2013 Cosplay Album Part 1: Sakura-Con!
The 2013 con season has been no ordinary one for Dark Horse, as this is our twenty-fifth anniversary year of publishing manga (this is our twenty-seventh year as a comics company…but we’ve been publishing manga almost that long!). We’ve noticed just how many people cosplay as characters from Japanese books that DH publishes, and for our anime and manga convention appearances this year, we made a certificate of appreciation with our twenty-fifth manga anniversary logo! We’d like to share some of those photos with you below.
The first anime con we attended this year was Seattle’s Sakura-Con, March 29–31, held at the Washington State Convention Center. Dark Horse had been there just a few weeks before to attend the Emerald City Comicon, but we didn’t mind having to come back again so quickly. Some convention centers can feel like fallout shelters, or seem miles away from anything, but anyone who’s been there knows the WSCC feels like a real part of Seattle, not only because of its central location (Interstate 5 literally runs through it!), but also the way the many huge view windows and promenades make you feel connected to the downtown streets below. It gives a fresh, cosmopolitan air you can’t find at every convention, and our director of Asian licensing, Michael Gombos, says that Sakura-Con is a particular favorite among certain Japanese guests.
Besides Michael, the Dark Horse booth contingent included PR coordinator Aub Driver, retail manager Sarah Robertson, assistant editor Everett Patterson, and editor Carl Horn. And before we say much more, let’s thank our events and community manager, Kari Yadro, who masterminds the logistics behind all our con appearances, and manages to stay sane while doing so! Kari used to work in Japan, so I think she planned the manga events with extra care. ^_^
This was taken just before opening on Friday. At first this picture may seem very out of place, until you realize that’s Sarah on the left, cosplaying as Carl. She won an award at the masquerade!
Chi from Chobits remains a cosplay favorite years after the book first came out, and surely one reason is because CLAMP designed so many lovely outfits for her. Book One of Chobits has just gone into a new printing!
Did you know Dark Horse is releasing the Hatsune Miku: Unofficial Hatsune Mix manga next spring, drawn by her creator, Kei? And look who’s next to Miku! Are we really cool enough to have Utena Tenjou hanging out at our booth?! Maybe!
Evangelion joke: so these two Gendos walk into a bar. The bartender’s Rei. The Gendos say, “Give us both a Yebisu.” Rei says, “If I’m ordered to, I will.” I know that isn’t very good, but bear in mind how much trouble Rei has even smiling. She’s going to start training on jokes next week.
Our only worry was that we would stumble over one of those invisible wires evidently strung at ankle level throughout The Shinji Ikari Raising Project (can only Japanese readers see them?) and trip into Asuka—followed by another trip, straight to the hospital for reconstructive surgery.
It seems like a peaceful moment for Kei Kurono from Gantz, but just beyond camera range, the floor was covered in body parts.
We’re still proud of the Samurai Champloo Roman Album we put out—a full English-language translation of the ultimate guide to the anime series and the creators who worked on it. We’re not so proud of losing all that money to Fuu at Cee-Lo.
Being possessed of eternal unlife, in thrall to the immortal monster who ushered you into that habitation…well, to be honest, it’s not so bad if you’re Seras Victoria and Alucard from Hellsing. Check out Hellsing creator Kohta Hirano’s current manga, Drifters!
Saya from Blood-C is always cheerful and doing good deeds, even buying a copy of her own manga. Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire would have just told us to leave her alone.
The Trigun Omnibus has just hit stores, and I’ve got to say this is one of the best Vash the Stampedes I’ve seen. It’s been such a popular costume in the past that it somehow seemed hard to do it really well, but he’s got the clothes, the hair, and the attitude!
We sold out of every copy of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia at Sakura-Con—as, indeed, we did at every con, which may be why it’s in its twelfth printing in less than a year. After Zelda and Link dropped by to collect their royalties (in Yellow Rupees, mind you), I got curious about Skyward Sword’s rating, and I see it has an advisory that it contains “Comic Mischief,” presumably for parents who don’t want their children seeing that sort of thing.
That’s all for the moment, but we’ve got lots more of your Dark Horse cosplay photos, so please check a future Manga Mondays post for new galleries!
Carl Horn
Editor