Day 2 of Anime Expo was much smoother than day 1; instead of getting lost eight times, I only got lost around five today! The second day of the con was dizzyingly jam-packed with sensory overload, matched only by the equal amount of fun and excitement I had throughout the many exhibits, halls, and booths. There were (somehow) even more people than yesterday, with crowds showing no signs of waning even up until the closing hours of the con. The crowds themselves, huge as they were, accurately represented the vast array of anime fans all across the spectrum. While many still consider anime conventions-- and anime overall-- a childish hobby for poorly adjusted adults with peter pan syndrome (self-drag?), I was pleased to see such variety in both guests and cosplayers. From seniors to toddlers, it’s clear everyone is welcome at Anime Expo® to nerd out and in a time when community is more important than ever, it’s really nice to see “Humans being humans” and enjoying this fanatical event together.

I don’t know who at AX2024 was responsible for organizing the panels; but whoever it is, clearly their favorite color is blue! Blue Archive, Blue Lock, and Blue Exorcist panels made for a stacked day, especially with the special appearances of key players in each. PR for Blue Archive and Blue Lock reached out to personally invite OFF BLXXK as press and I can see why they were so proud to show off! Now I may be a little bit biased, because out of all the season premiere announced, I was most excited to hear about the upcoming season two from both Nagi Seishuro (VA:Nobunaga Shimazaki) and Isagi Yoichi (VA: Kazuki Ura) themselves. October 2024 feels so far away; but as Nobunaga-san sagely noted, the fans can content themselves with watching Episode:Nagi three, five, or ten times until then! The panel audience certainly seemed willing, with how enthusiastically they welcomed the voice actor. Not to be left out, Kazuki-san also pumped the crowd up with excited chants of “Number 1” to celebrate his victory over the rest of the cast in fan-voted categories. Blue Archive was probably the only other panel I went to that could match the crowd participation of Blue Lock’s first-time panel.

While I was unfamiliar with the title, Blue Archive quickly interested me with their concept of moe military schoolgirls; and, based on the reactions of the crowd, they managed to secure quite the fervent fanbase too. We were treated to interesting behind the scenes content and stories, such as the original combat concept prototype art and the background stories behind the game’s soundtrack development. The generosity extended to two exclusive PV premieres, live excerpt performances by the musical director himself, and even freebie grab-bags embossed with the game’s super cute mascot. All in all, this panel definitely was a highlight of the day.

ⒸTATSUKI FUJIMOTO/SHUEISHA
Ⓒ2024 Look Back Film Partners
©Cocoa Fujiwara/SQUARE ENIX,Mahoaku COMMITTEE
©Garden of Remembrance Committee
©ADACHITOKA,KODANSHA/NORAGAMI COMMITTEE

Speaking of exciting panels, the last panel I went to for the night was Avex Picture’s 10th Anniversary panel for some sneak-peaks at some of their upcoming works. And as far as exclusive premieres go, my favorites of the day were definitely the short film Garden of Remembrance-- shown for the first time ever in America-- and the pilot episode of The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies (what a mouthful!). Garden of Remembrance was gorgeous and poignant, and realistic sounds of the world stood out due to the absence of dialogue. Simple sounds like sheets rustling when moving brought me deeper into the story. The anime beautifully captured the relatable mental health struggle of grief-- wherever yours as the audience may be. The art was gorgeous and I had to catch myself from audibly murmuring in awe during the watercolor painting animation. Once the short film is officially released for American audiences, I highly recommend giving it a watch!

©Garden of Remembrance Committee

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies was a complete tonal shift from the melancholic and bittersweetness of Look Back and Garden of Remembrance, but no less enjoyable; this episode garnered more laughs from the audience than I had heard thus far throughout the day’s various premieres. A simple premise is made all the more enjoyable by the lightness of it all. It certainly feels like it’ll be a hit for anime fans that love romcom and fast paced humor. Our magical girl is a complete stan attractor--she’s so small and cute she’s literally in my pocket right now-- and our “evil” lieutenant is so down bad I doubt he’ll ever be able to get back up. The voice acting was as charming as the art, and I can’t wait until the series starts officially airing.

©Cocoa Fujiwara/SQUARE ENIX,Mahoaku COMMITTEE

But as you know, Anime Expo isn’t just about the panels; there is so much to experience throughout the entirety of the con it feels like the event could be held for a whole week! Crossing fandoms there were fun workshops like K-pop choreography learning, where I quickly realized I had overestimated my own ability. However, the confidence in my innate rhythm (if you know you know) and the good vibes of the room kept my spirits high! And while I won the battle against capitalism (anime merch) today, I continue to lose the war by being simply unable to resist good deals and good food-- both of which are in abundance at AX2024. Food trucks offering fusion foods like okonomiyaki fries and pizza bao continue to draw a crowd from morning to night, tempting congoers traveling between buildings like the beckoning smoke from old Disney cartoons.

Day 2 was full of excitement, and it looks like there’s no signs of that slowing down anytime soon; as we shift into the final half of the con, I can’t wait to see what’s next in store. And of course, I’ll be right back here tomorrow to gossip about it with you all!