The Anime Festival Asia as it happened this recent weekend, November 21 and 22 held at Suntec Convention Center, Singapore. I don’t have much time, and doing a full-on report when I couldn’t get around everywhere in the event wouldn’t do much justice. So here’s a quick rundown of what happened at the event.

Highlights

Crowd

The crowd is definitely bigger this year. The line to the ticket booth didn’t let up until around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

Lots more merchandise stalls this time around.

Selling areas have also been arranged better now, but still due to the volume of the crowd, most places are still hard to get through. Most especially the shop that sold custom prop swords from Bleach.

Maid Cafe

I could only take a picture of the shop sign, and take a peek of what’s happening inside, and saw that food served are actual food. There was a long line every time I pass by. And unconfirmed second-hand information says food is expensive.

Bandai area

We wanted to meet and greet Masked Rider Kabuto, but only saw the Gekirangers Rangers of Power Rangers Jungle Fury. We got nice Kamen Rider gashas off the machines though. The BAKUC (Bandai Action Kit Universal Cup) had a relatively not so impressive turn-out, but good nonetheless.

Stage Events

As the stage has been curtained away from immediate view, getting to it was a lot harder this time so we couldn’t see or get to the stage to see what was going on. We did catch the seiyuus of K-ON doing a sample dubbing on stage. We were too far back though to see anything clearly.

I Love Anisong Concert

As the stage has been closed off from public viewing, it was more advantageous for people who paid to get their money’s worth– nearer the stage and had seats. The crowd who opted not to pay additional for this was in the free standing area, relatively farther away from the stage than the seating crowd.

Shokotan performed familiar songs (mainly from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann).

Ichirou ‘Aniki’ Mizuki performed his classics with his usual ‘GAR’ presence.

Yoshiki Fukuyama belted out Macross 7 songs rockstar mode.

MAY’N’s stage performance was the best closing, with awesome back up dancers and choreography. She sang mostly new songs.

All performances were concert-worthy, making the crowd beat their light sticks in the air. May’n and Fukuyama’s duet was also awesome, singing acoustic version of Diamond Crevasse and rocking Dynamite.

The only let down was Miku Hatsune’s performance, as she only sang 3 songs that were all from the Project Diva game. And if you played the game… the game was better.

All in all, there is still more room for improvement, but this was definitely better with the organizers learning from last year’s event. Also, we got better merchandise deals too.

Anime Festival Asia 2009 launched their full and new website today, showcasing guests and new experience zones for this year.

Their main attraction this year is the I LOVE ANISONG concert which boasts of Shoko Nakagawa and Yoshiki Fukuyama, with returning talents Ichirou Mizuki and May’n.

They will also host a Maid Cafe, Moe Moe Kyun. And also the Regional Cosplay Championship.

They may as well have booths that will be selling figures same as last year’s. If last year’s event was any indication and they follow through improvements they can do, this event could really be better.

Some other information are still not available, but hopefully they will be updated soon. I just hope my budget permits me to go back. I enjoyed last year’s event very much.

Last year’s event attracted visitors from different parts of South East Asia.

Don’t know what “moe” means? Ever wondered what WANFES actually is? And for the love of all things logical, what the context is behind the phrase “Nice boat!” Or you simply want to understand your friend, relative or significant other who have claimed themselves as an otaku? Or as one self-claimed otaku, you just want your own reference book as a collector’s item or just a great coffee table book.

The Otaku Encyclopedia promises to be a comprehensive record of all things related to the Japanese otaku culture. It features meaning to common and not-so-common expressions, events and moments, personalities in the community and industry, and even different conventions that celebrate it. Compiled and written by Patrick W. Galbraith, a journalist based in Tokyo who specializes in Japanese popular culture, it claims to be the book for essential A-Z facts every Japanese culture fan (or anyone curious) needs to know.

It has been released in Japan earlier this June of this year, and is slated for an international release by October 1, 2009.

Related links:
Official Website
Amazon

With official confirmation from the recently opened AFA09.com website, Anime Festival Asia 2009 is on schedule. This will all happen again at Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Center in Singapore on November 21 and 22.

Bringing you Merchandise, Live Acts and Performances, Anime / Manga showcases straight from Japan, Japanese popular culture will once again take centre stage at Anime Festival Asia.

Last year’s event featured Ichirou Mizuki, MAY’N, Kunio Okawara as guests, with lots of good buys and showcases. I’m already saving up to go there.

Crazy! And I mean it as a compliment. Look at the sh*t this Japanese guy can do:

Daichi entered this video for the Beatbox Battle Online World Championship on YouTube. Winner of the Wildcard will have the chance to battle against other beatboxers at the Beatbox Battle World Championship in Berlin, Germany. The online contest ended yesterday (Pinoy time). Guess we’ll know who wins anytime soon. You think Daichi will win?

Anywho, I’ll just go tugs taks here.

You don’t have to be a full J-culture enthusiast to know X Japan since their music has been featured in countless anime titles. Well, you can also regard them as one of the long-enduring J-rock groups having been around since 1982. (Sure, they took a 10-year hiatus but they’re back.)

Rumors were abound that their bassist, Heath, has left the band but the band’s management claims that these rumors were unfounded. It is true, however, that Heath has proposed his departure but nothing has been approved.

The band’s Tokyo Dome concerts on May 2 and 3 next month will push through.

Source: Sankei Sports

Otaku-wankers beware! A new bill is out to get the sicker ones of your rank and send them to jail. Here’s a press release regarding a bill in the House of Representatives that seeks to penalize “the offenders who sell, offer, advertise, and promote child pornography. It also covers those found to possess, download, purchase, reproduce, or make available child pornography materials with the intent of selling or distributing them.”

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