After a long year's wait, the hundreds of anime fans who packed the hall at the Anaheim convention Center got what they wanted: a chance to greet the Japanese guests of honor. First up was Mika Akitaka, designer of the Galaxy Fraulein Yuna series and mecha designer for many of the films in the Gundam saga. |
Next up was Juinichi Hayama, animation director on programs such as Fist of the North Star and Locke the Superman. The crowd gave a special cheer when his character design and art direction on Jojo's Bizarre Adventure was mentioned. |
Voice actor Akira Kamiya became an Anime Expo favorite last year, and the fans couldn't wait for him to return for the 1998 edition. Neither could Kamiya: "I asked the anime Expo staff if they would invite me next year," he said at the opening ceremony. "Anime Expo is the happiest convention on earth." |
Hiroyuki Kitakubo, animator on films such as Urusei Yatsura - Remember My Love and director of Black Magic M-66, started an odd competition among the guests of honor as they were introduced. "As my first step toward the conquest of the universe, I have come to America today," he said. |
Which drew this reply from Yasuhiro Naito, creator of the Trigun manga which is now a late-night anime series: "Actually, we are here to prevent Mr. Kitakubo from conquering the universe." |
Then the crowd erupted for this year's favorite: Yu Watase, the creator of the Fushigi Yuugi manga series that led to the anime series. "I hear that Fushigi Yuugi is kind of popular underground," Watase said in the understatement of the day. |
The contest over the claims of conquest ended with the appearance of Takahiro Yoshimatsu, who has written for the Slayers movies and the new Trigun TV series, who said "I came here to conquer the universe as well, but I was defeated by the mighty Toys R Us." |
After the laughs died down, Watase was asked to start an Anime Expo tradition, the painting of the eyes of a daruma doll for good luck. Watase painted the first eye to mark the beginning of the convention; the last eye will be painted at the finale of the event. |
Anime Expo is more than a party. It's also a charity fund raiser, through an artists' auction, to the City of Hope. Mike Tatsugawa, president of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, presented the 1997 Expo check to the City of Hope. |
Then, there was an impressive performance by the Jodaiko/Taiko drummers from UC Irvine, and it was time for the fans at the opening ceremony to move back to the Anaheim Hilton and swarm into the dealer room. |
| Anime Expo Day One |  |