More updates on Anime Festival Asia 2009 as the event draws nearer and nearer ^^
[Animation Asia Conference 2009]
This one-day business conference to be held at the same venue one day before AFA 2009 will be initiated by Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, CEO of Kadokawa Group Holdings with his keynote address "Bringing Japan's Content to the World - Think Globally, Act locally".
The keynote aims to cover the emerging opportunities and challenges facing brands and content developers as consumers become more digitally savvy and spend more time on the internet.
[Regional Cosplay Championship]
6 groups of finalists selected:
* The Endless Illusion - Indonesia,
* Sakai no Gumi - Malaysia,
* Ahlodia and Ashley - Philippines,
* ST Revolution - Singapore,
* 00 Emotions - Singapore,
* Houshin Engi - Thailand.
Each team will be sponsored by AFA09 to fly to Singapore to compete in the Regional Cosplay Championship during the two-day anime festival where they will perform and be judged by a panel of distinguished guests from Japan including internationally renowned cosplayer Kaname☆.
The winning team will take home the grand prize of a trip for 2 to Tokyo, Japan.
Images are from the Regional Cosplay Championship.
[AFA 2009 Merchandise Shop]
Featuring limited merchandises from K-On!, "I Love Anisong" concert T-shirts, Otacool books from Kotobukiya, CDs of the respective artistes performing at the "I Love Anisong" concerts.
[Event limited merchandises]
Various limited items and prizes only for AFA2009 from Bandai, Bushiroad, and Takashimaya Singapore Limited.
[Top Asian animation studios' exhibition booths]
Six of Asia’s top animation studios: Tatsunoko Production, Madhouse, Production IG, Imaginary Friends Studios, Stormlion and Egg Story Creative Productions will take up booths at AFA09 and the public will have the opportunity to view past, existing and future works produced by these top studios.
[Launch OF New Sanyo Eneloopy Kit]
A newly designed pack featuring two AA-sized rechargeable Eneloopy batteries and a battery checker that takes the form of their iconic dog mascot, Eneloopy. This new pack will be made available first at AFA 2009.
More information about Eneloopy can be found on the official site (Japanese).
[Kids Land]
Early registration to the various hands-on workshops at the event will be entitled to a Ben 10 free gift (Ben 10 Alien Force Planetary Powder) at the Ben 10 zone. The workshops include sushi and dumpling making, and even fashion design.
["I Love Anisong" Mega Music Concert]
Concert stage revealed! ^^
Click for larger view.
This concert will feature "King of Anime Songs" Ichirou Mizuki, "Sheryl Nome" May'n, "Shokotan" Shoko Nagakawa, JAM Project member Yoshiki Fukuyama and Hatsune Miku, who will perform in her first oversea appearance. ^^
Tickets to the concert can be obtained through SISTIC, Singapore's largest ticketing agency.
AFA 2009 will be held on Saturday (November 21st) and Sunday (22nd) from 10.00 am to 9.00pm at Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre (Halls 403 and 404). From all the updates so far, one can definitely be sure that it's going to be really huge this year ^^
Information is from AFA 2009's press release. More information can be found on its official site.