Anime Festival Asia 2011
The annual Anime Festival Asia (AFA 2011) is back this year, and brings back with them concerts, cosplay and all-things Japanese pop culture! Shown above is the brand new schedule of main events that will be happening between November 11th (Friday / Preview Night) and November 12th to 13th on Saturday and Sunday - at Suntec City Convention Center Halls 402-404.
A quick run-thru of what to expect at the event - which sees a spectacularly huge Concert element to the festivities, the theme being ROCK YOUR SOUL - featuring 10x Anisong artistes over 3 days! Rockstar names like angela / Hatsune Miku Live Party / FLOW / Ichirou Mizuki / LiSA (promo video above) / Kalafina / May'n / Kanako Itou / Milky Holmes and even local group Sea☆A (seen in video below). Branded under "I-heart-Anisong", this is a ticketed event separate from the admission tickets to AFA and can be purchased online here on Sistic, with prices ranging from Standard - S$148 (Reserved Seating), to S$48 (General Admission). These are per-day prices, while there is a 3-Day Pass priced at SGD$366 (Ticketing Info and Concert Schedule here).
Without a doubt "COSPLAY" plays a huge part of the festivities, with the Regional Cosplay Championship on the 13th (at 2.15pm) being the main challenge-event. Famed Japanese cosplayer Kaname is back, along with cosplayer USAGI will be the Juges. As well loads of cosplayers will be on hand for snaps - both inside of the halls and even outside (along the gallery on the 3rd floor foyer). The video shown below was filmed in 2009, if that's any indication of the costumed-pandamonium that is to be expected!
One aspect of AFA - which had not always had the strongest presence, was "Anime" itself! This year seems a rather drastic but welcomed 'change', with a slew of animated films being screened! Featured Anime to be screened include; Gundam Unicorn Episode 4, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi ha mada shiranai, Fate/Zero, Mardock Scramble: The Second Combustion, and other titles such as Naruto Movie 8: The Blood Prison, Detective Conan: Quarter of Silence, and heck, I'm personally looking out for Full Metal Alchemist: The Star of Milos! Going to be 'tricky' tho, as I'll be manning my own Doujin Booth at the event! (*Crossing my fingers this still happens tho*)
Otaku blogger Danny Choo returns as the host on the main AFA-stage (I interviewed him back in 2009), and as well there is the Moe Moe Kyun - all-girls Maid Café to look forward to. And for the ladies? There's the all-boys Wonderland Atelier Royale - butler cafe to "look forward" to. Check out more info of the event on www.animefestival.asia - while in days to come, I hope to share with you what I'll have with me at my small corner, featuring gashapon "art toys" and maybe even a collaborative release! Meanwhile, here are some image samples to sate your curiosity :p
