Paper is all that artists Kelvin Atmadibrata (Indonesia) and Rin Ioka (Japan) want for Christmas this year, as the duo collaborates on an origami exhibition titled Mobile Garden at Pagoda St.’s Forth Gallery from Dec 23 to 30. (Read more)
Events
A mishmash of retro anime characters and cameras flashing at each corner. That sums up UrbanWire’s experience at EOY2008, the grand event rounding up local cosplayers’ fun in 2008, on Dec 13 at the Singapore Expo.
The End of Year cosplay event, known as EOY to most, is a focused event dedicated to cosplayers and all aspects of Japanese animation.
This year’s theme was Retro and organiser, Shiro Tsubasa Animation Club (STAC) encouraged many attending cosplayers to dress up as anime and manga characters from 1999 or earlier.
Everyone’s favourite beach party is back and this time round, with a bigger bang!
Presenting a greater lineup of fantastic acts such as 2000’s World’s Best DJ, DJ Sasha, Zouk’s Resident DJ Andrew Chow, as well as performances by Electrico, Nouvelle Vague and The Teenagers, ZoukOut 2008’s definitely succeeds in its aim to bring you The Golden Experience.
UrbanWire offers you a look at the much-coveted beach dance party of the year, which took place on Dec 13 this year on the golden sands of Siloso Beach.
The atmosphere was electrifying as thousands of party-goers thronged the four arenas: Mambo Jambo, Hip Hop, the Main Arena and Velvet Underground.
Those preferring not to squeeze through the jam-packed dance floors entertained themselves with the wide varieties of fringe activities, which included aerial shows, bungee rides, pool-dipping, fortune-telling and many more.
UrbanWire was particularly amused by the Mambo Jambo crowd, especially when the hyped-up few showed off their well-coordinated hand moves atop the podium.
With an array of drinks going at affordable prices, the party-goers drank to their hearts’ content, guzzling anything from Vodka Redbulls to Heinekens to Bourbons.
UrbanWire was invited by the good people from Heineken to the Heineken Oasis Room, where icy-cold Heineken goodness did us well in beating the humidity.
As the night wore on, the crowd only grew in size, and the music in all its groovy factor. The common consensus that this UrbanWire reporter got from her friends and party-goers alike was that ZoukOut 2008 was a blaring success.
Now, where’s ZoukOut 2009 already?
“Don’t pay to come here and sing! Let ME do the singing!”
That was the message that Angels & Airwaves lead vocalist and guitarist, Tom DeLonge, screamed to the audience on Dec 7.
Anime Festival Asia 2008 (AFA’08), the first of its kind in Singapore, spanned from Nov 22 to Nov 23. The event, aimed at celebrating Japanese pop culture, was certainly quite an experience for some.
Taking up 2 halls of the Suntec City Convention Centre, the mega event was packed to the brim with merchandise booths, cosplayers and interactive zones such as the arcade gaming section for the inaugural Arcade Showdown competition.
The event also had 5 special guests to grace the festival event. Performers Ichirou Mizuki, known to most as “Aniki”, rendered passionate performances during the event while Japan’s upcoming pop idol May’n warmed our hearts with her bubbly personality and strong vocals as she gave her first mini-concert outside of Japan right here in Singapore.
Mechanical designer for popular series, Mobile Suit Gundam, Kunio Okawara, Studio 4°C’s Director Koji Morimoto and LaMB’s storyboard artist, Soejima were also present to give talks and to showcase their work.
The AFA’08 is a stepping stone to introduce the Japanese Creative Center that would be scheduled to open in Singapore next year in 2009.
The UrbanWire brings you inside AFA’08 for the 2 delightful days with Japanese pop culture enthusiasts and cosplayers. Click any of the following sections to navigate.
- Figurine displays and impressive model-kit works
- Merchandise at AFA’08
- Cosplayers galore
- Other sights and scenes of Day 1
- More pictures from Day 1
At about 10.05am, AFA’08 officially opens. After queueing to get in (and boy were the queues long), you will be welcomed by a giant Gundam model.
“Welcome!”
To your sides are rows of ‘gashapon’ (ガシャポン), or what we grew up knowing as capsule machines.
Figurine displays and impressive model-kit works
Shounen Jump Booth by Chuang Yi:
Using her alias, ‘milodrums’, an avid anime fan that this UrbanWire writer caught up with commented that, “The Jump booth was not really ‘Jump’ There wasn’t much (SHOUNEN Jump) characters and manga. There was only Bleach, Naruto and One piece. I would have liked to have seen more merchandise.” Back to top
It was easy to spot veteran cosplayer, Seijiro (above), who has been in the local cosplay scene since June 2002. She is versatile in many different genres of cosplay, including Japanese Rock. She attended the event with her team from Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (below).
Other sights and scenes of Day 1
Tucked away outside the convention center, this writer spotted about 10 owners of Ball-Jointed doll with their dolls gathered in a vacant room outside hall 403. They only wanted a place to pose their dolls for photos and not many of them were too interested in the event itself.
Aniki’s passionate performance and the cute Tamagotchi mascots making an appearance (below). There were certainly loud cheers for, “Aniki” as he belted out crowd favourites and familiar tunes. Aniki’s passion for singing definitely moved this writer as she stood among the appreciative audience.
Tamagotchi mascots were there to promote their latest version of Tamagotchis from Bandai.
Day 2 of AFA’08 had a slightly smaller crowd compared to Day 1. However, queue lines were still long.
The program for the day closely followed that of Day 1’s, save for the cosplay mania competition and May’n’s mini concert.
Nevertheless, we bring you more awesome cosplayers.
UrbanWire spoke to Asuka, who has cosplayed since 2005 to ask her of what she thought of AFA’08.
“They should have more booths dedicated to the anime event. For example, there was no Allen Walker (Of D.Gray-man ) figurine. I expected more doujins, figurines, anime calenders etc”, says Asuka.
On ticket prices, Roy, a ball-jointed doll collector and cosplayer, mentioned, “$5 is ok. If it’s more than that, then no (to entering the event).”
A way around paying for a ticket?
This writer discovered a way that was being used. That is, by purchasing 1 ticket to enter the hall and then proceeding to the exit after a while. There, you will be “stamped”, so you may re-enter again. You probably would have figured this by now, that upon exiting, you can then pass your ticket to someone else to have them do the same for another.
AFA’08 was certainly an interesting experience for most people. Some were left wanting more out of it, while others are describing it as “a bit dull, with no difference from other events”. But when asked if they would come for AFA’09, many responded with a “Yes”.
“We hope in any case you had fun at AFA’08!”
The Singapore Hit Awards 2008 had less star power and attracted a smaller crowd at the National Indoor Stadium: Only 2,500 people were present at the event. Nevertheless, those who were there were treated to the energetic performances of local and overseas artistes.
Gloria Kho Yzelman, guest writer for UrbanWire brings you the highlights of this event.
The usual hot favourites like Fahrenheit, S.H.E and Jay Chou were missing. Even local songbird, Stefanie Sun, snubbed at the nominations stage for Best Local Artiste, was too busy to attend the Oct 25 event. Unlike last year, the Singapore Hit Awards was not broadcast live.
“If anyone wants out, this is your last chance.”
You sit trapped in helplessness, drowning in turmoil as you silently watch the dehumanisation of the characters in front of you. Powerless to retaliate from your seat in the audience, yet too captivated to turn away. (Read more)
Do you really know yourself? This November, Blank Space Productions, part of Escape Theatre, makes you reflect on this, as it brings you face to face to the evil that lurks just under the surface of ordinary people, with its staging of Das Experiment: Black Box.
Halloween’s round the corner, and the pallid vampires, bloody mummies and soulless zombies have risen from their graves to join the restless (and alive) nocturnal animals in the Singapore Night Safari for 4 weeks of senseless mayhem. Expect the unexpected, as natural and supernatural inhabitants of the night collide.
(Read more)
Great indie-electric music. Cheap, chilled booze. Kick-ass bargains. You’d probably be grinning as widely as a Cheshire Cat if you were offered just 1 of the 3. But all 3? Your brows raise in suspicion, you frown in doubt. You mustn’t have heard of Flea.Fly.Flo.Fun. (Read more)
While most military personnel are eager to sign out from camp on Fridays to enjoy their weekends, a group of 130 individuals were quite ready to kick off their long weekend by booking themselves in. (Read more)
The Xbox Fan Nite, featuring exclusive previews of the most highly anticipated titles of 2008 was the highlight of the first day of X08.
Attention Platoon!
Golden Village Grand is organising a Tropic Thunder Ambush Party this Friday. Mission commences at 1900 and a screening of Tropic Thunder will follow at 2100. Mess tins are not required but expect great tasting chow to be served. Come dressed in your military best, and stand a chance to win a pair of GV movie tickets.
So Troopers, synchronise your watches and we will see you there at the party fall in.
Dismissed!
The Tropic Thunder Ambush Party will be held exclusively at GV Grand this Friday on Oct 24 from 7pm to 9pm. The screening of Tropic Thunder starts at 9pm. Tickets are priced at $28 and are available online from Golden Village’s website.
“Do monsters dream of success?”, “Can monsters be gay?”, “Do monsters fall in love?” So many questions, so little time. But if they made you pause and say, “What? Monsters falling in love? Sounds interesting!” Then you’ll be in for a real treat as The Singapore Repertory Theatre presents its latest production: Avenue Q.
The dreams, fantasies and burdens that one often experiences are redoubled when you question the past and doubt the future. Reality versus the surreal, what exactly drives you between the waking world and everything surreal? Maybe it’s questioning about the essence of life, or maybe it’s making a new beginning for yourself by defeating the odds.
In Redoubled presented by the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT), the work of SDT’s Resident Choreographer, Jeffrey Tan, and guest choreographer, Kuik Swee Boon, make you experience the redoubling of your personal questions about life.
(Read more)
