The 2009 Anime Expo started on Thursday, July 2nd and runs through Sunday, July 5th. I got my usual 4 day pass this year. Decided to pick up my badge the day before since I thought it would save me some time from standing in line to get in on 
the first day. Guess everyone else had that same idea too. Badge pick up hours for Wednesday was 3pm to about 10pm. Think I got to the L.A. Convention Center around 3:30pm. Could not believe the line of people picking
up their badges... it was insane! The line started outside, zig-zagging back-and-forth, in the afternoon sun. Then once you got into the building, you had to stand in somemore lines. By the time I left there it was about 6pm.At least I didn't have to go early on the first day to
pick up my badge. Saved some time for me there. Thursday's hours are shorter with AX starting at noon and ending at 6pm. There was a pretty substantial crowd that day. Even the Artist's Alley seemed a bit busy. That area seemed to be filled with a lot more artists this year and twice the size from the year before. There was a bit more plush and craft stuff last year. Picked up a handmade plush item from there. Not too many companies were there with booths
this year, like Gaia, Maple Story, Wizards of the Coast, Tokyo Pop and Viz. Visited the Tomy booth to try out Naruto Shippuden 3 for Wii and Pangya for the PSP. Those games were fun. Some of the costumes people dress-up in are crazy detailed.Friday was pretty packed, since this was the day that the Jpop group Morning Musume was performing their
concert that afternoon. Had to get there early in the morning to get a seat in Christina Strain's 2-hour panel on Photoshop Coloring 101. After that, I tried out a demo for a Wii game called Little King's Story. Might have been there for over an hour with that game. Noticed that quite a few of the items some of the sellers were selling in the Artist's Alley were no longer on their tables. Handmade plush being one of them.
Saturday had an even bigger crowd. I still needed to get there early for part 2 of Christina Strain's 2-hour panel on Photoshop Coloring 102. This is the intermediate class, day before was beginners and Sunday is the expert. Going to have to do it again on Sunday. Picked up a few figures and a Chip N Dale UFO plush set. Got a few more freebies like a Gatchaman w
atch and posters. Even hung out at Dan Goodsell's Mr. Toast booth for a few hours on all 3 days. Now there is just one more day left for the convention.
