Art Auction
Pieces receiving enough bids at the art show made it to the auction block for the AX97
Art Auction. Bidding was open to all who attended the auction, not just those who bid
on the piece in question. A large amount of fan art was bought, but this was only a
warm-up for the main event.
The SPJA Charity Auction
Sunday's big event is always the SPJA Charity Auction, where fans can bid on items
donated from various sources, including the Guests of Honor. This year's offerings
included two sketches from Mr. Yuuki, some autographed City Hunter cels and a script
autographed by both himself and Kazue "Kaori" Ikura donated by Mr. Kamiya,
an unopened Valkyrie toy still in its original packaging donated by Mr. Ishiguro,
sketches by Ms. Shimogasa and Mr. Yamashita, and many other unique collectibles.
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Some of the auction items on display.
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| The Yuuki sketches shattered all auction records, going for over
$2,000 each! |
As usual, small bidding wars erupted, and some items were hotly contested. When the
dust settled on the financial battlefield, fans left with some very unique items in
their possession, and a record total of almost $15,000 had been raised for charity.
The SPJA and Anime Expo thank both the Guests of Honor and the fans for helping to
make this auction such a phenomenal success.
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| The Guests of Honor line up for a stage photo op presentation of last year's
check. |
Closing Ceremonies
The last official event at Anime Expo, Closing Ceremonies gathered the guests and fans
once more to conclude the largest Anime Expo ever. Guests of Honor were warmly thanked
for sharing their time and experiences with the fans. And when the Guests got up to
say their final remarks to their American fans, they thanked their fans for coming out
to Anime Expo to see them, and expressed sincere wishes for the growth of both Anime
Expo and the popularity of anime in the United States. |
