All posts tagged: SMASH!

Vocaloid DJ Hachioji P To Perform At SMASH!’s 10th Anniversary Event

Published by Frank Inglese

When you get to my age, you stop celebrating certain things. This is why I havn’t been to a proper party in over a decade. Oh, in my hay-day I was quite a sight to behold; I was king of the dance floor! They used to call me “The Charleston Kid“, and I would swing and bop my way through all kinds of musical tracks. T’was quite the time to be alive. Now, just because I’ve retired, and no longer have the strong enough bones to go to shindigs, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! Listen up, kids, as Grandpa Frank let’s you in on something pretty cool that’s coming up this August. We all know what SMASH! is, right? Surely! SnapThirty has been attending the Japanese Pop Culture event ever since the sight started up, so if you’re a keen follower of us then surely you’d know. Well did you know that this year marks SMASH!’s 10th anniversary? Oh ho ho! Well, to celebrate said anniversary, SMASH! are preparing a few grand guests who will …

Another Golden Guest Heading to SMASH! 2016: Cosplayer Takahiro ‘Goldy’ Sakai

Published by Luke Halliday

News has just broke on yet another guest set to attend SMASH! 2016. The latest guest announced is popular cosplayer Takahiro Sakai, more commonly known as Goldy. Goldy is famed for his mecha cosplays which have wowed audiences across the globe for their wonderful craftsmanship, bringing to life the mecha of Gundam and Evangelion among many more. SMASH! 2016 is slated to take place on the 20th to 21st of August. Stay tuned for more details as it comes to light. -30-

Madoka Magica’s Ai Nonoka announced as a guest for SMASH! 2016

Published by Luke Halliday

Get excited anime fans, one of the industry’s most popular voice actresses will be heading down under as a guest at SMASH! Con 2016. That’s right, Ai Nonoka, of Madoka Magica fame will be attending the Sydney Manga and Anime Show at Rose Hill Gardens on 20th and 21st of August, 2016. Ai Nonoka famously voiced Kyoko Sakura in Madoka Magica, a critically acclaimed modern classic anime series. Not only was she a part of that series but she is also well known Konoka Konoe in the iconic Negima franchise. Miss Nonoka will be joining previously announced guest Hideo Ishikawa for the SMASH! Convention come August 20th and 21st. It is unknown exactly what type of appearances she shall make or if their will be a panel for her so stay tuned for updates on Ai Nonoka’s appearance at SMASH! Con 2016. -30-

The Voice of the Crow Flies South – Hideo Ishikawa Announced as Guest for SMASH! 2016

Published by Kane Bugeja

Convention time draws ever nearer friendly friends, so it’s time to keep an ear to the ground and an eye on the sky as information starts a-flowin’ like some kind of detail sprouting river. Terrible similes aside, let’s talk about SMASH! for a little while shall we? Bringing anime and manga to Sydney in a show like format, this particular convention has made known one of the oh so special guests that will be appearing in this, the year 2016. Audiophiles and anime fans rejoice, ’cause Hideo Ishikawa is coming to town. With characters such as Itachi Uchiha, Jushiro Ukitake and Squall Leonhart rockin’ his voice, chances are you’ve probably heard Hideo Ishikawa sometime during your fictitious romps through pop culture. However, chances are somewhat slim that you’ve ever actually seen the man in person. Well, that could all change if you wander on over to SMASH!, you know, when it’s taking place. turn up beforehand and you might be a little disappointed. Nevertheless, this particular guest will very much be in attendance, a fact …

Our Interview With Culture Japan’s Danny Choo – SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

What does it take to become a celebrity in the world of Japanese pop culture? If there’s any man to ask, it has to be Culture Japan’s very own Danny Choo. From humble beginnings, this man worked himself to the bone in order to reach the level of success he currently holds. The curator of an amazingly detailed blog about his life, the creator of pop culture mascot Mirai Suenaga, and the host of his very own Japanese television program, there’s no one who knows more about hard work and dedication than Danny Choo. This year’s Sydney Manga and Anime Show allowed us the opportunity to sit down and have a one-on-one interview with the man himself to talk about, well…pretty much what I detailed above. In a quite room, away from the hustle and bustle of the convention, we sat and spoke about as much as we possibly could within the short time we had with him, but you don’t want to simply read about an interview, you want to see the interview! So enough …

The Attendees of SMASH! 2015 – Cosplay Compilation

Published by Frank Inglese

The cosplay community is a large, thriving collection of incredibly dedicated and hard-working fans of pop culture. Preparing months (sometimes even years) in advanced, these men and women put countless hours into constructing costumes modelled after their favorite characters from the world of pop culture, but…come on, you know this already, right? Cosplay has been around for many, many years. It’s so popular in the modern age that I honestly cannot imagine it ever dulling in popularity…nor should it. At every pop culture convention, one of the more amazing sights is that of a crowd of cosplayers not only enjoying their own costumes but the costumes of others and the convention itself. When it comes to prime cosplayers, it seems as though SMASH! truly is the place to be. Each and every year the quality of cosplay you see on the show grounds continues to grow ever higher, with those living the dedicated cosplay lifestyle continuing to develop as craftsmen and craftswomen. SMASH! 2015 was no different. Each and every cosplayer present put clear effort into their …

Playing With Our Decks – Learning To Play Future Card Buddyfight At SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Long-time readers of the site will know that the SnapThirty crew are particularly fond of modern trading card games. While we’ve not got the time nor money to experience each and every different series, we take every chance we get to try and learn something and partake in something new. Last year’s Sydney Manga and Anime Show (SMASH!) introduced us to the wild world of Bushiroad’s Cardfight!! Vanguard, but this year we decided to try something a little different; another of Bushiroad’s popular series’, a game called Future Card Buddyfight, and thanks to the wonderful hosts of the weekend-long workshop…it was hard not to fall in love with. SMASH! always accommodates for the TCG-loving community of Sydney. Not a year goes by wherein which Trading Card Games are left out of the celebrations of the young convention, and the stage is always set up for the enjoyment of the masses; both new and season card gamers alike. Us, being casual adopters of the TCG lifestyle, were made to feel perfectly welcome despite the number of …

Artist Spotlight: Chancake at SMASH! Con 2015

Published by Luke Halliday

Tucked away in booth #73 at SMASH! Con’s Artist Alley Hall was a lovely young artist by the name of Chancake. With visually striking art bursting with colour and personality, Chancake’s work stood out from the crowd in a room filled with talented artists and their artwork. Infusing a mix of different styles, Chancake’s work was reminiscent of the punkish vibe of video-games like Danganronpa crossed with the pop art sensibilities of Andy Warhol making for almost an Warhol-esque take on anime and manga. It is a bit of a strange comparison to make but one look at Chancake’s art and you will see it to be a truly mind boggling aesthetic experience. Her art work can be described as fan art but her spin on popular characters and series such as Inazuma Eleven and Phoenix Wright feels like so much more than simple fan art. She takes these already larger than life characters and portrays them in a way that is utterly out of this world. In particular I found her Inazuma Eleven art …

Gunpla Builders at SMASH! Con 2015 – Gundam is Fundam

Published by Luke Halliday

As has become almost an annual tradition, Gundam has once again invaded SMASH! con in Sydney with the Gunpla model kit building competition taking the event by storm was a massive booth right in the centre of the main convention hall. Many Gunpla fans turned out for a glimpse at the jaw-dropping booth and all the incredible Gundam figures and builders present. Like previous years a special edition Gunpla figure was available at the booth, this time a rare Neon Bear Guy was available. Watching on from the side-lines I found myself utterly fascinated by the passion conveyed by builders and onlookers alike for the Gunpla kits. The level of intricacy and delicate detail that goes into building a kit is incredible and watching on as builders competed against one another to construct their kit was compelling to say the least. These people love Gunpla and that passion is evident simply from the look in their eyes as they connect one piece to the next. Interesting to note was the Gunpla Builders World Championships taking …

Kuroko’s Basketball, Yowamushi Pedal and More Announced by Madman at SMASH! Yes, You Read That Right

Published by Luke Halliday

Brace yourselves sports anime fans, Madman just made a colossal slew announcements during SMASH! con at Rose Hill Gardens in Sydney. The Australian anime industry’s number one distributor announced the long anticipated and fan requested Kuroko’s Basketball and Yowamushi Pedal. It is truly the era of the sports anime and following Madman’s release and subsequent streaming of Haikyu on AnimeLab, it has proven that series like this do have a place in the West and fans that will support it. This is a particularly special announcement considering that both series have not been released anywhere else in the world in English and no plans appear to be in place outside of Australia for a Western release, making these releases the first of their kind. On top of those two massive title announcements, Madman also announced that they had acquired the rights to all seasons of To-Love Ru and Amagi Brilliant Park. Both To-Love Ru and Amagi Brilliant Park look set to hit AnimeLab for streaming as well as physical mediums. These are some huge announcements …

Hands-On With One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 At SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco Entertainment has a fairly sizeable presence at most, if not all, good pop culture conventions, and that includes Sydney’s very own SMASH! (Sydney Manga and Anime Show). The convention plays host to an abundance of great upcoming additions to Japanese pop culture and there’s nothing more loved in Japanese pop culture than that of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece; a series that has been running since 1997 and still continues to run in the modern age of Anime and Manga. Bandai Namco Entertainment, this year, had somewhat of a smaller booth, but it was constantly filled to the brim with people wanting to get even the slightest glimpse of a couple of the publisher’s upcoming games, one of them being One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, which I was lucky enough to get a chance to experience first-hand. What’s there to say about One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 that hasn’t already been said about the first two games? Honestly…nothing, but I think I’ve come to realise that it’s not really a bad thing. The way I …

Listen Up – Loverin Tamburin Announced for SMASH! 2015

Published by Kane Bugeja

In case you didn’t know already, SMASH! 2015 has promised itself to be quite the musical affair. With guests such as GARNiDELiA and yanaginagi already announced, the auditorily inclined might be happy to know that Loverin Tamburin has been added to this list. Consisting of main vocalist/songwriter Aya, pianist/arranger Akihiro and support musicians Fujio Ryo, Fire and Kohta Igarashi, Loverin Tamburin made their debut back in 2006 with “Aishitageru” (which might be known to you as the theme for Disgaea). Known for a mixture of original songs and anime covers, the band is currently in the midst of their second world tour. So enjoy their stop over in Australia, which I assume you will, considering that they are a returning SMASH! guest. That’s usually a good sign in my opinion. In regards to this appearance, SMASH! President Andrew Qiu said: “From EDM style to J-pop music, SMASH! 2015 is definitely the biggest year yet for Japanese music entertainment. With their highly eccentric style, Loverin Tamburin is the perfect addition to this year’s line-up. We look forward to …

SMASH! Announce ‘I LOVE ANISONG’ Anime Music Concert

Published by Luke Halliday

Big news has come in for Sydney’s Manga and Anime Show, SMASH! convention. The convention has just announced that in conjunction with SOZO and TWH International they will be presenting a special anime music concert ‘I LOVE ANISONG x SMASH’. The event will take place during the weekend of SMASH! in August and will feature a star-studded line-up of anime music idols including GARNiDELiA of Kill la Kill fame, Yaganinagi of Waiting in the Summer and My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU fame. Also to be featured is Vocaloid musician kz(Livetune) and DJ Hello Kitty. Slated for August 8th, the Saturday of SMASH! the I LOVE ANISONG concert looks to be a must see musical event for anime fans and Japanese music fans alike. Check out the preview video below to see what to expect from this concert. -30-

Choo On This! – Danny Choo Announced As Guest For SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

The Sydney Manga and Anime Show, also known as SMASH!, is right around the corner and us here at SnapThirty couldn’t be more excited! It’s one of the few times throughout the year that we get to directly connect with our kin; fans with the same love for Japanese pop culture as us, and the celebrity guests that create all the content we so dearly treasure. Every year the hard-working people at SMASH! do their darnedest to bring the biggest and bests guests down to our neck of the woods, and every year they find ways to surprise us all with the calibre of guests on their list of celebrity attendants. Already announced this year are cosplayers Reika and Kaname, voice actor Noriaki Sugiyama, and now…Danny Choo. Talking directly to you ladies out there, and some of the men: I bet you know who Jimmy Choo is right? He’s a very successful fashion designer that has made his mark on the world designing women’s shoes, well…Danny Choo is his son and he clearly shares the …

Cosplay Legends Collide! Reika and Kaname Heading to SMASH! 2015

Published by Luke Halliday

Cosplayers and fans of them have reason to be excited with Sydney Manga and Anime Show more commonly known as SMASH have announced that two cosplay icons of Japan will be appearing as guests at the convention. Reika, who appeared at last year’s event will return after immense fan demand. Reika is famed in Japan for her cosplay of characters such as Levi from Attack on Titan and Rei from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club. Kaname will be appearing for the first time at SMASH!. He alongside Reika are recognized as the two top cosplayers of Japan today and with memorable cosplays of characters like Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7 and Hozuki from Hozuki no Reitestu. This is undoubtedly the clash of cosplayer legends that many cosplay fans have long wanted for SMASH! and now the convention is delivering. SMASH! 2015 is scheduled for August 8th and 9th at the Rose Hill Gardens. You can get your tickets now at SMASH.org.au. -30-

Japanese Voice Of Sasuke Uchiha Noriaki Sugiyama Revealed As Guest For SMASH! 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Can you hear that? Seriously, listen. Can you hear the screaming of all the Sasuke Uchiha fan girls echoing around the great country of Australia. For real, if you do listen hard enough I guarantee you’ll at least hear a “squee” or two. SMASH!, one of Australia’s most exciting Japanese pop culture events, have just announced that Noriaki Sugiyama will be attending the event as another one of it’s guests thanks to The Japan Foundation who’re flying him down here to meet all his adoring fans. The talented voice actor has lent his mastery to some incredibly likeable roles like the aforementioned Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto, Uryu Ishida from another Shonen series Bleach, England from Hetalia, and so many others! Like the other guests attending SMASH! and those from the past, Mr. Sugiyama will be spending a great time of the convention meeting fans and hosting his own panels. It’s looking to be, once again, one hell of an amazing event! Last year was absolutely brilliant but I truly think this year will outdo the …

Cosplay with SMASH! at Matsuri in Sydney

Published by Kane Bugeja

Calling all Australian fans of Japanese culture, who happen to live within travelling distance of Darling Harbour. On December 13th, also known as tomorrow, the food stalls, exhibition booths, workshops and performances of the Matsuri in Sydney festival will line Tumbalong Park. For all of the anime fans out there, SMASH! has announced that they will also be taking part in the festivities for the first time ever. From 3:05-3:20pm, cosplayers will be able to take to the main stage and show off their garb to the public, or simply enjoy taking photos with fellow attendees. If that isn’t your scene, SMASH! will also be involved in the Mini Karaoke Competition that will be hosted by LIVEDAM. So battle it out from 4:05-4:20pm to win your chance to compete in the SMASH! 2015 Saturday KAraoke Competition, or just have fun at the Karaoke booth which will be open from 11am-7pm. In regards to their first year of involvement with Mitsuri in Sydney, SMASH! President Andrew Qiu said: “Matsuri in Sydney is a unique Japanese festival …

Toshihiro Kawamoto Panel at SMASH! 2014

Published by Kane Bugeja

Taking time away from the busy schedule that is to be expected of an anime heavyweight, Bones co-founder Toshihiro Kawamoto held a panel at SMASH! 2014 to answer a few of the questions that fans wish to know. Harking back to his humble beginnings, Kawamoto began the panel by answering a fan question regarding how he began his career in the anime industry. He expressed that he has always possesses an interest in drawing, a simple fact that provided him with a respect of those who forge a career in the artistic field. More specifically, Kawamoto cited Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the character designer of Mobile Suit Gundam, and Macross as early sources of inspiration. See anime fans, even the biggest names have to start somewhere, it’s as grounding as it is interesting honestly. Leading on from Gundam, Kawamoto briefly explained just how he, along with some close friends, broke away from their respective companies in order to start what would become one of the most successful studios in the anime industry. Whilst working on Cowboy Bebop, …

Rise Of The Machines – SMASH! 2014’s Gunpla Exhibit

Published by Frank Inglese

I always thought myself a steady hand. As a child I’d spend my days building using connectable blocks and simple model kits. As a teen I fancied myself somewhat of a handyman, taking classes like ‘Woodwork’ at school. As someone coming out of my teenage years I realize I’m not quite as patient and precise as I used to be so, as you can imagine, watching groups of hard-working ‘Gunpla’ enthusiasts perfectly assembling confusing and detailed robots really puts me in a state of great envy. At most Anime and Manga conventions, in fact, at most conventions that revolve around Japanese Pop Culture, you’ll always find a designated areas where model fanatics can take a seat and relax as they put together a fresh Gundam kit. Also at these conventions are areas where the very best of the very best models are put out on display for all the expo-goers to lay their eyes on and, most of the time, these models are more than magnificent, they’re simply…unbelievable! SMASH! 2014 did not stray from what …

The ‘Cosplay in Today’s Media’ Panel at SMASH! 2014

Published by Kane Bugeja

Conventions. The place where fans of all descriptions gather together to enjoy their shared interest. Panels, stalls, guests. Fun times. But whilst some simply enjoy taking in the atmosphere, some wish to take a more active role in creating said atmosphere. I speak of course of cosplayers. Those select fans who take the opportunity to live their favourite series and embody a character. As time has passed, this practice has only seen an increase in popularity, spreading far beyond the walls of the traditional convention. But with this spread has come a certain uncertainty in the limits and definition of the practice of cosplay. Thus, at SMASH! 2014, a panel was held to explain cosplay in today’s media, aptly entitled Cosplay in Today’s Media. Taking an honest approach to the way the internet, and thus the world, operates, the panel delved into the dark underbelly of every popular site: the comment section. The swirling vortex of anonymous opinions and brutal “honesty” that never fails to deliver a decisive blow to a person’s confidence. Of course …

Madman Cosplay Competition at SMASH! 2014

Published by Kane Bugeja

Ah cosplay. The ever present art that allows people to walk a mile in the shoes of their favourite characters and add an unmistakeable visual diversity to conventions. However, as with any endeavour, there are those who go the extra mile, those who strive for that little bit extra. IT is for these people that SMASH! 2014 was host to the Madman Cosplay Competition, a stage where cosplayers could strut there stuff and show those in attendance the extent of their passion. Though you may simply assume that the cosplayers in question merely stood upon the stage, you would in fact be wrong. Some participants opted to showcase their costumes in more creative ways, producing skits, songs and performances to really express their creative side. From the recreation of a Rocky Horror dance routine, to an intricately choreographed fight scene between the stars of Fairy Tail, to a Naruto and Sasuke skit that pushed some people’s buttons (it involved a remote) there was nary a dull moment on the Main Stage. Unfortunately, said moments do not convey …

Masters Of Sequential Art – The ‘Making Manga’ Workshop At SMASH! 2014

Published by Frank Inglese

The doors open, the crowds flood in, the event halls fill up with excited bodies and the convention truly begins! It was the first day of SMASH! 2014 and one of the first small events that helped kick off the weekend in a huge way was the Making Manga Workshop, lead by two Sydneysiders who both happen to have an undying passion for visual storytelling and sequential art. Going to conventions, I feel as though most attendees feel safe; they know they’re in an environment that only supports fun and they know that they’re surrounded by thousands of other people with, for the most part, the same interests and one of the interests I found to be in the majority is that of becoming a Manga/Comic Book artist. Most convention-goers, especially those into Anime and Manga, have somewhat of a common goal and I feel as though one day making Manga is one of many. At some point in any Pop Culture fan’s life, they’ve wanted to try their hand at drawing. At least, that’s …

Practice Makes Perfect! The ‘How To Improve Your Drawing’ Workshop At SMASH! 2014

Published by Frank Inglese

Every person in the world with at least the slightest bit of drive wants to be the very best at something. Occasionally we dig ourselves holes of negativity with counter-constructive thoughts like “why aren’t I as good as X” or “why can’t I even draw X”. These thoughts plague artists every single day and, in some extreme examples, even cause some to rethink their life goals and give up on a life of design. This is a trend that must be stopped and the extremely talented Cecilia Jin seems as though she’s the perfect figurehead to lead a revolution of this kind. A reacurring guest of SMASH!, Cecilia Jin returned this year to host another fantastic panel/workshop titled ‘How To Improve Your Drawing’. As ‘wanabee’ comic book artists and lovers of the industry, fellow writer Kane Bugeja and I made a point of being front and center for what we assumed would be a brilliant and informative panel. Needless to say…it was! Following an odd trend that seemingly took over the volunteer staff of the …

Wonderful Colour! Cai’s Digital Colouring Workshop At SMASH! 2014

Published by Frank Inglese

Imagine a world in black and white. It’d be like living in a television program from the 40s and I can probably guess that it wouldn’t be too exciting. Had life been exactly the way it looked on a monochrome TV, we’d all be living a pretty bleak existence but we wouldn’t really know any better. Thank the lords there’s such thing as colour in this universe because without it, well…do I really need to go on? The Manga medium is quite an interesting one; it’s entirely in black and white but is somehow still engaging enough to keep our attention and have us flicking to the next page. Western Comic Books sometimes take it a step above that and colour is added to the pages of a series. This colour, when done well, brings about a level of enjoyment from a still image not thought possible until the moment of eye contact. Both illustrated mediums do what they do very well but it is always the pages that explode with vibrance and colour that …

Reika SMASH! 2014 Panel, The Art of Cosplay

Published by Luke Halliday

Over this past weekend at SMASH! 2014 at the Rose Hill Gardens, cosplay superstar Reika held panels for her adoring fans, discussing her love of cosplay and the detailed artistry that goes into crafting the perfect cosplay. Reika is arguably Japan’s best cosplayer, having won numerous cosplay competitions in her home nation as well as internationally. She has garnered global acclaim for her cosplay performances as characters such as Levi from Attack on Titan, Tobio from Haikyuu, Sakon Shima from Sengoku Basara and many many more. During Reika’s panel she held a cosplay workshop, teaching cosplayers in attendance her ways, taking on the role of cosplay sensei for many rookies in the audience. She detailed different ways to style wigs, apply make-up and of course construct the outfit itself. From an outsiders perspective, having no real cosplay experience myself, it was abundantly clear that Reika was an expert on the subject and her professionalism and passion had me enthralled in her panel. Following her workshop demonstration, Reika held a Q&A session answering the questions of …

Get Real! The Drawing Skills: Anatomy Panel At SMASH! 2014

Published by Frank Inglese

  As a huge Anime and Manga fan (obviously), there’s something I feel like I can say without hesitation: Reality is not something fans of these particular mediums entirely enjoy, that’s why we escape into worlds filled with wonder and magic, worlds that make us believe we’re all heroes in our own lives or at least if we’re not now we will be eventually! That’s the majesty of Anime and Manga; it’s stepping into a world where reality is thrown out the window, tossed to the curb and left to wilt in the rain, where imagination runs wild and anything is possible! Though, even in saying that, there are some instances where we’re forced to come back down to Earth and even in the world of Anime and Manga, the characters need to look realistic enough for us to believe, even just slightly, that these amazing scenarios could be possible throughout time and space. This is where the style of realistic drawing comes into play and Hilary Sandeman, the host of the informative ‘Drawing Skills: …

Let’s Go, Buddy! Trading Card Games invade SMASH! 2014

Published by Luke Halliday

Stand up, my Vanguard! Let’s go, Buddy! It’s time to duel! Pokemon, Go! Those were the battle-cries heard at SMASH! 2014 in Sydney at the Rosehill Gardens during the weekend’s intense Trading Card Game tournaments which wowed attendees and captivated them with the intensity of play on show from these skilled TCG players. The TCG booth as it were was decorated head to toe in the latest TCG craze, Future Card Buddyfight, the newest Card Game from Bushiroad, the people who have brought us Cardfight Vanguard and Weiss Schwartz. It was quite clear that Buddyfight was going to make quite the impact considering how heavily it was being promoted at the event. While Buddyfight did prove to be a popular new game among players at the TCG booth, it was evident that the real star of the show was Cardfight Vanguard, the clear fan favourite. The Vanguard tournament was a real barn-burner with intense battles that would cause you to break a sweat just by watching it. The participants all cardfought their hearts out and all …

Interview With Hanabee’s Karen Pak At SMASH! 2014

Published by Luke Halliday

During SMASH! 2014 in Sydney, we were able to sit down with Karen Pak the Product Manager for Hanabee during her brief downtime over the busy convention weekend for an exclusive interview. We discussed their latest title announcements made at SMASH! 2014, the nature of anime streaming and the brand new Hanabee streaming service. There is some detailed discussion of what Hanabee will implement in order to make themselves known as one of the big players in the anime streaming game as well as general anime release information for Hanabee’s 2014 schedule. Big thanks to Karen for taking the time out to sit down with us. You can check out the full video interview below for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section. -30-

SMASH! is Just Around the Corner!

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s time to put on your Saturday/Sunday best and grab your wallets Pop Culture fans because SMASH! is almost upon us once again. Taking a shift in location from last year, all of your anime and manga needs can now be found at Rosehill Gardens, on August 9th-10th (the aforementioned Saturday/Sunday). Clocking in with over 170 vendors, this eighth iteration of SMASH! is set to be bigger than ever. Fans will (as always) have the opportunity to show off their cosplay outfits on the main stage, perhaps even taking part in one of the two competitions to be held during the weekend: the annual Madman Cosplay Competition and the Australian Preliminary Competition of World Cosplay Summit 2015. Such fans may also be pleased to note that cosplay superstar Reika will also be gracing SMASH! this year, drawing a greater focus to this constructive endeavour of fandom than ever before. Though even if you’re not expressly into cosplay, you will by no means be disappointed. With all the panels, shops, workshops, cafes and anything else anime/manga related, …