This hasn’t exactly been the most productive of months here at Otaku Ohana Central. You probably could have figured that out from the fact that this is the first post I’ve made here this month … and the month, not to mention all of 2014, is almost over. Apologies for the long delay between posts.
There are more posts in the works — my look back on the year that was in the otaku community will be coming up shortly, followed by my long overdue profile of/interview with josei manga artist Erica Sakurazawa, and then my even longer overdue chat with voice actor Kyle Hebert will be coming after that. But first, we have some housekeeping to tend to here, so let’s dig in (and get my writing chops back up to speed!) with a pair of recent music-themed news tidbits.
The freshest news comes from the Kawaii Kon camp, with the Christmas Day announcement that singer Eir Aoi — that’s her at right — will be the headlining musical guest at the anime convention in 2015. The 26-year-old is the voice behind a number of popular anime theme songs, including Fate/Zero, Kill la Kill, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE and Sword Art Online and its sequel. All of her music — including her two albums to date, Blau and Aube — are available digitally via iTunes or Amazon’s digital music department. This will be Aoi’s first appearance in Hawaii.
Aoi joins cosplayer Leah Rose and voice actors Rob Paulsen (Yakko Warner, Animaniacs), Jess Harnell (Wakko Warner, Animaniacs), Bryce Papenbrook (Eren, Attack on Titan), Todd Haberkorn (Haruka, Free! Eternal Summer) and — announced during my unanticipated hiatus from this blog — Cassandra Morris (Kyubey, Madoka Magica) as guests for next year’s show, scheduled for March 27-29 at the Hawai’i Convention Center. Visit www.kawaii-kon.org for more information or to register.
Meanwhile, those of you who are more into symphonic music and video games — specifically, of the Legend of Zelda variety — will be pleased to know that Nintendo’s officially licensed concert tour, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, will be stopping by at 8 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. From the official concert website (zelda-symphony.com):
Designed to be a journey as epic and thrilling as the Legend itself, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses presents the music of this celebrated franchise with all-new arrangements directly approved by franchise producer Eiji Aonuma and Nintendo composer and sound director Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda).
Featuring a first in video game concert history, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses has been arranged and programmed with classical sensibilities in mind, organizing the music of this beloved franchise into a complete, 4 movement symphony, worthy of the Hero of Hyrule himself.
Insert “treasure GET!” music here.
You can expect selections from Majora’s Mask, Link Between Worlds, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, along with chicken skin and/or loud cheering when the opening strains of the “Legend of Zelda Overture” begin to play. I understand there’s going to be a rather large contingent of cosplayers coming to see the show, so bring your cameras (but please stow them away during the performance itself).
Want tickets. Sure, you do. Because there are plenty. (The dark spots show available seats as of Christmas Day.)
Everything from the back-of-the-house seats ($48.05 including fees) to the hard-core fan VIP seats ($138.55, includes a limited-edition poster and a meet-and-greet with the producers following the show) remain available. Just click on that ticket map above to order via Ticketmaster (and get an up-to-date view of tickets sold, to boot).
Otaku Ohana 
Eir Aoi! This is a big get for Kawaii Kon! I thought it was big deal when they got Akino and Bless4 one year. I think this is bigger.
…Come to think of it, last year’s musical guest Yoko Ishida was no slouch either.