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Ichibod tells us about the show and shares some great photos
Sat, 8 October 2005
by: ichibod
Know those things you swear you are going to go to every year and every year you forget to go? Well, Manifest has always been one of those things for me. So it was on grand final day that I shunned the over priced pies and warm flat beer to finally attend Melbourne's Manifest held at Melbourne University.
As soon as we walked in and were confronted (maybe a slightly harsh description there) by a giant... ummmm something (I know it was a character from a Myizaki anime just cant remember the name) that made Pokemon seem all cute and cuddly again. A quick look around confirmed we had entered the twilight zone as Alucard (from the Hellsing series) leisurely strolled past. I did think to myself that it was quite funny how Vampires don't seem to mind the sun where there's prizes involved.
The detail that people had gone to with their costumes was mind blowing and at times a little disconcerting as I started to feel like I was at some kind of bizarre-o world with all these anime characters posing for photographs around me.
Many of the people that go to the trouble of dressing up for Manifest enter the Cosplay events, which is basically a big fancy dress party on stage. From just walking up on stage and striking a pose to acting out scenes for their chosen character, Cosplay offers those that dress up a time to shine.
I was told Cosplay was the thing to see in the morning. So off we went down through the video games area (yes video games tournaments with more rules involved than a chess tournament) to the theatre where the cos play was taking place. Only to find we had been beaten there by a couple of hundred others. Begrudgingly we moved off to the screening rooms to watch a bit of the Cosplay being broadcast there.
We then moved through a couple of the screening rooms trying to catch a couple of the different Animes playing. I managed to catch a couple of episodes but kept missing the start of the episodes thinking ill just get the titles from the program not realizing the titles are all in Japanese and I cant remember which screening rooms I was in at what time.
After an hour or two of getting that all too familiar feeling of what the hell is going on??? It was time to part with the cash over in the trader's hall! Scary place to be when the wallet's loaded and Madman has a giant stand filled with many many goodies. I picked up part four to Texhnolyze and the first part of Ninja Scroll the series for a measly $30 (yes Ichibod does pay for his own anime most of the time) and a swish Madman cap. Turning me into a walking billboard for my favorite distributors (schlurp schlurp)
The whole day had a great atmosphere and those dressed up were more than happy (when asked of course) to strike a pose for the Buttonholers. I only scratched the surface of Manifest and all it has to offer; with multiple screening rooms all showing different animes throughout the whole day, panels on various subjects, trivia contests, an auction and much much more.
There's so much happening that is very difficult to take all in in one day. Next year I will be back and hopefully will have a bit more time to really explore all this wonderful event has to offer.
by: ichibod
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