 Date: Saturday November 19, 2016 Time: 12:30-2:00 PM Location: Room 208 Hosts: Tom, Heidi, Kelsey, Manuel When X JAPAN burst onto the scene in the 80s, Visual Kei was born and it has entranced fans the world over since then. In this new panel from A-To-J Connections, we will take a look at the Visual Kei scene after its initial rise and fall and how it has evolved in the new millennium. We will delve into the evolution of bands like Dir en grey and MALICE MIZER as well as look into the scene's current big stars such as DIAURA, Pentagon, and Mejibray. This panel will cover topics such as the fandom, the fashion trends, and tie-ins with other popular media such as anime! We will also take a look at the the impact Visual Kei has had on the music scene around the world and discuss what the future holds for this hard-to-define "genre". Expect information, videos, giveaways and lots of fun! This panel will have something for everyone, fan and newcomer alike!  Date: Friday November 18, 2016 Time: 9:30-11:00 PM Location: Room 202 Hosts: Tiffany, Heidi, Manuel Everyone knows J-Pop idols as cute, positive role models with music that matches their bubble-gum image, but the world of idols isn't always that simple! A-To-J Connections continues its popular "IDOL" series of panels with this look at the dark underside of the idol industry! Besides genre-breaking groups like BiS, Babymetal, Deep Girl, and Ladybaby, we will also cover topics such as highly talked about scandals, the dark side of the fandom, and the tragedy of Okada Yukiko. Fan and curious newcomer alike, this panel will have something for everyone!  This year’s Fall Kraken Con was a great success! A-to-J did several panels, including 2D Idols, 3D idols, and a visual kei panel! It was a lot of fun to wander around the artist alley and see all the cute handmade things, then go over and check out the planetarium. There were some really cool panels including tips on how to make wings for cosplay, a cosplay sewing hour, and how to do cosplay on a budget. Guests included narrator Kyle Hebert (Teen Gohan, Dragon Ball Z), writer Eden Burgoon (Eben07: Covert Custodian), and musical guest Professor Shyguy. Cherry Tea Girl, Lionel Lum, and Imari Yumiki were the cosplay guests of honor and it was very cool to see their booths and their cosplay on display. -Kelsey  Here are some pictures taken by Tom around the convention!  Date: Friday November 11, 2016 Time: 10:00 PM-11:30AM Location: Conference Center, Room 211, Fashion LP Hosts: Justin, Tiffany, Manuel In 2010 BiS took the world of Japanese idols by storm, and the scene would never be the same! Fronting the new vangaurd of "alternative idols", BiS (short for Brand-new idol Society) broke every rule of Pop music, turned the idol image on its head, and managed to capture the hearts of legions of fans around the world! A-To-J Connections' new 18+ panel takes an in-depth look at this one-of-a-kind group and covers topics like BiS history, the many varied groups in the BiS family, the crazy antics and videos that shocked fans the world over, and what the future holds for this wild group of performers. Fan and curious newcomer alike, this panel will have something for everyone!  Date: Friday May 27th, 2016 Time: 7:00-8:00 PM Location: Panel Room 3 Join A-To-J Connections as they dissect the ins and outs of the Visual Kei scene around the world! From X JAPAN, BUCK-TICK, and MALICE MIZER to Mejibray, BugLug, and Dir en grey, we will cover it all and everything in between! This panel will cover topics such as the fandom, the various sub-genres, and the style that goes hand-in-hand with VKei! Expect information, videos, giveaways and lots of fun! This panel will have something for everyone, fan and newcomer alike! Another summer over, and what better way to end it than with SacAnime? SacAnime Summer 2016 promised “pop culture with an anime twist” and it provided! SacAnime Summer 2016 was full of all-star guests, including John Dimaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time), Wendee Lee (Cowboy Bebop), J. Michael Tatum (Black Butler, Ouran High School Host Club, Hetalia, Borderlands, etc), Courtnee Draper (Bioshock Infinite), and an “Aladdin” cast reunion! Other guests included DJ Jinrei, DJ Minikoma, Selwyn Ward (Power Rangers Turbo), Roger Valasco (Power Rangers Turbo), Catherine Sutherland (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Turbo), Hilary Shepard (Power Rangers, Star Trek Deep Space Nine), Blake Foster (Power Rangers Turbo), Nakia Burrise (Power Rangers), Rick Farmiloe (animator – The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin), Norman Felchle (artist), Travis Willingham (voice actor for Marvel shows), Sam Riegel (voice actor), and Brina Palencia (voice actor). There were K-Pop dance battles, a “Geek Fashion Show”, and even a workshop on how to do DIY cosplay for cheap! Other events include a Cosplay Masquerade, Power Rangers Turbo Reunion, and Pokemon Go gatherings. Check out some of the photos below, taken by the wonderful photographer Tom! Also, Tom filmed the entirety of the Cowboy Bebop Reunion Panel and it can be found here! Cowboy Bebop Reunion Panel See you all at SacAnime Winter!
-Kelsey  Date: Saturday September 3, 2016 Time: 10:00-11:30 PM Location: LP1 (Room 201A) Hosts: Tiffany, Molly, Paloma, and Manuel Everyone knows J-Pop idols as cute, positive role models with music that matches their bubble-gum image, but the world of idols isn't always that simple! A-To-J Connections continues its popular "IDOL" series of panels with this look at the dark underside of the idol industry! Besides genre-breaking groups like BiS, Babymetal, Deep Girl, and Ladybaby, we will also cover topics such as highly talked about scandals, the dark side of the fandom, and the tragedy of Okada Yukiko. Fan and curious newcomer alike, this panel will have something for everyone!  Date: Saturday September 3, 2016 Time: 3:30-5:00 Location: LP3 (Room 202A) Hosts: Tiffany, Molly, Garwye, and Manuel Are you a fan of shows like Love Live, IDOLM@STER, Wake Up Girls, or Aikatsu? Then we have the panel for you! A-To-J Connections has spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours watching and absorbing nearly every idol anime out there to bring you this panel that features only the best of 2D idols! From the beginnings of Macross to the success of shows like AKB0048, we will cover it all and also discuss topics such as idols as voice actors, voice actors who evolve into idols, and the future of the genre! Fan and curious newcomer alike, this panel will have something for everyone!  Power Morphicon 2016 has come and gone but the event is still fresh in my mind. I got the chance to attend the convention this year and I can truly say it's been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I want to thank Polo, the guitarist for Eyeshine (which is the band of Mighty Morphin Power Ranger alum, Johnny Yong Bosh), for giving us this amazing opportunity.
 Date: Saturday March 19, 2016 Time: 8:00 - 9:30 PM Location: Live Programming 1 (Brittany) Idols and Idol Groups have taken the Japanese music scene by storm since their first appearance in the 70s and 80s and have attracted the attention of Western fans ever since. Ever wonder what makes them tick and how they attract legions of devoted fans around the world? If so, join A-To-J Connections as they dissect various aspects of the “idol equation” and examine topics such as the fandom, the audition/graduation system, career-ending scandals and just what exactly it means to be an idol. We will track Idol history from the Golden Age of 80s to the current Idol Sengoku Jidai! This presentation will feature loads of information, pictures, videos, prizes and will be hosted by many experts in various fields of idol fandom and its history! Panel will take place Saturday March 19 from 8:00-9:30 PM in Love Programming 1 (Brittany) Panel will be hosted by Manuel and Garwye with a special guest host, Greg Hignight of Tune In Tokyo! |
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