me if I would try my best to visit them in Japan and I was like "DAMN RIGHT!"
EDIT: Forgot to mention that mocchi looked at me for a bit then was like "You were yelling for takamina, weren't you?" and I was like... ... yes. Hahaha. Then they apologized for not being takamina but I was like "I'm just stoked your girls are here "


Ten minutes with them and I was off to sasshi and kitarie's table! But 1 minute in, I was told to leave cuz someone had come into the room who had a ticket. Boooo. But then I got in again and ended up sitting at Sayaka and Akicha's table!!!! RIGHT NEXT TO SAYAKA!!! She's not as tall in person, I always thought she would tower over me like crazy. She was crazy personable and just kept talking and her English was pretty alright. Akicha was kinda quiet and I think she was just overwhelmed by the English...

Anyways, that was the last table and even though they were trying to shoo us out, Sayaka kept talking and she's a complete sweetheart. Really wish I coulda gotten to the other girls.

After the meet & greet, some of the S48ers managed to see the girls and me, melon and koopa JUST missed them. When we raced off to try to catch up to them, we saw them going into a restaurant and the guy who had let me into the meet & greet saw me and was like "YOU! Crazy!" Ahahah. So somewhere out there, an AX staff thinks I'm a crazy. Which is fine cuz I guess I sorta was.

But we all ended up eating somewhere else and made plans to go to the red carpet and greet the girls the next day.

And that the end of DAY 0.


Stay tuned for more! I'll also put up pictures and videos when I get back to Toronto!

For those in Toronto (gyan, I know you're there) who are going through withdrawal... lets go out for bbt when we get home and chill cuz withdrawal is easier to deal with together.

[zinzin]

HEY THAR GUYS! hahahaha
just got back home and i'm in my post-AX lull again. SO SAD.
miss everyone + waiting in lines all day long LOL

i want to see moar pictures everyone! POST POST

[nandaro]

hey anyone wants to get milk?(i/j)...............no..............ok anybody wants to have fun?? i have a WII in my room. LOL
just got home, ima post everythin in YT, o wait .... i cant, i deleted everything

JELLY saw ur video AWESOME!!!!!

going to bed...........

[moyism]

audio recording of the AX concert http://m0e.me/md (120MB). Obviously not 100% awesome but still decent enough to hear the songs and MCs

[nandaro]

wsup guys ok time for some pix, just slept 3hrs,
YO! ZIN wsup got to PM those kuroi tenshi pix lol, wheres DANSU MASUTA??!!!
first have to thank everybody!!!! (no particullar order) jelly, hadripan, gyan, koopa, melon, bigc, imnotfunny, cris, immo, cyan, GIDDY, stryder, kyrie, memorybraker, ckd, delirium, audiophile, elvin, zin, tom (if he is makin an account here), MARIKO (u guys know who im talkin bout )....if im forgetin some1 im really sorry. u guys r the bomb!!!!

First Autograph Session

Sayaka, Reinyan and Sashi drew themselves

Second Autograph Session

Random pix

more to come....

[Okashii]

hey anyone wants to get milk?(i/j)........

I can't believe I yelled that out loud when the girls were around. So uncool. I wasn't even standing at the milk fridge.

[delerium]

200+ pics from the red carpet event...

GALLERY LINK
(You may need to sort by Uploaded Date & Ascending, for the gallery/slideshow to be in order.)

My compact camera's burst mode was surprisingly effective. xDDD

[IANF826]

del...I really want to thank you for allowing me to have the Kojiharu PB and the Yuka BLTs and also giving me the AKB48 sticker. It was really cool hanging and talking with you, and I don't know why we sat through the entire Opening Ceremonies. It was nice meeting such a cool fan. Thanks again.

Awesome pictures. I still can't believe I didn't think about setting my camera to burst mode during the Red Carpet event.

[stryder]

^
^ ya thank you so much del for giving me the kojiharu picture and 3 pictures of erepyons

@everyone - how is everbody doing?

[xxp212xx]

Just got back in from LA and I've finally got a chance to post this. So after a failed attempt to see them in Japan last year, AX was the perfect opportunity to get to see AKB48 (despite it being on the other side of the U.S.).

I got to see the concert and was in the last group of people that was allowed into the first autograph session. I have to say though I messed up pretty big at the first session but it still went great; here's how: I wasn't expecting to have gotten a chance to meet and get autographs from the girls so I had nothing on me for them to sign except a napkin I saved from a street side restaurant in Tokyo.

I ended up buying a copy of the album when the came buy to sell them. So after being lucky enough to be in the last group in, I finally was at the table standing in front of Sayaka. Starting with her I went down the line, and I found it great how friendly the girls were; Kuramochi kept on waving and smiling at me. A little further down I get to Rie and this is were I messed up:

I was flipping ahead and marking the pages in the CD jacket so the girls didn't have to flip around in it when they signed it. Since Akicha was after Rie I folded the page on her while still keeping one finger on Rie's page. As soon as I placed the booklet down to be signed though, I was in complete shock to see it was turned to Akicha's page! Rie gave me an evil look and was like "No that's Akicha" and pointed over. I was like OH NO I DID NOT JUST DO THAT! while saying "sorry!" she got over it pretty quick and wrote "it's me" on her picture all big. She also did her "okay" hand sign as I moved on. Felt so bad for doing that because she probably thought I had no idea who she was.

Moving on though I talked to Sasshi and told her I was in Japan for the release of Namida Surprise and she did the dance bit with her hands. In all it was great and the last group I was in had some great stories to tell about AKB. If anybody has pictures from the first autograph session could you please PM them or post them? As you can see mine came out horribly and I'd like to have some better ones

[Harajuku Hat]

Immo!?? is that you who had the purple and white hand-made AKB cap?? I can't believe I happened to find you at this forum! It's me, the guy in the fedora you met in the autograph line!

Anyways... questions for you huge AKB fans who were there at the GOH panel. I'm an AKB noob so I don't know much.

1. I think there was a girl in the middle of the eight who I considered loudest and most excited. She kept saying Yeah! Yeah! And I think she had good pronunciation of that word. Does anyone know her name?

2. There was also a girl that was crazy loud at the concert. Maybe she said "I LOVE LOS!" But I think that was Rino Sasshihara. Anyone know? Am I wrong? And Rino wasn't at the GOH right?

3. Can anyone name in order the girls from left to right at the Friday autograph signing?

4. Press took a bunch of pics and video right? But I can't find anything from it online. Anyone know where I can find pics and videos of the concert?

Thanks a bunch!
Harajuku H.

[Criss]

Heres one video report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8-6INA-3bc

[ucla10]

1. I think there was a girl in the middle of the eight who I considered loudest and most excited. She kept saying Yeah! Yeah! And I think she had good pronunciation of that word. Does anyone know her name?

2. There was also a girl that was crazy loud at the concert. Maybe she said "I LOVE LOS!" But I think that was Rino Sasshihara. Anyone know? Am I wrong? And Rino wasn't at the GOH right?

3. Can anyone name in order the girls from left to right at the Friday autograph signing?

I think the consensus on loudest and most excited at the panel was Rino. If by GOH you mean the panel, yes she was there.

Girls from left to right on Friday - Kitahara Rie, Sashihara Rino, Kuramochi Asuka, Nito Moeno, Maeda Ami, Fujie Reina, Takajo Aki, Akimoto Sayaka

[flagator21]

200+ pics from the red carpet event...

Thanks for sharing, del!