Scrapbook:
Anime Expo 2019
Scrapbook is HYPEBEAST’s new series that documents the best festivals, events, activations and experiences. Using film photography, we’ll give you an inside look into events from around the globe.
Los Angeles' Anime Expo is the country’s biggest anime convention, and each year sees fans cosplay as their favorite characters. Anime has continued to grow its American audience in the past few years, with big franchises like Dragon Ball making $7 million USD on its opening day in theaters and shows like Attack on Titan, One Punch Man, and Mob Psycho 100 pushing the envelope on well-known tropes and genres. As we usher into a new era of anime and fan communities, conventions like Anime Expo continue to serve as the groundswell of fandom, and this year HYPEBEAST paid a visit to the see fans turn out their best cosplay.
Check out our scrapbook to see all the cosplayers, vendors and installations at Anime Expo 2019, and to find out what goers were excited for, how cosplayers construct their costumes and what they do to fund their cosplay habit.
Victor Cruz
“Don’t wear uncomfortable shoes. You’re going to be on your feet a lot walking around. Also, don’t wait till the last minute to hit your friends up for your artist passes or credentials or the things you need to finesse through the festival.”
Snoop Dogg
“You got to have a mask, you got to have something that’s going to cover your face because it's going to get dusty. You have dress light because it's going to be hot but at nighttime it's a possibility that it could be cold, so you want to have both outfits. You want to have a night outfit and a day outfit. You want to stay hydrated and have a lot of fruits in your system and vegetables, if you know what I mean. Just vibe, because it's all positivity and all love; everybody is out here just living their life and just enjoying their time for Coachella. It's a great place that brings all kinds of people together so you’ll fit right in no matter who you are or where you’re from.”
Day 4: Desert Sundays - The Do Over, #REVOLVEFestival, 1Oak x Gravity Technologies Coachella Closing Party
What are some rules for Coachella or music festivals in general?
Todd Gurley: “It’s a music festival, there are no rules. You’re supposed to do what you’re not supposed to do that’s why you go to a festival.”
How did you create your costume?
Sasha: I'm cosplaying as Tokoyami Fumikage from My Hero Academia. Mine was a little more involved. I couldn't find any patterns to make the head so I looked at a lot of turnarounds and footage from the cartoon and stuff and just made a cardboard version and then did the final version in EVA foam. Looked at a lot of tutorials online, which anyone can do. It's pretty easy, yeah.
Who are you cosplaying as?
Anna: I'm dressed up as Morrigan from Darkstalkers.
Joy: I'm dressed up as Felicia from Darkstalkers.
Miranda: I'm dressed up as Lilith from Darkstalkers.
How long did it take you to make your costume? How much did you spend?
Joy: I'd say the Con-crunch is real. For my Felicia outfit, it probably took me two weeks, but a lot of hours in each day. Roughly, I'm looking at maybe 100 dollars, just because of the fabric, and it's mostly fur and foam. It's pretty fun to make, though.
How did you create your costume?
Sasha: I'm cosplaying as Tokoyami Fumikage from My Hero Academia. Mine was a little more involved. I couldn't find any patterns to make the head so I looked at a lot of turnarounds and footage from the cartoon and stuff and just made a cardboard version and then did the final version in EVA foam. Looked at a lot of tutorials online, which anyone can do. It's pretty easy, yeah.
Who are you cosplaying as?
Anna: I'm dressed up as Morrigan from Darkstalkers.
Joy: I'm dressed up as Felicia from Darkstalkers.
Miranda: I'm dressed up as Lilith from Darkstalkers.
How long did it take you to make your costume? How much did you spend?
Joy: I'd say the Con-crunch is real. For my Felicia outfit, it probably took me two weeks, but a lot of hours in each day. Roughly, I'm looking at maybe 100 dollars, just because of the fabric, and it's mostly fur and foam. It's pretty fun to make, though.
What are you most excited to see at the expo?
Jim: Well, the thing that I was most excited to see was yesterday. It was an Aqours concert for Love Live!
Sasha: I'm just here to see the other cosplayers, man. People do impressive costumes and I love seeing them. I love seeing the creativity.
What’s your day job?
Jim: Software developer.
Sasha: Property manager.
What are you dressed up as? What’s your day job?
Liesel: I'm dressed up as Nezuko from Demon Slayer. I didn't make it. I bought it. I think it was maybe 70 bucks? Right now, I work in a diagnostic lab. But I'm also going to school for nursing.
Tell us about your costume.
Michael: I was really inspired to wear this character. I always feel as that character was really appealing to me while I was a kid watching [Naruto]. So as the Fourth Hokage, the leader of the village, I wanted to be inspired by that.
What’s your day job?
Michelle: So my job is not that sexy. I’m actually a housing counselor and a program manager in Chicago. So, yeah I'm far from here.
What are you most excited to see at the expo?
Jim: Well, the thing that I was most excited to see was yesterday. It was an Aqours concert for Love Live!
Sasha: I'm just here to see the other cosplayers, man. People do impressive costumes and I love seeing them. I love seeing the creativity.
What’s your day job?
Jim: Software developer.
Sasha: Property manager.
What are you dressed up as? What’s your day job?
Liesel: I'm dressed up as Nezuko from Demon Slayer. I didn't make it. I bought it. I think it was maybe 70 bucks? Right now, I work in a diagnostic lab. But I'm also going to school for nursing.
Tell us about your costume.
Michael: I was really inspired to wear this character. I always feel as that character was really appealing to me while I was a kid watching [Naruto]. So as the Fourth Hokage, the leader of the village, I wanted to be inspired by that.
What’s your day job?
Michelle: So my job is not that sexy. I’m actually a housing counselor and a program manager in Chicago. So, yeah I'm far from here.
