Anime's voice heard around world Big bump in attendance as Vancouver event draws from far afield

Special event

Anime Evolution 2009

Where: Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre

When: Tomorrow to Sunday,

8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets: $50 for Friday pass, $55 for Saturday, $50 for Sunday or $60 for three-day pass at animeevolution.com

In 1998, local fans of Japanese popular animation, or anime, put together a three-day showing of their fave flicks. It was a modest success and the founding group eventually transformed it into the annual Anime Evolution event.

Previously, this multi-day celebration took place in the confines of SFU campus. This year, it moves into the new convention centre.

That's the amount of space required to handle the 5,000 to 7,000 anticipated conference attendees. Massive programs in hand, they'll turn up for everything from costumed character role playing called "cosplay," to Q&A sessions with leading voice actors, to screenings and live music performances by celebrated voice actor Mark "Heero Yuy" Hildreth and Tokyo's MinxZone.

There is even the hotly contested singing contest, Anime Idol. Last year's winner was judged by the Japanese consul and received a free trip to Japan.

No wonder the convention runs 24 hours a day.

Katina Stachura is the current

Anime Evolution chairperson. She's worked everything from security to floor operations at the event. Her anime addiction began in her youth and it has never waned from those early days of Technoman.

"We wanted this event to expand and to send out more of a message for both student and adult fans to come and join us," says Stachura. "Already, we've seen a big bump in attendance with the new location and we have people coming from as far away as Ireland and Japan."

Brian Ayotte is vice-chairperson and his bio makes his credentials clear: "If anyone knows about anime and manga on an in-depth level, it would be him."

Beginning in the 1980s with the CTV series Robotech, Ayotte avidly sought out titles that weren't easily found in Kelowna, where he founded his college anime club.

"We'd pass around a lot of tapes in those days, but in the last 15 years a lot of major companies have gotten into international distribution," says Ayotte. "And these days, anime comes from a lot of other places, too; Korea, Europe and all over the world."

Indeed, such shows as Ghost In the Shell and Afro Samurai are mainstays of late-night adult TV and anime director Hayao Miyazake won an Oscar for the brilliant Spirited Away. Forget about it all being mechanized-cyber-punk-blow-'em-up-real-good storylines, too. Stachura and Ayotte both say that a new serialized Romeo & Juliet premiering at the convention is amazing. Shakepearean anime has arrived.

"The voice acting done with it is extraordinary," says Satchura. "The lip-synching is matched perfectly with the words, which are all delivered by excellent voice actors speaking in an old English accent."

That said, the weapons policy strictly forbids any fans of the series bringing their swords. As any Trekkies know, leave the real steel version of your Klingon batliff at home. Bring the foil and cardboard cutout to the convention.

"We have a lot of people who get really creative with their replicas, using styrofoam, PVC, cardboard and silver paint," says Ayotte. "There are even people carrying around swords that are bigger than they are, which often looks pretty hilarious."

Funny and family-friendly, too. This is a big point for both of them, stressing what a good time Anime Evolution is for all ages and degrees of interest.

Case in point, last year the costumed convention-goers ranged from a person in a banana suit to someone done up as a box of Pocky snacks, an essential food group for anime fans.

sderdeyn@theprovince.com

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