Tsukino-Con Announces First Guest of 2016!

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

JoshGrelleYou can tell Victoria’s little-con-that-could has not just expanded over the years but has grown gracefully. And no more is that evident in the selection of Tsukino-Con’s guests whose names get bigger and bigger with every passing con. Last year saw Japanese seiyuu actress Satsuki Yukino (Free!, Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040) join Tracey Moore (Care Bears, Sailor Moon) and Kyle Hebert (Dragonball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist) as the con’s special guests. With today’s announcement of Tsukin-Con’s first guest of 2016, fans should expect more of the same.

The first guest of 2016 will be none other than voice actor Josh Grelle. Grelle is an anime fan and a native of Clifton, Texas. He got his foot in the door of voice work when he was hired by the popular ADVision Films in January 2004. Since that time Grelle has become a seasoned veteran with such credits under his belt as Clannad, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Itsuki in Initial D, and recently Armin in Attack on Titan.

Grielle’s work has also included some notable video games. He can be heard as Sima Shi in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends, Dave in Borderlands 2, and Xbalanque in Smite.

Follow the Rising Water known as Yakona, A Documentary

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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Plays at Cinecenta
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC
Aug 11 7:00 & 9:15 pm

For other showtimes, please click here.

Not many documentaries can hold a viewer for more than 45 minutes. When one does, they are typically filled with narration to explain the purpose of why it is expanding an individual’s mind to the wonders of the planet Earth, or the universe. Sometimes, in a theatrical presentations like Yakona, the purpose is to captivate and let the viewer decide for themselves what the visual thesis is about. Through sound and image instead of narration (having this track would have been beneficial), a creation and apocalyptic myth are being forged about the San Marcos River (located in Central Texas) as it borne from springs in the aforementioned region to Spring Lake.

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Tsukino-Con Day 3: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

TsukinoDay35When at a weekend convention, such as Tsukino-Con, if there is one thing I learned this year it is to take a freakin’ vacation in 2015. Working eight hours days across town and then hopping two long bus rides to make it in time for the last two hours of convention is a bit of a whirlwind. There is no time to relax and unwind from the trip, no time to chat to the con goers, no time to browse the tables of our dealers and talented artists and no time to truly appreciate the final day of a great con such as this.

On reflection, 2014 was a record-breaking one in terms of attendance for Tsukino. And I can understand why. It is a very active con and there is always something for the fans to enjoy. The University of Victoria (UVic) is the perfect setting for such a con, everything from food to transportation is within reach. With the growth in attendees over the last year, someone suggested the con should move off campus. To them I say “nay!”

From the facilities available in Victoria, UVic is the perfect place for such a con. No other place can house such an event that looks busy but still feels open and free. And besides, UVic benefits from the money spent on their campus and enrolled students get in for free. Why ruin such a good thing?

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Tsukino-Con Day 2: Panels, Panels and More Panels

By James Rovbert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

TsukinoDay22I had a late start on the second day for Tsukino-Con. I had what is known among us older con-goers as the con hangover. That is when a man like me stays up too late, drinks little water eats even less and wakes up with one huge hangover. It’s not a pretty sight and it made me realize I can’t pull it off like I did way back in 1995, at Anime Expo.

The second day appeared to be the most active of the con fan-wise. Many people were out in droves wearing a wide variety of costumes. They came dressed as Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones and also as members of the Attack on Titan recon team (the most popular cosplay at Tsukino-Con this year).

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Tsukino-Con Day One: Cosplayers & Smiling Artists

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Tsukino-Con
February 14 – 16, 2014
University of Victoria
Gordon Head
Saanich, British Columbia

Tsukino2I’ve always wanted to attend Tsukino-Con but the attitude among my friends were that of disdain. They believed Tsukino was a cosplay event directed at pre-teens and teens than adults who some consider the “real fans.”

I had listened to them for years but secretly I yearned to be among the people who had the same interests as I did. I couldn’t afford to travel to the big cons like Dragon Con or Anime Expo (again), and Tsukino is closer and cheaper. GottaCon is mostly for gamers but I’m an anime fan at heart.

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The Neverending Story Delivers An All-Age Fantasy

The Neverending StoryThe Neverending Story
University Centre Farquhar Auditorium
University of Victoria
December 12 – 18, 2013

J: Whenever The Neverending Story is mentioned, people will most likely remember the film more than Michael Ende’s book that this play is based off. The film is on many lists of the “Top 100 Family Films of All Time.” It comes as no surprise that David S. Craig was under tremendous pressure to adapt Ende’s work for the stage while staying true to the book. Perhaps it was even equal pressure that Kaleidoscope’s Artistic Director, Roderick Glanville, present a show that both fans of Wolfgang Petersen’s film and their children could enjoy.

In this adaptation, Atreyu (Ayden Turpel-Stewart), a young warrior from the plains, is chosen by Fantastica’s ruler, the Childlike Empress (Emily Van Oosten), to take up a quest to save the land and its people from an enveloping black emptiness called The Nothing. Atreyu seeks the aid of many of the land’s inhabitants to stop The Nothing, but the one person who plays the biggest role is Bastian (Stuart Cameron), a boy from a different world who uses his imagination to keep his loneliness at bay.

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