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The Vendors at Senshi Matsuri 2013

What would be a con without vendors? I thought this needed its own post since the vendors at Senshi Matsuri were unique - they were independent artists, designers, or online stores catering to the fandom.

Everyone had really nice, high quality stuff!

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Hitomi is a vendor specializing in colored contact lenses, eyelashes, bows, and fukus.

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Lil Hevn was selling trinkets ranging from earrings to plush onigiri!

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There was something for everyone!

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This booth, Hikari wo Sagasu, had lots of japanese themed trinkets ranging from silver earrings to origami hair pins and clips. These girls were really sweet and I bought a pretty pair of earrings that remind me a bit of Sailor Pluto’s staff. Looking back, I wish I bought an origami hair pin as well.

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All of their stuff is available online I’m told, so maybe I will eventually get an origami rose hair pin.

Did you buy anything interesting from any of the booths at Senshi Matsuri?

First Ever Senshi Matsuri in New York City!

After New York Anime Fest was gobbled up alive by New York Comic Con, it is nice to see a small event focused on a specific fandom that was pulled together by real fans instead of some corporate machine. Senshi Matsuri, hosted on Usagi’s birthday (June 30th) brought together over 200 Moonies under the roof of the tiny event hall in the Amsterdamn Houses next to Lincoln Center. It wasn’t overcrowded and it was far from empty - the perfect combination because I really can’t stand the sweaty and rude crowds that plague most big conventions.

Senshi Matsuri 2013 opened up with Twinkle Twinkle Sailor Stars presented by Lilith Oya:

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After which was followed by a Senshi Fashion Show by Lil Hevn. Unfortunately the participants walked by so quickly I couldn’t get any individual shots.

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The fashion show was followed by Uncle Yo’s standup geek comedy routine. For any readers who are unfamilar with him - he is basically a normal person making normal jokes. No, actually his humor is quite topical - if you don’t play video games, watch anime, or engage in other ‘nerdy’ or ‘geeky’ activities I don’t think you’ll understand anything he’s talking about. Today he poked fun at Big Bang Theory (a show I happen to like) and how it’s a very poor representation of geek culture but allows ‘outsiders’ to claim they understand us because they laugh at us from a safe distance. Of course he was funnier and I’m just going all English degree on a comedy routine.

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His comedy act was followed by an event titled, “So You Wanna Be a Starlight” where some brave moonies took to the stage to show off their skills. Various acts involved singing and dancing.

The event wrapped up with one last performance and a cosplay contest.

The panels were engaging and well thought (descriptions taken from Senshi Matsuri 2013 agenda):

Sailor Moon & Feminism: It’s no secret that Sailor Moon is all about “girl power”— but just how much does this beloved anime measure up to feminist ideals? This panel looks how Sailor Moon deals with female empowerment, LGBTQ issues, body image, and more!”


Sailor Moon Cosplay 101: Lilith Oya brings you info and DIY tips on making the perfect Senshi Cosplays.

Basic Guide to a Magical Girl’s Wardrobe: There is no question that the gifted have a specific style, this is also true for the heroines of manga * anime.


Overall, I am happy with how the event turned out. I really do hope the turnout this year will allow the event to continue on next year and perhaps outgrow the small event center so it can find a home at the Hilton on 57th street or another very nice place suitable for a small convention. There are a few things that I would change for next year - but hopefully the crew who made this event happen will send out a survey asking for suggestions and comments. As I stated previously, it is really nice to go to an event that is truly about the fandom and not about lining the pockets of huge corporations.

Surrender those wallets! Posable Sailor Moon dolls are on the way.

Over at this great website called TOMOPOP I found this great news:

Surprise: the biggest announcement from Tamashii Nation 2012 has come one day early. Bandai has the Sailor Moon license and they’re going to be dropping a poseable Sailor Moon on us. Now, to be honest, I’d heard recently that this was possible pending licensing issues being sorted out, but that looks to be the case, folks. So yeah, all that wishing you’ve done has come true.

No word yet on pricing, a release date or such, or even which line it’s a part of yet (S.H. Figuarts or D-Arts), but I would suspect it’ll be 2013 since we appear to have at least a colored prototype. Whether or not we get the rest of the main senshi/scouts probably depends on sales … my gut feeling is that won’t be a problem.


There is some speculation (as seen on the TOMOPOP page) that there isn’t an official announcement of dolls for the other Senshi, but looking at the photo, one can catch a glimpse of a Chibi and images of the other scouts so I’ll bet Bandai will be on board for making at least all of the Inner Senshi. This prototype looks much better than the original dolls we were all ‘blessed’ with by Irwin and Bandai in the early 90s. I consider this more of a figurine than a doll or a toy, really. This doesn’t look like a toy, but rather an acknowledgement from the corporate aspect of Sailor Moon that knows the fanbase has grown up and are now adults who support the franchise. I suspect these dolls will start popping up in collector’s shops and toy stores alike.

Sailor Moon gets a box set!!

Before continuing on with more New York Comic Con related posts(such as some interviews with cosplayers and my hands-on time with Assassin’s Creed Liberation) I wanted to talk about the new box set slated for release just in time for the holidays on November 20th. On the 13th, Kodansha announced the release of a very nice box set containing volumes 1-6. It will contain stickers and the mangas. This is fantastic for a gift or as a quick way to snap up the first 6 books for those of you who haven’t. Early birds - you’re out of luck. When asked if they would release the box alone for those who have the first volumes the response was a simple “no.” Dallas Middaugh made sure to follow up with a reasonable explanation - he mentioned that books go through several print runs and so those of us who have volumes 1-6 may have sets of books from different runs. The content of a book from 1st print to 2nd print will be identical; however, the paper used may be slightly different, or the trim size may be off by a hair. What this means for those of us who would like this cute box for our books is this: the books simply would not fit in the box because they are not all from the print run that this box was designed to cover.

I’m sure plenty of you will be buying this just as a collectors item to keep in the shrink wrap - right?

I’ll be back soon with interviews with folks just like you from NYCC and my opinions on Asssassin’s Creed: Liberations.

You can pre-order this box set on Amazon for a fantastic price of $39.90. That’s 39% off of the list price of $65.94.

Kodansha Comics USA announces Sailor Moon art releases! - UPDATE/Clarification

I have noticed an error in the original post about the Kodansha panel - they are releasing FIVE new art books, NOT 13, although there was speculation about them releasing the other books that were NOT released outside of Japan; however, the director said he could not say “yes” or “no.”

I have also noticed some of you seem a bit confused because there is only one Sailor Moon Art Bookwhile there are five but still only one. As Dallas Middaugh noted at the panel - there is technically one Sailor Moon Art Book, but it will have FIVE editions. Each country will have it’s own unique edition. So if you want to have allof the artwork, you will need to find a way to obtain each edition from each country. The main content of the books will be the same; but each country will have its own bonus material that is exclusiveto that country. Bonus content in the United States edition will NOT be the same as the bonus materials in the Japanese edition and so on.

You can see the original and corrected post below:

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Look out, Moonies! At the NYCC12 Kodansha Industry panel, Dallas Middaugh and his colleagues at Kodansha announced that there would be a simultaneous world release of 5 brand spankin’ new artbooks. The Sailor Moon Art Book joins several announcements pertaining to the popular franchise including a new anime slated for airing in 2013. This new book will be released in the United States, Japan, and five other countries. The books will be in the trade paperback format with a dust jacket. Unlike Kodansha’s manga releases, the trim sizes and page count will remain uniform throughout each country. They will contain color images and bonus material that will be exclusive to each country – meaning your United States edition will not have the same bonus material as the Japanese counterpart and so on. These books will be a compilation of Takeuchi’s most popular work from the previous five art books released in Japan along with unpublished materials for fans to see for the first time. For those of you who want all of the bonus material; I suppose if you want to catch em’ all – you’ll have to import or trade editions with people!

The Kodansha panel wasn’t for Moonies only. There were a few announcements about some forthcoming releases:

Fairy Tail – Hiro Mashima

Fairy Tail will be released in print every month as of March ‘13 and it will be released in digital formant bimonthly. They hope to catch up as closely as possible to the Japanese releases.

Air Gear Omnibus by Oh!Great will release in May 2013

Sankarea: Undying Loveby Mitsuru Hattori will release in June 2013

No. 6 by Atsuko Asano(art by Hinoki Kino) will release in June 2013.

Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura will release in October 2013.

Tokyo Mew Mew A la Mode by Mia Ikumi will release in November 2013.

Kodansha Comics USA announces Sailor Moon art releases!

Look out, Moonies! At the NYCC12 Kodansha Industry panel, Dallas Middaugh and his colleagues at Kodansha announced that there would be a simultaneous world release of 5 brand spankin’ new artbooks. The Sailor Moon Art Book joins several announcements pertaining to the popular franchise including a new anime slated for airing in 2013. This new book will be released in the United States, Japan, and five other countries. The books will be in the trade paperback format with a dust jacket. Unlike Kodansha’s manga releases, the trim sizes and page count will remain uniform throughout each country. They will contain color images and bonus material that will be exclusive to each country – meaning your United States edition will not have the same bonus material as the Japanese counterpart and so on. These books will be a compilation of Takeuchi’s most popular work from the previous five art books released in Japan along with unpublished materials for fans to see for the first time. For those of you who want all of the bonus material; I suppose if you want to catch em’ all – you’ll have to import or trade editions with people!

The Kodansha panel wasn’t for Moonies only. There were a few announcements about some forthcoming releases:

Fairy Tail – Hiro Mashima

Fairy Tail will be released in print every month as of March ‘13 and it will be released in digital formant bimonthly. They hope to catch up as closely as possible to the Japanese releases.

Air Gear Omnibusby Oh!Great will release in May 2013

Sankarea: Undying Loveby Mitsuru Hattori will release in June 2013

No. 6by Atsuko Asano(art by Hinoki Kino) will release in June 2013.

Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura will release in October 2013.

Tokyo Mew Mew A la Mode by Mia Ikumi will release in November 2013.


Also check out Kodansha’s redesigned website! http://kodanshacomics.com/

Cosplayers! Gallery 1 - New York Comic Con 2012

And here it is… the first batch of cosplay photos that will make you say “hey now!”

Now in case you missed it: There was a HUGE Sailor Moon meetup. Perhaps the largest gathering of scouts I have seen at NYCC yet.

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Cosplayers Of ConnectiCon

While people were partying in San Diego this past weekend, fans from all over New England and the NYC metro area hung out at ConnectiCon in Hartford, Connecticut. Here’s some of the best outfits I took photos of. Check back tomorrow for Doctor Who and BBC Sherlock cosplay pics:

Baby Princess Merida:

Top Gear’s The Stig:

Battle Of The Princess Meridas:

Luigi and Friends:

Supernatural:

American McGee’s Alice:

Kid Loki:

Carmen Sandiego:

Kingdom Hearts:

Harley Quinn, The Joker, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy:

Sailor Neptune & Sailor Uranus:

Hey Now! A Sailor Moon reboot!

I’m a little bit late to the party, but it only makes sense that I ensure this news makes an appearance on this website because, if you stalk my own personal blog, you know I am a very devoted worshipper of Sailor Moon. At Japan Expo Con, Naoko Takeuchi’s Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon celebrated 20 years (it’s already been 20 years since I saw the first episode!? Well my age is showing) with a fantastic announcement - in conjunction with Toei Animation, a spanking new Sailor Moon series will launch globally next Summer. Exciting, right? The announcement was made with quite a few important figures present -  Naoko Takeuchi and her original Sailor Moon manga editor, pop group Momoiro Clover Z, and the original voice actors for Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon. It was announced that Momoiro Clover Z would produce the theme song for this new series and it seems as if Kotono Mitsuishi will return as Usagi/Sailor Moon and Toru Furuya will once again be Mamoru/Tuxedo Kamen. Kodansha editor Fumio Osano has confirmed that this will be a series and not a movie. 

Supposedly, this will be a new anime intended for older audiences(which makes sense), while welcoming those who are new to the series. I really hope that this time around they stick to the story of the manga - and it would be really nice since the manga is finally receiving a half decent release courtesy of Kodanasha in the United States. I have a lot of fun comparing the new edition to the first run by Pocket Mixx/ Tokyo Pop. Now, I am looking forward to seeing all new animation bringing my favorite series back to my television screen whilst reducing my cash flow since I will buy all of the dvd sets and put them right next to my complete Sailor Moon dvd collection (pssst, I have the Japanese Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon R by the now defunct ADV).

Without any concept art or other detailed specifics, I have a few questions in mind:

Will the villains of Sailor Moon(season 1) have their histories told in entirety in the new reboot?

Will the sailor guardians of Chibi-Usa also share the same treatment as mentioned above? Both the four commanders and the villainous sailor guardians received the same treatment in the original anime: you had no idea they were originally allies if you didn’t read the manga first!

Will the lesbian relationship between Sailor Uranus and Neptune remain in the English version?

Is America actually going to get to see the official final season of Sailor Moon?

I am buzzing with excitement but I do have one request: New York Comic Con better acknowledge Sailor Moon and have a panel. Are you listening? Somebody get on it, right now.