Local Events Archives | Otaku No Culture

An Animated Guide to VC Film Fest (2024)

Taking place next month is VC Film Fest and we have our guide on must sees for the animation fan and our top three live-action cinematic presentations too. ;)

Runs from Wed, May 1, 2024 – Fri, May 10, 2024

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival / LAAPFF is now known as VC Film Fest and they’re celebrating 40 glorious years! This event is great at showcasing films from this region and this year, the shorts program includes Armed with Camera, Digital Histories and Pacific Cinewaves. This helps attendees select what they like to see, and sewn into the fabric of each of these are many animated works and they will be my focus on my top ten works to see this year.

And also included are my top three picks of live-action feature length works.

AIKANE

A valiant island warrior, wounded in battle against foreign invaders, falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescued him transforms into a handsome young man, they fall in love and an epic adventure begins.

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Emerald City Comic Con 2024. It’s Great To Be Back!

Although it took a while for me to collect my thoughts, presented here is my look at how Emerald City Comic Con has changed this decade.

Emerald City Comic Con certainly exploded in size since 2019. Instead of occupying one building and a quarter during the time I last attended, it’s a full building and a half! I’ve heard stories about last year’s and am glad I didn’t go. Folks had problems navigating around and getting used to the new space. And although the pandemic caused this event to lose momentum back in 2020, it continued in 2021 with health checks in place. To get those certificates verifying you’re safe to arrive from out of the country was a hassle. While the medical concern is today considered an endemic level threat, I heard on Facebook three vendors in Artist’s Alley caught Covid-19.

On Friday and Saturday, the two exhibitors’ floors were packed! Maybe 15% of the people walked around wearing face masks. Although the new building is much more spacious, I doubt spreading things out further can help limit the transmission of con crud. Even after following all the talk concerning the move to Washington State Convention Center‘s Summit Building (last year’s show), this new space is much better than the old one! And after last year’s blunder, there are signs pointing to the basement level where the best vendors are located!

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The Vintage Tempest’s Fan Expo Vancouver 2024 Diary, Convention Report and Thoughts

Not every guest celebrity was easily accessible at Fan Expo Vancouver 2024, and thankfully one moment made this year memorable.

Fan Expo Vancouver 2024 is over, and it took a while for me to unpack everything that I had enjoyed from it. This event’s 15th anniversary is approaching, Informa Connect has not started planning or taking in suggestions on what to offer. Maybe they don’t want to announce plans have started because this is their 13th show and there’s a superstition with this number. A year was lost due to the pandemic

Although not everyone noticed, the sections where the stage, photo ops and autograph tables are located was changed around. The shuffling was done because there’s more space to relocate some things. Perhaps the more noticeable aspect is more anime and k-pop style content. As for why there isn’t as much industry support and sponsorship, perhaps that’s because they’re not what the organisers want to focus on. Instead, they want to be engaged with the local groups and communities that exist in those cities this company has an annual show.

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In Victoria, BC Hyoga Onda Says His New Store, Otaki Aims To Fill A Missing Niche

Hyoga Onda grew up watching the anime his father loved, and he promises to stay on top of current trends too in terms of what stock to bring in next.

The Onda clan wants to reinvigorate Downtown Victoria and that’s because it’s become a shadow of its former self these days–especially for the area their two stores operate in. This family opened up a new shop called Otaki designed to cater specifically to the aficionados of Japanese culture and what’s available are lots of instant ramen (at least 30 flavours) from their sister operation, along with lots of models–mostly stuff one can’t find elsewhere. The selection is based on what they think a fan of classic and current anime can be proud of showing off.

There’s a large variety of plastic models one can buy, and it’s not just about Gundam Seed; there’s also other anime goods and fashion accessories, which range from stuffed dolls to clothing! The selection will change as they experiment with testing the waters regarding what sells and what doesn’t. But for someone wanting products that other nearby operations don’t carry enough of, this place is it!

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Regarding The Great Salish Heist and it’s Vancouver Island Connection According to Leslie D. Bland

This producer said, “The Great Salish Heist is indigenous version of Ocean’s Eleven. Instead of breaking into a casino, they’re going to have to find a way into a museum after hours.”

Leslie D. Bland is a filmmaker who has crafted a lot of documentary style content over the years. In 2021, he and Harold Joe made Tzouhalem, which examined the impact a local legend had in the Vancouver Island region (my coverage can be read here). And to change what they enjoy making together, they produced an action-comedy The Great Salish Heist.

When I last talked to him, this project was in the early stages of pre-production. And now that it’s ready to make its world debut at the Victoria Film Festival (Feb 9 at the Blue Bridge Theatre), they can talk about the concept more! There will be a Q&A after the screening, and for those wondering how this concept came to be, “The original idea is based on Harold’s work,” said Bland. “He’s a cultural worker for the Kwakiutl and other neighbouring Nations, and it was from a pitch he put forth in front of our staff one day.”

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