Top Anime Director Shinichiro Watanabe guest at London Comic Con

Shinichiro Watanabe

Acclaimed anime director Shinichiro Watanabe, best known for helming Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Kids On The Slope, is to be the Anime Guest of Honour at May's MCM London Comic Con, show organisers have announced.

Attending all three days of the show, Shinichiro Watanabe will be taking part in on-stage panels and promoting both Anime Limited's upcoming HD release of Cowboy Bebop and the UK debut of his latest series, Kids On The Slope, released by MVM Entertainment.

Watanabe will also be holding exclusive signing sessions at the Anime Limited booth. MCM London Comic Con visitors who pre-order Anime Limited's Cowboy Bebop either at HMV or Amazon and bring proof of pre-order to the show will receive an exclusive A4 Bebop print to get signed (while stocks last). These prints are extremely limited in volume, however, so go along to the stand early to avoid disappointment.

While Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Kids On The Slope are Watanabe's best known works, the Kyoto-born director's credits also include the Macross Plus OVA, Baby Blue and Kid's Story and A Detective Story, two shorts in The Animatrix anthology.

Europe's biggest comic convention, MCM London Comic Con takes place at London ExCel from 24-26 May, covering everything from films and videogames to manga and cosplay.

• Tickets for MCM London Comic Con are available at: www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/tickets

• You can find more about the event at www.londonexpo.com; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mcmexpo; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcmexpo and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/mcmexpo

DOJ-Con, Scotland’s largest free anime convention, unveils 2013 plans

Dundee will once again proudly nail its geeky colours to the mast when Scotland’s largest free anime, comics and video games convention returns to Dundee University Students Union this year.

DOJ-CON will take place on Saturday 13th April when film screenings, board and video game tournaments, stalls, exhibitions, demonstrations and industry presentations will take place. The event has grown in stature year-on-year, and around 2000 fans, most of whom dressed in costume, took part last year.

DOJ-CON is a product of the Animation Fundraiser Society at Dundee University Students Association. Management of the fundraiser event each year changes to the successive Animation 4th year class.

The event, previously called Dee-Con, has been re-branded DOJ-CON for 2013, emphasising the convention’s roots in the art college. The organisers of Dee-Con 2012, as well as lecturers Dr. Chris Murray and Phil Vaughan, who run comics studies courses at the University and run the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, are working closely with this year’s management.

Organised predominantly by students and alumni of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, DOJ-CON is a fundraiser event with all proceeds going towards the animation degree show, which takes place 17th-25th May 2013.

The Dundee University Students Association and the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies are providing backing to allow DOJ-CON to take place.

President Slava Lawson explained, “The programme we’re putting together will be added to between now and the event, and the amount of support and enthusiasm that we’ve received from the guest speakers we’ve invited as well as the attendees who remember last year’s convention is absolutely incredible.”

“Our predecessors have done a great job in establishing this as a major event, so we know we have to be at our best to match the standards they set but we’re all really enthusiastic about doing just that. Even if you’re not a diehard manga or anime fan there’s a lot to interest you. It’s shaping up to be a great day and we’d like to welcome everyone along. Video game tournaments will be taking place, and the after party is always a bit special.”

DOJ-CON will feature talks from guest speakers from the animation, games, comic and anime industry as well as other specialists and enthusiasts. The list includes a talk on manga by Sweatdrop founder Hayden Scott-Baron (Dock); a workshop by professional comics artist Tanya Roberts; a talk on Korean Comics by Hannah Rose, a recent graduate of Dundee University’s Comics MLitt programme; an “8 out of 10 cats” style talk by video games music lecturer Rosalie Newcombe including video cameos by well-known composers such as Grant Kirkhope (GoldenEye, Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie); Alisa Partridge: Lolita fashion enthusiast with influence directly from world travel, and Alice de Ste Croix aka DestinyBlue, a digital manga style artist who will be hosting an interactive character creation and creativity lecture.

Anime Ltd. run by director of the festival Scotland Loves Animation, will be providing a variety of anime films and shows to screen throughout the day including 2 episodes of the classic Cowboy Bebop and a special feature film voted for by Doj-Con fans: Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror Cert:12A (2009). Anime Ltd. will also have a stall in artists alley representing Manga UK and Kaze for attendees to browse.

The convention will feature an Artist’s Alley where up and coming anime/fan art/comic artists and illustrators can sell their work, promote their businesses and make contacts. There will also be a Games area with an entire floor of the Union dedicated to game playing and tournaments including Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Pokemon Black & White 2. There will also be an advanced constructed tournament in the classic anime card game Yu-Gi-Oh!

The Northumbria University Kendo Club will be hosting a demonstration of this Japanese martial art just before the all-important winners of the Cosplay competition and raffle are announced and everyone who has come in costume is given the opportunity to take part in a traditional masquerade.

As is tradition Cosplaying will be taking place and there will be a competition for hand-made costumes. Professional photographers Mr Drew Photography and Scott Baxter will be on hand to capture everyone in their costumes.

Over 18 attendees will have the opportunity to blow off some steam just before the after party at the karaoke night in Ait bar, opened by a special acoustic performance from Tom Paxton.

The event will be rounded off with the now-legendary after party, with Nanashi Dansu, an Eastern Asian music style club night run by David Skelley, coming to DUSA to round off the celebrations. DJ Nanashi will be supported by DJ Bubu, who has been Awarded 'Best Artist' and 'Best Release' during the World Wide Chiptune Awards.

• DOJ-Con Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/446581382089546/?fref=ts

• For more information on DOJ-CON please contact Slava Lawson on dojcon2013@gmail.com. 

• For cosplay related enquiries please visit the Facebook Page (http://dojcon.com) or email dojcon2013cosplay@gmail.com. 

• For information about acquiring an artist’s stall please visit the official website: http://dojcon.com. 

• For more details of corporate stalls please contact Trevor San at tsan@dusa.co.uk

• To receive all the latest updates straight to your news feed like the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dojconanime or follow the event on Twitter at @DOJ_CON

Dee-Con 2012 - Dundee's Free Manga and Anime Convention

With most Scottish comics fans decamping this weekend for the Hi-Ex comics convention in Inverness, the next major Scottish event in the comics calendar will be the manga, anime and games convention Dee-Con at the University of Dundee Students Union (DUSA) on Saturday 7 April 2012 with doors opening at Noon. This year's Dee-Con follows the previous three year's successful (and similarly named) D-Cons which grew from a single day with several hundred attendees in 2009 to two days and several thousand attendees in 2011.

Dee-Con 2012 will have guest speakers with talks, art demonstrations and presentations covering various facets of anime and manga, video game tournaments including the brand new Street Fighter X Tekken, film screenings in their own private cinema room., as well as a Kendo demonstration from Northumbria University Kendo Club. In addition there will be an artist's alley/dealer's room with over 50 tables and a cosplay competition as well as a professional photo shoot for cosplayers. The day will end with an exclusive 18+ afterparty in DUSA with an audio and visual DJ set from 4MATT. All money raised will go towards funding the university's DJCAD Animation Programme's degree show activities.

All the Dee-Con daytime activities are free and open to all while the 18+ evening afterparty will be £4 per person with tickets available on site throughout the day.

There are more details of Dee-Con 2012 on its website, blog and Facebook page.

Doctor Who: The Anime

(with thanks to Frank Garcia, via Topless Robot and Japanator): Expect this stunning piece of work to go hugely viral -- and if BBC Worldwide don't pick up the phone to Sheffield-based artist and animator Paul "Otaking" Johnson and offer him a job, they're mad.

Paul is in the process of writing a Doctor Who-inspired anime short -- "It's taking me b***** ages," he says -- and has posted some progress footage from it on YouTube, including the penciling and inking process. The sequences so far feature the Third Doctor roughing up some would-be muggers with a bit of Venusian karate, meeting scantily-clad anime girls, and getting caught in a battle between Daleks and Cybermen.

Anime site Japanator notes Paul tried to create a stir a while back about fansubs -- the practice of creating a fan-produced translated, subtitled version of an anime program, which began back in the 1980s -- with his own brand of animation, and this taster, which also features The Master looks great to us, especially the climactic fight between the Doctor and the Master atop the Tokyo Tower.

• The work as it progresses can be seen, as always, on Paul's "Mightyotaking" Deviantart page

Marvel Heroes Turning Japanese

US publisher Marvel Comics is partnering with top Japanese animation studio Madhouse to create brand new characters inspired by the Marvel Universe for the Japanese market.

Working closely with Marvel, Madhouse will produce cutting edge Japanese anime series based on Marvel's world-renowned character library for the Japanese market. The characters will be adapted visually, using the unique style of Japanese anime, and their back stories and histories will interweave the local culture and history of Japan, with an eye toward making their mythology more relevant to the Japanese audience.

Marvel says this collaboration will result in a completely new character base, which will eventually cross-over into the current Marvel Universe.

“Marvel has continuously looked to push the boundaries with the Marvel Universe and seek new mediums for our characters," explains Simon Philips, President, International & Worldwide Head of Animation, Wireless & Gaming for Marvel Entertainment.

"Madhouse is helping us expand the Marvel brand with a truly global vision tailored to themes and artistic styles popular in Japan, creating a uniquely localized and cross-cultural adaptation of the Marvel Universe.”

“With over 35 years of experience developing and producing worldwide entertainment hits, we are confident Madhouse will be able to translate the vision of the Marvel Universe through the unique anime style, to create captivating new entertainment that will thrill both new and old fans alike.”

Madhouse is currently in production on the first of four new series (12 x 30 minutes), which are scheduled to launch in spring 2010. The initial series will feature characters including Iron Man and Wolverine, among others, and Madhouse will ultimately look to adapt the entire Marvel Universe, creating in essence a whole new character base for Marvel.

“We are incredibly excited to have this full collaboration with Marvel to create a completely new world that has never been done before in the Marvel Universe. This will be the first time there will be a full Japanese anime style for Marvel, and the Madhouse creative team is fully engaged to bring this to a worldwide audience,” said Jungo Maruta, president and CEO of Madhouse Inc. which was established in 1972 and has produced many well-known titles such as worldwide hits Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D and Death Note.

Its 2007 film, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (pictured left) won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Animated Film.

The Marvel anime series will debut on ANIMAX, the first and largest 24-hour network dedicated to anime.

Additionally, Marvel and Madhouse will be exploring related merchandising initiatives to support the new series.

• Pictured above: A manga-ish treatment of Iron Man by William Min, with colouring and effects were done by colourist Kwinz. Found via this post by freelance illustrator and Iron Man fan Michael Cho.

Manga Maniacs Day at Manchester's Urbis

Crazy about Astro Boy, think you could make it as one of Gwen Stefani’s next Harajuku girls or would just love to star in your own version of Spirited Away?

Manchester's Urbis Centre is inviting manga and cosplay fans to take part in their Cosplay competition and win an evening with friends in their mini Manga cinema and have your very own portrait painted by UK Manga artist Sonia Leung.

On Saturday 28 June, between 12 - 3.00pm, the Centre is inviting fans of Cosplay to come to Urbis dressed as one of their favourite Manga/Anime characters. There will also be workshops for young and old alike in Manga animation, guiding you in the principles of Manga design and giving you quick cheats on how to produce your own masterpieces.

On the day, you’ll have your photograph taken to be displayed on the Gallery wall for all visitors to see. If you can impress the selected panel of Manga specialists, and if you’re the winner, you’ll get an exclusive evening preview in the Centre's mini Manga cinema for yourself and a bunch of mates, and have the cinema all to yourselves!

You’ll also win your own Manga portrait painted by Artist Sonia Leung, which the Centre, currently running the How Manga Took Over the World Exhibition until the end of September, will frame for you to take home and display with pride. They will also be giving away Manga themed goodie bags for 50 runners up.

• Visit the Urbis Official web site
• Read Matthew Badham's review of How Manga Took Over the World

Exhibition Review: Make Mine Manga!

I approached the How Manga Took Over The World exhibition at Manchester’s Urbis museum, writes Matt Badham, with some trepidation. I’m not a massive manga and anime fan and certainly don’t know my shonen from my shojo. However, perhaps because I’m not a fan, I found that I got a lot out of this exhibition, which, despite being relatively small, is densely packed with information.

Urbis itself is a massive glass ski-slope of a building that sits just across from Victoria Station. It houses all sorts of exhibitions, from retrospectives on music and street culture to showcases of local graduate work. On the day I attended the museum, the foyer had been given over to a youth information festival with stallholders handing out flyers about subjects as diverse as housing and sexuality. There were also some children doing various arts activities, which, I’m informed, is a regular weekly event. It was nice to see Urbis doing its bit to encourage young people to come into the museum. I hope that as they get older, they’ll visit again.

Anyway, one ride later in Urbis’s rather unique lift*, constructed, I kid you not, by Italian rollercoaster engineers, and I was thrust into the world of manga and anime. Fortunately for me, Urbis had come up with some nifty ways of combating my ignorance of both.

The first was a rather stylish comic strip introduction to manga and anime drawn by Dave Siddall, which not only gave a brief history of Japanese comics and animation, but also presented both in terms of their cultural context and their growing impact on other countries’ media. Thanks, Dave, for holding my hand as I took my first faltering steps as a potential mangaphile…

Dave’s comic strip was accompanied by a definition of manga, which, if I were nitpicking, I would say should be the first thing in the exhibition, and some text that gave a potted history of the form. There was also information about Japanese artist Hokusai, who apparently coined the term manga, alongside examples of his work.

The second nifty thing that Urbis had done was to split the exhibition into separate sections that each dealt with different types of manga/anime. Each section was prefaced by a little introduction from Umeko, a manga character specifically created for the show by artist Sonia Leong. Depending on what subject she was introducing, Umeko, or ‘Plum Blossom Child’, was presented as, amongst other things, a vamp, a little girl or an action heroine. The various types of manga and anime covered by the exhibition were adult manga, manga for commercial and educational purposes, action and horror manga, and cute manga. There was also a section in the exhibition about Japanese fashions and trends, a manga lounge where you could read comics and draw, and a mini-cinema playing anime.

And so the first thing that I did was to venture into the adult section (stop sniggering at the back…). To be honest, this was more out of a desire to get this section out of the way. Items inside included a bondage Hello Kitty, a brief guide to love hotels (Google it, actually, maybe not…) and some rather disturbing anime. Suitably sickened, I stumbled back out past the attendants, it’s 18s only, and, journalistic duty done, started to relax and enjoy the rest of the exhibition.

And I really did…

Enjoy it, I mean.

To my mind, a good exhibition is all about context. You don’t just want to know what something is; you want to know its context. So not only did I get information about Naruto and Studio Ghibli, I also got an insight into and information about Tokyo street fashions and cosplay.

And if the above is gibberish to you, then you’ll probably enjoy the exhibition too. However, if you’re a big manga and anime fan, a word of warning, it may well be that everything in the show is old news to you, a snapshot of a sub-culture that you’re already immersed in.

For this old fart though (in his 30s and losing his hair), it was a real eye-opener and provided me with a tantalising glimpse of a vibrant medium (or media, perhaps – manga and anime do tend to get shoehorned together) that I've previously failed to appreciate fully.

My highlights were pretty much everything except the adult manga. My lowlights… well, it has to be bondage Hello Kitty (shudder).

But there was so much to take in that I feel the show warrants a second visit and, despite her whips and chains, even Kitty won’t stop me from returning.

* If you want to know why the lift’s unique, then I’m afraid you’ll just have to visit Urbis.

• How Manga Took Over The World runs until 27 September 2008.

Matt Badham is a freelance writer. His work has appeared in the Judge Dredd Megazine, 2000AD and Tripwire. He once lived in Japan for a year and now realises that he really didn’t make the most of it.