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Anime Festival Asia and ViVid in Singapore

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So it's confirmed -- despite all those rumours that emerged from God-knows-where Anime Festival Asia will still be held in Singapore this year. And they picked a gimmicky date for it too -- 11/11/11, giving rise the usual complaints about how it clashes with exam periods (I used to have that problem too -- another reason to be glad I've graduated).

Somehow the idea that AFA's location might be changed to Kuala Lumpur or another Southeast Asian city seemed especially prevalent this year. I guess people just thought a change might be due because AFA's been taking place in Singapore for the past 3 years. I doubt a location change will happen anytime soon. For one, the organizers, SOZO, appear to be Singapore-based. Plus, the local infrastructure and fan following are pretty supportive of this kind of event...It is still nice to have confirmation, though. Sorry, Malaysian/Indonesian/other Southeast Asian anime fans, looks like you guys will have to drag your butts over here again.

Eagerly waiting for announcements on the guest line-up. That info will probably take a while to come though.

On the J-rock front it seems that the band Vivid will be performing at the Sundown Festival on November 26th.

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Not a lot of other info -- the Sundown Festival's page just links to their Facebook page, which doesn't seem to say much either. Too bad I'm not actually a fan.
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Madoka and Kalafina - those are the two of my favourite things

Done. My attempt at a Madoka AMV, using Kalafina's wonderful song adore.

There's a little bit of pixelation for about a second but I'm tired of publishing again and again and I don't care anymore. I wish I had the skills and the software to make something like those awesome MADs I've been watching but this will have to do for now. I'd like to remake it someday.



(If YouTube removes this again...sigh. I mean, come on, the full track for the song has been there for eight months and Kalafina's label hasn't complained about that)
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A spot of shameless self-promotion

On YouTube I'm LadyEmissary. When I don't feel like I've spent enough of my life on ultimately useless pursuits, I like to make anime music videos. They're nothing amazing, and I usually accomplish little more than to make myself completely sick of the songs I've been using (for a little while anyway) but hey, I have fun.

I made a Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen one quite a while back, set to Aikawa Nanase's Koigokoro (Nanase-san, why don't you rock this much anymore?):



And oh, hey, look what's been distracting me from those episode summaries. Crossing over two of my favourite things. And it's still rather unpolished and incomplete (it looks better now and is about 75% done at the moment though):



Aaah I really need to start acting like a useful member of society soon...
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Another round of sporadic updating

Anyone going to watch May'n? She'll be back in Singapore in June, as part of her Asian tour. I got to meet her and watch her live at AFA X. While I don't like her enough to be splurging that much to see her again, I was impressed by the show she gave, and I have no doubt that her fans are going to get their money's worth.

It's cool to see SOZO bringing in all these Japanese artists to Singapore this year, even if I'm not a fan of most of them. But I'll keep hoping. Kalafina please, guys?

On a vaguely related note: FictionJunction's new single. Kajiura's really been on fire this year, hasn't she? And it's nice to see her working with the FictionJunction ladies again. Sure, half of them are in Kalafina...but it's a totally different dynamic.

Then there's this piece of music that's just been haunting me:




A piano rearrangement of that orchestral piece in episode 9 of Madoka. It's not quite as epic as the original (I want the soundtrack already) but it's still a very impressive arrangement and performance. I've had this on repeat like crazy.

According to the bio of the minion of that certain witch in episode 9, "people who listen to their music for long enough will lose their soul." I think it got mine....*plays the video again*
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I'm definitely a bigger Kajiura fan than I am a Type-Moon fan

Fate/Zero Promo!!

And epic background music is EPIC. And dark. Not to mention how it just screams KAJIURA(-SAMA). Sounds a lot like Tomaru Hanae on lead vocals, but I could be wrong.

Oh yeah, the animation is really gorgeous too. I'd expect no less from ufotable. Like with most made-for-TV anime the animation standards will probably falter as the series goes on, but this is a pretty good upper limit.
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Kajiura/Urobuchi/ufotable/Fate/Zero combo, more reasons to envy the Americans, and OMG AKB

I'm not making much progress with the recap for the last two episodes for Madoka, which is lame, but I'm really hoping to get them up pretty soon.

I've also added a chatbox, in a pique of what can only be misplaced optimism. But if anyone wants to say something, feel free.

And now, some news.

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It's been confirmed that Kajiura Yuki will be composing the music for ufotable's upcoming anime adaptation of Fate/Zero, a prequel to Type-Moon's Fate/stay night. You'll probably have known this if you're a Madoka fan, but the novel the anime will be based on was penned by no other than the now-legendary Urobuchi Gen.

I'd been hoping that Kajiura would collaborate with ufotable once more, after the visual and aural feast that was Kara no Kyoukai, but for that project to be Fate/Zero? The potential for epicness has just been expanded to ridiculous proprotions. I've been steadily coming down from my post-Madoka high, so I'm very glad to have something new and Kajiura-related to be enthusiastic about. The anime's scheduled to be out in October -- can't wait till then.

It also seems likely that Kalafina or another Kajiura-project will be recording an OP or ED for the anime -- from what I've heard here and there Kajiura's already started recording a song with some vocalists.

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Speaking of Kalafina, my favourite trio will be performing at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. No word on whether Kajiura will be coming along though. Come on, ladies, why won't you come to Singapore, we're on the same freaking continent!

Instead, Singapore's getting AKB48, which is great for AKB48 fans and potentially horrifying for everyone else (sorry, I'm just not an idol band fan...) The updates from Anime Festival Asia's page that appear on my Facebook feed do keep catching my attention, however, and it seems that tickets are selling fast. I'll have to remember not to go into town on the days they perform. Or maybe I will, just out of curiosity...

To end off, here's a fanmade piano rearrangement/medley of music from Madoka, shared by Nick Hunter on the Canta-per-me.net forums. It is gorgeous -- if you have any love for the music on Madoka it's well worth the listen. Something to tide us over while waiting for the OST...