By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek) (Updated February 24, 2017; 19:14 PST)
Blame! (pronounced Blam!) is here, it’s real and it’s finally happening with a full length animated feature coming in 2017. Based on the short story Blame by Tsutomu Nihei, (later serialized from 1997 to 2003), it was originally announced for a feature-length CG rendered film in 2007. Micott and Basara (Appleseed Ex Machina) were to provide animation services with Production I.G for background, but the project was halted when Micott and Basara filed for bankruptcy in 2011.
Gorden Kaye w/ ‘Allo ‘Allo! cast members Carmen Silvera (left) & Vicki Michelle (right).By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
In a touching tribute to a ‘Allo ‘Allo! star, the director of the Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra has dedicated a YouTube video to actor Gorden Kaye. Kaye who died in a Knaresborough care home on January 23rd at the age of 75 played café owner and lady’s man René Artois on the popular television series. Kaye’s career started in the 1960’s and spanned theatre, radio, television, and film. Kaye played Bernard Butler, Elsie Tanner’s nephew, in the ITV television series Coronation Street and as middle class Ray Benge in the Thames comedy drama Born and Bred. He also guested on such series as Are You Being Served?, Come Back Mrs. Noah, Last of the Summer Wine, and All Creatures Great and Small.
Mark your calendars, break out your costumes, and perfect your mad video game skills because MosaiCon will be returning in 2017. It has been confirmed by none other than Marc Gervais, General Coordinator for Nanaimo’s multifaceted fandom convention. Gervais has a table at this year’s anime and cosplay convention, Tsukino-Con, at the University of Victoria campus. Gervais was able to confirm the dates for MosaiCon are Saturday and Sunday, September 16th and 17th of 2017. Gervais informed this journalist that a meeting will be held with MosaiCon’s board to decide a location to host the con.
Tsukino-Con 2017 poster art by Bomhat.By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
Comparing now to then it is still easy to spot a nerd out in public. They have changed little since the 80’s and can still be associated to their exaggerated predecessors of the 1984 movie Revenge of the Nerds. That’s not to say this is a bad thing, their jock counterparts can still be compared to the members of the Alpha Betas fraternity. Others are harder to notice until it comes to convention time. On the bus rides over to Tsukino-Con, Vancouver Island’s local anime and cosplay convention, they were easier to spot. Their costumes are this tribe’s version of war paint. They show their true colours. One example was the man dressed up as the tenth Doctor from Doctor Who, wearing a TARDIS backpack and holding a small pizza (even several billion years in the future, Gallifrey Pizza still delivers in 30 minutes or less). Or perhaps it was his female companion wearing an Elsa wig from Disney‘s film Frozen that gave it away. No matter how one spots a nerd (or geek), bus rides to Tsukino is the one of the best ways to make new friends.
Once you reach your destination at the University of Victoria (UVic) campus, unless you are in a rush to register before the opening ceremonies held this year in the David Lam Auditorium of the MacLaurin building (I missed them again), it’s a good idea to eat something if you haven’t dropped in at Kuma Noodle Japan (shameless plug) beforehand. The UVic Student Society’s (UVSS) Student Union Building (SUB) is a good place to start. Rather than take a lot of time and eat in at Felicita’s Campus Pub, I filled up on sushi at Bean Around the World (across from Felicita’s). But while in the SUB, if you are old school like me, seek washroom facilities elsewhere if you are uncomfortable with the thought of using the two unisex bathrooms that are available. Not all buildings on campus have been converted to reflect the views of the modern student.
For anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest, it is common knowledge that Vancouver Island is one of the toughest places to host an event. The lethargy displayed by the fan community backed by decades of failed events, an unhealthy fan club scene and conventions that once shone only to dull and disappear is enough to make any organizer think twice.
But one has to admire the sheer bravery of any person who tries to create something wonderful for the local community. Three such people are Evan Hatch, Carson Upton, and Michael Lum creators of GottaCon, a gaming event that lasted a handful of years before closing. Replaced by LANtasy, both are proof that southern Vancouver Island isn’t big enough to support two such events.
One of the biggest events of the year in Japan can be found in Sapporo. The Sapporo Snow Festival is held over two weeks in the largest city on the north island of Hokkaido, is the Sapporo Snow Festival. The festival displays giant ice and snow sculptures in Sapporo’s downtown area that are createed by artists from around the globe. The larger sculptures are built and later demolished by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). During this festival Sapporo hosts winter-themed events and offers tasty culinary delights.
By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
By James Robert Shaw
By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)