Tag: anime

Cool fandoms come together for Fangaea Con!

Fangaea Con 2023 is underway in San Diego! Every imaginable pop culture fandom has gathered together to enjoy, share and celebrate their passion for creativity!

It was exciting to see that a really good crowd had already gathered before noontime at the Scottish Rite Event Center in Mission Valley. I wandered through several large rooms jam-packed with artists, vendors selling art and collectibles, autograph-signing celebrities, local fan groups, and a whole lot of great cosplay!

I learned this is the fourth Fangaea Con event–the first in a couple of years unencumbered by difficulties brought on by COVID.

It seems manga and anime might be the most popular fandoms at this event, but I also noticed a love for traditional superheroes, science fiction (yes, Star Wars in particular), fantasy, and every type of gaming. What intrigued me most were the many original characters and stories brought to life by talented creators.

Diverse activities at Fangaea Con include a cosplay workshop, a Pochita plush sew along, and how to create a supervillain!

If you read this blog in time, you’ll be glad to know Fangaea Con continues through 10 pm tonight! Head on down!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

The cool Dragon Ball activation at Comic-Con!

If you’re into Dragon Ball, but not in San Diego, you’ll probably like these photos. I took them today at the Bandai Namco activation that is outside at Comic-Con 2022.

If you are in San Diego, head behind the Marriott Marquis hotel to the large outdoor plaza near the Marina Office (the Marriott Hotel Marina Terrace). Once you see the big statues and flashy photo op panels, you’ll know you’ve arrived.

The public is welcome, I found no lines, and no Comic-Con badge is required! There are card and video games to play, lots of figurines to check out, and more. If you get there early in the day–they open at 10 am–swag is handed out!

As promised, here are my photos. The experience is as fun as it looks!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Morning walk before Comic-Con Preview Night!

Are you going to Comic-Con this year? If so, prepare to have lots of fun!

I walked around downtown San Diego this morning, Wednesday, the day of Comic-Con Preview Night. Most of the following photos were taken in the vicinity of the San Diego Convention Center or Petco Park.

Most offsites are approaching completion, but it looks like a few are still just setting up in the Interactive Zone at Petco Park. It’s impressive how quickly various activations are assembled and readied for the public with just hours to go.

I’ve already photographed tons of stuff on walks during the past few days. Here’s some new discoveries I noticed this morning…

Krapopolis graphics are now all over the place at the FOX offsite, which includes a big slide!

The Bandai offsite near the Marriott Marina now has lots of huge action figures providing awesome Dragon Ball photo opportunities!

Comic-Con attendees will be soon be lining up along the bayfront, even camping overnight to get good spots for favorite panels and exclusives.

The IMDb boat has returned to Comic-Con. A good place to watch for Hollywood celebrities crossing over from the convention center for interviews.

Willard R. Abbott Public School has appeared at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront’s Promenade Plaza! The offsite promotes the ABC mockumentary television series Abbott Elementary.

Someone has a swag bag, walking by the big FX offsite. Most offsite activations open tomorrow, Thursday.

Here I am walking over the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.

The Lexus Premier Lot by Petco Park is filling up with activations for the Interactive Zone. Those campsite tents below are Pinecone Trooper Pete’s Friend Zone. It promotes the CBS show Ghosts.

Nintendo Switch will have a lot of cool video games and stuff, too.

A cool graphic. Mario Strikers: Battle League.

And here’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

These friendly guys set up by the sidewalk early with great comic books! I got a few!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Comic books on a trolley! Anime on a bus!

If you’d like to read comic books on the San Diego Trolley, there’s a special car just for you!

The latest Amazon Prime Video trolley wrap for 2022 Comic-Con states: Comic Crushing – See Where It Takes You.

Get on this car, dive into a big stack of comic books, and you’ll be taken to the next station!

The San Diego Trolley will provide a Special Event Line all during Comic-Con. I posted information concerning that here.

And check out this cool anime wrap on an MTS bus that promotes Crunchyroll! Anime is for everyone!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

More Comic-Con trolleys and buses appear!

More and more trolleys and buses are appearing around San Diego that are wrapped for 2022 Comic-Con.

Check it out!

This morning I spotted two new Amazon Prime Video trolley wraps that state Elves Welcome and All Fankind Welcome.

Two new MTS bus wraps promote Crunchyroll’s SPY x FAMILY and Attack on Titan!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Chainsaw Man rides bus in San Diego!

Chainsaw Man has arrived in San Diego for 2022 Comic-Con. The terrifying manga character is riding a MTS bus through downtown!

Crunchyroll is applying different wraps to a number of public transit buses. This is the third one I’ve spotted so far.

Chainsaw Man is also an upcoming anime that Crunchyroll will distribute outside of Asia.

Who is Chainsaw Man? A poor young man named Denji, who meets a dog-like devil which grants him the ability to transform his body into multiple chainsaws; he then joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters to use his horrific saws on devils.

Okay. That certainly sounds plausible. In the world of human imagination!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Crunchyroll anime buses appear for Comic-Con!

Public transit buses in San Diego are being wrapped for 2022 Comic-Con. I spotted a cool one this morning!

The MTS buses promote Crunchyroll, a distributor, publisher or producer of many anime and manga titles, including Dragon Ball Super and My Hero Academia.

The character on the above bus is Crunchyroll-Hime, mascot of Crunchyroll.

I suspect there might be different designs to come, so I’ll provide updates should I spot any!

It’s feeling like Comic-Con in 2022 is going to be bigger and crazier than ever. Earlier this week I spotted the third Comic-Con trolley wrap. More and more cool stuff is appearing every day, with now only three weeks to go!

UPDATE!

Next day, look what I saw! It appears that city bus route 992 to the Airport is receiving the wraps. Which makes sense!

This one promotes Dragon Ball Super SUPER HERO. Check out the graphics. I had to increase the contrast on the second photo somewhat…

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Japanese pop culture party during San Diego Comic-Con!

A Japanese pop culture party--Yokai Omatsuri--will be held during San Diego Comic-Con at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park.
A Japanese pop culture party–Yokai Omatsuri–will be held during San Diego Comic-Con at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. (Click this image to enlarge it for easy reading.)

I found out something really cool this afternoon! During a quick visit to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, I learned that they’ll be hosting a Japanese pop culture party during San Diego Comic-Con!

Click the flyer’s photo to read it. A supernatural world of anime and manga will take over the garden and its beautiful Inamori Pavilion on Friday, July 21st, from 7:30pm to 11:30pm. There will be cosplay, a costume contest, food, activity booths and lots of yokai running about. Yokai is Japanese for supernatural monsters, demons, phantoms, etc.

Anyone visiting San Diego for Comic-Con should spend some time in Balboa Park anyway. It is truly our city’s crown jewel. And as a member of the Japanese Friendship Garden myself, I assure you the beautiful garden is well worth a visit!

You can learn more about the Japanese pop culture party and find a link to purchase tickets online here. If you purchase tickets before July 10th, you will receive an Early Bird bundle pack with tickets redeemable for food at the event!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

I plan to cover Comic-Con like crazy this year! I live a short walk up the street from the Gaslamp Quarter and the San Diego Convention Center!

Super cool awesome cosplay at San Diego Comic-Con!

Harley Quinn and Deathstroke make a cute cosplay villain couple at 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
Harley Quinn and Deathstroke make a cute cosplay villain couple at 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.

Here’s the first batch of photos of cosplay outside the convention center during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con. I walked with my camera all over downtown: along Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, around the Gaslamp, near Petco Park, and all around the San Diego Convention Center. Costumed characters were everywhere! Much of the cosplay was incredibly elaborate, and just super awesomely cool. You can tell fans spent a lot of time and effort preparing for Comic-Con!

I apologize for not recognizing all of the characters. If a caption is inaccurate or needs better information, leave a comment!

Superman and Wonder Woman are just hanging out like best buddy heroes in the Gaslamp during Comic-Con.
Superman and Wonder Woman are just hanging out like best buddy heroes in the Gaslamp during Comic-Con.

Ant-Man is ready for action, and I'm ready for his movie!
Ant-Man is ready for action, and I’m ready for his movie!

Awesome, amazingly elaborate cosplay can be seen all over downtown San Diego during Comic-Con, especially near the convention center.
Awesome, amazingly elaborate cosplay can be seen all over downtown San Diego during Comic-Con, especially near the convention center.

I believe these are all Mad Max characters, but don't quote me on that.
I believe these are all Mad Max characters, but don’t quote me on that.

Another fun Harley Quinn with another big hammer.
Another fun Harley Quinn with another big hammer.

Cosplay of Satsuki Kiryūin, from popular anime television series Kill la Kill.
Cosplay of Satsuki Kiryūin, from popular anime television series Kill la Kill.

Here comes the Joker. Why so serious?
Here comes the Joker. Why so serious?

Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade is a prime spot to spot the coolest cosplay during San Diego Comic-Con.
Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade is a prime spot to spot the coolest cosplay during San Diego Comic-Con.

Adora Belle Dearheart (Golem Inspector) and Moist von Lipwig from Terry Pratchett's Discworld.
Adora Belle Dearheart (Golem Inspector) and Moist von Lipwig from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

Aquaman seems to be out of his element during the Southern California drought.
Aquaman seems to be out of his element during the Southern California drought.

I think that's Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. Who's the guy with her? He looks familiar.
I think that’s Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. Who’s the guy with her? He looks familiar.

A hooded lady assassin gives me a calculating stare from the Ubisoft Assassin's Creed obstacle course.
A hooded lady assassin gives me a calculating stare from the Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed obstacle course.

Dr. Who's brilliant strategy altered history during the Trojan War. I guess Ulysses wasn't as smart as they say.
Dr. Who’s brilliant strategy altered history during the Trojan War. I guess Ulysses wasn’t as smart as they say.

Baymax of Big Hero 6 is walking through the crowd on a beautiful San Diego weekend.
Baymax of Big Hero 6 is walking through the crowd on a beautiful San Diego weekend.

A colorfully dressed cosplayer has checked out the funny, high tech portable toilet prop from Insurgent.
A colorfully dressed cosplayer has checked out a funny, high tech portable toilet prop from Insurgent.

A simple Iron Man armor costume, but effective.
A simple Iron Man armor costume, but effective.

Darth Maul made a rush at me, invoking the Dark Force, but somehow I evaded his double lightsaber. I'd like to think I did an amazing back flip.
Darth Maul made a rush at me, invoking the Dark Force, but somehow I evaded his double lightsaber. I’d like to think I did an amazing back flip.

Super cool outfit! Must be awfully warm, though.
Super cool outfit! Must be awfully warm, though.

I recognize Black Widow and Captain America, two of Marvel's Avengers.
I recognize Black Widow and Captain America, two of Marvel’s Avengers.

Immortan Joe cosplay from Mad Max Fury Road.
Immortan Joe cosplay from Mad Max: Fury Road.

It's a walking TARDIS from Dr. Who at Comic-Con!
It’s a walking TARDIS from Dr. Who at Comic-Con!

Lady Star Lord and Thor pose for my camera near Petco Park during 2015 Comic-Con.
Lady Star Lord and Thor pose for my camera near Petco Park during 2015 Comic-Con.

Sexy tattooed character from television show Blindspot walks about during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
Sexy tattooed character from television show Blindspot walks about during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.

Old man Deadpool has a long white beard!
Old man Deadpool has a long white beard!

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