|
Cel Shaded
Jason Yadao
|
From Atlanta to Kawaii Kon
Between 7,000 and 8,000 people attended Anime Weekend Atlanta Sept. 23 to 25, taking part in all the industry panel discussions, cosplay (dressing in costumes of their favorite characters) and other events that come standard with an anime convention.
Such a development normally wouldn't attract notice out here in the middle of the Pacific, but akamai anime fans locally know that AWA is the "older sister" to Hawaii's own Kawaii Kon convention.
I caught up recently with AWA and Kawaii Kon director Stan Dahlin to see how AWA went and get a few tidbits about next year's Kawaii Kon.
This year's AWA was a bit unusual in that several guests based out of Houston -- ADV producer/co-founder Matt Greenfield and voice actresses Luci Christian, Monica Rial and Sasha Paysinger -- were unable to attend, mostly due to the approach of Hurricane Rita.
The absence of those guests did not hurt attendance; in fact, AWA enjoyed a larger turnout than last year.
"Those that were able to make it out were happy to just get away from that area of high anxiety and stress," Dahlin added. "Everyone had a good time and were able to relax with friends."
Dahlin also told me four of Kawaii Kon's directors were at the Atlanta show "to experience what a larger show is really like so as to translate that to Kawaii Kon for this year and beyond."
So what are some of those plans for next year's Kawaii Kon? Check this column next week for those details ...
In 'D&Q' Sunday
She's a wild sixth-grader with a TV show, an agent who she calls her "pimp" and a mom who has a squirrel living in her head. He's her brooding classmate and a bully whom she can't stand. Put them together, and you get a story of ...
love? I will take a look at the wild world of "Kodocha" in Sunday's Star-Bulletin.
Cel Shaded, a look at the world of Japanese anime and manga, appears every Monday. E-mail Jason S. Yadao at
jyadao@starbulletin.com