On Friday I sat my last university exam ever, (well, unless I do a Masters), so MCM London Expo was a great reward the following day! Thank you so much to all the cosplayers who posed for me, and thank you for being patient as the camera I borrowed took a while to warm up and let me take pictures! I took about 170 photos and the best ones are below.
I thought the layout was so much better than the previous few times I've been. I could see the DDR, and apart from the anime corner I never felt trapped or unable to get to things. I was excited to see the Hazel Gundam, I wanted to see the mecha that shared my name, and was excited to see there were three types. I was a bit upset about the cosplay masquerade tickets, I didn't find out until all the tickets had gone, and later when I went to see if I could get in, it wasn't as postponed as the staff had estimated, so I missed some of it. Never mind, I still enjoyed standing at the back.
I subscribed to Neo, and got a free Initial D manga, and picked up a copy of Tokyopop Sneaks. I also bought Gizmo the Gremlin slippers (they are soooo cute), a poster of a manga from Sweatdrop Studios (pictures below), and a random comic. I thought about buying a Bincho-tan poster, but decided it wasn't cute enough in the end. There was still a stall selling posters in a messy heap of thumb prints and creases, I mean, who wants to buy a poster someone else has damaged? Mad. They should display them properly.
I only attended on the Saturday, I planned to go back the next day but I was feeling ill, hiding under the duvet, with some Ibuprofen, think I was just exhausted from exam stress! I would have liked to have seen the daleks and the guy in a Halo costume. I think next time I go I will get the fast tickets, try and get a free bag of 'stuff', cosplay as someone like Lenalee or Yoko, take even more photos with a better camera and draw some manga! I'm looking forward to Japan Ex July 21-22...even if I'm not quite sure what it is!
I thought the layout was so much better than the previous few times I've been. I could see the DDR, and apart from the anime corner I never felt trapped or unable to get to things. I was excited to see the Hazel Gundam, I wanted to see the mecha that shared my name, and was excited to see there were three types. I was a bit upset about the cosplay masquerade tickets, I didn't find out until all the tickets had gone, and later when I went to see if I could get in, it wasn't as postponed as the staff had estimated, so I missed some of it. Never mind, I still enjoyed standing at the back.
I subscribed to Neo, and got a free Initial D manga, and picked up a copy of Tokyopop Sneaks. I also bought Gizmo the Gremlin slippers (they are soooo cute), a poster of a manga from Sweatdrop Studios (pictures below), and a random comic. I thought about buying a Bincho-tan poster, but decided it wasn't cute enough in the end. There was still a stall selling posters in a messy heap of thumb prints and creases, I mean, who wants to buy a poster someone else has damaged? Mad. They should display them properly.
I only attended on the Saturday, I planned to go back the next day but I was feeling ill, hiding under the duvet, with some Ibuprofen, think I was just exhausted from exam stress! I would have liked to have seen the daleks and the guy in a Halo costume. I think next time I go I will get the fast tickets, try and get a free bag of 'stuff', cosplay as someone like Lenalee or Yoko, take even more photos with a better camera and draw some manga! I'm looking forward to Japan Ex July 21-22...even if I'm not quite sure what it is!












(All my masquerade pictures are poor quality because the digital camera ate through 6 AA batteries, so all I had left was the camera-phone, and I was right at the back!)






Vic Mignogna signing stuff. I didn't have anything for him to sign, I should have asked him to sign me!

I was not going to get excited about English language voice actors. I've always felt happy reading subtitles, I love the sound of the Japanese language, and I've only seen a couple of anime episodes dubbed out of curiosity. However, Vic Mignogna was charismatic and funny, I liked the story about when he did voice acting for Those Who Hunt Elves (one of my favourite comedy/fantasy anime I highly recommend). There was a character that looked like Yoda, so he did a Yoda voice impression for fun...and the sound guys picked it up and made it louder so you can hear it on the final DVD. *Giggles* I don't know much about Spike Spencer - but I laughed when I found out he did the voice acting for the little greenonion in Gantz!

I was over the moon that Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (The Wallflower) will be released in the UK by ADV! That series was one of my favourites last year, every episode made me laugh so much. The bishies, the nose bleeds, the goth-goth-loli-loli's and the horror girl= genius. I was expecting to hear 009-1 and Welcome to the NHK were also licensed...but Pumpkin Scissors? I thought the majority got bored with that series, but Orlando and the kittens were exceptionally cute! I'm sure the huge tank/army element will appeal to guys; it's just that I found Alice annoying and the series lacked a sense of direction.

Look, she's been shrinking people who haven't read her manga yet! So you better buy Hamlet. Look out for her on TV, the first UK Anime channel (195) airs on June 3rd (my birthday woo!) So everyone must watch it so we get moooooore anime! I can't wait to see Coyote Ragtime Show on TV, and yes, I'm one of those lame anime fans that hasn't got round to seeing Neon Genesis Evangelion yet, but I've read the manga, and I've only seen episode 1 of Guyver, and Elfen Lied in the background of a noisy Manga Cafe. So it shall be cool!



I was glad there were more comic artists. Just a shame they weren't situated somewhere more central. Andie certainly looked like he was getting more attention than May 2006 when he seemed to be randomly stuck in the middle of nowhere! I enjoyed browsing the comic stalls. I liked the one with the stuffed duck toys, and bought a little comic from a tiny stall called Vampire Free Style. It has cute cat pictures inside...but not much in the way of plot! I felt sorry for some of the artists; people clearly didn't know who they all were!
4 favourite over 16 manga (Saturday)



3 favourite under 16 manga (Saturday)




I don't mind teenagers wandering round with a little free hug sign. However, I do worry about guys over the age of 18 who want to hug 'cute little girls'. It's just pervy. Perhaps more disturbing are pre-pubescent girls with free hug signs, where are their guardians/parents/concerned older siblings? It's going to attract, well, the wrong sort of people to Expo.
I worry about people who boast on forums that they 'glomp' people. I feel sorry for anyone who is grabbed without their permission, by squealing huggers damaging their expensive costume/clothes and putting stickers on them. I did have one 'free hug'. Was it good for you?
I worry about people who boast on forums that they 'glomp' people. I feel sorry for anyone who is grabbed without their permission, by squealing huggers damaging their expensive costume/clothes and putting stickers on them. I did have one 'free hug'. Was it good for you?

I felt happy I wasn't jumping about like a deranged ferret, but I'd like to have a go sometime! I was impressed the DDR was raised off the ground in the centre of the Expo, instead of squished in the corner where I couldn't see! I never see female DDR players at expo, I wonder why? Is it a 'guy thing'?




It has a kawai little face! My friend is a gardener and said it's best to avoid nests of them in the trees because they release the little hairs on their bodies which can cause irritation...but still, I think they're cute. For hundreds of weird and wonderful little caterpillar pictures click here.
