Category Archives: Conventions and Concerts

May 25, 2014

Anime North 2014: Day 0-2

By omo

Well, the party ditched us, so we’re at the hotel typing up the con report and what not. That’s the bad news.

That and I didn’t get a Harami autograph on day 2, which is not too bad because the good news is that so far everything else at the con has gone according to plan. This means we had a great time at the offkai talking to some gents from Japan who really like Harami.

Harami sure played it like an idol, which is okay given that has become somewhat expected of her, who announced her first solo live and what not.

Exciel-P has got the charisma and enough organization powers to pull things together. I did what little I can to pitch in, and Paranda is baller as usual. Moy made a good tsukkomi partner. FirstP brings us back to earth with his student-like attitude about the world.

So far Anime North is proving its status as third crowded, and unlike last week’s Anime Central the whole affair feels distinctly international, and not just because there are more than 30 JP Ps here (or maybe better put as Hanamaru Cluster) because it’s gotten “so bad” that the Ps here are talking about how they are kind of ruining AN for the locals who also love Harami.

The brunch experience is tops, and I recommend it again for any AN goer next year.

This also marks the second cosplay I did, back to back cons… Man.

Roll with the best

PS. Mai Goto is like a cuter Chiwa Saito lol.

2 comments | posted in Conventions and Concerts, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop

May 19, 2014

Anime Central 2014: Wrap

By omo

So the hotel I stayed at had paid-for wireless, but we didn’t feel like it. I suppose if I didn’t lug my laptop around I could’ve left it there to set up internet sharing, but screw that. It also means no mid-con update posts.

WUG

Continue reading

2 comments | posted in Conventions and Concerts

May 15, 2014

Anime Central 2014: Day 0

By omo

Nanami

I’m actually not at the con yet, but I figured there are notes I can share.

First off, ACEN is the third largest con last year in US and Canada. That’s really impressive. This also means if you didn’t book a hotel room way ahead, it’s real hard to get a room. Unlike AX or Otakon, the area near the con is not exactly the most pedestrian friendly either. Somehow we got rooms. It’ll be a little crammed but it’s not too bad. It might also be a hike, but I’ll live. The last time I visited ACEN was 2005 so I expect everything to change greatly, including the crowding.

Second, WUG is here courtesy of Crunchyroll. They’ll be rolling all their autograph sessions at their booth. Details can be found here. And here. Bottom of that post also has a list of events at the con for WUG and Yamakan/Hiro-san.

Acen guest guy camps the forum well, so it’s cool. JP WUGners are coming as mentioned.

Angela landed and will have goods. They have a booth autograph in addition of the ACEN ones. Details in the link. Good, I like goods.

I’ll be draining LPs and rocking out my 3DS streetpass games while bouncing between scheduled conflicts. Yeah. This is also the first time doing Press for ACEN, and I vaguely remember some issues they had with Press, which explains why their Press process is kind of horrific.

I mean, I think I’m going to miss all the Final Fantasy chamber music stuff. Terrible.

 

1 comment | posted in Conventions and Concerts

May 9, 2014

Flower of Connectedness

By omo

Just going through the thousands of things in my various feeds and ran across this on Pikasha’s blog post:

Hana...hanaga...

At the guest reception at Sakuracon, we saw this adoring Nagahama’s table. He said it’s a hand-made gift from a fan. I hope you realize this, fan person!

Captain 'Murrica has his flower

Chocolates makes a great treat and souvenir in Seattle. I should’ve brought home some.

Leave a comment | posted in Aku no Hana, Conventions and Concerts, English Language Modern Visual Fandom

May 3, 2014

Anison Sales Cycle, Plateau

By omo

In the mid to late 00s there has been an anison boom. The question is has it cooled since 2010? With the 8th Animax Anison Grand Prix canned this year, what do we make of it? How about Love Live S2 OP sales breaking records? Or the way different anison artists “being dropped” by different things? It’s intriguing.

Thankfully, someone already wrote it up, so I don’t have to.

maki

My own opinion of this is that, like all musical artists, the way people make a living vary depending on where you are at on the chain. As a “live lover” I appreciate solid acts and people who can put on a good show. Thing is, a lot of anison artists during the boom are hardly that different than the seiyuu idols themselves that are now replacing them, in terms of exactly that–their live abilities. Then there are those who are notably better, invariably because that’s their bag to begin with; they are the Angela’s and LiSA’s of the bunch; the super robot singers (because seiyuu are not quite there yet?); and the singer-song-writers (which includes bands like Angela too, but also Nano.ripe, Ali Project and Yousei Teitoku. And the occasional ZAQ).

I’m not sure if we can make a distinction between the seiyuu idols who are now more like regular artists versus “idols” who are seiyuu, like StylipS or Sphere for example. I mean I enjoy all their shows, but the way I enjoy say a Nana Mizuki live is not going to be the same as how I enjoy IM@S. It’s harder to get that drooling, wallet-opening fanbase going if you are Maaya Sakamoto versus the newly debuting Azusa Tadakoro. You know?

But I’m not really worried. I think anison is no different than other categories of music as far as market and culture is concerned. It might contract or expand in cycles like everything else, and we’re probably just seeing that play out. Maybe this is why when JAM Project tours the world, their message to us is that they want the anison base to expand. So it can accommodate more artists?

So. How about that I’VE SOUND 15th Anniversary?

Maybe meg rock should tweet more in English…

8 comments | posted in Conventions and Concerts, Modern Visual Culture, Seiyuu, Idol, Pop