Anime Expo '08: Thursday's Manga Highlights

Today at 10 am, Anime Expo 2008 kicks into gear at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California with its opening ceremonies in the Nokia Theater, and the fun won't stop until the closing ceremonies on Sunday afternoon. According to the press release sent out this morning, over 25,000 attendees are pre-registered to attend this four-day anime, manga and J-Pop culture festival, with more expected to register at the door.

Even if you can't make it to this year's show, you can get a taste of the action by checking out AX Backstage, Anime Expo's online video site, which will feature interviews with special guests and clips featuring the crowds, the events and fun that's on tap for this weekend.

Here's my picks for today's notable events for manga fans:

• 10:00 - 11:00 am: Opening Ceremonies, Nokia Theater
  The Anime Expo opening ceremonies offers attendees a chance to see a sampling of work by the AX special guests and see them in person before their various panels, concerts and autograph sessions.
• 12:00 – 1:00 pm: deviantART's How to Be a Successful Online Artist, Room 502
  Get tips to get your art noticed online from the experts at deviantART.com.
• 1:00 – 2:00 pm: TOKYOPOP Online Entertainment Review, Room 502
  See what TokyoPop has got up their sleeve with their new TokyoPop Media division. More cell phone manga? That controversial Manga Pilot program? Maybe a movie deal or two in the works?
• 3:00 – 5:00 pm, KERA Magazine / Maruione.jp Street Snaps Session at the Maruione Booth
  Smile for the camera and get your pic shot for a chance to be seen and admired in Japan's KERA magazine. Show off your J-Pop style at Maruione.jp booth today, or Friday, from 2:00 – 3:00 pm and 4:00 – 5:00 pm, and Saturday from 2:00 – 3:00 pm and 4:00 – 5:00 pm and make it work!
• 3:00 – 4:00 pm: deviantART's How to Self-Publish, Room 502
  You don't have to wait for a publisher to discover your talent to get your comic printed and sold. Learn the in's and out's of self-publishing from fellow artists who've been there and done that.
• 4:00 – 5:00 pm: Manga: Ultimate Publisher Showdown 2008, Room 411
  This event is only open to attending professionals and press, but look for news and quotable quotes to hit the web from this panel. The recent announcement of Kodansha's entry into the U.S. manga scene, Borders Books' financial woes and TokyoPop's recent reorganization should be the hot topics today.
• 6:00 – 7:30 pm: Manga and Anime in Academia, Room 515A
  Manga and anime isn't just fun to read and watch, it's a window into another culture. See how the halls of academia are dissecting and rethinking what this current invasion of J-Pop culture means for America, and the world.
• 7:30 – 8:30 pm: Feel The Passion of Luv Luv, Room 515A
  See what's coming next from the Aurora's sexy josei manga imprint Luv Luv. If you've ever read a Luv Luv manga, you'd pretty much understand why this panel is strictly for attendees 18 and over.
• 7:30 – 9:30 pm: Movie - L: Change the World, Room 403
  The third movie in the Death Note series focuses on L and is a side-story not included in the original manga series. If you've got other plans for tonight, check it out again on Saturday at 8 pm or Sunday at 1 pm.
• 9:00 – 10:00 pm: Cosplay: Overdoing It, Room 411
  Personally, I don't think it's possible to "overdo it" in cosplay -- but this panel will hopefully show us some hilarious examples of good ideas gone bad.

Stay tuned this weekend for more photos, news and other tidbits from Anime Expo!