Category: Manga

Tenken: Tiamat’s Older and Meaner Brother

Leave a comment

If you were waking around in the Exhibitors Hall at NYCC you might have seen a booth promoting One Peace Book’s recent publication, Tenken. It is an atypical manga that uses the legend of the Yamata no Orochi to tell a story of modern fantasy. The first time I had an experience of the learning about the legend of the Orochi was while watching the Reawakening Memories OVA of Ranma 1/2 in college. That was a great introduction to the story regardless of Rumiko Takahashi’s alterations of the story. Ever since then I have always taken an interest in anything involving the Orochi because it was those two episodes in particular that catapulted me in hardcore anime fandom.

Continue reading →

NY Anime Festival & Comic Con 2010: Panels

6 Comments

Getting to see your favorite comic creators speak and answer questions is one of the great highlights of big events like New York Comic Con and Anime Fest. But not only do they have the people behind comics, but plenty of knowledge professionals in my fields giving talks as well. There is much promotion and celebration but also you just might learn something by checking out the myriad of panels at this convention.

hisuiconBig conventions mean equally big panels and panelists. NYCC had some big names in the comics industry talking about what they are doing alongside television and video games properties having high-profile panels as well. Despite all this I tried to stick NYAF side of the convention for panels this year considering the fact we are an anime and manga blog. More than any other aspect of the show it was the panels were I felt I missed out the most due to conflicted schedules. You can see a premiere later down the road but a panel is sometimes a once only opportunity. So here are the once only opportunities I got to see.

Continue reading →

NY Anime Festival & Comic Con 2010: Exhibitors Hall

10 Comments

The exhibitors hall is the biggest draw of most big time media conventions housing all types of companies from comics to video games to anime to novels with money to burn and products to promote to the eager masses that pass their way as well as a hodgepodge of comic, anime, and merchandise dealers hocking their wares. Most attendees spend a good portion of their time trolling around this section picking up free swag, playing the latest games, and finding deals. In my early con days, I too rarely went outside of such an area. NYCC really did it up big this year and it left an impression no doubt.

hisuiconYou can always tell how healthy an industry is by how vibrant their booths are. With a few exceptions the companies that are flush with cash will have lavish booths with fantastic giveaways. So while the anime and manga companies mostly had simple booths with a few (if any) giveaways on the other end of the spectrum the video game companies had gargantuan affairs with giveaways galore. The NYCC reminded of my times of going to technology expos like PC Expo were the exhibitors hall is the entire convention and 80% of the reason people go is to get freebies. Theoretically the other 20% of the time you were looking for hardware and software for your home and office but the second free t-shirts came out you wonder if 20% was being generous. But if you were not in the mood to go a panel or a screening there was plenty to do in the exhibitors hall especially if you wanted to go home with a few treats.

Continue reading →