Preview
OTAFEST 2005
May 21 and 22
University of Calgary
Saddle up, anime fans – it’s that time of year again. Otafest, Calgary’s biggest anime film festival, here.
Hosted by the Dedicated Otaku Anime (DOA) society, this year’s fest promises to be a mind-blowing experience for both hardcore Otaku (obsessed anime fans) and newbies alike.
If you haven’t experienced this whirlwind of blue-haired madness before, think of it as a really cheap way to watch an entire weekend’s worth of Japanese cartoons. Of course, there’s a heck of a lot more to it than that. While the five screening rooms are pumping out hour after hour of cool toons like The Irresponsible Captain Tylor and Samurai Champloo, there’s plenty of other stuff going on, such as language lessons, Japanese history and culture seminars, "Cosplay" (anime and video game-inspired costumes), voice-acting workshops, the Artist’s Alley, dealer rooms and game shows.
Yep, I said game shows. This year, Otafest is trying something new, with anime-flavoured variants on such diverse TV contests as American Idol, Family Feud, Survivor and Jeopardy. Sign up and win some candy.
Actually, you don’t even have to compete to win stuff. Just sit there like a bump on a log, and maybe the event’s Prize Ninja will find you. This philanthropic Warrior of the Night has been an Otafest fixture for years, striking without warning and dispensing free DVDs and more to surprised guests.
Otafest has always been a family-friendly event, suitable for all ages. The only slip-up in this policy that I’m aware of occurred last year, when music videos containing R-rated footage from the excellent but graphic Ninja Scroll (1993) appeared in the screening rooms during breaks between films – even before PG-rated screenings. Could such an error happen again this year? I confronted the DOA about this, and fortunately they took the issue seriously.
"AMVs (Anime Music Videos) have been extremely carefully screened this year, and we certainly will not subject younger viewers to material which is unsuitable for them. As always, Otafest is family-friendly and I assure you that we will go out of our way, especially to mend any glitches," says sponsor co-ordinator Stephanie Szeto. She also assures me that AMVs won’t appear during the breaks this year, but rather at a separate screening, with the room cleared of impressionable minors before the more mature stuff is shown. As long as the doormen remain vigilant, parents can relax.
Of course, if you want to see mature fare like Plastic Little, DearS, or traditional Otafest favourite Golden Boy, you can – just make sure that you’re over 18 and have photo ID to prove it.
For more info, maps, and Otafest schedules, go to www.otafest.com. |
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