AX Anime Expo 2013 RECAP: Day 1, announcements that thrilled anime fans

THE RIGHT MOVES- Two costumed SpiderMans battle at the entrance to Anime Expo 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday. (Photo by Jesus Figueroa)

 Written by Sergio Berrueta and Jesus Jesus Figueroa

Anime has taken over the Los Angeles Convention Center at Anime Expo 2013 with excitement in full bloom. FUNimation Entertainment announced several special announcements about their upcoming lineup of home market releases, newly acquired anime titles, and English dub casts for soon to be released features.

THRILLING- Social media manager Michelle Lee, Left,
Senior manager of social strategy and development at
FUNimation Justin Rojas present previews to FUNimation
projects. (Photo by Jesus Figueroa)

FUNimation showed several previews of shows that have been dubbed in English that excited fans.

"DragonBall Z: Rock the Dragon Edition" releases August 20th containing the entire Toonami run with a 48-Page Booklet on DVD. This set is a re-release of the entire classic series.

Through out two FUNimatin events "Attack on Titans" kept on being mentioned over and over. The show is one of the newest releases for FUNamation.

Among the special announcements was the reveal of the English voice cast for Blood C: The Last Dark and the new feature by director Mamoru Hosoda ("The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," "Summer Wars"), "Wolf Children." Along with the announcement came a short video preview showing a beautifully animated film with emotional story lines and comical sequences.

The big announcement was the acquisitions of the popular "Hyperdimension Neptunia," based on the role-playing game of the same name, "Hal" and "009 RE: Cyborg." Both were announced but with no set release dates.

LEGENDARY- Mitshuisa Ishikawa on the red carpet
section of the press conference room at the Los Angeles
Convention Center on Thursday. (Photo by Sergio Berrueta)

A new chapter in the "Ghost in the Shell" franchise, "Ghost in the Shell: Arise," will make its North American premiere at AX under the watchful eye of C.E.O. and President of Production I.G., Inc., Mitshuisa Ishikawa, who served as executive producer on the project. 

The series serves as a prequel to the original 1995 feature "Ghost in the Shell" with new animation, a new voice cast, and an entire new production crew.

Along with "Ghost in the Shell' Ishikawa annouced several projects that are out in Japan and are awaiting release in America.

SENSATION- J-Pop group CARAT
on the red carpet area of the press
conference room at the Los Angeles
Convention Center on Thursday.
(Photo by Jesus Figueroa)

ALL SMILES- Singer Aya Ikeda
answers questions for press at the
Los Angeles Convention Center
on Thursday.
(Photo by Jesus Figueroa)

The famous J-Pop singer Aya Ikeda alongside J-Pop girl group CARAT performed for the first time to Western audiences at the Expo. Ikeda is mostly known for singing the theme to the hit show "PreCure" aka "Pretty Cure." CARAT known for being a popular group in their homeland.

Ikeda performed live in the main hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center to a crowd eager to hear the performance. Fans showed up to the concert with glow sticks ready to cheer on the J-Pop sensation as she sang through several of her anime theme hits.

Only the first day at the Anime Expo 2013 and still 3 more days to. The anime fans are ready for all the vents, visiting booths, attending events, participating in contest and many roaming around in cosplay costumes. The excitement is in the air with not just Japanese anime costumes but American animated characters as well. Getting ready for Day 2. Recap of day two will be up as soon as possible.

More detailed post on the events and more pictures will be coming soon.

STAR POWER- Singer Aya Ikeda performs her hits for fans at the main hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday. (Photo by Jesus Figueroa)