Project Harata

Saturday, 27 October 2012

Event Updates: AFA'12 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Exclusive Puella Magi Madoka Magica content and merchandise at Anime Festival Asia

Event Updates: AFA - The Marble Collection

The Marble Collection – fashion story to unfold in Singapore for the first time

Event Update: AFA 2012

Anime Festival Asia is back this year, bigger and better! Here's some updates regarding AFA ~

Event: Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2012

Organised By: Sozo, Dentsu

Date: 9th - 11th Nov 2012

Location: Singapore Expo Hall 7 and 8

Link: http://www.animefestival.asia/

Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention 2012

It's been a week since STGCC ended! Missed it terribly, especially the guests (TOUYA, KOUSAKA AND JACKY T.T COME BACK PLEASE!), and even Kiyoko too! (if you don't know, she's the translator for Touya and Kousaka)

Thankfully, we (Emi and Seren) were able to join the event as media representatives this year! It was a really fun experience and we thank STGCC and Reed Exhibitions for giving us this chance to cover the event! Even though it meant less sleep (For Seren at least, since she had to wake up super early to prepare gifts for some of the guests), arriving at the venue at 9am, sneaking into the 3rd floor washroom to use the awesome makeup counter that they have in there, sneaking back out to get to the first floor etc, it was really really awesome!

The Organizers of The Game Xpo (TGX) no longer cares or understand the spirit of Video Gaming.

This is the common consensus among every fellow gamer I know who dropped by at the event at Singapore EXPO this weekend. (8/9/12 - 9/9/12). The event is a horrible flop and as a gamer, I feel INSULTED that they dared to call this a Video Game Convention. This “Game Con” was SO BAD I have to divide this critique into THREE SECTIONS!!!

STGCC 2012: Piko (Interview)

Having first started sharing his voice to the world via song covers on Nico Nico Douga in 2007, he has since progressed immensely and become a professional singer. He is known for having an extremely large vocal range, spanning that of both genders, and also for his distinctly androgynous styling.

His videos online have received more than 25 000 000 (that’s million) views, and he holds the record as the individual who took the shortest time to stage his first live performance at Shibuya AX from the time of the debut of his first CD. His major single debut was made in 2010 with the song “Story”, and his third single, “Sakurane”, became an instant hit and was used as the ending song of the anime Yorinuki Gintama-san. Soon after, he released his first album, 1PIKO, attaining 7^th place on the Oricon charts.

When he walked into the interview room, he distinctly had the air of a celebrity - someone who was impeccably styled, with an entourage following behind. When he opened his mouth, this impression was enhanced by his friendly, yet slightly subdued tone. I (Seren) found myself getting nervous over my Japanese – with this person, it probably has to be perfect. When I actually started asking the questions, though, the nervousness subsided, and in place of it was the odd feeling of, “Oh, okay, he’s human too.”

Human with a better voice than most, it turns out. His short stage performance afterwards drew screams from the crowd, and he even came out again for an encore performance because the fans just wouldn’t stop yelling “Encore!” (In Japanese too, might I add – “Anko-ru!”) He has mentioned that he would be happy to do a full-scale concert in Singapore if he had the opportunity. Perhaps we will be able to see him here again sometime soon…

Check out the interview below~

STGCC 2012: Touya Hibiki & Kousaka Yun (Interview)

Two well-known female cosplayers from Japan, Touya Hibiki and Kousaka Yun, graced our shores last weekend as guests of STGCC. With cosplaying styles on opposite ends of the spectrum, Touya specialises in cosplaying (crossplaying) as male, typically “bishounen” characters while Yun makes full use of her delicate features and petite frame to cosplay cute, young girls.

We were very privileged to be able to have interviewed them during the STGCC Media Preview, a day before the actual convention. Touya and Yun were cosplaying as Kaito and Miku respectively from the “Senbonzakura” video, and I (Seren) swear my heart stopped for a second when we coincidentally passed them by at the escalators on the way to breakfast.

STGCC 2012: Piko's Message

It's Piko's first time in Singapore!

Appearing as a guest at STGCC 2012, Piko leaves a message to all Project Harata's viewers ~

Enjoy!

*Video Credits to Golgolak's Den, Copyright Project Harata

STGCC 2012: Tadaaki 'Jacky' Dosai (Interview)

A ‘must-know’ figure in the cosplay industry, Tadaaki “Jacky” Dosai started cosplaying since 1995. Jacky has organised various cosplay events in Japan and his rapid rise in popularity came when he was appointed as the official cosplayer for companies such as Capcom, Atlus and SNK.

Check out his interview below!

STGCC 2012: Cosplay Runway

After a hectic 3 days at STGCC covering event grounds and more, we are finally at the end of STGCC 2012!

Thought you guys may enjoy some photos of the Cosplay Runway that was held on 2nd Sept 2012, 5.30pm at the main stage, so here's a quick update.

I have to say, the number of events including Cosplay Runways sure have increased this year! Cosfest XI had one, Japanese Arts Fiesta II had one, and now STGCC has one too! It's a good thing to have a stage for cosplayers to display their awe inspiring costumes, but i'm sure the public would love to see some competitions with performances and all!

That said, STGCC's cosplay runway was really impressive, with characters from the latest Diablo III, World of Warcraft, Avengers, Final Fantasy and more. The armoured cosplays were impressive and caused many cheers from the crowds, but our guests from Japan, Touya Hibiki, Kousaka Yun as well as Tadaaki 'Jacky' Dosai brought about many cheers as well with their cosplays of "Tokiya Ichinose" from "Uta no Prince-sama", "Ranka Lee" from "Macross Frontier" and "Kotetsu Kaburagi" from "Tiger and Bunny" respectively.

Check out the photos that we have managed to shoot of the cosplayers on stage!

For all the photos, check out: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.454662361235396.104966.432795023422130&type=3

Event Updates: WCS Singapore 2013

Cosfest ASIA has released the requirements for World Cosplay Summit (WCS) Singapore 2013!

It's a really interesting process that the organisers have decided on in order to decide who would compete in WCS Singapore 2013 and go on to represent Singapore in the WCS 2013

Event Updates: STGCC announces new heavyweight comic and toy personalities

With the Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) 2012 around the corner, Reed Exhibitions has announced more top-notch personalities joining this year’s line-up that will delight pop culture fans in Singapore and the region.

World Cosplay Summit (WCS) 2012

After a much anticipated round of competition, i'm sure everyone is excited and happy to know that the WCS Singapore Team of Ayatenshi and Raistlin won 2nd place in the World Cosplay Summit 2012 !

Take a look at the skits from the winners of WCS 2012. Singapore's skit starts at 02:41 .

Video by TVFRANCEJAPONwebTV

Photoshoots: Bachur Casual

~Bachur~

Received my photos from the shoot a couple of days back! It was a really hot Saturday when we headed to *Scape park for the shoot T>T Still, it was really fun to shoot this with all the skaters around us~

First time attempting a more boyish look ^^ Check out the pictures below !

Photog: Blurmage