One often observes bizarre things in Los Angeles. Take the following: a male twenty-something leading a French maid about on a leash, a man dressed as Pyramid Head from Silent Hill 2 while brandishing a wall clock with the word “rape” in place of each digit, and--most disturbing of all--a middle-aged man fully clad in a Japanese schoolgirl outfit.

What do all these spectacles have in common? While they may seem like they belong in latest David Cronenberg film, in reality they were samples of the many costumed fans at this year’s annual Anime Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center (July 2-5). This reporter waded through this menagerie of Japanese animation enthusiasts with one goal in mind -- to find a playable copy of the latest, Wii-exclusive entry in Capcom’s long running “Vs.” series, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars.

Fighting game aficionados will be readily familiar with Capcom’s forays into super hero crossovers. Marvel vs. Capcom, Capcom vs. SNK, and their sequels were huge hits in arcades and on home consoles. While these earlier games featured recognizable brands, only the most hardcore anime fans will be readily familiar with the characters of Tatsunoko Productions. The animation studio--while quite popular in Japan--is perhaps best known in the United States for the original Speed Racer cartoon.

Last December, Capcom released TvC on the Wii in Japan. Since that time, North American “Vs.” fans eagerly awaited the possibility of an overseas translation. A myriad of factors, including the esoteric content and rights issues, seemed to doom TvC to import-only status. Yet, in one of E3 2009’s many surprises, Capcom announced that TvC will indeed be making its way to North American shores later this year.

As with previous “Vs.” games, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom features a solid lineup of 22 characters from both companies. Capcom’s ensemble includes characters such as Ryu and Chun Li from the Street Fighter series, Morrigan from the Darkstalkers series, Mega Man, and Viewtiful Joe. Tatsunoko’s cast consists of Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, and Hakushon Daimaô from The Genie Family among others. It is uncertain at this time as to whether or not Capcom will add new fighters to the U.S. version from either side.