Sunday, August 30, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: O'Brien & Pudding...Revisited

So with Liam O'Brien at the Saturday VA Panel, I decided to ask if he remembers me from a year ago when I asked him to do this...




Well, he remembers. Also, excuse to show video again.

Signed Business Cards, Sac-Anime Summer 2009 Edition

Ever since I've been doing convention coverage and handing out business cards to promote my blog, I have had guests of honor sign them during autograph sessions - and give them one so that they can visit the site.

 
The top card is signed by 3 of the 4 members of Akai SKY - Umi, Jinra, and Ryuusei. The bottom card is signed by all the guests of honor - Liam O' Brien, Paul Mercier, Alyson Court, Roger Craig Smith, and Karen Dyer. Notice O'Brien put on the bottom - "Media Don." That made me all happy inside.

Sac-Anime Summer 2009 First Post-Con Impressions

I would love to write everything up about Sac-Anime right now, but I'm too tired to do any major work to get it out. However, I should have most of the material out this week, just not right now.
But, I will say that this con did have both its advantages and disadvantages. It was a good con for what was offered (especially the gaming room which had it crackin' the whole weekend and meeting the guests of honor is always a fun moment), but the con got swamped at times - the keyword that's been thrown around the social networking sites is "clusterfuck" - narrow aisles clogged up, attendees walking a small space between attendees lining up for panels and the Masquerade & Artist Alley tables. Throw in some good ol' hotel trashing and some announcements and it'll sure to give people second opinions.
I share both - good times, but bad timing.

Day One Wrap-Up

It's 2:20am, and I am officially done with Day One.
The big news out of Day One is that Imari-chan is quitting cosplay - from what I'm hearing, she just got tired and decided to quit. I'll try to ask around tomorrow and see the real reason.
Either than that, it was a good Day One. From getting autographs to getting an interview with Akari SKY to playing Carrot Juice at 1:30 in the morning, I'm all burnt out.
Sleep time to prepare for Day Two.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Sac-Anime Summer 2009: Day One Early Morning Update

It's about 9:30am, and I'm already in my room despite check-in being 4pm - thank god for online check-in.
Anyways, there is a long line forming for reg that opens in half an hour. I'm about to go down there and take some pictures.
Either than that, check in on Twitter and Facebook for mobile updates.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Sac-Anime August 2009 Preview: Final Pre-Impressions and Last Minute Tips

This is the final part of a preview of what will be offered at the summer edition of Sac-Anime.

Tuesday: Console Gaming Room
Wednesday: Cosplay
Thursday: Guests of Honor and Bands In-Depth
Friday (Today): Final Pre-Impressions and Last Minute Tips


With Sac-Anime tomorrow, I do offer last minute tips.
  • Do get a lot of liquids in your system during the con, preferably water or Gatorade - it's going to be hot on both days of the con, and hot temps + layers of cosplay clothing = not a good thing. Be vary of sugar crashes if you do decide to drink soda and/or energy drinks.
  • Have a backup plan: make sure you carry extra of everything especially money, supplies to fix your cosplay in case of breakage, food, and clothes.
  • Use your hotel room often. Take a break, grab some ice cold water from the cooler in your room, refresh yourself. I also suggest a 20 minute power nap when you feel tired - don't worry, you won't miss anything.
  • Know someone who has a car - you might save yourself money when it comes to buying food.
  • Use protection when needed - sunscreen and...you know...for that...moment... (BTW, I didn't put that last part in, someone else to me to. Seriously.)
  • And finally, kick back, relax, and have fun. Enjoy this con and what Sacramento has to offer.
This con really looks promising from top to bottom. The location is beautiful, the staff is ready to shoulder the workload, and everyone is ready to go.

With that said, I will see you all tomorrow at Sac-Anime or today at Day Zero if I do decide to stop by!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Sac-Anime August 2009 Preview: Guests of Honor and Bands In-Depth

This is part three of a preview of what will be offered at the summer edition of Sac-Anime.

Tuesday: Console Gaming Room
Wednesday: Cosplay
Thursday (Today): Guests of Honor and Bands In-Depth
Friday: Final Pre-Impressions and Last Minute Tips


Today we will look at the various Guests of Honor and bands that will be making their appearance this weekend.

First, the Guests of Honor.
Unlike past cons, this list seems a bit more fresh in terms of non-repeat visits. The only major voice actor that is return is Liam O'Brien. Everyone else - Karen Dyer, Alyson Court, Paul Mercier, and Roger Craig Smith - are all first-timers. Did I mention that all of these people have connections to Resident Evil 5? Liam directed, everyone else I just listed had a voice. (And yes, there will be a Resident Evil panel on Sunday at 2PM in the Panel Room.) In addition to RE5, all of these voice actors have an extensive background in both anime and video games. Examples: Eureka seveN, Code Geass, Naruto, Devil May Cry 4, X-Men: The Animated Series, just to name a few.

There are also non-voice actor Guests of Honor, including Brandon McKinney, Katie Blair & Jodon Bellofatto, Che Gilson, and August Ragone. They represent a variety of subjects from cosplay to manga to the anime industry to...giant robots and monsters.


And now, the bands.
Akai SKY make another trip to Sac-Anime, joined by Buranden and Tanuki Suit Riot, both first-timers to Sac-Anime. They will be performing Saturday at 3PM at The Grove, an outside stage at the Radisson hotel. Also performing are the Random DJs featuring DJ Hellsing. They will be spinning the turntables at 10PM in the Panel Room.


I love the list of guests of honor that will be attending Sac-Anime this year. The bands list look stacked too, and I welcome Akai SKY's return.


The Final Part Up Next: Final Pre-Impressions and Last Minute Tips

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sac-Anime August 2009 Preview: Cosplay

This is part two of a preview of what will be offered at the summer edition of Sac-Anime.

Tuesday: Console Gaming Room
Wednesday (Today): Cosplay
Thursday: Guests of Honor and Bands In-Depth
Friday: Final Pre-Impressions and Last Minute Tips


Today, we will be focusing on cosplay, both the Masquerade and "Hallway" cosplay.

What makes this cosplay staff unique (especially the ones who run the Masquerade) is that they all have years upon years of experience. From Imari Chan, the head of the Cosplay Masquerade, all the way down the line, these group of staffers know what they're doing when it comes to cosplay. From Fanime to AX to Comic-Con, they've done it all.

The Cosplay Masquerade will take place Saturday night at 6PM in the Panel Room. If you wish to sign up, the deadline to sign up is at 1PM. A full list of instructions can be found here.

On Sunday, they also be hosting a Cosplay Fashion Show on Sunday at 1PM in the Panel Room. If you've seen what I posted when they did this back in August of '08 you probably know what's coming.


Speaking of cosplay, of course people are going to be cosplaying this weekend, including myself. There will be also be gatherings going on throughout the con, however I don't have a complete list with me at the moment. If I can get a hold of some sort of official list, I will post it.

I've been mentioning before that this con is taking place at the Radisson hotel. From what I've seen, it's a wide-open hotel with a lake in the middle and perfect opportunities to do photoshoots. I can't wait to use some of the scenery to take a couple of pictures.


Up next: Guests of Honor In-Depth.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

CGR Interview

I had the chance to talk to Ramon, the secondary head of the Console Gaming Room (CGR for short).

CAConBlog: First off, is your department making any changes in its operation from the last Sac-Anime in January at the Scottish Rite Center?
Ramon: Well we're tightening up a lot of holes we had last year. With security, adding games, and bringing people who have been involved with the gaming community for quiet a few years. We are also trying this idea by adding what we call Easter Eggs.
CAConBlog: What are these "Easter Eggs?"
Ramon: The easter eggs are basically special events not listed. Some involve games that we don't even have listed. The events range from FREE competitions to FREE tournaments.
CAConBlog: I see. Anything else?
Ramon: We thought it would be something fun and exciting for the fans.
CAConBlog: Alright, sounds pretty interesting. Moving along to the second question: Does the move to the Radisson hotel play any part in the changes to the operation of the department?
Ramon: Yeah it makes a big difference. The biggest thing is more room. We are going to have 2 game rooms this year and in the evening we will have about 3, so gaming I think with the Raddison will take center stage along side cosplay. With more space we can put more games and hold more events. The biggest problem we've had in the past is space. We've had to cut games and events due to it. But this time around we can do what we wanna do. Have our events big and fun for everyone. That and the Raddison is really beautiful so its a nice treat.
CAConBlog: I know, I've been there myself.
Ramon: Yeah with the fountain and whatnot. The cosplay pics will be awesome.
CAConBlog: Well, you just answered my fourth question "How you do you personally feel about Sac-Anime moving to the Radisson hotel?" so we'll move on.
Ramon: Indeed.
CAConBlog: Is there anything planned for this August's con besides the Easter Eggs?
Ramon: We are going to have cosplay poker which will be fun. We always are unable to finish up the first day due to the fact that the Scottish Rite closes @ midnight. This time around we'll have all night and a lot of space to play. The Rock Band freestyle will be very awesome since it will be on an actual stage. The same stage the bands will preform. I like to see it as the bands are opening act for the main act which will be the fans.
CAConBlog: That'll be a sight to see.
Ramon: I've been on that stage and it very surreal to think that people will be putting on a show for people on there. It will be a lot of fun.
CAConBlog: I look forward to that.
Ramon: Indeed. Its also going to be at night so the grove will be lit up and it looks very nice at night.
CAConBlog: Can't forget about that. Anything else?
Ramon: Oh, one of our friend/sponsers, LoveHate, will be showing off [a] Itasha-style [Infiniti G35]. The car is beautiful! Modfied with anime style art.
CAConBlog: Oh wow, a must see this weekend. My next question is: besides CGR, what's your favorite aspect of Sac-Anime?
Ramon: Hmmm...it has to be the people. There's a lot of friendly nice people at the con.
CAConBlog: Especially you guys, all of you are friendly. *laughs*
Ramon: Thanks. *laughs too* We try to be. The fans are so passionate on what they do be it cosplay, gaming etc. The cosplay there are very nice too. I love walking around looking for a character I know.
CAConBlog: Of course we all do. And finally, any closing comments?
Ramon: Check out the Game Room!! And be sure to check our buddy Matt's blog!!!
CAConBlog: Well thank you for the interview.
Ramon: Indeed, thank you for the opportunity.

And that concludes the interview with Ramon. Keep an eye out for more interviews, as I have a lot more lined up.

Sac-Anime August 2009 Preview: CGR

Starting today, I will be previewing what will be offered at the summer edition of Sac-Anime.

Tuesday (Today): Console Gaming Room
Wednesday: Cosplay
Thursday: Guests of Honor and Bands In-Depth
Friday: Final Preview and Last Minute Tips


Today I will focus on the Console Gaming Room, or CGR. At Sac-Anime, the CGR is the most popular attraction. It's one thing to play video games online or with your group of friends, but it's another to play against other people you may not know either in a pickup game or in a tournament. Speaking of the tournaments, the fine staffers have put out their full tournament schedule.

SATURDAY
1PM - DDR Extreme (JPS2) Freestyle ($2)
2PM - Tetris Splash (Xbox 360) K.O. ($3)
3PM - Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii) ($3)
3PM - Street Fighter III: Third Strike (PS2) ($3)
6PM - Street Fighter 4 (PS3) ($5)
7:30PM - Rock Band (Xbox 360 or PS3) Freestyle ($3 per band member)
8:30PM - DDR Extreme (JPS2) Perfect Attack Expert ($5)
10PM - Cosplay Poker (Free)

SUNDAY
12:30PM - Tatsunoko vs. Capcom (Wii) ($3)
12:30PM - Super Street Figher II: HD Remix (PS3) ($2)
2PM - BlazBlue (PS3) ($5)
2PM - Halo 3 (Xbox 360) ($4 per player)
3PM - Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum ($2)
* Time and dates are subject to change.

Notes from forum member eessahmuu:

Please be aware that the fighting game tournaments for -

Street Fighter III : 3rd Strike
Street Fighter IV
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Blazblue

- are Double Elimination and best 2 out of 3 games with Grand Finals being 3 out of 5. Remember when playing a set, winner must stay as the same character and loser may change.

If you BYOC/BYOS, please be responsible for it.

Keep in mind, 3rd Strike Gill and HD Remix Akuma are banned.

If you get the chance, go stop by and watch a tournament, especially the DDR Extreme Perfect Attack Expert and the RB Freestyle.


In addition to tournament play, the CGR will offer a number of games that people can pick up and play.

PS2:
DDR MAX 2 (JP)
DDR Extreme (JP)
DDR Supernova (JP)
DDR Supernova 2
DDR X
In The Groove
Beatmania IIDX Red (JP)
Beatmania IIDX Happy Sky (JP)
Beatmania IIDX Distorted (JP)
Beatmania IIDX Gold (JP)
Beatmania IIDX DJ Troopers (JP)
Taiko Drummer
Taiko No Tatsujin (JP)
Hyper Street FIghter II
Street Fighter II: Third Strike
Sengoku Basara X (JP)
Capcom Vs. SNK 2

Wii: (excuding Smash Bros Brawl, all games must share one station)
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Wii Play
Wii Sports
Mario Kart Wii
Rayman Raving Rabbids 1
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
WarioWare Smooth Moves
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero Smash Hits
Punch-Out!
Bomberman (DLC)

XBox360:
BlazBlue
Street Fighter IV
SFII HD Remix (DLC)
Rock Band 2
Halo 3
Dead or Alive 4
Tetris (XBL)

PS3:
BlazBlue
Street Fighter IV
SFII HD Remix (DLC)
Rock Band 2
Soulcalibur IV
Tekken 5
*All games are subject to change. Some may not be available during the con. More games will be added to the list.

Now that's a lot of games enough to fill up a weekend's worth of con gaming.


So, stop by, check the gaming out, and say hi to the wonderful staff. They put all their sweat and blood into making this well-oiled machine running, and you should thank them for putting on a awesome exhibit.


Up next: Cosplay.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A Week Out From Sac-Anime

Today is Saturday, meaning that we're about a week away from Sac-Anime next weekend at the Radisson hotel. Everything is coming together, although small errends are needed next week; at least everything major has been secured i.e. hotel and cosplay.

Good luck to those entering crunch time for cosplay and/or making money to spend at the con.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Twitter Giveaway - Sac-Anime Edition! - Details

Plz note: this "contest" is in no way afflicted with any Sac-Anime event. This is being done on my own time with my own money.

Welcome to the 1st annual "Find Me @ Sac-Anime and Win Free Stuff!" game!
The game is simple: you find me at Sac-Anime, you win a prize!

This is how you play:
1) Go to my Twitter page and subscribe! Don't have a Twitter account? MAKE ONE!
2) During Sac-Anime, I will be Tweeting at the con as part of my coverage alongside my blog. I will also be announcing times in which to find me. I might Tweet "First one to find me at the [insert business name here] booth in the Dealers Room wins a CD." If you're the first one to find me, you win!
3) Prizes may vary, from plushies to CDs to t-shirts. You never know what I might pull out.
4) I will be doing one Saturday and one Sunday.
5) ???
6) Profit!
7) Enjoy the game!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Look at the Schedule (Sac-Anime Summer 2009 edition)!

I got an e-mail from Sac-Anime, and among the content it has a partial list of the programming.
I might as well post it here.

SATURDAY EVENTS AND PANELS

10AM - PANEL ROOM
"FREE HUGS" - A GUIDE TO CONVENTIONS

11AM - PANEL ROOM
WALOLITA DRESS PANEL

12PM - PANEL ROOM
STORYBOARDING FOR ANIMATION WITH BRANDON MCKINNEY

2PM - PANEL ROOM
Q & A WITH VOICE ACTORS, PAUL MERCIER, LIAM O'BRIEN, ROGER CRAIG SMITH AND ALYSON COURT - Followed by an Autograph Session.

3PM - THE GROVE
LIVE MUSIC WITH BURANDEN, AKI SKY AND TANUKI SUIT RIOT

5:45PM - THE GROVE
PANEL WITH TANUKI SUITE RIOT

6PM - PANEL ROOM
COSPLAY MASQUERADE

6:30PM - THE GROVE
PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO GAME MUSIC

9PM - PANEL ROOM
ANIME BINGO

10PM - 2AM
SAC CLUB RAVE

SUNDAY PANELS AND EVENTS

10AM - PANEL ROOM
TURNING YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS
Hosted by Katie Bair.

1PM - PANEL ROOM
COSPLAY FASHION SHOW

2PM - PANEL ROOM
RESIDENT EVIL PANEL WITH THE VOICE ACTORS WHO PLAY LEON, CLAIRE, CHRIS REDFIELD AND VIDEO GAME DIRECTOR, LIAM O'BRIEN - Followed by an Autograph Session.