|
Cel Shaded
Jason Yadao
|
Deal offers free entry to Kawaii Kon
Let's face it, everyone loves getting stuff for free. I must confess that when a certain major fast-food eatery offered a certain breakfast item for free with purchase of a medium or large drink for two days last week, I was all over that.
It's with that eye toward good deals that we turn once again to our friends at Kawaii Kon, the state's major anime convention, and their offer to let people in for the three-day event April 18-20 ... for free.
A qualifying stay at the official convention hotel -- the Ala Moana Hotel -- of at least two nights under the special Kawaii Kon room rate will do the trick. Do that, and THREE free three-day passes will be yours. (The free passes apply only if you haven't preregistered already.)
At the current preregistration rate, that's a $120 value ... enough, perhaps, to get that lovely resin statue of Haruhi Suzumiya that you've been eyeing. Or several yaoi paddles. Or maybe even some of the hot new merchandise that I hear will be available from KimonoKitsy Studios, creators of "nemu*nemu." (Hi, guys!) In any case, that's a pretty healthy bit of change.
The special convention room rate is $139 a night plus tax for a single/double unit, and $179 a night plus tax for a triple unit. This special deal is only available when mentioning Kawaii Kon and only through phone reservations.
To make a reservation, call 955-4811 on Oahu or (800) 446-8990 from the neighbor islands. The offer expires March 17 ...
...
Random Plugging
From the "types of relationships that keep advice columnists employed" department comes "Rumbling Hearts," a 14-episode anime series available on DVD from Funimation.
Haruka and Mitsuki are best friends who both like Takayuki. Haruka expresses her love first, though, and Mitsuki, as a supportive friend, concedes. Haruka then gets hit by a car and spends three years in a coma. In the meantime, Mitsuki consoles a despondent Takayuki, and they soon get quite intimate with each other.
And then Haruka emerges from her coma.
Clearly nothing is as it was three years ago, and yet Mitsuki and Takayuki must act as if nothing happened between them. It's not a good situation for anyone involved. And as it plays out, one can't help but squirm as the deceptions are slowly laid bare. Not to mention be thoroughly entertained by it all ...
Meeting roll call
» MangaBento: This group of anime- and manga-inspired artists meets from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays at the Academy Art Center, 1111 Victoria St. The meeting should be in Room 200, but check with the guard to make sure.
Also, as a friendly reminder, artists still have until March 30 to submit pieces for the annual MangaBento Art Contest. For more information, check out my column from Jan. 7 (online here) or the club's Web site, www.manga-bento.com ...
...
Cel Shaded, a look at the world of Japanese anime and manga, appears every Monday. Reach
Jason S. Yadao at
jyadao@starbulletin.com