Peter's Japan blog

Seems I'll be doing more of these anime conventions from now on :-) After New York Anime Festival in October 2010, this year I'm going to Japan Expo in Paris. Main attractions for me will be May'n and PASSPO, and in the same weekend X Japan is performing in Paris as well, so that a perfect combination! Still more artists are being announced that are coming to Japan Expo so maybe some interesting surprises :-)
Let's hope some more interesting industry guests will be announced, but I'm gonna try to get everyone's signature if there's a signing :-) I'll be there from Friday July 1st till Sunday July 3rd.

Japan Expo Website

Okay,so I'm starting with this part as facebook can't have more than 420 characters in a status message ;p But this way,I can elaborate more on each part. So...

After eating at Yoshinoya (which is not as good as in Japan..) I went straight to the convention center. Walked around the main hall (always as crowded as ever). Went to the room where Chihara Minori would be signing, but it was early and the previous guest was still signing in the same room which was Kanon from An Cafe. Since he had postcards to sign as well, I had him sign that. I was actually last in line ;p.

After coming out joined in the Chihara line immediately,I was 5th in line. They told us she would sign only 1 item,and gave a post stitch to write our name on so she would write on our item. My decision was quickly made to choose the mini poster from Pick-Up Voice. We were brought in 5 at a time. Her agent handed our thing to sign over to her. Minori didn't react to the fact that it was a Japanese magazine (probably because she was just looking at the picture and signing it),but her agent did and she said:"Oh,natsukashii. Arigatou gozaimasu" ^_^. I didn't take a picture though... but she was of course very friendly and very beautiful! I believe there were only about a 100 tickets distributed for this signing.
Then walked around some more. Bought a Boom Boom Satellites CD to have it signed later on. Got a free small poster of "Birdy the Decode" and "RoboGeisha". Bought the special NYAF Chihara Minori concert t-shirt. I just had to have that one.

(part 1 and 3 will follow later,gotta move now)

After I found out that Minori Chihara is coming to the New York Anime Festival. She would be signing and holding a small concert, so I just had to go there.
As an extra, NYAF are selling special VIP packages with first access to floor and events, and one special package for Minori, to have a guaranteed seat for the concert. Extra benefits are not separate entrance to the venue, so no waiting in lines. And a VIP lounge where you can put your stuff away safe, so you don't have to carry too much around. And this for 150$ for the whole weekend ^^ (regular weekend ticket is $50)
But they were limited to 200 people,sooo when the exact moment the VIP tickets came out,I refresh the ticket site,and I got my special Minori Chihara VIP ticket !!! Me happy ;p Now I can book my flight and hotel!

Other Japanese guests include Puffy AmiYumi and VAMPS. I'm guessing there will be more :) American voice actors don't interest my much as I don't like dubs :)
On the other hand, it's actually two conventions as New York Comic-Con is held at the same dates and the same convention center. So when I looked at that guest list, I saw that also some TV/movie actors are going to be present for signing. One of them is Christopher Judge, whom I know very well for playing Teal'c in Stargate SG-1. Some of the others are Katee Sackhoff (whom I just recently got to know from the last season of 24) & James Marsters (saw him in Dragonball movie,and apparently he's quite famous from Buffy too). But more guests will probably be added later as it's still early, I hope more japanese guests as well :)
Soo, I'm pretty excited! I will be in New York from friday afternoon till sunday afternoon.

Danny Choo, you may know him better as the Dancing Storm Trooper, but also as an active blogger about Japan and Otaku culture (he no longer sees it as a sub-culture). He has been networking a lot, many collaborations and his company is gaining more and more momentum. He has come so far now that he started his own animation studio called Mirai Fusion. They will be producing their first anime called "Chinka".
The story is about a fire brigade of cute girls who will fight with water against an evil fire devil.
And of course, Mirai Suenaga makes an appearance as well. You can read more about the story on his blog: http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25532/Chinka+Illustrations.html

And here is the first preview of the new anime, enjoy:

Enjoy this new trailer for the third season of Black Lagoon, known to be an OVA called "El Baile de la Muerte" about Roberta, to be released somewhere this year. Let's hope there's enough Revy action left though ;p
And if this is the new title song, it's awesome, even if it's just an instrumental version.
Can't wait!

It's becoming more and more real!! A trailer for the movie has been posted on the official website and it's looking great! I haven't read the novels so I'm very curious about some of the cutscenes they show in the trailer. Especially the scene where Nagato has the blood splashes and is actually showing emotions. And Asakura Ryoko makes a reappearance too. Not much Haruhi though (well it's the disappearance ;p).

Enjoy the trailer: