BBG Sakura Matsuri Cosplay Fashion Show

Brooklyn Botanical Garden hosts a cherry blossom festival every spring and usually garden visitors will see cosplayers gathering and hanging out during the popular event as well. I have been to the festival a few years in a row and got a chance to see the cosplay fashion show this year.

Since there is a limited number of spots on the fashion show and requires an application process, only the best get to be part of the cat walk! Since I was way too short, I missed most of the poses on the stage. Luckily, I happened to be standing near the exist and snapped these photos.

Kitana from the video game series Mortal Kombat. She was actually part of a trio of Mortal Kombat group cosplay. The other two were Sonia and Scorpion. The three of them managed to increase the tension on the stage with their deadly entrance. Don’t mess with Mortal Kombat… just saying.

I do not know the characters but the credits mention they are from the series Black Butler. I know it’s usually not fair to base my anime watching habits on cool clothes… but I may have to check this series out since the art style is also up my alley.

Disney princess remix (Belle, Elza, Snow White, etc. Genius!

One of two Attack on Titan cosplayers from the fashion show. I couldn’t figure out which character this was until the credits noted it’s Jean. The gear on this is just hotness.

Yes, the garden has a variety of tulips. I like the orange ones and also a few varieties that have a difference color edge than the petals themselves.

Magnolia plaza lives up to its name. I took a pic of the yellow magnolia because it’s one of the few trees that didn’t have pink blossoms.

More cosplay photos from the weekend on Gothamist: http://gothamist.com/2015/04/27/cosplayers_brooklyn_2015.php#photo-1

NYU CosCafe 2015

view from NYU Kimmel was awesome

Love Live, the cutest show with great music and cosplay too.

I like this song / dance number for including a lot of energy

MoshiMoshi, a rock band that specializes in video game / anime music.
their rockin’ rendition of Pokemon wowed the entire audience.

Notes

I was invited to this event by animemiz and was happy to be able to save a table near the front for the group. J. and I were both hooked on Love Live aftewards (he checked out the game, I checked out the anime). I am really impressed with the talent and organization of anime clubs of today. Previously, I was quite impressed with how Stevens pulled off an anime convention on their campus (see post link). Now after seeing this coscafe with people cosplaying and performing was a nice surprise too. If you enjoy cosplay masquerade events at conventions, the coscafe offers great entertainment/performances. I particularly enjoyed the Love Live numbers. The group did a fantastic job putting the outfits together and also a lot of rehearsals for the steps! I also liked some of the interactive audience games they played (especially rock paper scissors group play and also T/F with anime trivia). A group of us ended up at a diner where we chilled out and talked more anime. Maybe I’ll see more friends at Anime Next?

More Reading

Love Live on Crunchyroll http://www.crunchyroll.com/love-live-school-idol-project
Youtube videos of the event: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxlTbPZSVZ1LawtTLqAKx8Kv_LL-bZi-m
MoshiMoshi https://www.facebook.com/MoshiMoshiBand

Hoboken Castle Point Anime Con

This past Sunday Stevens Anime Club held an one-day anime con on their campus in Hoboken. While the convention has been going on since 2008, it was my first attending this particular convention. L and G also came along to the convention which made our PATH trip and the short walk to campus more fun. They also kept me sane by suggesting a lunch break (I would have forgotten to eat since my schedule was overbooked with panels).

Stevens students are lucky to have this view!

The sunny and cool weather ensured good natural light and crisp photos for cosplayers. I also enjoyed the outdoor concerts (come on, you want to hear your college campus play anime rock!) and walking around in general to see cosplayers and take breaks between panels. The convention also reminded me of my first convention (fun panels, nice video rooms, and in general a friendly atmosphere all around). and it wasn't overly crowded. Having attended Katsucon in its various locations, Anime Boston in the convention center, and NY animefest (no longer exists) in Javits convention center, it was a nice change of pace to go to a smaller con with so many creative workshops and panels. and I found the artist alley / dealer room less intimating than some of the larger cons. 

Attack on Titans

Popular anime series featured were Tokyo Ghoul (haven't seen/read it yet) and Attack on Titan. I am usually behind on such popular series at conventions, especially when One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, and Deathnote were all the rage. I recognized the characters but could never related to the fandom in music videos or cosplay shows. At this convention, I actually had knowledge of Attack on Titan and call myself a fan so that made the experience all the more fun. (need to go back and see Attack on Titan photos from Katsucon... since I didn't know it back in Feb).

Eren from Attack on Titan (or SNK) in front of the wall (AKA castle in Stevens campus)

I am a fairly recent fan of the series. It all started when Crunchroll added streaming manga access to my account (used to only have anime) so I took the opportunity to check out Attack on Titan. I quickly became absorbed by the storyline and characters and just kept reading chapter after chapter. After finishing all available chapters, I am starting to watch the anime. I have to say they did a nice job adopting the story and also used the animated action scenes to their advantage. The colors were so vibrant which took a bit getting used to. Somehow I never even thought of colors when I reading the manga since it was so gritty most of the time. 

Based on my interest in the show, I thought it would be fun to see the Attack on Titan panel at the convention, called SNK (japanese Shingeki no Kyojin, Attack on Titan) Over the Wall Panel. The show's description on the con site:
The SnK Over The Wall panel will show the SnK characters as they are outside the walls in an area with no titans. While trying to keep away from the titans as well as find a way back, the cast can get asked question as well as answer them the best they can.
This was hands down my favorite panel ever (of this con and all conventions I've attended so far). The room featured several cosplayers who role-played as the characters from the show. The audience got to ask questions and the cast answered them while staying true to their cosplay character. A lot of laughing and singing involved. My favorite was the cosplayer for Jean (one sitting on the chair backwards). The Marco and Petra/tree jokes got a bit much. But I did enjoy Mikasa and Jean's antics and energy. and Armin had a great voice and knew the opening song by heart (in Japanese). Somehow I didn't get Hanji in the photo but she was really great too. I heard the video will be up soon. [placeholder]. No Levi though, many complaints heard around the room...

More Cosplay Photos

Korra from Legend of Korra

Blake from RWBY

Ruby from RWBY

Fire Emblem (never played this game but those two looked great!) 

Panels / Con Memories

• Panels on cosplay photography (communicate with cosplayer/photographer!), 70s anime (need to watch Rose of Versailles), magic (fire / wand tricks in cosplay)
• Outdoor concert guitar jam to Pokemon theme song (English one)
• Standing in line waiting for SNK panel and meeting various fan (one of them was attending her first convention! so awesome)
• Reading Tsubasa in the manga library
• Stadium seating style lecture halls (don't have to worry about people blocking your view)
• Fantastic schedule iphone application. I'm overbooked for every hour though!

More Resources

Official site for Castle Point Anime (bookmark for next year!)

http://castlepointanime.com/

SNK Fandom

• Check your manga vs anime storyline here http://shingekinokyojin.wikia.com/wiki/Story_Arcs
• Watch Anime Link: http://www.crunchyroll.com/attack-on-titan
• Read Manga Link: http://www.crunchyroll.com/comics/manga/attack-on-titan/volumes
• You can also of course order the show on your streaming website of choice and also order the paper or electronic manga easily too. After you are caught up with both, you can also check out the spin-offs and guidebooks. 
• so many tumblrs which to pick? (great, now i have to re-activate my tumblr just to follow) http://snk-universe.tumblr.com/

RWBY

http://www.crunchyroll.com/rwby

Legend of Korra

http://www.nick.com/legend-of-korra/

Fire Emblem

http://fireemblem.nintendo.com/

2015 Katsucon Cosplay Notes

Recent Katsucon anime conventions have been taking place in the Gaylord hotel in National Harbor, a dream location for cosplayers and photographers alike. Beautiful lighting, garden setting, and plenty of indoor temperature controlled space all make cosplay photo shoots possible in middle of freezing February.

I was not mentally prepared to take photos. It took at least 30min of gawking before I remembered to take out my camera. Please contact me if you want a link to your site/cosplay profile!

Classic

I spent most of the time gawking at the Sailor Moon shoot. I should have taken more photos of the various sailor scouts but you can probably find them online. Sailor Mercury was one of the best and totally in character as a shy, bookish girl (someone even lent her a book to pose with). and the Sailor Moon / Tuxedo masks were just very sweet. I like the classic Sailor Moon pose with the crossed arms below. Link to new Sailor Moon series here: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sailor-moon-crystal

Game Fun

Vincent was a bit out of character but managed to organize some fun photoshoots for Final Fantasy series, including this can can dance number.

2014 Favorite Series

Two of my favorite recent anime series are RWBY and Yowapeda (crunchyroll stream). I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of people who showed up for the Yowapeda photo shoot (including someone with a full bike too). It felt like we were in the middle of Interhigh competition. Who knew that all the three top teams were so popular as cosplay characters too!

Love the detail on the scythe and the bad-ass attitude too.

Maki-chan smiled for his pose and handed me a business card. Follow them here: https://www.facebook.com/ShimapanCosplay

DC Universe

Not everything has to be Japanese anime related. Check out this group of batman universe! The lighting is a bit off because it was getting darker outside.

Go Go Gadget

Inspector Gadget outfit was genius. I remember liking the live action movie when it came out in theaters (long long time ago). I wish I didn’t cut his leg off by accident in the pic. It was a bit crowded in that space so I must have just aimed without checking for accidental cropping.

I did not get the name of this anime with incredible detail on the armor. The facial expressions and the pose look really fitting too (even though I’ve never seen the show). I have to find someone to ID this anime!

Misc Tips

I liked the idea of handing out business card with contact info to photographers. Hey, it helped me figure out where to send a photo. The other way is to post photos and ask on forum, which may take a while to ID.

I couldn’t find tips on how people get organized for those group shoots, but I marveled at the fact every group had a very good leader who made sure people got organized and also had fun. The Sailor Moon one was super coordinated, with people doing different outfits of some of the scouts. So when you called for “Sailor Mars” grouping, there were cosplayers dressed as Mars in different uniforms, casual wear, formal wear, and sailor outfits. I wish I took a pic of the Doom Tree duo (demon form with face paint and colorful hair).

The final fantasy group put together many situational photo shoots: Aeris sleeping among flowers with Cloud looking on, Emo looking Cloud/Zachs, dudes flexing muscles, can can group dance, etc. They definitely had a lot of fun being in character and out of character.

In Action

I searched for some katsucon videos and thought I’d share a few of my favorites. There is something more real about videos because it captures cosplayers in action. Hm maybe something to try next time.

http://youtu.be/MntXRLxMDxY

http://youtu.be/slUsQKLHcUE

Cosplay Notes

After chatting with Ishu and looking at her cosplay photos, I’ve decided to make an effort to learn more about cosplay this year. Starting out with putting this post together and also doing some ‘homework’ on figuring out my list of favorite characters in anime and video game series (casual and also formal outfits). Part of cosplay is the making of the costume and the other part is really to immerse yourself in your favorite character and share that with other enthusiasts. and some outfits are really too fantastic to believe until you see them made and worn by fans (Aoba from DMM and Erza Angel Armor Mode from Fairy Tail)…

Characters (ongoing list / dev)

yes I realize this is where pinterest boards would have been handy for brainstorm but oh well. will just to try without it.

1) brainstorm characters (done)

2) find reference pics (in progress)

3) break down the main outfit pieces and colors (not yet started)

• Yowapeda: the general manager of the club. Kanzaki (http://yowamushipedal.wikia.com/wiki/Kanzaki_Miki?file=Kanzaki.Miki.full.1565237.jpg)
• Korra: Korra, or one of the pro fighting team members? i even have many red pandas if required.
  (http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Korra)
• Sailor Moon: sailor mercury or mars (casual, school uniform, fighting uniform, other)
  (http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2015/01/31-1/cartoon-redraws-sailor-moon-crystal-in-style-of-manga-and-original-anime)
• Rwby: Blake (casual outfit, uniform, or fighting outfit)
  http://rwby.wikia.com/wiki/Blake_Belladonna
• Fairy Tail: Erza (regular or casual, not super fancy armor)
  http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/Erza_Scarlet
• Fairy Tail: alternate universe Lucy Ashley (black outfit)
  http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/Lucy_Ashley
• Samurai Champloo: Fuu (although those shoes are hard to pull off)
  http://champloo.wikia.com/wiki/Fuu
• Hamatora: Koneko (somewhat minor character though)
  http://myanimelist.net/character/93439/Koneko

Self-assessment on cosplay readiness/skills

• drawing – translate anime outfit into real outfit. can probably also research what other cosplayers have already done.
• sewing – can hand sew, that’s about it. can maybe borrow a sewing machine
• gathering /converting supplies – um, old shirts/fabrics which can be recycled?
• characters – should be ok to rewatch shorter series like RWBY. but for series with longer storyline (fairy tail), may need to do more watching and/or cliff notes.
• acting / role – playing the part.
• photography – would be good to learn more about taking pics and also posing (can take notes at convention and also through observation of what I like/don’t like from photos).

Next Steps

• Feb/March: go fabric shopping with Ishu (maybe also help with sewing process)
• Feb: attend Katsucon cosplay events to get inspired / motivated / observe photography and poses in a convention setting.
• May: attend Brooklyn Botanical Garden cosplay event to also get inspired / motivated / observe photography in an outdoor setting.
• assess next steps for making an outfit and/or buying an outfit

Resources

• http://www.crunchyroll.com/call-to-cosplay (cosplay iron chef style. I love how the participants get creative with the materials and turn them into great outfits.)
• http://www.cosplay.com/ (forums, photos, tips, etc)
• http://anyonecancosplay.tumblr.com/ (motivation and inspiration)

Silver Spoon Anime and Links

Silver Spoon is an anime that my friend L. recommended. The series is about a boy who ran away from the stress of his more academically-focused family and environment and started a life in a more rural agriculture school. Along the way he learns about life, farming, friendship, and leadership. The two short seasons of anime were full of good moments and characters. My favorite episode is probably the pizza episode (season 1, episode 4) and near the end of season 2 when the main character’s mom pays a visit to school. I haven’t read the manga but I’m sure there are even more good stories there.

When I discussed this series with my friend S., she was surprised by the plot and why it wasn’t a live action series (tv show). Well, it turns out they are making a live action movie!

Silver Spoon live action movie trailer http://youtu.be/mGwdjnCGf3A

Silver Spoon second season ending song [official band video] [translation from a fansite]

Silver Spoon on Crunchyroll http://www.crunchyroll.com/silver-spoon

Jazz in Autumn Central Park, New York

Jazz and Colors was advertised on many NYC event guides as a great way to take a stroll around Central Park while listening to classic jazz performances. I was surprised this was only the second year for the event. Just to note, I didn’t research the set list or the bands. Sometimes it’s better to just walk and enjoy and see what’s playing. I started out with egg/cheddar on a sesame bagel for breakfast (prepared for walking!) and headed to Columbus Circle. A banner indicated the band/location: ELEW and Nature of the Next / Columbus Circle. They had a huge crowd probably because Columbus Circle gets quite a bit of foot track. I wonder if most people just walked by and learned about the event. Maps and pamphlets were available at the information table.

While I walked to nearly 7 or 8 bands, the only three I remembered were Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (Bandshell, not pictured), Jason Marshall Quintet (Pineband Arch), and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars (Olmsted Bed on the Mall).

I know I had a perfect autumn day/weekend in Cambridge [blog entry] but New York also has its perfect autumn days. With foliage all around me in orange, yellow, red, and some greens too, I just wanted to keep walking and taking pictures. Dark branches with character spiraled out of nowhere. Ginkgo, maple, and pots of chrysanthemum looked even more lovely with the various sculptures / buildings inside the park. I also liked Central park’s benches, pools, lakes, bridges, and reflection of the leaves and buildings. Even more pics on shutterfly.

Other highlights from the weekend

Go go Curry http://www.gogocurryusa-ny.com/ typical comfort food. Try the chicken katsu or pork katsu and you won’t be disappointed.

Jiro dreams of sushi movie. http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/
A movie about work and passion, with just a dash of sushi food porn in the mix. Linda and I both agreed that the food critic was awesome. He’s able to articulate just what sets Jiro’s sushi place a step or two above others. The movie was also a keen study on father/son relationship as well as the relationship between sushi chef/customer and sushi chef/fish market/fish dealer. I don’t think I’ll make it to Tokyo’s Ginza district any time soon, but may check Sushi Yasuda because it’s well regarded in the city.

Dim sum in 8th Ave Chinatown (Brooklyn Sunset Park) for the first time with friends was great. I didn’t get the name of the place but am sure we’ll go back there. Good service and very delicious shrimp dumplings. Pretty cool to have had dim sum in Manhattan, Queens, and now Brooklyn!

Windy Sunset Park made it difficult to take a picture of the gorgeous skyline. I recommend people take a trip out here though. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/sunsetpark

Whole Foods almond milk latte. Yes it’s not a secret that Whole Foods has almond milk available if you’re not interested in milk or soy. I like to switch it up a little and find it fun to get an almond milk latte whenever I’m in a Whole Foods. In this case, we were waiting for the movie to start so had some time to chat and sip coffees.

Miyazaki movie Wind is Rising or Wind Rises. I don’t know what the movie is called but it was a sold out crowd (possibly because everyone heard the ad on NPR or because it’s only playing at the Landmark Sunshine theater for one week). I enjoyed the visual effects but found the love story a bit difficult to relate. I did like the main character’s pursuit of his dream though. That was powerful.

Speaking of jazz, there is also an excellent jazz anime called “Kids on the Slope”. It’s currently available on stream on Crunchy Roll. I found it because I heard Yoko Kanno also worked on the music. There were a few love triangles but the overall character interaction was genuine and relatable. Best part was of course the music but it’s rare to find anime more focused on friendships and growing up than the regular school romance. Who is your favorite character? It’s a toss up between the two male leads at various points of the storyline.

FLCL

FLCL Ultimate Edition (wiki, review), so hot right now.

Bought from Buy.com, Paid with Google Checkout. Free Shipping, $10 Discount for using Google Check for the first time. The sweet box arrived within days. I've yet to watch through all of the bonuses. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for my Ultimate Edition t-shirt to arrive. It'll probably take longer since I had to send a hand-written postcard. Needless to say, I'm floating on clouds.

Thanks to Google Checkout, I don't ever have to create new accounts for any of the stores here again. Why didn't people think of this sooner? I'm glad all of the major players are not on there, i.e. B&N and Amazon. Although Buy.com has so much stuff already I really wonder if I care.

More on the series. It's by Gainax and actually references a famous Gainax series EVA. The soundtrack is by Pillows and you all should check out their music. What genre is FLCL? Hard to say, I suppose it's a growing up series. A bit of action, some comedy, a lot of emotional rollercoaster, and robots (weird ones). I like it especially because in just 6 episodes, you really see the relationship between characters change and grow. Most people think FLCL is a strange series, and I like that.

Besides loving Haruko to death, I also love many of the objects/imagery in the show (not sure if they're spoilers):

-Yellow Vespa

-Blue and white bass

-Symbol on Canti and Naota's head (see second pic above)

-Atomsk

-Black cat with huge eyes

-Manga segments

-Sour flavored soda. I'm guessing it's something lemon lime?

-Riverside under the bridge (with the really good background music playing)

-Red Canti, as opposed to the Blue one

-the Kiss scene, but more importantly, the blush scene right before it

-ramen noodles (eaten by Haruko at the dinner table)