It’s that time of year again.
Yes, it’s time for Sakura-Con. And this year’s Sakura-Con is looking to be huge, in multiple ways.
First off, we’ve got more space this year. In previous years, we’ve had function space in the rooms around the escalators on floors 2 and 3, and then the area just before the skybridge and inside the big glass doors at the top of the escalators on level 4, and then level 6. This year we’re adding the skybridge itself, one of the rooms on the other side of the skybridge, as well as the “north” rooms on levels 2-4.
Secondly, attendance. In 2007, we had roughly 5400 preregistered attendees, and around 10,500 attendees total. As a general figure, half of our total attendees preregister. There are over 7000 preregistrations this year.
Programming, on the other hand, is subjective on if it’s bigger or not. For me, it is. Here’s a heads-up of the guests and major events coming March 28-30:
Voice Actors Vic Mignogna (btw, Wilhelm in Xenosaga: The Animation), Derek Stephen Prince (btw, chaos in Xenosaga Episode I), Todd Haberkorn, Caitlin Glass, Brina Palencia
Musical Acts ketchup mania, ALI PROJECT, SCANDAL, and The Slants
Author Roland Kelts
Japanese industry guests Aki Tsunaki (Director of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time), Toshihiro Kawamoto (character designer, including Cowboy Bebop), Nobuteru Yuki (character designer, including Xenosaga: the Animation), Yutaka Izubuchi (character designer, including Record of Lodoss War), Hiroshi Nagahama, Hiroki Kikuta (composer for Secret of Mana), Yuji Shiozaki, Yuna Kagesaki
American industry guests M. Alice LeGrow, Brandon Graham, Jake Myler, Joshua Ortega, Penny Arcade, Wes Hartman, Robby Bevard, J.L. Anderson
Major Events:
Friday
10-11am - Opening Ceremonies
2-4pm - Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time premiere
3-5pm - The Slants/ SCANDAL concert 1
6-7:30pm - Dreamcatchers Performance (Dreamcatchers are a local voice-acting school)
6-8pm - Masquerade Ball
8:30-10:30pm - AMV Contest
8:30-10:30pm - Karaoke Contest
9pm-4am - Neko Dance
Saturday
11am-12pm - Vic Mignogna performance (i.e. mini-concert)
2:30-4:30pm - ketchup mania /ALI PROJECT concert
3-4:30pm - Cosplay Chess
3-6pm - Rock Band - Battle of the Bands (yes, a Rock Band tournament)
4:30-7pm - All Anime Dance
4:30-6:30pm - xXxHolic (TV) premiere
6-8:30pm - Cosplay Contest
6:30-8:3opm - Youth Karaoke Contest
9pm-4am - Starship Sakura Homecoming Dance
Sunday
11am-12:30pm - The Slants/SCANDAL concert 2
1:30-4:30pm - Charity Auction
4:30-5:30pm - Closing Ceremonies
6-7pm - Assault and Flattery
Well, I leave tomorrow, so I guess I’ll see anyone there.