Hello my dearest readers, chansu is back with the most exciting day he’s had yet, so anticipate a post longer than any other that preceeded it! Please, I beg you, fasten your safety belts and set your seat trays in the upright and locked position, because you’re about to be shot through a gauntlet of:
RPGHero and Chansu’s 4 Day Animazement Journal
Day 2 – AMVs and Vocaloids and Noiz, oh My!
I honestly don’t know where to start with today, to do it proper justice. As usual, but to a much greater degree, cosplayers flooded the area! I saw every akatsuki member, 5 Bleach captains, the cast of Kingdom Hearts, more gothic lolitas than you can shake a stick at, creepy half-dressed catgirls, Miku Rin and Len, tootsie roll ninja’s dramatic return, and much MUCH more! Because RPGHero cosplayed as Usopp I got a few photos, but there was too much spectacle for me to properly capture with my measly cellular phone camera! Anime conventions are MOST DEFINITELY a place you must visit to understand.
Now, let’s discuss the panels/activities I had the opportunity to sit in on and take note of…
The first activity I visited was the “Video Game Room” which ran pretty much all day. Nonstop graphics and 8bit music relentlessly flooded from the room, not to mention the roar of gamers in heat. I only jest, but those are the only proper words I can think of to describe the game room. Everything from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, to nameless Japanese shmups (like Touhou), to the original Ice Climbers and Mario Bros., to even DDR and Rock Band 2; you name it, it was there. But one game in particular captured my heart quickly: Magical Drop.
I had tried Magical Drop for SNES quickly and found it tactless and boring, but boy was I wrong. Magical Drop is a game similar to both Tetris Attack and Bubble Bobble, in which the objective is to make three-in-a-row vertical colored arrangements to destroy colored bubbles. But in order to make combos, your 3+ vertical bubbles must destroy horizontal bubbles… hey, how about you watch this video and hopefully become less confused?
[watching is not as fun as playing, guaranteed. Especially when you’re playing for the sole purpose of pissing off people waiting in back of you]
Besides that, the video game room had very little room for people to like, share. I got to play Magical Drop for about a half hour and never again did that arcade machine open up for me…
Moving on! The next activity was “Anime Report from 2010” led by Koichi Tsunoda sensei, a famous animation director from back in theday. It was something of a pity that not that many people showed up (he expected about 60 people but got more like 20…) but what can you expect when the entire panel is a speech in Japanese occasionally interrupted by the translator to fill us in? Of course I only jest, that is probably what those who fled the panel thought, but I considered him to be very very intelligent and well-spoken. What little Japanese I understood was polite and thoughtful, and when I paid attention he even looked me in the eye! (I felt very proud of myself at that point, I successfully feigned comprehension of the Japanese language!)
Tsunoda-sensei is what we in America call a “trooper.” You know, that guy who always gets the short end of the stick and smiles happily regardless. I say this because his discussion was rife with the issue of illegal file sharing of anime and how it is ruining the future of anime. He himself only gets about 1000 yen in royalties A MONTH for an anime he directed, which is getting over 1000 a month on certain illicit pages.
Now, I could point fingers like he did, but I won’t. Let’s admit it, it’s hard to get our fix of anime in America without the cheesy English voices ruining it. What’s the difference between us watching “Bleach” from Dattebayo and Japanese kids watching Bleach on TV in Japan? It’s a little unreasonable for us to have to pay to see what they watch for free, don’t you think?
Well to wrap up this panel, the basic Report is as follows: anime peaked at 2006 but is in decline, it is ironic that anime revolves around TV views in Japan but online views in America, the anime movie industry (STUDIO GHIBLI) has the upper hand in the anime industry, J-music artists are in heated competition for spots making Opening and ending tracks for anime (which sell more than not-anime tracks in Japan), and that although anime is in decline it’s a stubborn business that will be here for years to come. Viola, you’re now informed!
Next panel! “AMV Contest.” Not much to say about this one, it had a huge turnout as expected and featured amazing AMVs. But two things hurt me: one is that all the AMVs had ENGLISH music tracks and two is that almost all the AMVs spoiled the plot of the series/movie. Why English songs, because they’re easy for us to understand and laugh at (when it’s funny)? Why spoil Code Geass, Ponyo, 5 cm/sec, and (for those who haven’t seen it) Tora Dora just for a 4 minute video? Geez. Besides that, there was some great directing but too much Geass/Evangelion/Cowboy Bebop/Toradora. That was 80% of the AMVs. I wonder who won…?
[“Like a Boss” parody song with Shinji from Evangelion. Warning, a few spoilers and lots of explicit lyrics.]
After the AMV contest I watched a bit of the “Karaoke Contest.” RPGHero was supposed to debut as TM Usopplution but we didn’t sign up in time. The acts were mediocre but entertaining. Last years winner was as flashy as he was before even without knocking down mic stands.
But leave it to Uchuu Sentai NOIZ to well… be “noizy.” Seeping into the Karaoke contest was the “Noiz Concert” that was being performed next door, which piqued my interest so I went to watch for a little. But, sorry for cliché once again but it was just noisy! They have rhythm and talent but they relied on their unbearable loudness to gather people, which pissed me off so much that I couldn’t stay for more than 20 minutes. Besides Vamps live in concert was ten times better.
The final panel I went to, and by far the most eye-opening was…
“VOCALOID: Hatsune Miku & Co. Sing For You!”
Now you may be thinking, “Hey, we already know about VOCALOID and sure enough you do too, chansu! So what was so great about hearing the same old songs again?!” Well, it was much more than just replaying some songs. Although I did get to hear and sing along to Just Be Friends, Double Lariat, and others that I’ve yet to upload, I also learned about the existence and splendor of the new wave of VOCALOIDs:
Gumi
Kaito
Gakupo
Meiko (Sakine)
SF-A2 Miki
Kaai Yuki
Hiyama Kiyoteru
Their beautiful music live has inspired me to extend “Vocaloid Track of the Whenever I Feel Like It” to these newcomers so that we can experience a new sensation in music! Also, starting on the 31st, our Vocaloid series will be renamed “Vocaloid Track of the Day!” aptly to describe how many times I will be updating… everyday! I know you guys cannot wait!
And finally, during the late night when some sleep, RPGHero and I ventured into the “Anime Rave”! I have never been a fan of dances or anything involving other people, music, and me moving in an inspired manner, but I had so much fun that I would gladly host my own Anime Rave! Conga lines and throwing hands up is the best, especially to techno mixes of “Ready Steady Go,” “Resonance,” and “Go!!”. Perfect way to end one of the greatest nights in my anime history!!
Now! I will sleep so that I may go all out tomorrow! Saturday is the main event day! Be prepared for more antics and info! This is chansu, signin’ out!
-chansu
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