Jason S. Yadao – Page 21

[Kawaii Kon 2013] The final countdown! (dada daaah da, dadadada daaah)

For optimal effect, please press “play” on this video and let the audio play as you read through this post. (Please note, this should only be done in your personal space or with headphones.)

… how about that ’80s hair? Umm. Anyway.

So. Kawaii Kon. Those of you who preregistered can pick up your passes at the convention center from 7 to 10 p.m. today; the convention itself runs from Friday through Sunday; and then you won’t have to read about it again here until some point in the future when there’s either a con-related announcement or your friendly neighborhood tag team in fandom, Wilma J. and/or myself, get around to writing about this year’s con experiences, whichever comes first. (We’re really hoping for the latter, but considering I’m usually exhausted by the end of the weekend and poor Wilma is also caught up in the whirlwind that is wedding planning, all bets are off at this point.)

There are far more stories to tell going in to Kawaii Kon than I have time to write up. One of them, about the three-year journey between the first and second issues of local manga anthology Hachi Maru Hachi and the creative talents behind its revival — Jordan Takemoto, Tara Tamayori, Rose Dela Cruz and Brady Evans — is in today’s paper. (For those of you checking out Otaku Ohana for the first time from that article, welcome! Here’s hoping I can update this blog enough times in the future to hold your interest and keep you reading it.) You can get what Brady, Pen & Ink Works, idkwhat2wear, Jon Murakami and the Hawaii State Library people have planned for the convention in that preview, too.

But there were other things that I just didn’t have the place or the space to properly fit into the preview. News stories are by their nature evolutionary creatures, the final product sometimes bearing little to no resemblance to the original idea. So there are fragments lingering with no real place to go, like these comments from one of this weekend’s guests, voice actor Todd Haberkorn:

Most exciting things I’m looking forward to:

— Fresh sushi
— Fans at the con that I haven’t seen before! Fans have expressed their interest in wanting to meet me face to face one day and I’m glad that is finally getting to happen.
— Swimming with sea life — Sharks! Dolphins! I’ve got my chain mail ready to go and partly, its an excuse to get to enjoy the beautiful, crystal clear blue waters of Hawaii!
— Fresh coconut juice — Not coconut milk, juice! I was a fan of coconut juice before it was hip! And to get it from one of coconut’s HQs is gonna be rad.

And here’s a comment from Johnny Yong Bosch, answering the same question of what he’s looking forward to:

This time around we didn’t get a chance to extend our stay, but a stop at the beach is mandatory. I don’t recall the name of the pancake place we stopped at, but we’ll have to make a trip there again. … The Hawaiian fans are very generous and supportive, we’ve made a few friends for life there.

There was also something Tara said during our recent interview that I thought was cute, so I’m including it here. Those of you who are either artists in Artist Alley or who have to tend to some kind of table during the convention will probably be able to relate to what she said when I asked about their con experiences every year:

I’m just stuck at my table. Like a mushroom. Slaving away, cutting out, laminating, coloring … everything I should have done beforehand.

So here we are, on the brink of the ninth annual edition of what’s become the premier celebration of the local anime and manga fan community. While there may be a bit of last-minute flailing around as everyone gets ready and gets settled, it’s shaping up to be a fun weekend — albeit a bit wet, if the weather forecasts hold true.

As promised, here are a few more of those last-minute tidbits that have gotten my attention over the past few days:

Today is the final day to get stamps in the Kawaii Kon Stamp Rally at 7-Eleven stores statewide. (I finished mine with a post-work store-hopping run through Kalihi and Iwilei a few nights ago!) If you’re leaving your stamping to the last minute, I’d recommend not getting a stamp from the 7-Eleven nearest to the convention center as there is one clerk there who seems to think that the stamps only should be given out with purchase of a Red Bull product. (No purchase is actually necessary.) And if you happen to end up at the same 7-Eleven in Aiea where one of my readers asked for a new stamp card and the clerk proceeded to stamp all six spaces before handing it over, well, lucky you.
MangaBento, one of two local groups of anime/manga-inspired artists around town these days, will be stationed in their usual corner of Artist Alley — tables 9-12, to be exact — and they’ll be bringing their usual array of art materials and sketch sheets to the convention. Join them and draw all three days!
The UH-Manoa Anime and Manga Society will be demonstrating their new app for Android phones and tablets — an electronic guide to memorable anime quotes, with handy translations and explanations. It’s a work in progress, with a beefier version targeted for completion by 2014. (It already looks pretty spiffy, though.) Members will also be helping Jayson Chun and UH-West Oahu students with their annual Cosplay Cafe, which of course was the featured topic of last year’s Kawaii Kon preview.
I’ve already profiled much of what idkwhat2wear will be selling, but Terri Dux introduced a new piece of merchandise Wednesday night that’s certainly worth noting as well: Life Wallets, fabric wallets with silk-screened sketches by Karl Miyashiro lining the insides. You can see a sample of one to the right. They’re cute, they’re $9, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward helping family member Pam Dux in her continuing struggle against breast cancer. Get the full Life Wallet story at lifewallet.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/6/

Internet connection willing, I’ll try to update this blog throughout the weekend. Follow me on Twitter, too, at @jsyadao, if that’s your social media cup of tea. Here we go!

Ota-cool Incoming!: The Cel Shaded stopgap edition

No Cel Shaded Report this week — right now most of my free time is going toward writing my annual Kawaii Kon preview article, which you’ll see both in print in the Star-Advertiser and online on Friday. I’m pretty happy with the focus of this year’s article, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading about what I learned about it next week. Time willing, I’ll have a few final notes about Kawaii Kon here next week after I wrap up that project.

I don’t want to let the blog languish in the meantime, so here, have this week’s edition of “Ota-cool Incoming!” This week, one event gets canceled, while a new cosplay party for the 18-and-over set pops up on Kawaii Kon Friday. A few other new things popping up on the radar, too!

“How to Draw Manga Faces”: This MangaBento workshop originally scheduled for 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday has been canceled. Please don’t show up. Of course, considering only one person signed up, the chances are pretty high that you weren’t planning on going anyway. Still sad, though.

“Journey of Heroes” graphic novel: If you have yet to pick up this this manga-style book chronicling the achievements of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Infantry Battalion in World War II — and you really should get it; author Stacey Hayashi and artist Damon Wong did a great job with it — it’ll be available for sale at the Bishop Museum gift shop. It’s a tie-in with the exhibit “American Heroes: Japanese American WWII Nisei Soldiers and the Congressional Gold Medal,” which also looks like it’s worth checking out. Now through April 17.

“Court of Hearts”: Visual Kei Dark Castle has been around for just a few months, but this themed dance party presented by Nephilim Hall Productions has already made inroads in courting local fans of visual kei, J-rock and goth loli fashion. This event at The Loft Gallery & Lounge (115 N. Hotel St., #2) features an Alice in Wonderland theme, a lolita/kodona fashion show and contest, and special guests Yu x Me: Maid Cafe & Host Club. $10 for ages 21 and up; $15 ages 18-20. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Visual-kei-Dark-Castle/301847309932258?fref=ts (no Facebook login required). 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday.

MangaBento: This group of anime- and manga-inspired artists usually meets every second and fourth Sunday of the month at the Honolulu Museum of Art School (1111 Victoria St., room 200). Visit www.manga-bento.com. Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

“The Gibson Ball”: Speaking of Nephilim Hall Productions, they’re also presenting this party, named in honor of sci-fi author William F. Gibson and celebrating his contributions to steampunk and cyberpunk, at SoHo Mixed Media Bar (80 S. Pauahi St.). There will be an alcove for cosplay photo shoots, and DJs Nightfox, Dark Cloud, Shadowfaxxx and Black will be playing the very best in dark electro, industrial and EBM beats. Normal entry fee is $10; bring your Kawaii Kon pass and save $5. 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 15.

Comic Jam Hawaii: This group of collaborative cartoon artists meets every first and third Sunday of the month on the Uptown side of Pearlridge Center. This month, with Easter displays up, they’ll be meeting in the first floor center court area, conveniently located near cupcakes, caffeine and soft-serve ice cream. (This is for real this time. The last meeting was in the old place due to a communications mix-up.) Visit www.facebook.com/groups/147779161986428 (Facebook login required). Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. March 17.

Aiea Library presents Wreck-It Ralph: Because any movie that (a) spawned a retro arcade cabinet in Fix-It Felix Jr., (b) resurrected Q*Bert and his friends and foes for a supporting role and (c) has AKB48 on the soundtrack (before, of course, this happened and pretty much ruined AKB48 for me forever) is must-see cinema. Free screening at the library, 99-143 Moanalua Road. Plus with free popcorn and juice? Bonus! 5:30 p.m. March 21.

Aiea Library Anime Club: This month, you wanted more Black Butler, so you’re getting more Black Butler from librarian Diane Masaki. Club meets at the library, 99-143 Moanalua Road. For more information or to RSVP, call 483-7333 or e-mail aiealibraryanimeclub@yahoo.com. 3 p.m. March 23.

The Cel Shaded Report, 3/2: 2 weeks to Kon-sanity

Every time I think I’ve finally covered every last bit of pre-Kawaii Kon information that there is to cover, something else comes merrily skipping down the path, commanding my attention and ultimately becoming the lead item in the Cel Shaded Report every week, forcing me to come up with yet another play on “Kawaii Kon” for each blog post title. So if you’re getting tired of all the pre-con talk, apologies … perhaps you could just skip ahead to this week’s installment of “Ota-cool Incoming!” All of this will be over in a few weeks, at which point we’ll either shift gears to post-con talk or the Cel Shaded Report will go on a weeks-long hiatus because there won’t be as much fun stuff to talk about anymore.

What caught my attention this week was the news that the con’s stamp rally — usually contained within the walls of the Hawai’i Convention Center, with people bouncing from one event to the next to fill their stamp cards for a chance to win fabulous prizes — is bursting out to envelop every single 7-Eleven store across the state, thanks to a new alliance formed with 7-Eleven Hawaii, Red Bull and Star 101.9. And all you have to do starting on Monday is visit six different stores, get a stamp at each store, turn it in to the Red Bull table (fourth floor of the convention center, near the dealers room) during the convention, and attend closing ceremonies on March 17. Easy peasy … if you live on Oahu or the eastern part of Hawaii island, that is. Those of you on Maui with its one store in Kahului; Kauai with its two stores; and living anywhere that’s not within the Keaau/Hilo/Pahoa/Kurtistown zone on Hawaii island will probably have to find some way to make up the difference when you come over for con. (I’d imagine that the 7-Eleven at Atkinson Drive and Kapiolani Boulevard — which is already a war zone during con; ever tried getting their usual assortment of ready-made food there? — will see even more traffic as a result. That one’s pretty much a slam dunk for stamp seekers.)

What’s at stake? The grand prize winner — and a friend! — gets to go to Anime Expo in Los Angeles in July, with round-trip airfare and a five-night hotel stay also included. (In case you’re wondering, guests announced so far include voice actors Johnny Yong Bosch, Kyle Hebert, Chris Sabat and Eric Vale; Bosch’s band, Eyeshine; and anime writer Mari Okada.) Those of you not fortunate enough to be the grand prize winner or the winner’s friend have a chance to win Kawaii Kon passes and T-shirts or other cool swag like posters and gift cards. For more details (and an additional chance to win), visit www.star1019.com/cc-common/contests/index.html?id=218070.

Also tripping my “hot Kawaii Kon news” alert this week was the announcement that Dante Basco — the voice of Prince Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender, General Iroh in The Legend of Korra and Jake Long in American Dragon: Jake Long, will be stopping by the convention from 6 to 8 p.m. March 16. Basco’s in town to help promote three Kinetic Films productions — Paradise Broken, Hang Loose and 6B — that will be playing at the Pearlridge West 16 theaters for one week starting March 15. Look for him at a table on the main concourse (the third floor of the convention center).

So. Thirteen days left. Getting excited yet? Visit www.kawaii-kon.org to preregister.

Ota-cool Incoming!

Honolulu Festival: The 19th annual edition of this festival celebrating the cultures of Asia and the Pacific rim promises to feature all the elements that have made it so much fun for local anime/manga fans in the past: Kawaii Kon’s anime corner, the UH-West Oahu Cosplay Cafe, MangaBento’s photo booth and games for the kids at the Hawai’i Convention Center; the parade down Kalakaua Avenue late Sunday afternoon; and to top it all off, the Nagaoka Fireworks from Niigata, Japan, on Sunday night. It’s also your last chance to preregister in person at a discounted rate for Kawaii Kon in a few weeks. And don’t forget about the cultural displays — the mikoshi are always impressive — and entertainment at the convention center, DFS Galleria and Waikiki Beachwalk, too! Visit www.honolulufestival.com. Today and Sunday.

Comic Jam Hawaii: This group of collaborative cartoon artists meets every first and third Sunday of the month on the Uptown side of Pearlridge Center. This month, with Easter displays up, they’ll be meeting in the first floor center court area, conveniently located near cupcakes, caffeine and soft-serve ice cream. If the drawings end up predominantly food-themed, you’ll know why.Visit www.facebook.com/groups/147779161986428 (Facebook login required). Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

“How to Draw Manga Faces”: If you can’t figure out what participants are going to be learning at this workshop at Treehouse (250 Ward Ave., suite 233) presented by MangaBento, you’re really reading the wrong blog. Recommended for ages 8 and older; cost is $10, art materials included. Feel free to bring your own, too, if you prefer. Details and a link to register are at treehouse-shop.com/how-to-draw-manga-faces-workshop. 10 to 11 a.m. March 9.

“Court of Hearts”: Visual Kei Dark Castle has been around for just a few months, but this themed dance party presented by Nephilim Hall Productions has already made inroads in courting local fans of visual kei, J-rock and goth loli fashion. This upcoming event at The Loft Gallery & Lounge (115 N. Hotel St., #2) features an Alice in Wonderland theme, a lolita/kodona fashion show and contest, and special guests Yu x Me: Maid Cafe & Host Club. $10 for ages 21 and up; $15 ages 18-20. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Visual-kei-Dark-Castle/301847309932258?fref=ts (no Facebook login required). 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 9.

The Cel Shaded Report, 2/22: Magical lyrical cinema transformation

We’ve known since December that the Puella Magi Madoka Magica double feature — comprising the films Beginnings and Eternal — is coming to Honolulu. It’s happening just a handful of days from now — Wednesday and Thursday, to be exact.

But let’s say you have the mindset of a typical journalist (like, say, me) and thrive on deadline pressure, taking care of business as close to the last minute as possible (not like, say, me, this time around; I made sure I bought my ticket the day the screenings were announced).

No worries. According to Taylour Chang, manager of the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art, there are plenty of tickets still available. Theoretically, there are enough for you truly hard-core procrastinators to walk up to the theater and buy a ticket on the same day as your show of choice … but why chance it? Buy a ticket in advance, it’s easier.

So how did these films end up at the Doris Duke and not at one of the larger movie chains in town? According to Taylour, it was just a matter of having a good working relationship with the films’ distributor, Eleven Arts.

“Abbie Algar, the film curator, and I were coincidently talking about bringing more anime into our programming, and we wanted to reach out to the local anime/manga community,” Taylour told me via email. “So the offer came at a perfect time. We connected with Roy from Kawaii Kon, and the ball got rolling.”

To sweeten the pot — if four hours of Madoka Magica goodness wasn’t already good enough — the Kawaii Kon gang will be there as well, selling passes to next month’s convention during the intermission. There are also a bunch of activities planned, according to “Roy from Kawaii Kon” — senior administrator Roy Bann — but he told me via email that it really depends on who shows up:

We hope that folks will come out in cosplay and if so, we’ll hold another Cosplay Runway akin to what we did at Anime Day where we invite costumed attendees up onto the stage and have them say a few words about their costume. We also have several of our other games ready to go including the return of our Plinko board, our Monty Hall-esque First One Up game, Action Stance Pose-Off (where we bring several people on stage and have them do a pose-off of a stereotypical archetype of cartoons, anime, comics, etc), as well as our raffle where we’ll be giving away one free three-day pass each night to the audience.

Also in the “play it by ear” category right now: how those 20 limited-edition posters will be given away each night. According to Taylour, they could be handed out at the beginning or during intermission. If you’re really after a poster, you’ll want to show up early and stick around during intermission to see how that goes.

All of this goes down at 4 p.m. Wednesday and 5 p.m. Thursday at the theater, located on the Kinau Street side of the Honolulu Museum of Art. (Programming note: While the theater doors will open for seating at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, they’ll open right at 5 p.m. on Thursday — there’s an unrelated lecture scheduled at the theater before Thursday’s show.) Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 museum members. Visit www.honolulumuseum.org/events/films/13340-puella_magi_madoka_magica_parts_1_2.

Ota-cool incoming!

“Create a Comic Book”: Learn how to compose your own eight-page comic book and get storytelling tips from Michael Cannon of Comic Jam Hawaii at Aiea Library (99-143 Moanalua Road). Art supplies (paper! pencils! crayons!) will be provided, but feel free to bring your own as well if you prefer. (Heck, bring a laptop with a Wacom tablet and Manga Studio 5 if you reeeeally want to show off.) Recommended for ages 8 and up; call 483-7333 for a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations. 2 to 4:30 p.m. today.

Kawaii Kon’s Karaoke Kompetition preliminary round: Show off your vocal chops for a chance to be one of nine participants in Kawaii Kon’s annual karaoke contest, with a chance to win … well … something. Tryouts to be held at Orvis Auditorium on the lower campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Don’t forget to read the rules and submit your paperwork. Presented by the UH Anime & Manga Society. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Honolulu Festival: The 19th annual edition of this festival celebrating the cultures of Asia and the Pacific rim promises to feature all the elements that have made it so much fun for local anime/manga fans in the past: Kawaii Kon’s anime corner, MangaBento’s photo booth and games for the kids at the Hawai’i Convention Center; the parade down Kalakaua Avenue late Sunday afternoon; and to top it all off, the Nagaoka Fireworks from Niigata, Japan, on Sunday night. And don’t forget about the cultural displays — the mikoshi are always impressive — and entertainment at the convention center, DFS Galleria and Waikiki Beachwalk, too! Visit www.honolulufestival.com. March 1-3.

“How to Draw Manga Faces”: If you can’t figure out what participants are going to be learning at this workshop at Treehouse (250 Ward Ave., suite 233) presented by MangaBento, you’re really reading the wrong blog. Recommended for ages 8 and older; cost is $10, art materials included. Feel free to bring your own, too, if you prefer. (Heck, bring a lapto… wait, I already did that joke with the comic book workshop above. Never mind.) Details and a link to register are at treehouse-shop.com/how-to-draw-manga-faces-workshop. 10 to 11 a.m. March 9.

“Court of Hearts”: Visual Kei Dark Castle has been around for just a few months, but this themed dance party presented by Nephilim Hall Productions has already made inroads in courting local fans of visual kei, J-rock and goth loli fashion. This upcoming event at The Loft Gallery & Lounge (115 N. Hotel St., #2) features an Alice in Wonderland theme, a lolita/kodona fashion show and contest, and special guests Yu x Me: Maid Cafe & Host Club. (I’ve already been told that “Mune Mune Kyun” will not be part of the proceedings.) $10 for ages 21 and up; $15 ages 18-20. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Visual-kei-Dark-Castle/301847309932258?fref=ts (no Facebook login required). 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 9.

Holiday weekend? Not for anime con news!

It took less than 24 hours for my attention to shift from Oni-Con Hawaii’s debut back to Kawaii Kon with the convention’s unveiling of this year’s events schedule, which is always a fascinating read for an anime blogger getting ready to run back and forth between the Ala Moana Hotel and the Hawai’i Convention Center for four days. Download your copy at goo.gl/PBeoJ. Standard disclaimers apply — schedule subject to change, keep checking back for any changes between now and March 15, consult the official program that you’ll receive at the convention as well as the vast Kawaii Kon social media network for the most up-to-date information.

Two of the panels also tie in to announcements made in the past few days. Noizi Ito — the artist over whom I FANBOY SQUEEEEE~~~~~d over a few weeks ago, will be hosting an art portfolio review from 3 to 4 p.m. March 15 in Panel Room 3, and applications are now being accepted to be one of the three artists whose work she’ll review. Just email events@kawaii-kon.org by Friday and await further instructions.

The second panel — “Vocaloids Live,” from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. March 17 in the Main Events room — will bring those popular virtual idols to life in a concert at Kawaii Kon for the first time, courtesy of a fan group from Japan. Refresh your memory on how the technology works with my earlier post on DJ Livetune and Hatsune Miku.

I’ve been told that more detailed panel descriptions are coming soon, but here are a few other quick observations for now:

The Kawaii Lounge, the new panel room at the Ala Moana Hotel that I’ve talked about in the past, is coming into play much more than I originally thought. Not only is there the late-night programming that I talked about, there are daytime and evening panels being held there as well throughout the convention, making it the convention’s fifth panel room.
The anime industry will be represented with panels by Crunchyroll (11 a.m-noon March 15, Panel Room 1); Aniplex of America (1-2 p.m. March 16, Panel Room 2) and Sentai Filmworks (1:30-2:30 p.m. March 16, Panel Room 3).
Panels featuring groups and/or individuals I’ve been following here in Otaku Ohana include the Visual Kei Dark Castle panel (11 p.m. to midnight March 15, Main Events); “Yume no Teien Host Club” (hosted by Yu x Me Maid Cafe & Host Club, 4-5 p.m. March 16, Ballroom); a nemu*nemu panel (1-2 p.m. March 17, Panel Room 3); and “Otaku Pictionary” (hosted by MangaBento, 4-5 p.m. March 17, Kawaii Lounge).
And the “Best Title for a Panel That Really Makes You Wonder What It’s About” award goes to … “Kawaii Kon Trail: You Have Died of Dysentery,” happening in the Kawaii Lounge from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m.March 16.

In other con news, fans of the Johnny Yong Bosch-led band Eyeshine will want to keep an eye on the Kawaii Kon Facebook page on Monday, as the convention is promising to post a link for tickets to the band’s pre-con gig at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable VIP Music Hall at Dole Cannery (650 Iwilei Road, suite 400). Buying a ticket will grant access to the band for autographs, first crack at buying their new album, and (for preregistered con attendees) a chance to avoid the lines and pick up badges and programs early. You’ll want to get on that quickly, though, as only 35 tickets will be available. (Update 2/18, 7:30 a.m.: Here’s the ticket sale link. Concert starts at 8 p.m. March 14. Good luck.)

Goodbye HEXXP, hello … Oni-Con Hawaii?!?

Back on Feb. 8, Ron Kaneshige, founder of the Hawaii Entertainment Expo (otherwise known as the Hawaii Entertainment Expo Experience, HEXXP, the “HEX-po,” and “the con that pretty much made only lateral progress over the years from this“), posted the following statement to his convention’s Facebook page:

For the past 3 years I have poured my heart and all of my finances into building HEXXP. I no longer have the funds necessary to keep it going. As of today, I am officially stepping down from HEXXP.

A handful of condolence messages ensued. But a proper obituary for HEXXP will have to wait for another day (and believe me, there’s much to say about the faults and ultimate failure of that con). It took all of eight days before a new challenger entered the local convention arena: This morning, a website and Facebook page launched for Oni-Con Hawaii … and unlike HEXXP and its nebulous “pop culture convention” designation, it looks like the people behind it are aiming squarely at the Kawaii Kon market, fans of anime, manga and Japanese culture. In other words, you, dear Otaku Ohana readers.

To solidify the transition, the following message was posted to the HEXXP Facebook page this morning:

Dear attendees of HEXXP,

First, we want to thank you for all your support these past three years. It has been a wonderful ride and an awesome experience for all of us. We also want to thank our great guests, vendors, and artist alley participants who have helped HEXXP grow over the years. We have had a chance to meet some amazing artist from Japan, Hawaii, and the mainland and the memories from these past three years will stay with us forever.

Unfortunately, it is time for HEXXP to say goodbye.

But, even as the sun must set on HEXXP, a new day is dawning here, in Hawaii, for fans of Japanese Pop Culture. A new convention will be coming in the Fall of 2013. A collaboration between the Hawaii, the mainland, and Japan, it promises to bring fresh energy to the fans of this genre, here in the 808. For more information please visit http://www.oniconhawaii.com as well as their official facebook page Onicon Hawaii http://www.facebook.com/oniconhawaii

And, for those who had already pre-registered for HEXXP 2013, you will be contacted in the next few days. Please watch for it in your email.

Mahalo and aloha.

There’s not much information to go on right now, but here’s what I do know about Oni-Con Hawaii so far:

The image above is pretty much the only official information that’s been released so far; indeed, there is no confirmation yet as to when and where Oni-Con Hawaii will be taking place. The timing of this announcement would suggest that the actual event is at least six months away … perhaps even around the old HEXXP window of sometime in the fall months of September and November.
This new convention does have an affiliation with Oni-Con, the Galveston, Texas, anime con that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. How exactly this parent con will be involved, I’m not sure; I’ll be sending out a few inquiries shortly. Also involved: Babel Entertainment, the promoter that brought over many of HEXXP’s Japanese guests. It would not surprise me if other former HEX-patriates — minus Ron, of course — were part of this venture as well.
Yu x Me Maid Cafe & Host Club (home of the “Mune Mune Kyun!”) is the first group to officially sign on with this new venture, announcing via its Facebook page that Oni-Con Hawaii will feature its showcase cafe event for this year.

Stay tuned, folks. If Oni-Con Hawaii makes even a little bit of improvement over HEXXP, the local convention scene could get pretty interesting.

The Cel Shaded Report, 2/15: Tabula race-a

I think I’ve written here in the past that my artistic talents hover around those of either Anpan and Nemu or that guy who draws xkcd. But I hang around with cool artistic people with far more talent than I enough to know that (a) Wacom tablets are quite desired among digital artist types and (b) artists can work wonders with Smith Micro’s Manga Studio software. (Just look at a bunch of Audra Furuichi’s recent sketches on the nemu*nemu blog for proof of that.)

Version 5 recently hit store shelves, so to celebrate, Smith Micro’s giving away a Wacom Cintiq tablet and 25 prints signed by Ethan Nicolle, the artist who’s brought his young brother Malachai’s wild imagination to life through the webcomic Axe Cop. For a chance to win one of these little lovelies (or even the big lovely), all you need to have is a working knowledge of your name, email address and which computing platform you use more often, Mac or PC. Oh, and you have to be 21 or older. (Yes, this is a bit of a roundabout way to get you to sign up for their product mailing list. Feel free to unsubscribe sometime down the line … but be polite and stick around to hear some of what they have to say first, at least.)

You have until Feb. 28 to enter for your chance to win; visit manga.smithmicro.com/ms5contest/

Ota-cool incoming!

As promised last week, here’s your freshly beefed-up edition of what’s going on with the local anime/manga community over the next few weeks, with a number of new events of note — a few art workshops and an Alice in Wonderland visual kei party are among the highlights.

“Anime Rocks!”: The second edition of Kawaii Kon’s pre-con musical extravaganza spotlights two-time con guests Alt/Air and young rockers Emke at the Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki, 280 Beachwalk. Also features the debut of the Kawaii Kon 2013 limited edition pin; 15% off food and drink; discounts on convention preregistration; games; and prizes. Read more about it here. 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Kawaii Kon’s Karaoke Kompetition preliminary round: Show off your vocal chops for a chance to be one of nine participants in Kawaii Kon’s annual karaoke contest, with a chance to win … well … something. Don’t forget to read the rules and submit your paperwork. Presented by the University of Hawaii Anime & Manga Society. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 24.

Madoka Magica double feature: Watch the magical girl saga unfold in one big four-hour, two-film chunk comprising Beginnings and Eternal, Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 museum members. Visit www.honolulumuseum.org/events/films/13340-puella_magi_madoka_magica_parts_1_2. 4 p.m. Feb. 27 and 28.

Honolulu Festival: The 19th annual edition of this festival celebrating the cultures of Asia and the Pacific rim promises to feature all the elements that have made it so much fun for local anime/manga fans in the past: Kawaii Kon’s anime corner, MangaBento’s photo booth and games for the kids at the Hawai’i Convention Center; the parade down Kalakaua Avenue late Sunday afternoon; and to top it all off, the Nagaoka Fireworks show from Niigata, Japan, on Sunday night. And don’t forget about the cultural displays — the mikoshi are always impressive — and entertainment at the convention center, DFS Galleria and Waikiki Beachwalk, too! Visit www.honolulufestival.com. March 1-3.

“How to Draw Manga Faces”: If you can’t figure out what participants are going to be learning at this workshop at Treehouse (250 Ward Ave., suite 233) presented by MangaBento, you’re really reading the wrong blog. Recommended for ages 8 and older; cost is $10, art materials included. Feel free to bring your own, too, if you prefer. (Heck, bring a lapto… wait, I already did that joke with the comic book workshop above. Never mind.) Details and a link to register are at treehouse-shop.com/how-to-draw-manga-faces-workshop. 10 to 11 a.m. March 9.

“Court of Hearts”: Visual Kei Dark Castle has been around for just a few months, but this themed dance party presented by Nephilim Hall Productions has already made inroads in courting local fans of visual kei, J-rock and goth loli fashion. This upcoming event at The Loft Gallery & Lounge (115 N. Hotel St., #2) features an Alice in Wonderland theme, a lolita/kodona fashion show and contest, and special guests Yu x Me: Maid Cafe & Host Club. (I’ve already been told that “Mune Mune Kyun” will not be part of the proceedings.) $10 for ages 21 and up; $15 ages 18-20. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Visual-kei-Dark-Castle/301847309932258?fref=ts (no Facebook login required). 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 9.

The Cel Shaded Report, 2/9: Kawaii Konversation keeps coming

So you might have thought that things would settle down after the flurry of news out of the Kawaii Kon kamp … err, camp, last week.

You would be wrong.

That’s because a few days after last week’s Cel Shaded Report, news broke of another guest added to this year’s roster. So say hello to Toshio Furukawa, the Japanese voice of Piccolo in Dragon Ball Z, Freeman in Crying Freeman, Ataru Moroboshi in Urusei Yatsura, Kai Shinden in Mobile Suit Gundam, and several hundred bazillion other classic roles through the years as seen in his Anime News Network encyclopedia entry. He’s been in this voice-acting game since the 1960s, after all, and shows no signs of slowing down. Kawaii Kon will mark Furukawa’s third U.S. anime convention appearance, his most recent being at Sac-Anime in Sacramento, Calif., last month.

Meanwhile, in an announcement that probably fills anyone around the age 18-24 demographic with glee and aging 36-year-old relics like me with dread, there will now be even more convention to enjoy. In what could be considered the biggest expansion to Kawaii Kon since it moved to the Hawai’i Convention Center in 2007, part of the convention will be moving back to the Ala Moana Hotel with the advent of the Kawaii Lounge, a panel room that will have programming from midnight until 4 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. (Yes, I’m aware that the convention itself is noting that this is happening “Friday and Saturday.” I believe this is what they really meant.) Announced events so far include otaku speed dating, a pajama party and cosplay contest, and voice actor Todd Haberkorn’s “unplugged” panel.

Most formal convention events in years past have ended at midnight, so this move effectively adds eight hours of programming to an already packed schedule. Your friendly neighborhood blogger is unsure at this point whether to ask attendees to kindly keep the noise down, or to spring for several bottles of his preferred iced coffee beverage of choice to keep him awake long enough to cover some of the goings on during those late early hours.

Finally, a trio of con-related musical notes:

For those of you who fancy yourselves as singers, the second of three preliminary rounds for the Karaoke Kompetition is coming up from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, at Orvis Auditorium on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. Just submit this form by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, follow the rules on musical accompaniment as laid out on the official preliminary round page, and make your mark (hopefully in a good way and not in the style of those American Idol/X Factor/The Voice/[fill in your TV music competition series of choice here] train-wreck auditions that they always show for comedic effect). Three people will be chosen to move on to the semifinals, and out of the nine people who will be ultimately chosen — three during the previous round, the final three at an upcoming preliminary round to be announced — the winner will receive … something. (Seriously, look at the karaoke finals page. One would think a professional recording session would be included, as it has in past years, but we shall see.)
Eyeshine, the band led by voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch, will be filming their new music video on the last day of Kawaii Kon (Sunday, March 17), during the convention’s final hours (3-6 p.m.), in the main events room. (For those of you keeping score, this probably means closing ceremonies won’t start until 6 p.m. at the earliest. Make your dinner plans accordingly.) Want to be part of it? Stop on by. Just be sure to wear clothing with no visible logos. No cosplay will be allowed, either.
Advance tickets are now available for the Moonlight Magic Ball, the convention’s formal ballroom dancing event. Cost is $20, a savings of $8 over the at-the-door price. Deadline to reserve online is Feb. 28, though, so you’ll want to get on that sometime in the next few weeks.

Kawaii Kon is happening March 15-17 at the Hawai’i Convention Center; current rates for three-day passes are $48 general, $38 children ages 5-11. Two-day passes just went on sale, too, at $37 general, $27 children ages 5-11. For all your presale needs, visit kawaiikon2013.eventbrite.com; general information can be had at www.kawaii-kon.org.

Ota-cool incoming!

Yes, I think I’ve finally come upon a better name for the calendar formerly known as “The Great Calendar of Otakudom.” ‘Course, I could also end up changing this again next week or sometime down the line. You never know. It’s also a bit abbreviated this week because, well, news is happening that must be written up. Hopefully things will die down enough for me to finally write up the additions I’ve been meaning to throw in here sometime next week. We shall see.

MangaBento: This group of anime- and manga-inspired artists usually meets every second and fourth Sunday of the month at the Academy Art Center, 1111 Victoria St., Room 200. Visit www.manga-bento.com. Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Madoka Magica double feature: Watch the magical girl saga unfold in one big four-hour, two-film chunk comprising Beginnings and Eternal, Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 museum members. Visit http://www.honolulumuseum.org/events/films/13340-puella_magi_madoka_magica_parts_1_2. 4 p.m. Feb. 27 and 28.

The Cel Shaded Report, 2/2: Kawaii Kountdown, version 9.0

As of today, we’re about 1-1/2 months out from the ninth annual edition of Kawaii Kon … which means we’re getting that much closer to our annual three-day celebration of all things anime and Japanese pop culture. To that end, the local anime convention has been pulling out all the stops when it comes to news as of late, releasing enough news tidbits over the past week or so to fill … well, an entire Cel Shaded Report, really, minus the still-haven’t-come-up-with-a-better-name-for-it Great Calendar of Otakudom.

Let’s start with the guests. A pair of Japanese talents have been added to the roster: fashion designer MINT and singer/songwriter Iruma Rioka. MINT — no relation to this Mint — debuted in 2006 as S-INC and has since created two brands — Sixh, created in conjunction with designer Ibi, and MINT NeKO, fashions that have been based on more than 200 cat character sketches. “The fashion that MINT creates starts with a gothic aesthetic that has evolved into more decorative, ornamental ventures, emerging into an essence that is simple yet high fashion,” notes his bio on AnimeCons.com. This will be his second appearance at a U.S. anime convention, on the heels of Anime Boston last year.

If that last paragraph held any significance to you, then you could be a perfect candidate to serve as a model in the MINT fashion show. Male and female models of all body types are encouraged to apply. If you’re more a behind-the-scenes type of person and would rather serve as a volunteer hair designer or makeup artist, there are positions open as well. Application submission details are available at ow.ly/hjUTE. (Just, umm, do it quickly. They’re going to begin picking the models on Feb. 15.)

The second guest, Iruma Rioka, is another name in the ever-growing “Japanese guests that I’ve not heard a thing about before I started looking into their backgrounds for Otaku Ohana posts, but when I do, they turn out to be crazy awesome” file. She’s a self-described “fantastic singer-songwriter” who is fond of simple triple time and … you know what, let me just grab a portion of her bio from her official website and post it here:

She comes from a noted family (Rioka) which is down on their luck.
She was kidnapped by a witch because of her debt. While that time, she was creating music in the top of the tower and was waiting for the chance to get out for a long time.
Because of her long blond hair, people call her Rapunzel.
After she found a magical crow (named Nemu), she ran away from the tower. She sings and goes on a journey to makes her dreams come true.

… yeah. Umm. Just … have a music video.

If you want to hear more from Rioka, CDBaby has Secret Garden ~2nd Press~ for sale, while iTunes has her self-titled five-song EP. As with MINT, Kawaii Kon will be the second appearance for Rioka at a U.S. anime convention, her first being at Anime Central in Rosemont, Ill., last year.

That brings the guest count for Kawaii Kon 2013 to eight, with illustrator Noizi Ito; voice actors Colleen Clinkenbeard, Todd Haberkorn, Lisia Wilkerson and Johnny Yong Bosch; and Bosch’s band Eyeshine being the others announced to date. Attendees who want to spend even more time with Clinkenbeard, Haberkorn and Bosch will be pleased to know that the Guest Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe is back and happening from 6 to 8 p.m. on the first day of the convention, March 15. Cost is $65 to preregister, $80 at the door, and includes dinner and transportation to and from the convention center.

And while we’re talking abut the Hard Rock Cafe — hooray for smooth transitions! — another pre-con event will be returning to that venue for a second year: “Anime Rocks!” spotlighting local musical talent and the debut of this year’s limited-edition convention pin, happening from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 17 at the restaurant, at 280 Beachwalk in Waikiki. With the retirement of Eleven Staples after last year’s convention, two groups are taking the stage this year: two-time con guests Alt/Air and Emke, a quartet of youths that has been making music together since 2005. To put that in perspective, a review by this paper’s esteemed John Berger of their EP last year pegged their ages as between 11 and 15.

… yeah, they’re pretty awesome for their age. Go see all of them, buy a pin, and get 15% off all food and drink. There will also be preregistration discounts, games and prizes at the event.

Kawaii Kon is happening March 15-17 at the Hawai’i Convention Center; current rates for three-day passes are $48 general, $38 children ages 5-11. Two-day passes just went on sale, too, at $37 general, $27 children ages 5-11. As for single-day passes, those haven’t been formally put up for sale yet, but a new rate schedule recently was publicized: $25 for Friday, $30 for Saturday, $20 for Sunday. For all your presale needs, visit kawaiikon2013.eventbrite.com; general information can be had at www.kawaii-kon.org.

The great calendar of otakudom

Open Cosplay Shoot: Got a lovely costume that you want to show off and want to capture it on film … err, pixels? (The digital era: changing the way we think about things since time immemorial.) Come on out to the first large-scale open cosplay shoot of the year at the Aiea Loop Trail. Cosplayers and photographers, meet at the first restroom at the head of the trail, and go from there. Happy cosplaying/shooting! 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

Comic Jam Hawaii: This group of collaborative cartoon artists meets every first and third Sunday of the month in front of Hot Unique Imaging on the Uptown side of Pearlridge Center. And yes, this means that this upcoming meeting will be happening at the same time that the San Francisco Squared Sevens take on the Baltimore Nevermores (you’ll get that reference if you’ve ever read Tuesday Morning Quarterback) in the Big Game With All the Cool Commercials. Fear not; there will still be people there, happily drawing away. Visit www.facebook.com/groups/147779161986428 (Facebook login required). Next meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Cel Shaded Report, 1/26: Catalog of cute

Hi! You’ve reached the desk of Jason S. Yadao, anime/manga/cartooning blogger for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Jason is currently away wrapping his head around the scholarly treatise that is Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across the Pacific, the book by UH-Manoa anthropology department chairwoman Christine R. Yano due out from Duke University Press this April, and is not able to produce a formal Cel Shaded Report at this time. (Nor will he be able to produce an entry for this month’s Manga Movable Feast on the works of Moyoco Anno, for that matter, although he would certainly encourage you to go check it out.)

In lieu of a formal Cel Shaded Report, Jason would like to highlight the work of someone else who’s on a hiatus of sorts: Audra Furuichi, who’s taking a month-long break from drawing cute plush pup online comic nemu*nemu to regroup and is instead composing lovely 4×6 watercolors of whatever catches her fancy and posting them to the site, whether it be classic characters like Red Riding Hood …

… more modern pop culture like Celes from Final Fantasy VI or Adventure Time’s Flame Princess …

… or her own characters like Mayer and Mackenzie from Pizza Hero, from the Henshin Rider/Yellow Jacket story arc.

All of these originals — and more! — are available for sale at the Nemu Shop, where Audra’s using the proceeds to pay for her lone out-of-state nemu*nemu trip for this year, the Toronto Comic Arts Festival in May. New pieces are being added regularly (and prices were recently cut on what’s been posted, too!) so Jason encourages you to check it out.

After all of that, if you would still like to leave a message, please do so at the beep. However, it is recommended that you not make any references to certain footwear, headphones, designer handbags, music players and/or pharmaceutical aids, as they will be marked as “spam” and disposed of accordingly.

*beeeeeeeeep*

The great calendar of otakudom

Otaku Fair at Shirokiya: Hosted by Hakubundo Bookstore with volunteers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa Anime Manga Society. Pick up art books, Japanese-language manga, posters and assorted character goods. Through Sunday.

Aiea Library Anime Club: This month, librarian Diane Masaki is screening the always popular Black Butler. For more information or to RSVP, call 483-7333 or e-mail aiealibraryanimeclub@yahoo.com. 3 p.m. today at the library, 99-143 Moanalua Road.

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