Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) is one of the largest anime trade fairs in the world; the 2009 event was held at Tokyo Big Sight on March 18th-21st.
Contrary to most anime conventions, TAF doesn’t allow public cosplay (it’s a trade fair afterall), but the booth babes were probably doing enough to pull in some big crowd. Sharing some photos taken by Exoduz during the TAF 2009…
Cyber Figure Alice (ARis) is a 2008 product by Geisha Tokyo (Jp), featuring an interactive virtual anime figurine created with augmented reality technology [wiki] which combines virtual reality and real world elements.
Check out the Japanese promotional video below (minor NSFW)…
Chinese subbed Japanese music video of “I ♥ TOFU” by pop duo Kame and LNK, released in the same title single in December 2008. A fun song, singing praise to the goodness of bean curds (tofu); one of the cutest music videos I’ve seen…
Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” is Japan’s highest grossing domestic movie in 2008, while “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” tops the international list.
Hollywood star Keanu Reeves has confirmed taking the role of Spike Spiegel in the live action adaptation of acclaimed Japanese anime series “Cowboy Bebop”.
No news about the remainder of the main cast and production schedule… hope that there’s finally a good Japanese anime adaptation from Hollywood.
Oppai ga Ippai (おっぱいがいっぱい), literally ‘full of breast’ in Japanese, is a popular children song in Japan (at least in the 80s), singing praise to mama’s breast (milk).
One of the wackiest music videos I’ve ever seen; call me an idiot, but I laughed from the beginning till the end… couldn’t resist, it’s just too funny, cute and weird.
Japanese lyrics and English translation available on Yojinbo.
A Japanese man has recently started an online petition to urge the government to legalise marriage with a two-dimensional (i.e. anime and comics) character… more than 2400 netizens have signed the petition so far.
The fella states that he is no longer interested with real three dimensional world, but wants to become an inhabitant of a two-dimensional world. He reckons though, that it’s impossible to achieve his dream with present day technology… thus thinking of the possibility to legalise marriage with a two-dimensional character instead.
He also said that he would like to marry Asahina Mikuru (pic) from popular Japanese anime/manga “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” [via Gaijinheart]
The inaugural Anime Festival Asia (AFA) will be held at Singapore’s Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 22-23, 2008.
The festival will feature directors, producers, manga artists and creative individuals from Japan’s entertainment industries. The organisers are expecting turnout in excess of 80,000 visitors.
More information about the event available at AFA’s website; also check out some thoughts from bloggers CI, DM and IyB.
Anime and otaku culture is huge in South East Asia; there are a few notable anime events in the region, but mostly limited to cosplay fest because of the lack in contents from commercial exhibitors.
The announcement of AFA08 is certainly going to excite the anime fans; will keep an eye on this… might consider flying to Singapore if it’s creating enough hype by November, and I hope it does.
