Hikone - Army of cute, fluffy, huggable mascots!

There are very cute mascots in the world, I feel like I can't take it when I see their pictures. Just the thought of being invaded by an army of cute, fluffy, huggable mascots makes me want go to Japan!

The "Yuru-Chara Matsuri" event hosted by the city of Hikone, in the Shiga prefecture. I learned about the first "Yuru-Chara" (Mascot Character) Matsuri was held on Yume-Kyobashi Castle Road in Hikone in October 2008. Some 46 PR mascots adorned the road and posed for pictures. A total of 46,000 Japanese people, includes the tourists came to the festival.

Hikone is home to one of Japan's oldest and most popular "yuru-charas" (as the mascots are called), named Hikonyan. It became known as the "Sacred City of Yuru-Chara", and began hosting this annual gathering for yuru-charas from all over Japan. Last year the giant attendance exploded to 150 yuru-charas!


Source from Gigazine Blog: 150 Goofy Mascots in "Yuru-Chara” Festival at Hikone, Shiga

You want to take a picture with them? ^^ Better go to trip in Japan! :P

About Comic Fiesta

As we know, Comic Fiesta (CF) is Malaysia’s longest running fan-organized Anime, Games and Comics (ACG) event here and it’s been held annually since it’s first iteration in 2002. CF will focus on bringing ACG fans throughout the country together and it’s one of the main platforms for cosplayers and local doujinshi (fan works) groups to showcase their talents and/or art works.

Over the years, it has steadily grown in scale as well as fame and it’s now firmly marked on many local ACG fans calenders as one of the times everyone can get together and have a smashing fun time!

Comic Fiesta 2008

Place: Sunway Pyramid Convention Hall
Date: 20th - 21st December 2008
Time: 11 AM to 7 PM

This year’s CF will be held at the Sunway Convention Center in Petaling Jaya (location map here, accomodation guide is here ) over two days on the 20th and the 21st of December, and it’s themed “Bridging the Creatives”, promising to be bigger and better than last year..

Aside from the customary doujin market, art competition (entries closing on the 6th of December), cosplay solo and group events as well as showcase galleries, this year’s CF will see the inclusion of a number of new events such as:

• Portfolio Review Gallery
• Educational workshops
• Art Demonstrations
• Game Corner
  

… so there’s more events for everyone to enjoy this year.

For more information, please visit Comic Fiesta website

Animation Comic Fair 2008 (ACF)

Animation Comic Fair 2008 (ACF) will be in the BERJAYA TIMES SQUARE KUALA LUMPUR on 15 & 16th November in year 2008. During the event, there will be the DIY booth which displaying their own art works and hand made art works,and merchant booth which promote retail product in this 2 days event. They will attract more than 1,800 visitors to join their successful ANIME & COMIC FAIR 2007. For the activity on these two days will be Gempak Comic, mobile money presentation, cosplay competition and Hailo..

Date: 15 & 16th Nov 2007
Place: 3rd Floor, Berjaya Time Square
Time: 11.00am- 10.00pm

The Gempak artists will gather there!! You can bring your comic books to get the autograph from them!!

You will enjoy to see their "cosplay performance art" whose outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories,as a specifre characters, such as Bleach, Naruto, Final-Fantasy which are manga, anime, kusatsu, comic books, video games and fantasy movies various in Japanese and East Asian Media!

For more information; Animation Comic Fair 2008 (ACF)'s website

Animax Youth Festival @ 1 Utama

Be part of the Animax Youth Festival and have a fun filled weekend!

• Artist alley
• Gaming tournament
• Cosplay competition
• Anime screening with special motion sync chairs
• Take home your own magazine cover shot
• Booth from the winners of "I wanna Be An Entrepreneur"
• many..

Date: 8 - 10 August 2008
Time: 12 noon - 9pm
Place: 1 Utama Shopping Centre (High Street)

Come to join Animax Youth Festival at One Utama!