Again we woke up early, After the daily “get up early” ritual, we went to eat the salmon buffet. It’s the best buffet this side of town has to offer. After eating, we went to back to the convention center once again.



Adrian and I split from the rest of the group. We went to see what was going on at Staples, while the other three did something else. When we got to around the other side of Staples, there were a lot of new crews from all the major stations and a lot from foreign ones too. We stuck around a while while taking some pictures and video of what’s been going on. We went back. At the convention center, we took the daily trip back to the exhibit hall. Same-o, same-o.

We left the exhibit hall once again. This time we stayed in one place and waited for everyone else to meet up with us. Once we all met up, sans Lawrence, we went to try to get tickets for the Morning Musume concert. At the destination, it was total chaos. The staff lost control of the crowd. There were people with tickets and ones without all over the place. Nobody know what to do. We decided to stay put when some staff decided to get smart, to separate out the ones with tickets and ones without. While waiting, we met some dude in line too, who hung out with us for a little while. He’s Ben, form the 818.



It was going to be a while so we made the all important decision to go to the 30th Anniversary Mobile Suit Gundam panel. Upon reaching the second floor, we could already see the long-ass line. There were actually two lines, but never got in. Then panel room was filled solid. There were still a lot of people who didn’t get in and were all “very upset” to put it politely.

After that fiasco, six of us went to the Moi Dix Mois panel to kill time before the Morning Musume concert. And for the panel, the staff was not letting people in because of the huge crowd gathering around the entrance of concert hall. By this time, it was pure drama. Again, some intelligence developed in the staff and started letting people in the panel room. It was finally good to relax again from walking at least two miles already. While waiting, Ben went to another panel and was to meet with us once got in line for the concert. And when that time arrived, I gave Ben a call and left him a message. We got our tickets and are now in.

The Morning Musume concert was pretty good. It’s what’s expected from an idol group. But they ware one of the best in Japan–almost at the professional level. For those who don’t know what idols are, in the Japanese sense, are singers that no creative say in their performances. In other words, their producers have all the creative say. It would be synonymous to corporate rock of the 80s or the Disney pop bands of today. I’d still prefer watching the Battle of the Bands or the Moi Dix Mois concerts yesterday. But all in all, Morning Musume did have entertaining dance moves and their cuteness going for them. The songs they performed ranged from R&B to rock, pop to euro-pop. They should’ve stuck to the latter. The most interesting thing that I found during the concert was the awards for their music video contest. BTW, Ben did show up with his buds.

We made another food run at Ralph’s again to replenish our supplies. After a quick respate in the hotel room, we went back to the convention center to attend the AMVs (Anime Music Videos). But before getting ahead of myself, we caught an Anime Expo report on NBC News at 6. Just like the mainstream media not to do their homework and not look into the anime scene. They just had to pick the most off-the-wall people, which one of four people interviewed gave out intelligent answers to their questions. The rest looked like fools. This just put another dent into the anime scene by the mainstream.

So at the convention center, we had a of time to kill so we caught the last part of the Pop Shock Masquerade. After that was the Funimation panel. This panel just showed previews of new and upcoming releases. Then when the panel was finished, we were at the AMVs. I cut my stay at the AMVs while everyone else stayed to almost the end. Finally...dinner.

We woke up early to head to the convention center for the opening ceremony. There was a line already when we arrived. An hour wait was ahead of us. We finally got in and waited again before the opening ceremony. As with AX tradition, it started late. I never though we were on Japan time. We saw all the guests. The girls from the Morning Musume group were all cute. After the intro of more guests, the opening ceremonies ended with a fizzle.

We went to the exhibit hall, but it was still closed. Instead we bought some AX merchandise after wandering around the area for a bit. Afterward, we went back to the hotel to eat. Because the room wasn’t cleaned yet, we quickly refreshed ourselves and ate the Subway down below. I left a key for Joe at the bell desk. So we went back to the convention center. Before the Morning Musume panel started, we listened to the Morikawa panel that was currently in session.



The Morning Musume panel was cool. This was the first time real famous idol group came from Japan. They each introduced themselves. Unfortunately I developed a headache from being tired and from their high-pitched voices. As the panel switched to the questions & answers, they were asked some really good questions which surprised me. When the panel finished, the staff gave out autograph session tickets. We left and went to the Moi Dix Mois concert across the hall. If I had a choice between Morning Musume and Moi Dix Mois, I'd pick Moi Dix Mois. I prefer watching a band playing instruments rather than singing with recoded music. But Morning Musume has their cuteness going for them. I concur!



After the concert, my headache went away. We finally went to the dealers room for the first time today. All we did was wander around looking for stuff, after we all split up. There was really nothing that interested me. Well, maybe a few things. But I had to think about them. Really hard. I did buy samantha a parasol and, myself, a keychain. Buy accident, we all met up again. Lawrence met up with some buddies of his that he met there. He hung around with them for the rest of the evening. The rest of us chilled before the premier of the Gurren Lagan movie started. Right before the movie started, Adrian went to sit closer to the front. And at the end of the panel, to get tickets for the autograph signing for the next day.

Joe was already on way to LA by Metro Rail. In the meantime, Tim and I decided to wait for Joe at the front of convention center and to take some pics. Well, Joe had problems getting here. So we abandoned waiting for him and went to the Battle of the Bands line because we believed that Joe wasn’t coming directly to the convention center. But because the line was long for the BotBs, the Staples Center was next door and tried to get a picture with the Oscar Dela Hoya bronce stature there. The area was cordoned off by the LAPD because of the pending Michael Jackson memorial this coming Tuesday. So Tim and I went back to the same waiting place in front of the convention center. Joe unexpected showed up so went went to the Battle of the Bands. There, we stayed and listed to a lot of local bands performing j-rock music. Before the end, Tim and I went to Anime Singled Out to check it out. In the meantime, Joe went to the hotel to get Lawrence’s badge to use the shuttle. While waiting in line, the room where the panel was being held was full so they weren’t letting people in. We went back to finish off the Battle of the Bands. Joe came back. And shortly we returned back to the hotel to eat dinner...at midnight.