LLNN Coverage of Anime Expo 2006

Tons of big events heralded the glitz and glamour of all that is Anime Expo's mecca of anime fandom. Main events included the 15th Anniversary Party, AX Idol, Anime Music Videos, Masquerade, Chibi-Masquerade, Masquerade Ball, Pop-Shock Masquerade, Summer Festival, Karaoke Contest, SPJA Charity Auction, Industry Awards Ceremony, Top-notch Guests of Honor included: Laura Bailey (voice actress, Fruits Basket, Full Metal Alchemist), CLAMP (manga artists, Tokyo Babylon, Chobits, Card Captor Sakura), Crispin Freeman (voice actor, Hellsing, Angel Sanctuary, Final Fantasy Advent Children), Toru Furuya (voice actor, Gundam, Saint Seiya, Kimagure Orange Road), Noboru Ishiguro (director, Macross, Megazone 23, Legend of Galactic Heroes), Yutaka Izubuchi (mecha designer, Patlabor, Gasaraki, Gundam Char's Counterattack), Koge-Donbo (artist, Digi Charat, Pita-Ten), Tomoki Kyoda (director, Rahxephon, Eureka Seven), Mana (singer, Malice Mizer), Vic Mignogna (voice actor, Full Metal Alchemist, Macross, Megazone 23), Seiji Mizushima (director, Full Metal Alchemist, Neon Genesis Evangelion), Hiroshi Nagahama (director, Mushishi), Atsuko Nakajima (anime character designer, Ranma 1/2, You're Under Arrest, Haunted Junction), Mick Takeuchi (artist, Her Majesty's Dog), yozuca (singers, Girl's High, Tactical Roar, Ultimate Girls), as well as numerous voice and directing Industry Guests such as: Troy Baker, Johnny Yong Bosch, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Quinton Flynn, Kyle Hebert, Izumi Kawachi, Ryuhei Kitamura, Mike McFarland, Jeff Nimoy, and Travis Willingham.

Anime Expo 2006
Main Events



AniMatsuri Summer Festival was held on the rooftop of the Anaheim Convention Center and hosted numerous live performances like AX2004 Idol winner Stephanie Yanez, Random Ninjas, USA Musume, Akai Sky, tea ceremonies, ramen eating contests, the big AX 15th Anniversary Party with free cake, and lots more.



Karaoke Contests and Open-mic sessions were held all weekend at the Sheraton Hotel. Think you got what it takes to be the next Idol? Better practice now!	Main Events hall was often used for the biggest events like AX Idol, Anime Music Videos, CLAMP Guests Focus panel, SPJA Charity Auction, Industry Awards Ceremony, Masquerade and lots more.
AX2006's big Masquerade show included tons of entries from: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, Resident Evil 4, Ragnorok Online, Hellsing, Gravitation, Pretear, Chrono Crusade, D.Gray Man, Star Ocean, My Neighbor Totoro, Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicle, Trinity Blood, X1999, Final Fantasy Advent Children, Final Fantasy X, Metroid, Final Fantasy 9, Card Captor Sakura, Bakuretsu Hunter, Naruto, Ah! My Goddess, Bleach, Final Fantasy 6, Kingdom Hearts 2, Tideline Blue, Final Fantasy X-2, Soul Calibur, Super Smash Bros. Melee, xXxHolic, XenoSaga 2, Soul Calibur, Burst Angel, Silent Hill, Princess Tutu, Pretty Cure, Angelique, and Yakitate. Shown below are some notable favorites of the big show.


Phoenix Seed presented Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles un-PC. Uhh, we have no words to describe this. haha	Pirates Cosplay presented Resident Evil 4 with Leon on another dangerous mission with Hunk	With cool music and dance, Assassins Inc. presented their finest characters from Hellsing

Dancing up a storm with characters from Gravitation	When booze, anime and cosplay collide... it's the return of the YATTA, with a dash of yaoi~	Nekoyaki presented characters from Chrono Crusade on another wacky adventure to save the world from silly villains.

D.GrayMyu presented characters from D.Gray Man singing well, it's OK to be gay if you were gay, but they're not gay~	Characters from Star Ocean stage a dating game but turns into a Square Enix debate...	Animal Party presented the one and only My Neighbor Totoro

Little Black Sheep presented characters from X1999. Don't mess with these sisters!	Underground Cosplay presented the True Power of the Clow. Yes, it is indeed Captain Planet!	Characters from Bakuretsu Hunter in another frenzied adventure complete with Power Rangers theme music...

Naruto Q presented characters from Naruto to give a little lesson about the wonders of the Internet... yes, you know where this is going~	The Bleach Boys presenting characters from Bleach	Characters from Final Fantasy 6 are presented with a cool signing bonus to be in the next Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts' Organization 13 presented boy band style	Sora from Kingdom Hearts 2 gets wise advice from the Mouse above: the 5-second Rule~	Coconut Bubble Sex Cosplay presented characters from FFX-2 poking fun at the FFX-2 universe

Ninten-Don'ts presented characters from Super Smash Bros. Melee parodying possible Nintendo game rejects	WeGo4Kyo Cosplay presented the leading ladies of XenoSaga 2 with a special offer for an outdated KOS-MOS with some... cool features...	Gomu Gomu no Cosplay and Sakura Mochi presented characters from Soul Calibur in a hilarious Soul Calibur Idol Contest

iPlay presented a very cool story and dance about a princess looking for her prince with characters from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles	Ah yes, the not-so-silence of Silent Hill. But not without its own comedy of horrors~	Characters from Pretty Cure encounter evil villains all the time, but now they've got to deal with evil celphone jackers!

Characters from Angelique	Anything Goes School of Masquerade Arts presented characters from Yakitate in a final Ja-Pan bread-making competition	And now it's time for the awards! AX presented the award winners for the Pop-Shock Masquerade, the Masquerade Ball, and finally the Masquerade.
Anime Expo 2006 Pop-Shock Masquerade Awards Pop-Shock Masquerade Best Individual Presentation Award: Toshiya Pop-Shock Masquerade Best Individual Craftsmanship Award: Psycho le Cemu Pop-Shock Masquerade Fan Favorite Award: Kadaj from Final Fantasy Advent Children Pop-Shock Masquerade Judges Award: Paranoia Pop-Shock Masquerade Judges Award: Deathgirl in Snow Pop-Shock Masquerade Judges Award: Lacus Clyne from Gundam Seed Anime Expo 2006 Masquerade Ball Court of Winners King's Court: Vincent of Final Fantasy VII, Gackt, Subaru, Count from Rose of Versailles Queen's Court: Chii from Chobits, Alucard from Hellsing, Kyubi from Naruto, Dark Chii from Chobits King of the Masquerade Ball: Count from Rose of Versailles Queen of the Masquerade Ball: Chii from Chobits Anime Expo 2006 Masquerade Awards Industry Award: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (duo) Industry Award: Nekoyaki's Chrono Crusade Industry Award: Assassins Inc.'s Hellsing Individual Craftsmanship Runner-Up Award: Duct-tape Yuuko from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Best Individual Craftsmanship Award: Nightmare from Soul Calibur Group Craftsmanship Runner-Up Award: Angelique Best Group Craftsmanship Award: iPlay's Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Individual Presentation Runner-Up Award: Trinity Blood Best Individual Presentation Award: "It's Still Good" Sora from Kingdom Hearts 2 Group Presentation Runner-Up Award: Coconut Bubble Sex Cosplay for FFX-2 Best Group Presentation Award: Signing Bonus from Final Fantasy 6 Novice Runner-Up Skill Award: Metroid Best Novice Skill Award: Burmecian Soldier Intermediate Runner-Up Skill Award: Violin Girl Best Intermediate Skill Award: "It's Still Good" Sora from Kingdom Hearts 2 Advanced Runner-Up Skill Award: Gomu Gomu no Cosplay and Sakura Mochi for Soul Calibur Best Advanced Skill Award: Ninten-Don'ts Expert Runner-Up Skill Award: Angelique Best Expert Skill Award: Pretty Cure Judges Award: Alucard from Assassins Inc.'s Hellsing Judges Award: D.GrayMyu Judges Award: Animal Party's My Neighbor Totoro Judges Award: Underground Cosplay's Clow Cards and Captain Planet Judges Award: Not So Silent Hill Best Runner-Up Award: Nekoyaki's Chrono Crusade Third Place Award: Assassins Inc.'s Hellsing Second Place Award: Gomu Gomu no Cosplay and Sakura Mochi for Soul Calibur First Place Award: Signing Bonus from Final Fantasy 6 Best in Show Award: Underground Cosplay's Power of the Clow and Captain Planet Be sure to get a closer look at the cosplay entries in the Post-Masquerade Cosplay Galleries!