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Cel Shaded
Jason Yadao
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Kikaida and friends go isle-hopping
This weekend is shaping up to be a busy one for the Kikaida brothers ... or at least for the two actors who played lead roles in those iconic "tokusatsu" (live-action costumed superhero) series in the '70s, anyway.
Ban Daisuke and Ikeda Shunsuke, who played Jiro in "Kikaida" and Ichiro in "Kikaida 01," respectively, are scheduled to sign autographs at the Maui Matsuri at Maui Community College at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and at Shirokiya at Ala Moana Center from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Joining the actors at both events will be Kikaida and Kikaida 01, as well as another tokusatsu hero from the '70s, Inazuman. The actors are appearing as part of JN Productions' promotional push for its upcoming DVD release of "Inazuman," in which Daisuke played Watari Goro.
Sunday's Shirokiya event will also feature actors from the local series "Ninja EX" and "Blood of the Samurai," as well as an appearance by local superhero Dragonfly. Free superhero balloons will be available while supplies last, and, of course ... there will be Kikaida-oke. For more information, visit www.generationkikaida.com.
Matsuri manga
For manga fans and aspiring artists from kindergarten through 12th grade, the Maui Matsuri brings another opportunity: the festival's fourth annual Manga and Art Contest.
Once again, the festival is calling for entries no larger than 8 1/2 by 11 inches in any hand-drawn media -- pen, pencil, colored pencil and so forth -- depicting a "matsuri," or Japanese festival, theme in either manga style or traditional art format.
Entries will be accepted through Friday at the John Henry Photography studio at 59-A Kanoa St., Wailuku, or from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the festival's Manga and Art Exhibit. Judging will begin at 4 p.m., with the winners in four age divisions to be announced at 5 p.m.
The top three winning contestants from each age division and category will receive cash prizes and/or gift certificates to Omochaya. For more information, visit www.mauimatsuri.com.
Random Plugging
The first 13 episodes of "Shinchan," Funimation's English adaptation of the show formerly known as "Crayon Shinchan," are out now on DVD, and ... well, they are what they are, really, just the English versions with rewritten "edgy" dialogue.
The approach has a certain twisted charm, but for those fans holding out hope to see the original episodes in Japanese with English subtitles, forget it; there's only one "original" episode included as an extra, and it's missing the opening and ending songs and episode transitions, to boot.
Meeting roll call
» MangaBento: Meets Sundays through May from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Academy Art Center, 1111 Victoria St., Room 200. Check with the guard downstairs to verify room. For more information, visit www.manga-bento.com.
» Oahu Anime Explorer: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at HMC Academy, 555 N. King St. Visit www.oahuanimeexplorer.com for details.
Cel Shaded, a look at the world of Japanese anime and manga, appears every Monday. Reach
Jason S. Yadao at
jyadao@starbulletin.com