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Reni's Maid Show and Cafe - NYC January 23th 2011

Date: 2011 January 11 16:37 | Posted By:

Category > Events

New York based fans of singing cosplay maids will be pleased to hear that Reni will be performing on Sunday January 23rd 2011. The venue will be Amber Village 432 6th Avenue New York, NY 10011.

There's a $12 door charge, ($10 for cosplayers).

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

Japan Underground February 2011 Tour Dates

Date: 2010 December 29 13:07 | Posted By:

Category > Events

UK fans of Japanese music will be pleased to hear that the good people at Japan Underground have announced the February 2011 tour dates for their club nights. London, Birmingham, Brighton and Nottingham are all set to for nights fun, music karaoke and Harajuku fashion.

They've also got a pre-tour party in London on Tuesday 11th January 2011.

Read More... | Souce: Japan Underground

Reni to perform in Boston January 9th 2011

Date: 2010 December 20 17:47 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Fans of singing cosplay maids in Boston MA, will be pleased to hear that Reni will be performing on Sunday January 9th 2011. From 12 Midday to 3:30pm at the All Asia Bar - 334 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139.

There's a $10 door charge, ($8 for cosplayers).

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

BBC News on the OS-tans

Date: 2010 December 13 16:54 | Posted By:

Category > Fandom

BBC News have discovered the cute Japanese take on Operating Systems, the OS-tans.
The cute anthropomorphic characters of operating systems which later spread to characters of popular programs being made too.

Originally a fan made effort article points to how in some places anime style characters have been created as official mascots such as Microsoft's Silverlight having it's own character in Taiwan.

Ruth Keattch of Sweatdrop Studios comments on them in the article and introduces the readers to the basics of the OS-tans.

Fans of the OS-tans might also be interested in Ubunchu The Ubuntu Linux Manga.

Souce: BBC News

Reni on NHK World - Tokyo Fashion Express

Date: 2010 December 12 17:14 | Posted By:

Category > Fandom

We've covered Reni everyone's favourite cosplay maid in Manhattan before, and how Japanese TV station NHK World would be filming here performance in November. NHK World are going to broadcast their feature this week.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

BBC News on Cosplay

Date: 2010 December 07 17:27 | Posted By:

Category > Fandom

BBC News have an interesting video and article about cosplayers. The cosplayers interviewed are fans of World of Warcraft. It's a basic introduction into cosplay and highlights how much effort goes into creating great costumes.

The article even suggests a suitable qualification for cosplayers an HND in Theatrical Make Up and Costume. We also suggest a degree in fashion or a fashion design related subject as we've met a fair few cosplayers who are currently students at fashion colleges and are keen for a career related to cosplay.

Souce: BBC News

Manga Drawing workshop in London Saturday 20th November 2010

Date: 2010 November 16 16:54 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Every now and again at Otaku News we get e-mails from our readers with questions. Normally we can answer these questions (or at least point them in the right direction). Today we got one that we couldn't answer straight away.

The reader was a 13 year old searching for a manga drawing course in London. We couldn't think of any that were coming up, so we turned to Twitter. Luckily someone out there does know. Anna Fitzpatrick who draws the great comic Between Worlds came to the rescue pointing out that the Victoria and Albert Museum will be holding Get Creative! on Saturday 20th November 2010.

The event is for 13 to 19 year olds and is set to run from 11:30am to 4:30pm. The free workshops include manga drawing, stage make-up music, VJing, talks on the fashion industry and theatre.

Souce: Victoria and Albert Museum

New Maid Cafe Event in London December 2010

Date: 2010 November 12 18:07 | Posted By:

Category > Events

London based fans of cosplay and maids will be pleased to hear about a new Maid Cafe event in London. It's set to run on Sunday 5th December 2010, from 2pm until 8pm at the Jetlag Bar and Restaurant.

Nearest Tube is Great Portland Street.
Over 18's only.
Tickets are £5.

They'll be serving Japanese dishes, such as curry with rice, Japanese omelet with rice and Japanese Hamburger. Plus teas, coffee and cakes.

This is the first event Oh My Lord are running, they plan to run more in future if it proves popular.

Read More... | Souce: Dear My Lord

Reni's Maid Show and Cosplay Cafe - NYC November 20th 2010

Date: 2010 November 10 16:43 | Posted By:

Category > Events

NYC fans of Cosplay maid singing are in for a treat on November 20th 2010, as NHK World will be filming Reni's Maid Cafe show for their program Tokyo Fashion Express.

Reni's Maid Show and The Maid Cafe will be on Saturday November 20th on the 2nd Floor of Amber Asian Cuisine. 432 6th Avenue (9th & 10th Street) . There's a $12 door charge, or $10 if you're in cosplay (this does not include lunch).

We recently interviewed Reni at NYAF.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

Grand Cosplay Ball 2010 Details

Date: 2010 November 10 16:20 | Posted By:

Category > Events

London based cosplayers will be excited to hear about the Grand Cosplay Ball which returns for it's third year. This years theme is Arabian Nights and it's set to run on Sunday, 28th November at Clapham Grand Hotel. The fun starts at 7pm until 1am. Expect lots of belly dancing, sword swallowing and even an Arabian Bazaar.

The Guest of Honour is Metroid cosplayer Jenni Kallberg (aka Pixelninja) from Sweden.

Over 18's only. Tickets are £18 from their website, or in-store at Tokyo Toys London branch at the Trocadero in Picadilly Circus.

Read More... | Souce: Grand Cosplay Ball

Hyper Japan 2010 Report

Date: 2010 October 31 17:04 | Posted By:

Category > Events

For Japanese culture fans, October began with a bang at Hyper Japan, a new and highly anticipated event on the UK otaku calendar for 2010. Hosted by Eat-Japan (the number one site for Japanese food, sushi and sake), the show was a sensational success, drawing in excess of 15,000 visitors over the 3 days, a remarkable feat for what was the debut of this cultural festival. The event was located in the heart of London's Shoreditch at Brick Lane, an area well known for its offbeat character and for the eclectic, hip and chic. Standing in the line with the eager attendees, the atmosphere was alive with the building excitement as cosplayers, anime fans and the culturally curious all assembled to enjoy a different class of convention. The preshow campaign, organised and delivered by a Japanese enterprise was loaded with ample incentive for any fan of Japan to take a look at what the exhibitors had to offer. I, in my cosplay guise as Queen's Blade's spectral maid Airi, lined up with the happy crowds all eager to meet and greet, eat and shop! After conquering the queue and ascending the staircase in my heels, a veritable treasure trove was to be found, serving the many delights of Japanese culture and cuisine.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

London Barbican Cosplay Extravaganza - November 2010

Date: 2010 October 27 16:16 | Posted By:

Category > Events

While cosplays in London will be busy gearing up for the London MCM Expo this weekend, you shouldn't forget that there's more fun to be had in London the weekend after. On Saturday 6th November 2010 The Barbican will be having a special late night event - the Cosplay Extravaganza.

They'll be a Cosplay Parade, workshops, a Goth Loli Fashion Show, Video Game Tournaments, some live J-Pop and Japanese Punk. Resident anime expert Helen McCarthy will be there to give a talk on Cosplay: A Short History (as well as being an anime expert Helen's also the author of Manga Cross-Stitch and is knowledgeable about cosplay to say the least).

The event is set to run from 6pm until 1am.

Entry to all the Foyer Events is free. This does not cover entry to exhibition, theatre or Kamikaze Girls screening.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Judges Named For Euro Cosplay Final - October 2010

Date: 2010 October 25 15:41 | Posted By:

Category > Events

The good folks at the London MCM Expo have sent us details about the Euro Cosplay Finals, which will be held at the London MCM Expo on Saturday 20th October 2010. The judges have now been announced. They've picked a selection of expert cosplayers to reside over the finalists.

Additionally the Expo launches a new cosplay zone - Totally Cosplay, dedicated to everything a cosplayer would be interested in, including competitions, panels, workshops and a cosplay stage.

Read More... | Souce: London MCM Expo

Japan Underground London Club Night November 2010

Date: 2010 October 17 14:41 | Posted By:

Category > Events

London based fans of Japanese themed clubbing are in for a treat on Wednesday 17th November 2010. A new club night is set to launch at the King Pin Suite in Bloomsbury. It'll start at 7pm and run until 2 am. Called Japan Underground the first club night will have a samurai theme to tie in with the launch of Sengoku Basara.

There'll be a nice selection of live music, karaoke rooms and much more fun and games too.

Read More... | Souce: Japan Underground

Hyper Japan 2010 Mini report

Date: 2010 October 03 13:23 | Posted By:

Category > Events

The London J-Culture scene is an interesting one, with new events popping up every year. October 2010 marked the first run of a 3 day Japanese cultural event called Hyper Japan.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Free Entry to October 2010 London MCM for BlazBlue Cosplayers

Date: 2010 September 29 16:22 | Posted By:

Category > Events

London based cosplayers who like BlazBlue are in luck this month, PQube and Zen United (the good folks behind BlazBlue's European release) have teamed up to offer free entry to BlazBlue cosplayers at this the 2010 October MCM Expo in London.

Read More... | Souce: BlazBlue Offical Website

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift at the London MCM Expo October 2010

Date: 2010 September 28 13:54 | Posted By:

Category > Gaming

London's the place to be this October, with Hyper Japan this weekend (Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October 2010), Sci-Fi-London Oktoberfest (from Thursday 14th October and ends early in the morning of Sunday 17th October 2010), the Barbican Aspects of Japanese Cinema Season kicks off too (from Tuesday 19th October 2010) and last but by no means least the London MCM Expo is set to run from Friday 29th to Sunday 31st October 2010.

Anime companies, cosplay and other geeky entertainment will be well represented at the London MCM Expo. They've just sent us details that'll interest gamers too, PQube in conjunction with Zen United will be at the expo and will give gamers a hands on chance to try out BlazBlue: Continuum Shift.

In the past we've been lucky enough to interview Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori the creators of the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series.

Read More... | Souce: London MCM Expo

London MCM Expo October 2010 T-shirt Designed by Genki Gear

Date: 2010 September 17 16:00 | Posted By:

Category > Retail

The London MCM Expo is on it's way. Everyone's getting revved up for the weekend of 29th to 31st October 2010, and Genki Gear are no exception. They've just launched the official London MCM Expo October 2010 T-shirt. The exclusive design is available to pre-order now on the Genki Gear Website.

Read More... | Souce: Genki Gear

Reni Mimura LIVE at NY Anime Festival

Date: 2010 September 15 16:03 | Posted By:

Category > Events

New York fans of cosplaying maids, will want to head over to the NY Anime Festival which runs Friday October 8th to Sunday October 10th 2010. Singing cosplayer maid Reni Mimura will be performing on Saturday October 9th at Variant Stage from 5:30 – 6:00 pm

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

Square Enix, Cosplay, Sushi and More! HYPER JAPAN London 2010

Date: 2010 September 15 15:41 | Posted By:

Category > Events

The good folks at Hyper Japan have sent us more details about their London based event on Friday 1st October until Sunday 3rd October 2010. Square Enix will be there selling goodies. They've got a cosplay competition too, with a chance to win a trip to Japan. Plus lots of lovely food! Soy sauce experts Kikkoman will be there too, issuing a sushi challenge.

Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan

Schoolgirl Milky Crisis now on Kindle

Date: 2010 September 15 14:42 | Posted By:

Category > Retail

Anime expert and industry insider Jonathan Clements has just posted details on his blog about Schoolgirl Milky Crisis being released on Kindle.

It's available to buy from Amazon.com in the US and Amazon.co.uk in the UK.

Souce: Schoolgirl Milky Crisis Blog

London Matsuri Cosplay Competition Details

Date: 2010 September 09 15:24 | Posted By:

Category > Events

We've already covered details about Japan Matsuri in London at Spitalfields on Saturday 18th September 2010. We've just been sent a reminder that they'll also be hosting a cosplay competition on the canopy stage at 2:30pm.

Read More... | Souce: Japan Matsuri London Festival 2010

Manga and comics what's the difference in a name?

Date: 2010 September 06 15:56 | Posted By:

Category > Manga

Last moth the results of the Morning International Comic Competition were announced.

Curiously enough they've discovered what the difference a name makes. The previous 3 competitions were called the Morning International Manga Competition. They discovered an issue with calling their competition a manga competition.

Read More... | Souce: Morning International Comic Competition

Reni's Maid Show and Cosplay Cafe - NYC September 19th 2010

Date: 2010 September 05 16:02 | Posted By:

Category > Events

New York City based fans of maids, moe and cosplay will want to keep Sunday September 19th 2010 free for Reni's Maid Show and Cosplay Cafe. From 12 Midday to 3pm.

2nd Floor of Amber Asian Cuisine on 432 6th Avenue (9th & 10th Street) .
Please note that there's a $12 door charge, which does not include the cost of lunch.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

Japan Matsuri London Festival 2010

Date: 2010 September 04 11:03 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Looking for something fun to do in London? On Saturday 18th September 2010 from 10am until 8pm The Japan Matsuri will return to London, at Old Spitalfields market. Last years event was a huge success. This years will have all sort of lovely Japanese food to munch on, with plenty of other stalls to enjoy too. You can even get authentic vintage kimonos! They'll also have a cosplay competition. Along with an art competition to design a Japanese video game character.

Although the event is free to attend, last year it proved very popular, so we advise going early if you like avoiding crowds.

Souce: Japan Matsuri London Festival 2010

Calling All Cosplayers - The Hyper Japan Cosplay Award Needs You

Date: 2010 September 02 16:34 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Are you a UK cosplayer and fancy a chance to win an expenses-paid trip for two to London? Or even the chance to win a luxury trip to Tokyo, including five nights in a 4-star hotel! Well Hyper Japan are offering those things.

(Terms and conditions apply).

Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan

Fandom + Creativity + Recycling = Rannagandamu

Date: 2010 August 29 09:01 | Posted By:

Category > Fandom

What better icon for recycling than a Gundam model made from the plastic runners left out of Gundam model kits?

Japanese blogger hirotyun1000 has posted up a day-to-day diary on building his "Rannagandamu" (Runnergundam). Some of the runners were even donated by generous readers.

The recycling icon is currently on show at the Hobby Japan 2010 event happening this weekend

Souce: hirotyun1000\'s Blog

London Barbican Aspects of Japanese Cinema - October to December 2010

Date: 2010 August 20 14:44 | Posted By:

Category > Events

London's Barbican has always been a great place to visit for fans of Japanese cinema with their monthly Japanimation screenings, but some fans may want to move into the arts centre from October to December as they'll be shown a whole host of Japanese films, anime and even a cosplay event! There's so much good stuff to see!

Movie buffs will be delighted to with the great range of movies.
There's so much to recommend here, we suggest you take a look at the full listing.

Shojo fans will be interested see the live action version of Nana on Thursday 21st October 2010 at 6pm.

Cosplayers will want to keep Saturday 6th November on 11.00pm – Kamikaze Girls screening and cosplay event.

Fans of cheesy movies will want to keep an eye on the 18 rated RoboGeisha showing at 7:30pm as part of the Halloween Shlockfest on Friday 29th October.

Beat Takeshi fans have a lot to look forward to on Sunday 14th and Monday 15th November 2010. They'll be showing Hana bi, Brother, Dolls and Zatoichi.

Those who enjoy classic Japanese cinema will enjoy the Akira Kurosawa season too.

Anime fans aren't left out either with a CLAMP themed screening of XxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tsubasa The Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom – Tuesday 19th October 2010. As always resident expert and author Helen McCarthy will be on hand to introduce the movies.

As always with popular events we suggest booking early to avoid disappointment.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14 - BBC TV documentary

Date: 2010 August 08 12:34 | Posted By:

Category > Anime > TV

We've mentioned the BBC covering Beckii Cruel before and BBC Three are set to cover the teen idol this week. Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14 focuses on the 14 year old school girl from the Isle of Man who is also known as Beckii Cruel a teen icon and internet sensation. It all started when she uploaded films of herself dancing to YouTube.

The hour long documentary forms part of the BBC Three Adult Season which explores the pressure of young people to grow up quickly and what it means to be an adult.

The documentary is set to broadcast this week on BBC Three at the following times:

Thursday 12th August 2010
21:00

Thursday 12th August 2010
23:45

Sunday 15th August 2010
23:15

Monday 16th August 2010
03:15

Update:
The BBC TV blog also has some background details on the making of the documentary.

British readers can now see the documentary on BBC iPlayer.

Souce: BBC Three

Hyper Japan - London October 2010

Date: 2010 July 29 14:30 | Posted By:

Category > Events

October is shaping up to be the month for otaku in London. With the London MCM Expo at the end of the month. While at the beginning of the month a new event called Hyper Japan is set to run from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October 2010.

The event has a lot to offer with an Otaku Village set to cater to all your retail needs.

Cosplayers will be well represented too (they'll even get a chance to win a trip to Japan). There's also a cosplay talent search, competitions and other fun to be had if you like dressing up.

Japanese fashion magazine KERA will be there with fashion shows and style tutorials (the event is looking for models to take part).

Fans of angel fighting giant robots won't be disappointed either as they have a special Evangelion Store which will be selling some exclusive and hard to find merchandise.

Figure collectors might want to note that Good Smile will be there too! ^__^

As the people behind EAT-JAPAN are organising the event you can be certain that Japanese cuisine will be well represented too. with the EAT-JAPAN food court.

They'll also have lots of culture on stage too. You can book early to get a discount from the standard £8 entry fee. Children under 5 go free. As always we advise to book early to avoid disappointment.

Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan

Japanese Art Festival in Central London - August 2010

Date: 2010 July 27 15:05 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Fans of Japanese culture in Central London will want to head over to the Japanese Art Festival at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square in Holborn. Set to run on Saturday 21st August and Sunday 22nd 2010. They've got kimono designer Yumi Yamamoto, Harajuku kawaii store 6% Doki Doki, along with a party on Saturday night with J-Pop Go!.

Read More... | Souce: Japanese Art Festival

Study Tour of Japan for European Youth 2010

Date: 2010 July 15 14:13 | Posted By:

Category > Culture

Are you European and interested in Japan? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is interested in hearing from young Europeans who are willing to participate in a 10 day group study tour of the country. The sponsored tour has some terms and conditions and is limited to up to 37 people. The tours will happen in November and December 2010. As it's not every day you can get a government sponsored trip to Japan, there are a few requirements.

Applicants should meet the following requirements:
1. European national
2. Aged between 25-35 (as of June 1st 2010)
3. Able to communicate effectively in English
4. Never previously visited Japan
5. Must not be a student

Apart from these conditions, you'll also have to send your CV, a cover letter, and a short essay on the subject of - "What would you do to strengthen the relationship between Japan and your country (Europe or EU)?"

The deadline for applications is Thursday 29th July 2010.

If you meet the entry requirements we strongly advise you to enter, this is an excellent opportunity to experience Japan.

More details can be found on the Embassy of Japan Website.

Souce: Embassy of Japan

Multi-National Manga Anti-Piracy Coalition Formed

Date: 2010 June 08 16:47 | Posted By:

Category > Manga

Multi-National Manga Anti-Piracy Coalition Formed

We've received some very interesting details from VIZ Media about the formation of a Multi-National Manga Anti-Piracy Coalition.It seems that the industry has grown tired of Scanlations - manga scanned into a digital format and distributed without the copyright holders consent. The coalition include the 36 members of Japan's Digital Comic Association, Square Enix, VIZ Media, TOKYOPOP and Yen Press.

Originally scanlations were manga translated by fans into their native language from Japanese. This can be seen as the manga equivalent of anime fansubs. Some scanlation sites branched out to scans of manga that was already official translated and licensed outside of Japan.

This has cost the manga publishing industry significant amounts of money, not just in lost book sales, but lost opportunities in the relatively new market of eBooks and mobile devices.

The coalition intend to target scanlation sites and aggregators of scanlation sites. They've drawn up a list of 30 sites to targeted for action. First they will ask the sites to cease distributing scanlations. If the sites fail to cease distributing further action will be taken depending on the jurisdiction of each site. Actions include legal injunctions against the sites, reporting the sites to governmental anti-piracy units of law enforcement, including the US Justice Department, local law enforcement agencies and the FBI.

Fans curious about piracy in the anime and manga industry should read the Pirate Anime FAQ.

This is not the first time the anime and manga industry has attempted to stop piracy in the industry, but this is the biggest and most coordinated international effort so far. With many companies in the industry forced to make cut backs, closing down offices, laying off staff, we wonder if this is the start of a new approach? Will more companies pursue legal options? Are fansubbers next?

Read More... | Souce: VIZ Media

Japanese Cosplay Singer Reni to perform in Baltimore

Date: 2010 June 02 16:29 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Baltimore based fans of Japanese Cosplay singers will be pleased to hear that Reni Mimura will be performing in Club Orpheus on Saturday June 26th 2010 at 9pm. This is part of the Pop Show Japan.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

London MCM Expo win new world record for largest handheld game console party

Date: 2010 May 29 13:21 | Posted By:

Category > Gaming

We've got some news hot of the press from this weekend's London MCM Expo. As of today 29th May 2010, they've gained the world record for largest handheld game console party.

Damian Field - Official Adjudicator Guinness World Records said -
"It's a tremendous achievement for the MCM Expo to reach a number of 586 smashing the existing world record of 381. It's rare for a UK mass participation to reach over 500"

Congratulations everyone involved!

Souce: London MCM Expo

Japanese Maid Reni to perform at PJ mini Pop in NYC

Date: 2010 May 07 18:31 | Posted By:

Category > Events

NY based fans of Japanese Cosplay Singing Maids will want to head over to the anime and Japanese Cultural event PJ "mini" Pop to see Reni Mimura . The event is set to run on Sunday May 23rd 2010 from 12:00 until 6:00pm at the The Dwyer Cultural Center in South Harlem.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

MCM Expo to host Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and DS National Championships

Date: 2010 May 04 16:32 | Posted By:

Category > Gaming

The count down to the London MCM Expo continues continues. Fans of Yu-Gi-Oh! Will want to keep 29th to 30th May free for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG National Championship and the Yu-Gi-Oh! DS National Championship. The national champisionship is the gateway to the European Championship, which in turn lead on to the World Championship.

Read More... | Souce: London MCM Expo

Tokyo Bento Shopping Guide

Date: 2010 May 02 14:59 | Posted By:

Category > Retail

Bento, beautiful and healthy lunchboxes, is an otaku passion that keeps niggling at the edges of mainstream consciousness. The New York Times ran an article on it recently, some of the most amazing photos made the Flickr blog last week and there has been an explosion of books (US, UK) about the topic.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Mikado on sale for 75p a box

Date: 2010 May 02 08:56 | Posted By:

Category > Cuisine

UK Pocky lovers will want to head over to their local WH Smiths. The stationery, magazine and book shop are currently selling Mikado for 75p a box.

We've done a Mikado vs Pocky taste comparison and can confirm that they are similar to everyone's favourite chocolate coated snack.

Read More... | Souce: WH Smiths

Euro Cosplay Championships coming to London in May 2010

Date: 2010 April 27 14:42 | Posted By:

Category > Events

UK based Cosplayers should already have the London MCM Expo on 29th and 30th of May marked on their calendar just for the shear number of cosplayers. As if you need another reason, Euro Cosplay 2010 qualifiers will be held at the London MCM Expo on Saturday 29 May, with the Grand final set for the London MCM Expo in October.

Read More... | Souce: London MCM Expo Euro Cosplay 2010

British Women of Manga Panel - 29th April 2010

Date: 2010 April 18 12:59 | Posted By:

Category > Events

The people behind Sci-Fi London and London Girl Geek Dinners have teamed up to run a special panel British women of Manga. It's set to run Thursday 29th April 2010 at 7pm.

The panel consists of artists Kate Brown, Emma Vieceli and Karen Rubins. Anime and manga expert Helen McCarthy will be chairing the panel.

This is a free event for women only. Men are allowed as guests of a London Girl Geek Dinner member. To get your tickets register at http://scifi-london.eventbrite.com/.

Souce: Sci-Fi London / London Girl Geek Dinners

London MCM Expo May 2010 reminder

Date: 2010 April 17 18:35 | Posted By:

Category > Events

UK based readers will want to head to London next Month for the London MCM Expo on 29th and 30th May 2010. The event has become regular addition to the anime fans calendar. This time around they're going to need your help breaking a world record for largest handheld game console party. Nintendo DS owners will want to be part of the world record!

Read More... | Souce: London MCM Expo

WOTA London Gig in March 2010

Date: 2010 March 09 17:24 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Fans of Japanese music, clubbing and good times will want to want head over to WOTA London on Friday 12th March 2010 from 8pm until 2am. The venue this is Lati Ri in Shorditch near Old Street and Liverpool Street Tube stations.

Dress code is casual, and cosplay is optional. It's over 18's only. Tickets are £4 in advance or £6 on the door. There's a £1 discount from the door fee if you're on the Facebook group or mailing list.

Guest DJ's this time around are DJ Snap (best known from Kitacon) and DJ Genki Boi of J-Pop Go.

Souce: WOTA London

Japanese Art Festival in Richmond - February 2010

Date: 2010 February 20 22:49 | Posted By:

Category > Events

UK based anime fans will want to head over to Richmond next weekend (Saturday 27th February and Sunday 28th February 2010) where the Japanese Arts Festival will return to the Richmond Adult Community College.

The free event is set to start at 11am and end at 5pm. It includes a great line up of expert guests and speakers - Akemi Solloway, Helen McCarthy and Sonia Leong.

Read More... | Souce: Japanese Art Festival

AmeCon 2010 open fo registration

Date: 2010 February 15 17:54 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Staffordshire based UK anime convention AmeCon 2010 has just opened for registration. The convention is set to return on Friday 13th August until Sunday 15th August 2010.

As always with such events we suggest you book early to avoid disappointment.

Souce: AmeCon 2010

BBC News on Beckii Cruel

Date: 2010 February 10 07:24 | Posted By:

Category > Fandom

BBC News have an interesting article about Beckii Cruel a girl who dances to anime theme music and J-Pop on YouTube. Internet sensation then followed and she even got to fly out to Akihabara to perform. She releases her debut album on Wednesday. DVDs are also available.

Her father said:
"So far it's been a tremendous adventure, not many teenage girls get to travel across the globe and have this sort of exposure".

What's also nice to note is responsible parenting (instead of paranoia about the internet):
"We've brought our children up with the internet, they've always had access to it."

"Rebecca is well aware of the online dangers, she's been well advised and has told us when there have been problems."

Rebecca got into anime fandom when she picked up a copy of Fruits Basket.

Souce: BBC News

Cosplay Valentine's Day Party in Central London

Date: 2010 January 28 16:48 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Romantic cosplayers in London should head over to Peter Parker's Rock 'n' Roll Club, just three minutes away from Tottenham Court Road. The Grand Cosplay Ball will be hosting a special Valentine's Day Prom on February 14th.

The venue will be decorated for the romantic day. Tickets are £4 online or £6 at the door.

Read More... | Souce: Grand Cosplay Ball

AmeCon 2010 Website Launches

Date: 2010 January 25 17:09 | Posted By:

Category > Events

UK anime fans should mark the dates Friday 13th to Sunday 15th August 2010 in their diaries. As this is when AmeCon will return. The successful UK anime convention will open for registration on Monday 15th February 2010. They'll be at a new location this year - Keele University in Staffordshire.

Registration will cost £45 for the full 3 days. The registration fee does not include accommodation, food and drink. They'll take payment through Credit and Debit Card using Google Checkout, alternatively you can also post a cheque to them.

As always with popular conventions we advise you book early to avoid disappointment.

Souce: AmeCon 2010

DVD Horror Stories

Date: 2010 January 24 15:51 | Posted By:

Category > Anime > DVD

For a change, here's a little horror story that will make some anime fans cringe and check their collection, and others not even blink.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Japanese Maid Show January 24th 2010 in NYC

Date: 2010 January 24 09:34 | Posted By:

Category > Events

Fans of Akiba culture in NY should head over to Top Tunes Karaoke Bar on January 24th 2010 where Japanese Copsplay Singer Reni will perform anime songs and J-Pop.

Read More... | Souce: Reni\'s Blog

Bento Boxes a big hit in the US

Date: 2010 January 13 17:00 | Posted By:

Category > Cuisine

The New York Times has an interesting article about bento boxes becoming popular in the US.

The meals in a box have become popular in the US for a variety of reasons, apart from the novelty, it's also a great way for a balanced diet, getting all the right food groups in a box. Along with that, it's idea for portion control. The article also highlights how it helps small children who can be fussy eaters eat something healthy.

Souce: New York Times

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