Author Topic: [8/23-8/25] You Kikkawa @ Japan Expo USA in Santa Clara, CA (Read 12336 times)

J-Triumf · « **on:** July 08, 2013, 10:00:05 AM »

New convention debuting this year, from the people who run the Paris show:
http://japan-expo.org

And look who's listed as one of their first guests!

First Reina, now Kikka too coming to the Bay Area!!!!

shirenuファクトリー · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2013, 10:01:42 AM »

You lucky bastage!!!! AWE YEAH

Slack · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2013, 10:16:44 AM »

LETS DO THIS.

Rina the Robot · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2013, 12:52:51 PM »

KIKKA'S TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE US, AW YEAH.

Have fun, guys!

J-Triumf · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2013, 04:19:26 AM »

A bit of an update that looks both kinda grim and still hopeful...

The Japan Expo website still hasn't officially announced Kikka yet, despite the convention being now less than a month away. We inquired about her at JE's booth at J-Pop Summit, where the fans they were giving away mysteriously excluded her name this time. The booth guy couldn't give us a definitive answer other than to "stay hopeful". On the other hand, the posters lining the booth still featured Kikka as the last of their main guests.

I guess we'll find out the truth soon, but this is cutting things pretty close and could prove to be a headache to anyone who has already registered. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

J-Triumf · « **Reply #5 on:** August 01, 2013, 05:13:02 PM »

GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! KIKKA HAS FINALLY BEEN CONFIRMED FOR JAPAN EXPO! ~~and you totally read this in Farnsworth's voice~~

http://www.japan-expo.org/nws-1380-en-you_kikkawa_at_japan_expo.html

She's listed as a special guest and "official reporter"...I wonder how that's gonna work...

Slack · « **Reply #6 on:** August 01, 2013, 06:59:15 PM »

I guess I'll be reporting on that official reporter, then.
How meta!

LETS DO THIS

Rayle · « **Reply #7 on:** August 02, 2013, 04:24:48 AM »

AWWWW YEAH LET'S FUCKING DO THIS.

Now I just need to decide if I want to splurge on Sac-anime.

J-Triumf · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2013, 07:58:34 AM »

Schedule is up! She's got shows on Friday and Sunday, and autograph sessions all three days!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/up-front-link/en-you-kikkawa-all-her-schedule-during-japan-expo-usa/558313714227550

August 23rd (Friday)
3:00～3:45
Live
Place：Main Stage

4:15～5:15
Sign Session
Place：Signing room #3

August 24th (Saturday)
11:45～12:30
Panel
Place：Hall Stage

1:45～2:45
Sign Session
Place：Signing room #3

August 25th (Sunday)
11:00～12:00
Sign Session
Place：Signing room #3

5:00～5:45
Live
Place：Main Stage

Quote

During Japan Expo USA, Kikka will be the official reporter so you can expect her to cover several events. Then you can check all the coverage on the official facebook page of Japan Expo USA.

LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY NOW! And I finally registered only today.

So besides me, Slack, and Rayle, who else is going? kitaoji? Dracil? Any other local lurkers? Time to get hyphy for this!

Also, it seems the convention closes at 7 each day...anyone wanna make plans for post-show meals or karaoke? I'm kinda familiar with the area (used to hang out a lot down there) but it's been years since I've really done anything out there besides shopping at Fry's.

kitaoji · « **Reply #9 on:** August 17, 2013, 06:30:46 PM »

I'm really on the fence about Friday - the earliest I can leave work is 2pm and it's about a 20 minute train ride to Daly City BART...

That said, if rides can be arranged, Saturday and Sunday will happen! I haven't registered yet, but if we can work something out (I can meet you at Castro Valley or one of the South City BARTs) then I'm in!

-

Tris-chan · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2013, 07:17:06 PM »

I'll be going if I can get press - otherwise I'm still unemployed and broke as a joke, yo.

But that area is more my stomping grounds (San Jose moreso, but I can find my way around SC) and for karaoke/meals...depends on what you want. SJ Japantown is pretty nice and has really good food, but it's a bit of a drive/lightrail ride away. Gamba Karaoke in SJ is pretty much the best karaoke box in the south bay, but it too is pretty far from the convention itself. What's around there...there's a Bennigans close by, a strip mall with a movie theater and some decent places (never tried the sushi place there myself when I worked in that area, but I've heard good things), and great america too.

J-Triumf · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2013, 11:43:38 PM »

^ I was just telling Slack recently about the Mercado where the In-N-Out is, but yeah, even that place might require driving despite looking close by. Everything's fairly spread out over there...Great Mall, SJ Japantown, Mitsuwa, etc.

Quote from: kitaoji on August 17, 2013, 06:30:46 PM

I'm really on the fence about Friday - the earliest I can leave work is 2pm and it's about a 20 minute train ride to Daly City BART...

That said, if rides can be arranged, Saturday and Sunday will happen! I haven't registered yet, but if we can work something out (I can meet you at Castro Valley or one of the South City BARTs) then I'm in!

-

I live right by the SSF BART, so I can pick you up there (or anywhere along that part of 280, really, since we're kinda in the same area) if you want. I'm gonna be driving down to the convention and back for all three days, 45-minute travel times be damned.

Now I gotta see if I can get Friday off; I was originally gonna work that day since I'm always done by 11:30, but that might be cutting things close now that I think about it. I might as well show up as soon as possible.

Rayle · « **Reply #12 on:** August 18, 2013, 08:48:15 AM »

Psh, you urbanites. 45 minutes isn't a long drive.

I'm used to 25+min minimum drives to get out of neighborhood space, much less reach my destination. Then again, I'm also used to $2-3 gas prices.

Nonetheless, I am willing to drive people out to places to hangout afterwards. I can seat 3-4 people besides myself in my car.

Amazingly, the panel lineups for both Japan Expo and Sac-Anime kind of pale in comparison to AOD. (Much less Fanime. Damn, Fanime's panel lineup was boss. Now I'm sad I missed it.) There's just a general lack of fandom panels. Kind of sad, but I guess Japan Expo is more like the Jpop Summit than a purely fan-built convention.

Despite the allure of the Sinclair/Sinterklaas panel, there's not enough overall action in the morning worth taking a full day off. I'll go for a half day on Friday. (Not touching that autograph line, so I should be fine.) That is, unless Press requires something done in the morning. Really, potential extraneous Press work is the only thing making me hesitate on scheduling anything. That is, assuming I get Press.

I'm doing a Crayon Pop cosplay on Day 1, (WHEEE TROLLING) a BONA-FIDE BOY!GEKIKARA WITH THE JACKET AND EVERYTHING cosplay on Day 2, and trying to decide if I want to do a Firefly cosplay on Day 3, or not cosplay at all, since there'll be the J*Deez live and panel. Might be better to just dress stylish, there. (Hell, I'll probably just do the similar get-up as the one I did for Union Square.) Help me decide, people.

Aaaand I get to pick which two I want to reprise the next weekend at Sac-Anime.

(Gekikara is definitely happening again, so I gotta pick one of the other two, since I'm not doing Friday for that con.)

kitaoji · « **Reply #13 on:** August 18, 2013, 10:09:04 AM »

Whatever you choose, we are going to redo the Sunglasses Brigade for the concert on Sunday.

I'm really not going to attempt Friday - too much chaos in the office.

Santa Clara is at least 20 degrees warmer than the City, so maybe I'll swap out the Maachan birthday t-shirt for the Riho birthday t-shirt and see what happens.

Rayle · « **Reply #14 on:** August 18, 2013, 06:12:09 PM »

Yeah, but don't forget it's indoors this time around, so there might be A/C coldness.

Aw yeah.

INDOORS SUNGLASSES BRIGADE. WATCH OUT, WE MIGHT HAVE TO TURN UP OUR COLLARS.

I also noticed that there's an wotagei panel on Saturday. They're going to teach the Romantic Ukare Mode wotagei for Sunday, aren't they?

Dracil · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2013, 08:12:55 AM »

I've actually been talking to the people running that panel. It's supposed to be a Dempagumi.inc fan panel and they have no idea why JX changed the name, and they've requested it be moved to Friday 10AM for obvious reasons (the current time conflicts with Dempagumi.inc's final concert which means the hosts would probably be in line instead lol). They also plan on handing out call books for them.

Because I've spent months practicing and memorizing calls (basically as soon as they were announced), Dempagumi.inc is my #1 priority at Japan Expo (there's a conflict with their autograph session and You Kikkawa's Friday concert), but I will be attending You Kikkawa's Sunday concert so maybe I'll see you guys around.

I'll probably be with my fairly sizable group of friends too, and I think a lot of us really want to see her Romantic Ukare Mode too.

If anyone wants to mess around and do some wotagei after JX closes down each day I'd be down for it too. *pokes Rayle*

Also, I saw on another forum that someone will be bringing these:

I'll be bringing these, though I'll only be using what's in the bag (which can be used to identify me and some of my friends). The stuff on the left is for lending out to people around us at the concerts.

J-Triumf · « **Reply #16 on:** August 22, 2013, 10:35:29 PM »

KIKKA'S HERE!

https://twitter.com/UpFrontLink/status/370641712755916800

Interesting that she flew into the San Jose airport; I would've expected SFO since it's bigger, but then again San Jose does make more sense since it's like a 10 minute drive to the convention center.

No press passes, unfortunately, but I still plan on having a good time with everyone! Who else is ready?

We need to teach her some Bay Area English...

Rayle · « **Reply #17 on:** August 23, 2013, 06:34:09 AM »

So I'm doing a half day tomorrow, and full days on Saturday and Sunday.

My plan is to bring my own lunch on all three days, leaving dinner open to eat out, so let's talk about the nights after the con closes. I am totally up for driving people to the San Jose Night Market on Saturday and the San Jose Japantown on Sunday. I have maps and shit printed out and everything. Again, I have room for 3-4 people besides myself in my car.

J-Triumf · « **Reply #18 on:** August 23, 2013, 08:46:55 AM »

This is the first time I'm learning about this Night Market and its status as "the official JX afterparty".

I was considering checking out the karaoke place Tris suggested that night, but I guess we can discuss things further once we meet up; I can be another potential driver, able to fit four passengers as well.

kitaoji · « **Reply #19 on:** August 23, 2013, 09:23:02 AM »

^ I'll call you in the morning

And yes to the karaoke.