The Sydney Manga and Anime Show, also known as SMASH!, is an anime convention devoted to artists, creators and fans alike. As a fan driven event, it allows fans to meet and interact with other like-minded people, show off their own creative talents, buy anime and manga related goods and celebrate their fandom in a social environment.
For 2009, SMASH! was held at the Roundhouse@UNSW on the 8th and 9th of August.
Several activities were organised during the two day convention, such as cosplay, workshops, panels, games, karaoke and anime screenings.
At the main stage, …
… the convention was kicked off with the “lolita” version of Maid Dance.
After the dance, we proceeded to the Timezone Gaming Room, where Ubisoft offered previews of Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny, Star Ocean: The Last Hope and TMNT: Smash-Up.
Visitors also get to play Mario Kart and Street Fighter 4 for free.
At the same time, several other activities were also conducted in parallel. Visitors were spoilt for choices as they get to choose between free karaoke singing, hobby workshops, arts and crafts workshops, tutorial sessions, …
… dollfie photography, …
… shopping, …
… and anime screenings.
Titles available during the screenings include Kare Kano, Gundam 00, Gurren Lagann, D Grayman, Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Ouran High Host Club, Gundam Stardust, Gundam MS08, Deltora Quest and Loveless.
However, instead of doing any of the above, we decided to check out the Maid Cafe.
Visitors were ushered by maids in yukata, …
… served by french maids, …
… and entertained by lolitas (the same group who did the maid dance earlier, known as the promotion team).
During our quick meal at the cafe, the promotion team also performed two dances.
Check out the video here:
More photos of the maids here …
… and surprisingly, guys in maid outfits???
Anyway, after the quick meal, we walked around to see what else was on offer at the event. As cosplay was also one of the fandom activities, cosplayers were aplenty during the event. Wherever you walk to, you tend to bump into one.
During lunch at the courtyard, …
… you could easily bumped into a few as well.
We then went back into the main stage for the final few events. First off, an auction session, …
… followed by a performance from Eminence (solo performance by their guitarist). However, the sound system was so terrible that you could hardly hear a thing from the back.
The last, but probably the best, and also a major highlight of the show was the Madman Cosplay Competition.
Cosplay contestants on that day included characters from the Prince of Tennis, …
… Umineko No Naku Koro Ni, …
… Queen’s Blade, …
… The World Ends With You, …
… One Piece, …
… X, …
… Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, …
… Code Geass, …
… Fullmetal Alchemist, …
… Ai No Kusabi, …
… Bleach, …
… Guilty Gear 2 Overture, …
… Final Fantasy 10, …
… Sailor Moon S, …
… .Hack//G.U, …
… Soul Eater, …
… Hetalia/Axis Powers Hetalia, …
… Pokemon, …
… D. N. Angel, …
… and Sonic.
Non-anime cosplayers were also there to entertain us with dances. The group named Are We Not Asian Enough? performed a short musical adapted from Moulin Rouge, …
… followed by a group named Purr Fume, imitating the J-Pop group Perfume, …
… and lastly, a solo performance by Alex Ngai, imitating Suzumiya Harushi no Gekisou’s concert.
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