San Japan X

This year I finally got to go to San Japan in San Antonio Texas.  This labor day weekend convention is one that I had looked forward to, I had heard nothing but great things about San Japan including, a sweet gaming room, with Japanese arcade machines set on free play, an all day karaoke room, the Itasha car scene, and of course the beautiful scenery of the San Antonio Riverwalk.

Of course while I was there I had to make a pilgrimage to The Alamo, a trip to San Antonio would not have been complete without this.

San Japan did not disappoint, it was everything I had heard of and more! The karaoke room was indeed an all day thing, from 10am to 4am so much non-stop karaoke.  The musical guests were amazing, I went to two concerts, Japanese rock band ALL OFF ending their tour at San Japan with a bang! I didn't even plan to attend this concert, I sort of just found myself there and I ended up having a great time. I also attended the wonderful concert of Myuu and his dark piano compositions. Plus the DJ's at night Teddy Loid and the Living Tombstone were amazing.

On my off time from the convention, I decided to take a tour of the Riverwalk since it was right in front of the hotel. There was also a mall where plenty of food options were available, as well as a variety of restaurants on the actual Riverwalk itself. Not more than about a 5 minute walk from the convention hotel was the Alamo. Great convention for tourists and people new to Texas for sure, or even new to the area!
I would highly recommend going to this convention, and I hope to make it back again soon!

Here are a few pictures below of some of the cosplay I found at the convention, also be sure to check out the Facebook gallery at this link right here, to see even more pictures from San Japan and the atmosphere at the convention. 

Quickie on Quakecon 2017

I actually had a chance to stop by Quakecon 2017 this year at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine Texas.  Quakecon this year was August 24-27, 2017.
This year there was actually some hype about cosplay! That's right this year Quakecon actually held a cosplay contest so that brought along more cosplayers to the event.

I was able to catch a few pictures of some of the cosplayers as well as some of the atmosphere of the beautiful resort, and a big congratulations to Riana in Japana @DIYferret for her win in the cosplay contest!

Check out my gallery on Facebook here at this link! 

 

Anime Fest 2017

Anime Fest in Downtown Dallas is pretty much my favorite anime convention in the area. It's smaller than A-Kon, pretty laid back, and in the tallest hotel in the region, the Sheraton Dallas.
This fest was great as usual, with so much programming for Yuri on Ice fans, the autographs especially went a little nuts, with everyone trying to get some! Great screenings throughout the weekend, and of course plenty of cosplay as usual!
Here are a few fan-submitted pics as well as some of my own from my own phone.
Maybe you will spot you or someone you know, or get some ideas for a cosplay in the future!
Anime Fest has been scheduled for the same days next year! August 17-20th!  

A-Kon 28 is THIS WEEK!

A-Kon 28 is this Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas!
I am so excited to go, I am part of a ParaPara dance group called EKS-D ParaPara, I may have to do a post about this in an upcoming blog, but this is going to be the firs time the whole group will be staying the weekend at the convention!  We'll have a whole weekend of programming and demos to do so its going to be great!

This is the first year that A-Kon will be at the Fort Worth Convention Center, not only that but the three surrounding hotels will also have programming, The Sheraton by the Water Gardens will be your J-Pop and video rooms it seems, the Omni will be the Gaming central, and the Hilton will be J-Fashion. I am excited as well for the giant dealers room in the Convention Center, the concerts in the Arena, and the panels and events in the rooms and ballrooms in the building.

I wanted to share a couple of videos to get the hype going some more so check it out below and hope to see you there!

Who remembers Foamy the Squirrel and A-Kon advice?

Pentagon Japan will be at A-Kon 28, check out their excitement!  It's their first time in America!

Check out the venues in Fort Worth!

A-Kon will also be presenting OxT also their first time in America!

Oh and I must do my own plug! This is my dance group's YouTube!
Check us out, we are EKS-D ParaPara!

Ayumi Hamasaki losing her hearing.

 You've probably heard of her or you may have heard her songs in an anime or a convention. Our dear Ayumi Hamasaki has announced on her blog, Team Ayu, that she is going deaf!
This is really devastating news for her and the fan community, as she has been an idol in Japan since the late 90's and has contributed with her music in several anime or movies.

According to her blog she felt dizzy and sick with vertigo before going on tour and often taking time to vomit in the restroom during rehearsal.

During the 200 Act I Tour, Ayu had caught a cold and an ear infection and instead of taking time to rest she didn't want to disappoint and kept on with the tour.  Unfortunately she lost hearing in her left ear by 2008 and since her right ear has been trying to compensate it is now weakening.
Even now, Ayu vows to keep performing, she is quoted saying "The stage is where I belong. It's the only place I really, truly exist. I don't know anything else."

Here a few clips of some anime where her music was used as one of the theme songs.

This is called "Pray" it is from Buddha 2: Tezuka Osamu no Buddha - Owarinaki Tabi

"Connected" is an OVA created completely for this song.  It';s set in a futuristic world where cities grow at an intense pace.

"Dearest," one of Ayumi Hamasaki's most well known songs due to it being the 3rd ending song for the popular series INUYASHA.

In  another return to INUYASHA, Ayumi Hamasaki's "No More Words" made its way on the big screen at the ending of the INUYASHA the movie Affections Touching Across Time.

Ayumi Hamasaki also lent her music to Capcom's Onimusha. Here is one of the songs, "Startin"

Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name)

Movie Review by Gaby

I love love love this movie so much!
If you are hesitating gong to go see it, don't hesitate, go! It's amazing, rollercoaster of emotions, no wonder it made it to #1 in Japan last year!
Makoto Shinkai's "Your Name" movie is a masterpiece, suspensful, and tugging at your heartstrings.

From the beginning you start really connecting with the characters, and the twist in the middle of the movie really keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I don't want to give away anything regarding the movie, I really suggest you see it if you haven't already.  But for a basic plot, Mitsuha is a girl in a little town in the country who wishes she was a "Tokyo Boy," and Taki is a city boy who juggles a busy school life, friends, and work. These two somehow keep finding each other in each others bodies, at first thinking its a dream, but then realizing that by some phenomenon it is really happening.  They leave each other notes every time they switch, hoping to one day eventually meet.
But why are they switching bodies? Pay attention because maybe the comet that we keep seeing on a television in the background has something to do with it...just maybe...

"Your Name" opens in select theaters today in the United States, I am telling you, you will not be dissapointed going to see it.

Another similar title to check out if you can't get enough of body switching would be Kokoro Connect, or if you have already seen this anime, then you will enjoy this movie so much.
I also recommend this movie if you like other type of paranormal romance movies like, Steins Gate, or the Melancholy (or Disappearance) of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Also you will love the music by the RADWIMPS if you like bands such as ONE OK ROCK, or Bump of Chicken, the opening and ending themes are by this band and the flow of the melody was beautiful with this movie.

I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did!