It's August, and the annual ACGHK (Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong) is back for a 5-day period from 1st to 5th August in HKCEC. Like the name suggets, it is a convention/fair for anime, manga, games, and a small amount of doujin material.
The ACGHK was originally the Hong Kong Comics Festival, which featured comics such as manga (Japanese comics) and manhua (Chinese comics). This underwent several changes over the years: In 2004 the convention was called the Animax Summer FUNtasy as it was sponsored by Animax. In 2006 it was renamed Ani-Com Hong Kong and held at the same time with Hong Kong Game Fair, and this year the two merged together to have an all-round convention covering the different interests together.
Large kiosks for online games can be seen upon immediate entrance to the hall.
XBOX 360 kiosk with Gundam Operation Troy and Soul Calibur IV on the big screens.
Some lads testing their skills on Counter-Strike Online.
A mixture of manga and manhua on a huge stall.
Various Transformers toys on display with a special version of Optimus Prime in the centre.
A large Optimus Prime for people to take pictures with.
Boxes and boxes of gunpla from Toys "R" Us. I have to admit that these are more expensive than the ones I usually see in nearby shops.
This 1/60 Exia is a Gunpla Expo exclusive version that features transparent parts.
Walls of original designs and lineart for Mobile Suit: Gundam
A lineart for the cockpit of the core fighter (i.e. for Gundam, Guncannon, and Guntank)
SD Gundams are popular with the Hongkongers due to their small sizes, wide variety, and collectibility.
The large Kadokawa stall can be seen from quite a distance away. What made me heartbroken was the fact that I didn't know that Noizi Ito (the original artist for Suzumiya Haruhi and Shakugan no Shana) was there for signature event the day before I came... I wish I'd come on Saturday as well T_T
When it comes to pretty girls (whether it's cosplay or not), one should always expect huge crowd with cameras flashing at the rate of an autocannon.
Doraemon has been a familiar character to Hongkongers of various generations.
A doujin drawing Lelouch Lamperouge (from anime Code Geass) on a T-shirt.
Doujin Hatsune Miku products.
Revoltech figures from Kotobukiya stall. There are hardly any figure stalls in the convention. thhis is perhaps due to the high costs and the fact that parents want to keep these material away from younger attendees.
A few more figures out on display. I don't know these too well, but I see Horo from Spice and Wolf and Nekomiya Nono out there. The newly released Ringo Noyamano mentioned by Danny Choo is out there too.
A new wing of the HKCEC seen in construction as I left the convention centre. That will conclude the general content for this year's ACGHK 2008. The next post will be solely on the gunpla models displayed in the convention for the competition. Stay tuned for it!
All images are available via my photo album
Seems interesting to say the least. I guess its true what you say, no matter where you are, when there are hot girls and otakus the cameras just go flying up.
ReplyDeleteI love the t-shirt drawings btw, nice coverage.
Good day,
ReplyDeleteYou took great pictures. ^_^ May I grab some and put on my site. I'll make a feature of the ACGHK2008 event. I'll include your name in full credit as the photographer of the event.
Thank you very much and more power to you. ^_^
RG
You know, I've never seen such a huge stockpile of Gunpla in any store in my home town ^^;
ReplyDeleteBut selling them more expensively in an even is indeed quite strange...
@ Bzou
ReplyDeleteHahaha yea. It's like a mutual existance between the two kinds. It's sometimes amazing to see how they have these big lens cameras dedicated for such shots.
The T-shirt drawing is one of the more creative things I've seen in the doujin area. The rest are mostly toys, bags, and small pictures or drawings.
@ Anonymous:
If you can tell me the url of your site and link back to my blog for the photos, then I have no problems with it.
@ NK:
I haven't seen this size of stockpile elsewhere either, but I bet that the one in the Gundam Expo will be even bigger o_O
Sure Q, my website is RonaldGuanzon.com
ReplyDeleteI have a social network group called WeAreAnime. This will be featured to inspire all anime, comics and game fans here in our country. I use one photo that you took (and put your name as the photographer including my feature title for the website feature - plus a few enhancement and adjustments on the colors under my name) as a welcome photo, I hope its ok. ^_^ No problem on the link, once I arrange it and your link back will be included. ^_^
@ RG:
ReplyDeleteNo problem man. You can take a few more pictures if you want to. Looking forward to see your coverage!
Awesome Q. I would have loved to have been there!
ReplyDeleteI love the lineart of the Core Fighter. It gives us a feel of what it would be like to actually pilot a V project unit!
Looked like fun!How much was the entrance fee?
ReplyDeleteSucks to hear that the Artist from Haruhi and SnS was there the day before.Well you still had fun right?
So whats your loot?
@ Apt-1B:
ReplyDeleteI was impressed by the number of original linearts brought all the way from Japan for this convention~ I wish I could take more photos of the art, but I was running out of time at the end. On a side note it's worth noting that some them (including the Core Fighter cockpit) are actually redesigned in 1995.
@ Blowfish:
The entrance fee was 25HKD, which is about 3.2USD or 2 Euro. T'is a shame that I couldnt see Noizi Ito, but I still had a nice stroll around the convention~ Didn't get much other than a Shana wallscroll and a sola anime fan book. I may talk about this anime sometime in the future.