1st – 4th September 2022 at Suntec Convention Center Level 4
It has been close to 3 years since we had a physical electronic show in Singapore. Before COVID, there were usually 4 of such shows held annually at locations such as Suntec and Expo. We used to complain that there are too many similar IT shows in Singapore. But after 3 years, going for one really felt refreshing! It’s like a long lost friend that you finally meet!
Comex 2022 is an event that you can attend without face mask (legally)!. Beyond the laptops and electronics, here are somethings that have caught our eyes.
GG PlayFest
A section of the show is dedicated to gaming. GG PlayFest brings you E-Sports and Gaming gears all in one place. And if you are a fan of Rurusama, catch a glimpse of her at her booth right at the end of the hall.
WEB3SG
Blockchain, NFT, POS, staking. If all these terms sound foreign to you, you might want to read up on them and get up to date with Web 3. Step into this zone to learn more about Web 3 and speak to some of the companies working on this forefront technology.
Buy now pay later model for NFTs
Cute Keyboards
Might not be super practical for work or school but definitely fun to look at.
BYD Electric Car
Not exactly a car show but I guess electric car can be considered as an electronic? Albeit one that you will need to cough up SGD 100k COE first in order to buy one. Do check out this booth if you are interested in BYD electric car. Besides driving it, you can get to feel the vehicle for yourself before deciding to buy one.
Funky chairs
After learning that the co-founder of Secretlab, makers of the famous gaming chairs, had bought a good class bungalow for $36 million, the boss of Osim probably thinks it is a good idea to go into this space as well. Osim’s booth features a Transformer theme uThrone with hand and back massage capabilities. Perfect for a pit stop if you are tired.
There are more …
We don’t have time to cover everything in the show. If you miss a good old physical “IT Show”, head down to Suntec from 1st to 4th Sep 2022 and relive the days before COVID 19!
It’s been a long while since we have gone to any convention in Singapore, no thanks to COVID 19. So we are very thankful for a new Brick Con (Lego brick convention) happening now at Suntec North Atrium. To get there, walk along level 2 of Suntec. Once you see Owndays, take the escalator down to the main Atrium. Did we mention it is free admission? Perfect event for school holidays!
All Aboard!VTL anyone?Under ConstructionTwo-headed Snake
One of the casualty of the COVID 19. The highly anticipated gaming events of the year gamescom Asia 2020 which is scheduled for October will be postpone to Oct 2021 instead. Hopefully the situation will get better by then and we can get back to attending conventions. Full press release below:
gamescom asia, originally planned for debut in Singapore this October, will move its inaugural edition to 2021.
Singapore, 10 June 2020 – The first edition of gamescom asia has been postponed to 14 – 17 October 2021. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic started, response for the event had been overwhelming. With strong interest and bookings from AAA game publishers, developers and country pavilions, preparation for gamescom asia was on track to deliver a world class event.
“As much as we would have loved to bring the event to life this October, the current global crisis has forced us to recalibrate our wants for gamescom asia. The health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and staff is paramount. Moreover, for an inaugural event, we felt it was important to give the regional gaming community and fans the full experience of what an international event of this scale would be like, and not anything less. Today, we confirmed our decision to postpone the live event to 2021 instead,” expressed Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Singapore, the organiser of gamescom asia.
He added, “The team has been in conversation extensively with all stakeholders, partners and the Singapore government over the last few weeks to decide on the best course of action for the safety of all our participants. While the common sentiment was hopefulness for large-scale events to go back to normalcy, we agreed that the world is not situationally ready for this to happen. With that, we will have to adapt and refocus our efforts on 2021, and offer digital engagements leading up to that date in support of the Asian games industry.”
gamescom asia is the first satellite event of the world’s largest event for computer and video games: gamescom. The premier event aims to showcase the diversity of gaming within the world’s fastest growing games market – Southeast Asia, while covering the global spectrum of the games industry, gaming culture, esports, regional and international releases and more.
“We welcome Koelnmesse’s continued support in these challenging times, and are committed to partner with Koelnmesse to deliver a successful gamescom asia in 2021. The inaugural event will be a highlight in Singapore’s events calendar and provide new business opportunities for local and regional companies. We look forward to welcoming delegates to the event next year,” said Mr Andrew Phua, Executive Director, Exhibitions and Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board.
gamescom asia 2021 will be held from 14 – 17 October 2021 in Singapore at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre. For more information on the event, visit www.gamescom.asia or follow gamescom asia on major social media platforms.
– end –
About gamescom asia
gamescom asia aims to serve as the premier platform for Asian game developers to explore partnerships globally, and act as a hub for international publishers who are looking for the next big thing in games. New releases and gaming related offerings will also be showcased. With the business area, the entertainment area and the industry gaming conference, gamescom asia covers the entire diversity of the games culture. gamescom asia is organised by Koelnmesse Singapore and supported by game – the German Games Industry Association.
About gamescom
gamescom is the world’s largest event for computer and video games and Europe’s largest business platform for the games industry. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, gamescom 2020 will be held exclusively in digital format from Thursday, August 27, 2020 to Sunday, August 30, 2020. On-site events in Cologne will not take place this year given the current situation. gamescom is jointly organised by Koelnmesse and game – the German Games Industry Association.
Koelnmesse – Global Competence in Digital Media, Entertainment and Mobility:
Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising trade fairs in the Digital Media, Entertainment and Mobility segments. Trade fairs like photokina, DMEXCO, gamescom, gamescom asia, INTERMOT and THE TIRE COLOGNE are established as leading international trade fairs. Koelnmesse not only organises trade fairs in these areas in Cologne, but also in other growth markets like, for example, China, Singapore and Thailand, which have different areas of focus and content. These global activities offer customers of Koelnmesse tailor-made events in different markets, which guarantee sustainable and international business.
The next events: gamescom, Cologne, Germany, 27.-30.08.2020DMEXCO, Cologne, Germany, 23.-24.09.2020photokina, Cologne, Germany, 18.-21.05.2022
This is a busy end of the year in Singapore. After the Anime Festival Asia 2019 last week at Suntec, we now have the Singapore Comic Con at Marina Bays Sands Convention from 7-8 Dec 2019! Two days of fun and we are there to cover the event.
Singapore Pro Wrestling
In case you don’t know SPW stands for Singapore Pro Wrestling. Similar to your western counterpart WWE, SPW is about wrestling with a local twist.
Right at the entrance of SGCC, you will be greeted with a full wrestling ring with high adrenaline as audience watch local wrestler battle it out at a wrestling ring right before you eyes.
Fan-tastic Community Zone
Dedicated for all the hardcore pop culture fans, this area feature multiple fan clubs in Singapore. A good number of them are dedicated to the Star Wars franchise. You will see Mandalorain, Storm trooper and baby Yoda coexists together.
Artist Alley
Looking for things to buy? Support budding artists by buying their wonderful merchandise. This has to be the most crowded area in the entire show.
Main Floor
The SGTOY Display Booth has a fantastic collection of toy ranging from Disney Characters to Star Wars for you to admire. Toys are not for sale but the display cabinets are!
Let it go! Or should I say, into the unknown.
Various Toy companies such as Tamashi Nations and Mighty Jaxx are there to show off their wares. Some are not for purchase. But a look at them is totally free!
Star Wars X SamuraiAn intricate model of the Bat cave
This year’s LEGO booth is totally awesome! The centerpiece of the booth is the huge Jurassic Park LEGO model. Kids can also try their hands on using an iPad to control LEGO monster ticks and cranes.
Of course Tokidoki is there for the fans. Expect to queue up to get in.
Mighty Jaxx with the popular ‘X-ray’ toys
Good Game Experience (GGXP)
A dedicated area just for gaming, this year SGCC has team up with PVP Esports to bring your esports from Mobile Legend to DOTA2.
Once you crossover to the area with many tables , you know you are in the GGXP area. Tabletop games are now a staple of the show.
You cannot miss the PVP Esports area.
A nice place to play and relax Hearthstone battle ground
Mr Kiasu X Spongebob. Two wacky duo meeting together in same universe.
Cosplayers
What’s a Comic Con without cosplayers? Here are some of the awesome cosplayers we spotted.
Guardian of the Galaxy Ironwoman! First time seeing!Bumblebee. Fan made not from USS Predator spotted! Spidey and his poster.
Until next year…
It has been a full pack two days. Time to save up for the next SGCC!
Did you miss the 11/11 sales? Fret not, there is still another chance for you to get the gadgets you want at SITEX 2019 which will start today from 28th Nov to 1st Dec, 11am-9pm daily at Singapore Expo, Hall 5 & 6.
At the media preview, we got our first look at this year SITEX. Here are some of the highlights that you can check out too when you visit the show.
Jumanji: The Next Level Booth
The sequel to the 2017 Jumanji starring Jack Black and Dwayne Johnson, Jumanji: The Next Level will be showing in Cinema on 5th Dec 2019. Before catching the movie, you can try out the movie-inspired obstacle course at their booth located in Hall 5 besides the entrance. Complete it under 70 seconds and you will win a compass carabiner. The course is pretty simple, no ninja skills required.
You can also take a selfie with the cast of the movie. Scan the QR code at the selfie booth to do that.
Xiaomi Booth
Xiaomi showcases a number of their smart-home devices at their booth. Beside your usual smart lights and kettles, for the first time in Singapore, Xiaomi is launching their portable projector with a build-in auto-focus function.
Smart Projector with auto focus
The smartphone lineup shown at this roadshow will be the Redmi Note 8 at $269 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro at $369. Both comes with a Quad Camera System.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro
Roidmi is Xiaomi’s new sub brand for vacuum cleaner. There will be three models available for pre-order. Collection date will be mid December. You can download an app to monitor the vacuum cleaner such as its battery life.
Samsung The Frame TV
At the Gain City booth, you can check out the Frame TV which is part TV and part Art work. The TV itself looks like a painting with changeable border. When you off the TV, you can turn off an ‘art mode’ which will start showing you famous paintings around the world, transforming your TV into a piece of painting instantaneously.
Vivo V17 Pro
The latest flagship phone from Vivo is the V17 Pro. Selfie lovers will like this phone as it comes with a industry’s first 32MP Dual Elevating Front Camera. It sports a professional-grade 48MP AI Quad camera that features a Super Macro Camera for ultra-close shots.
At this roadshow, you will get a free portable juice blender worth $39.90.
Sony PlayStation Booth
At the booth, you can try out a number of games that PlayStation has to offer. The highlight will be the Marvel Iron Man VR that you can try out which uses PlayStation VR to give you an out-of-body experience.
Games that you can try includes Overcooked 2, FIFA 2020 and Spider-Man.
Table Top and Card Game – Gallant Games
Gaming need not always be with your phone or computer. Check out Gallant Games booth where they will showcase different “offline” games that you and your friends or family can enjoy together.
Play with Robots at UBTECH
Fancy playing an Augmented Reality Game with Iron Man? At the booth, you can get to interact with a real Iron Man robot built by UBTECH. The MK50 Iron Man robot comes with coding capabilities for your kids to try their hands on simple coding logic.
There is also a robot soccer game that you can try out at the booth.
Aftershock – Custom Built Rig
For those who are interested in custom build PC, Aftershock has what you need. Some of their custom PC is showcased at the booth for your eyes to eyes to feast on. Of course if you prefer cash and carry laptops and desktops, they have it at this year SITEX as well.
D.Va Secret Lab chair
It’s pink. It’s D.Va. It’s Secret Lab! A bold pink Secret Lab chair is at the Secret Lab booth for you to try out. If pink is your color, this is the chair for you! Of course that is not the only chair available there.
After a long walk at SITEX, this is definitely the best booth to visit to rest your tire legs.
This year Singapore will finally have her very own Singapore Comic Con! While the name is new, the convention is actually a continuation of the yearly Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention (STGCC), one of Singapore’s top Pop Culture show. We are just two weeks away from the convention which will take place on the 7th and 8th Dec 2019 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo Hall A/B/C from 10am-7pm. Ticketing information can be found here.
Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019
Although the word ‘Toy’ has been taken out from the show name, what’s a Comic Con without toys? Exhibitors will be bringing their latest toy collections to the show. For Star Wars fans, be sure to check out the Star Wars Chess set complete with Princess Leia, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019
Besides the latest pop culture merchandise, fans can look forward to a star-studded line-up, including three-time New York best-selling artist famed for his artwork in graphic novels such as Batman: The Black Mirror series, Mark Simpson or better known as Jock. Alongside Jock, comic book artist and penciller, Greg Capullo will also be present for a special meet & greet session. Fans can also catch a glimpse of pop surrealist, Tara McPherson in action this year.
Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019
A visit to the Good Game Experience (GGXP) area is a must for all gamers. PVP Esports zone will be holding the finals of Singtel’s PVP Campus and Corporate Leagues featuring Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Dota 2 at the area.
From console games to tabletop games, be sure to check out this area to get all your gaming fix. If you are a Pokemon Trading Card gamer, do participate in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Special Event Championship at the Comic Con Pokémon Special Event, by Maxsoft and Project EXT. Register here on their website.
Image Courtesy of SGCC 2019
With so much to do and see, Singapore Comic Con should definitely be on your agenda for your next weekend outing!
SITEX 2019, which will take place from 28th Nov to 1st Dec 2019 at the Singapore Expo, will feature a dedicated gaming zone. Here are some of the things to look out for.
Free Play Area
SITEX is not just about buying gadgets and electronics. At this free play area, you can try your hand at some of the featured games and even stand to win prizes! For example, you can take part in the MSI Gaming Triathlon Challenge 2019, where three separate 1v1 game challenges will be randomly drafted out of a pool of 10 games. These games include golden classics like Tetris and Puzzle Bobble and modern day favourites such as Street Fighter V and the newly released FIFA 20. This make it a fair competition regardless of age.
There will also be an area for retro-gaming. Arcade classics like Columns, Bomberman, Mario Kart, Metal Slug X, and old school “versus” fighting games such as Super Street Fighter II will be available at the area transporting you back to the 80s and 90s. Classic game consoles such as the SEGA Saturn, Nintendo Entertainment System, Neo Geo, and the original PlayStation
Card and Board game enthusiast are not neglected. Gallant Games, a game store in Singapore, will be participating in the exhibition this year. Popular table-top role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 40,000 will be brought in by Gallant Games.
Upgrade your Gaming Gear
Home-grown gaming chair company Secretlab, now a regular at SITEX, will be at the show again this year. If you need a good gaming chair to go with your gaming rig, you should definitely try out their chairs at their booth.
If you need to upgrade your machine, check out Aftershock PC booth and Dell’s Alienware booth. Dell will be showcasing their latest Alienware Aurora Desktop R9.
For the Creator
East Asia Institute of Management (EASB) and Lionheart Studio, the competition will hold their Battle Arena Competition catered for aspiring artists and design enthusiasts. There will be three competitions namely, Ultimate speed painting, Game Design Prototype and Digital Art Workshop.
Hosted over three days at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, C3 Anime Festival Asia (AFA) Singapore 2018 gripped fans by storm. Aptly dubbed South East Asia’s biggest and most prestigious Japanese Popular Culture event, it celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, boasting an exclusive line-up of activities and celebrities.
Mr Shawn Chin, C3 AFA’s Organiser and SOZO’s Managing Director shared his thoughts: “10 years ago, Anime Festival started as a dream among my team to create a professionally-run Anime and Japanese Popular Culture event that fans, including myself, will truly enjoy. The festival has grown from having 25,000 attendees in year one in 2 halls in Singapore to 100,000 attendees last year in Singapore alone. Today we continue to be customer-focused. We are proud to be the definitive J-Pop event that connects our customers with the latest most sought-after contents direct from Japan, and we’ve been delivering this for the last 10 years across Asia.”
AFA’s success has also expanded over the decade to include other countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, delivering upon its promise to connect the SEA region with exclusive Japanese content. Each year, it drives to be bigger and better than before; each year, fans return in droves.
NUSCAST managed to snag media passes during this incredibly exciting weekend and sent four of its writers, Pan, Ziqi, Nathan and Kelly to immerse themselves in the AFA experience. Let’s hear what they have to say!
Pan
Wow, it’s been 10 years of AFA already? Time really flies. I remembered attending my very first AFA back in 2010 – admission was cheaper (how I missed those $8-priced tickets!) but everything was way smaller in scale as compared to now. I attended my very first Anisong concert in 2012 to watch Sea*A and jamming along to Minami Kuribayashi, May’N and Sphere. AFA has truly been a blessing of eight years: here’s to many more years of creating memories, of building friendships, of bridging communities.
As I stepped into AFA on Saturday, I was greeted (as always) by a huge Gundam figure.
“Welcome to AFA!”
Yep, I’m definitely in the right place. With my trusty guide map and Stamp Rally booklet in hand, I was ready to explore the area!
To commemorate AFA’s 10th anniversary, they introduced a stamp rally! I thought it was a really fun idea because it encouraged patrons to explore corners of AFA they would usually avoid (as well as an incentive for them to stay – the completion of the booklet entitled one to participate in a lucky draw!).
AFAntastic Stamps And Where To Find Them
For example, I was not a Fate/Grand Order fan but I made to visit the booth (and post a wish on its wall) in order to get a stamp. At the FGO booth, I watched with mixed awe and amusement: players crowded around a huge summoning circle, placing their phones in the middle and praying hard for a 5* summon. Fans cheered and groaned collectively when a draw was successful or a failure respectively. Here, I witnessed the spirit of AFA: it brought together fans regardless of age, gender, background.
The Summoning Circle at Fate/Grand Order Booth
I strolled along to Creators Hub, my all-time favourite place in AFA. Who could resist the draw of cute and cool merchandise? Despite the crowds, I like walking around and admiring the art (the walks also allow me to think and re-think if I should buy something or not!). The quality of the merch this year definitely increased. All of the art were impressive – and they were not limited to J-Pop: I spotted BTS and Produce 101 on my rounds. KDA’s Pop/Stars (League of Legends) was also on loop at a booth. I bought mostly Pokemon-themed loot.
But I think my absolute favourite loot was the Edge of Tomorrow x Voltron Legendary Defenders poster I acquired! I really wanted the Keith and Lance version of Titanic poster, but it was sold out by the time I reached on Saturday. I have to say one thing though: Creators Hub was too small for this many vendors. I felt that the walking spaces were too narrow. Popular booths had a clot of patrons, which led to little or no space to move to the next booth. It was literally suffocating, I had to escape through one of the many exits just to breathe.
I manage to catch a glimpse of Shuuka Saitou and Ai Furihata, seiyuus of Love Live! Sunshine, who graced the Odex stage on Saturday, much to the delight of their fans. They gave out 200 pieces of namecards to lucky winners who spent $50 on Love Live! Sunshine merchandise at the Odex booth. Fans expressed their enthusiasm by waving huge plushies of Ruby and You (although they were taken before the fans went on-stage for safety reasons).
I also spotted Mr Miles Morales on his daily neighbourhood patrol:
Spider-Man slinging into action at AFA with the wacom tablet!
Pretty cool publicity for the upcoming animated film right there with wacom! I also spent lots of time admiring the new figurines from Qposket and Gunpla!
Qposket and Gunpla exhibits featuring some iconic figurines
You can even vote for your favourite SAO character and showcase your love on a huge board. Sinon was seriously popular – leading by a huge margin the last time I visited the scoreboard.
Fans sticking by their favourite SAO characters!
On the way, I managed to snag a picture of the insanely huge Aragami from God-Eater as well:
I eat all ‘em red tapes!
Speaking of eating, I met up with a few of my friends at the designated food area. Naturally, the food was expensive, but delicious. I tried the beef don (SGD$9) while my friends had the hotly-advertised Lobster Mazesoba (SGD$15). I had a taste of the latter: the mazesoba tasted like hokkien mee. For the former, the Hokkaido rice topped with beef was really good. They gave three big pieces of juicy and tender meat. $9 is definitely overpriced though, but it is AFA after all. Meanwhile, the Kamikatsu booth sold chicken and pork katsu sandwiches for SGD$8. They came in these cute packagings:
All aboard the tonkatsu express!
The pork katsu tasted like crispy shabu shabu – it was pretty juicy. Combined with the bread however, it was not as good. The bread was simple and plain, so the katsu would have probably done better alone.
Overall, I thought AFA was really packed with interesting exhibits, although I would suggest for AFA to be more interactive with its guests. The stamp rally and lucky draws were a good starting point – hopefully more of such activities can be hosted over the next few years in order to spice the festival up! It would also be great if Creators Hub could be given more love/space!
Ziqi
It all began when I marked my calendar several months before this date. I checked off three boxes on 31st November, 1st and 2nd December, and didn’t pay it much heed until much later. On hindsight, my actions were more instinctive than it should have been. This year’s AFA was my 4th Anime Festival Asia in a row, and what draws me back year after year is tradition. It marks the occasion where I can let my inner otaku-ness be uncaged, and join the pack of other like-minded collectives in the yearly event. Think of it as a festival, yes. This year, I was looking for the exciting “new” in the backdrop of the “old”, yet comfortable, setting.
The Creators Hub
I believe this was the most exciting area in the whole event. The endless possibility and creativity that flowed out of this doujinshi area drew crowds in like kids to a candy van. We all know the dangers of the hub. Once you step in, you will be in this area for a while. I say this not because of the sprawl of cheap, handcrafted goods that was on offer, but other budget hunters and pin collectors that probably had the same intention as you would. The alleyways were caked with people, bodies smashing in a chaotically orderly manner. Ladies please wear your tallest platforms the next time you intend to challenge this area, you might find it hard to breath before nipping your merchandises. And fellas, please keep your hands to yourself, I felt a brush against my backside several times, luckily not in succession. I hope that next year’s area will be bigger, with more space to walk. Despite all these nuances, people, and myself included, continue to be attracted to the allure of this place.
Food area
What would be a Japanese themed event without good, authentic japanese food! The strawberry shaved ice returned, and the wagyu beef don was a must-try. The tantalising aroma of the seared beef was enough to make anyone that entered this section salivate. Imagine washing that delicious juicy nikudon with some cold green tea!
For the budget friendly people, don’t worry. Nissin cup noodle was there to offer some good ole comfort food that wasn’t too damaging on the wallet. I tried the UFO spicy mayo noodle and it was very tasty. There were even multiple hot water dispensers and a basin provided to drain the water from your noodles.
There was also a Detective Conan cafe this year that had a menu ranging from pastries to cakes to sodas. The themed food was a bit too pricey for my liking.
MUSE
Taiwanese merchandise seller was back again at this year’s AFA- a welcoming sight to those who couldn’t wait to get their hands on official goods of their favourite mainstream anime. I say mainstream because everywhere I looked, it was either a Sword Art Online poster or RE:Zero’s Emilia staring back at me. To the newer fans, MUSE provides a starting point on building up their otaku collection, but to me, they are anime that dated several years back. The art is new, but the goods they are printed upon stays the same. One good tip to prevent yourself from overbuying is ask: What do I do with this Emilia file, or this Kirito Umbrella? Do I really need it?
Nathan
I will first of all admit that I am still quite the newbie in all of this. Ten years of AFA? That’s great–not that I know much of the first seven years of it, sadly. Yes, I’ve only been around for three years: one AFAID and two AFASG’s, but each time they always manage to amaze me. I mean, look at the turnout!
What’s that? Sure, we can talk about AFAID for a bit first, in the spirit of ten years of AFA. To be honest, they’re exactly the same. I think Singaporeans make better (and more risque!) cosplays, but beyond that, it’s the same spirit, the same amount of crowds. The same artists often grace the stages of both, and it has been a wild ride.
Probably it’s easiest to sum up their differences by simply saying Singapore is so much more expensive, end of story. I mean, I remember getting my first anime-related merch–a Shigatsu keychain–back in AFAID two years ago, for around $2.50 ($10 for 5. Yes, five). I considered myself lucky to find one stall selling keychains at twice the price last AFASG. Back then I thought, Thank you very much, I think I already have too much keychains.
Speaking of, I can give you two bits of advice, applicable to any and all AFA. One, do go on Fridays or Sundays if you will only be going shopping. Yes, they will still be packed, but nothing like the masses on Saturday. Meanwhile, if you’re going on Saturday anyway, do yourself a favor and wake up late. If you go there about lunchtime, you won’t have to wait in line to enter, the Creator’s Hub isn’t as jam-packed, and you’ll have about two more hours of sleep–a win-win for everybody!
Two, if you’re only going shopping anyway, do drop by AFAID for an absolute steal–oh what’s that? They may not have one next year? Shame. Moving on.
But it’s the tenth year of AFA, so there must be something special this time around right? Oh yes. A front row seat to see Kayano Ai-san. This was the first time she ever went overseas for an event like this. I didn’t care that it was for (the actually surprisingly decent) SAO Alicization day stage, but we should be honored that we could tease her about Matsuoka-san for an entire hour.
I would say that was the absolute highlight of this year’s AFASG. Even more than Kawasumi Ayako-san yelling “EXCALIBUR!” for three different lines in the Fate/Grand Order stage? I’d say so. Just maybe.
Kelly
The Closing Day of AFA featured more performances, more interviews, and more photo opportunities. I arrived in the morning, and headed straight to Creators Hub, which has always been the most popular part of the convention.
Even on Closing Day, the hub saw busy crowds, although there was surprisingly no gridlock. All the usual fare was sold there- keychains, posters, stickers, and some shirts. Beyond these staples, I would have liked to see more unusual merchandise, but that’s rare to see at any convention. Hypnosis Mic seemed to be this year’s favorite in the bishounen genre, while Fate was clearly the most popular. Luckily, although it was Closing Day, very few pieces of merchandise were sold out in the days before.
Outside the hub, there were various official booths. The Pop Team Epic pop-up caught my eye, due to the booth’s unique design. It sold official merchandise, such as stickers and shirts. It also had a doodling wall, where anyone could draw their own panel in the style of the comic.
I got to catch a dance, followed by a short interview, by the cosplayer Ruru on the cosplay stage. The stage itself also featured many of her cosplay pictures.
The Akiba Stage had a brief cosplay appearance by Baozi and Hana, who came dressed as Kaitou Kid and Kudou Shinichi from Detective Conan. They answered questions from the speaker and the fans, and spoke about doing less cosplay in the future due to work commitments. They also launched a new makeup line called Flowerknows, which had its own booth at AFA.
Lunch within the venue was, as usual, slightly overpriced. The cup noodles booth drew the biggest crowds– perhaps it was the familiarity, or because you stood a chance to win photo opportunities with various cosplayers. There was also an attached stage where cosplayers were being interviewed. Cosplay and cup noodles seem like an odd pairing, but it appeared useful for drawing people in.
I ended my day by catching Revue Starlight on the Day Stage. Revue Starlight is a musical-turned-anime about Karen and her close friend Hikari, who are both budding stars in acting school. Their VAs came dressed as their respective characters, and participated in a 45-minute interview on stage. They talked about their culture shock when they first came to Singapore for such events, and their personality differences from the characters they portray. For example, Karen is a genki, but her VA says herself tends to fret more. As an audience, we also got to see selected fight scenes from both the musical and the upcoming anime. Both VAs talked about the unique connection between the musical and its anime adaption, as they are also stage actresses portraying the very same characters in the musical.
This was the 10th time that AFA has been held, and event is still going strong. The quality of artists appear to be steadily improving over the years, and each year the convention increases in popularity. Perhaps it could do with having more creative side events– then again, its focus has always been merchandise. Overall, while there are local conventions with free entry, AFA is certainly well worth its entrance fee.
Conclusion
Being the 10th anniversary of AFA, it might be natural to expect this year’s AFA to be the most elaborate of them all. And in some ways it was, with the sprawling crowd and myriad of booths and activities present. Yet, the event largely felt the same as any other AFA, with the huge focus on merchandising, the droves of cosplayers and the presence of everyone’s beloved Creators’ Hub.
However, this familiarity might be exactly what has allowed AFA to endure and become as successful as it is today. At the end of the day, what AFA represents is community, which is what binds us all as fellow anime/manga fans. Without events like AFA, it surely would have been far more difficult for anime/manga to gain as much as traction as it has in the present day.
And that’s why, we would like to end off our coverage of this year’s AFA with our gratitude towards it. Thank you for being there for all of us for the last ten years, it’s been a blast! We hope to see many more years of AFA to come!
The inaugural Japan Park 2018 is happening now at Suntec Convention Center Hall 403 and 404 from 4th of August to 5th of August. The tagline of the event is “Play, Get and Taste a selection from 47 Prefectures”. Be sure to come with an empty stomach so that you can eat your fill at the event itself. You can also buy a piece of ‘Japan’ back home in form of a tatami at The Tatami Shop.
Event Map
The entrance fee is SGD15 for a day and SGD25 for two days. The area itself isn’t that big that would warrant a two full day visits. However, if there are performances at the main stage that you wish to catch on both day, the two day pass will be suitable for you. There are other special package ticket which comes with either a special Keisuke Ramen or a VIP ticket for Poppin’Party, a popular girl band in Japan. More information at this link.
6 Zones of Japan Park
6 Zones of Japan Park
There are a total of 6 zones in Japan Park. The Omakase stage is where you will catch a list of performance ranging from traditional Japanese Dance to Celebrity Cosplayer talk show. Check out the time table below to make sure you don’t miss the performance that you are interested in.
Omakase Stage Time Table
KUNI-KEN Shamisen Live
If you have kids and wish to burn some of their endless energy, sign them up for the sports challenge at the Kids Sport zone. The challenge involves a few physical tests which will last about 20 minutes. The booth is hosted by the Albirex Niigata Singapore FC which is a satellite of Albirex Niigata of Japan. The Singapore team has been playing in the S.League since 2004.
Kids Sports Zone
CharaExpo Mini
CharaExpo Mini
Unlike the last CharaExpo, this mini edition is definitely not comparable to the full scale CharaExpo of last year. The area is much smaller than the previous year. However, for fans of BanG Dream!, this year CharaExpo will not disappoint you. Members from Poppin’Party will be performing live at the Omakase stage on the last day of Japan Park.
Poppin’Party
There was also a Yukata talk show on the first day where all the fans get to meet the members of Poppin’Party.
Giant posters for you to take picture
Other than BanG! Dream, Love Live is also another franchise that is promoted at this year CharaExpo Mini. There is a booth dedicated to Love Live where a big screen version of the popular Love Live School Idol Festival is available for you to try.
You can also get merchandises at the Bushiroad booth located in CharaExpo Mini. Some items are already sold out on Day 1. So make sure to get them quickly if you have decided on what to buy.
Bushiroad Booth
Experience Japan
Japan Park
There are a few unique Japan experience you can get to try out at Japan park. Koka city is known as the city of Ninja in Japan. Try your hands at shooting some ninja shuriken at a target. It is definitely not as simple as you think.
Koka Ninja
Matsuri game is another popular activity enjoyed by many in Japan during any Matsuri (festival). There are however only two games available at the Maturi Game booth.
Matsuri
For the tea lovers, you can get an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony experience . There are limited time slot so you may wish to register earlier with the staff.
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Food at WA-Shiok Gourmet Festa
WA-Shiok Gourmet Festa
The WA-ShiokGourmet Festa is where you will find some of the best Japanese restaurants that are available in Singapore. With 18 stores including Keisuke Ramen, Ginza Lion and Menya Sakura, you will be able to enjoy all the different food together at the same time.
The event uses a cashless token system. Your wristband is how you will pay. Do note that the credits inside are non-refundable, so top-up them gradually and not at a single go.
Japan Park is definitely an event for Japanese lover. The event itself covers a broad base of Japanese Culture. However, the breadth comes at the expense of depth. It doesn’t feel like a Matsuri to me, nor does it feels like an Anime/Manga event. Nonetheless, Japan Park is a good to visit for the weekend for all the Japanese lovers out there.
Details
Japan Park Singapore 2018
Venue: Suntec City Convention Centre Halls 403-404
