BC conventions for 2019

2019 is a packed year for those who enjoy anime, comics, gaming, pop culture and cosplay with a number events and gatherings across British Columbia. Don your favourite outfit and join others who share your love for this media with our list of conventions for 2019.

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Salish Sea Coastline from the Air

The coastline of south-western British Columbia is beautiful jewel, filled with lush islands, sandy beaches and plenty of marine activity. See this amazing landscape from the air in a collection of photos on Gallery. It truly is breathtaking part of our world.

Matamoros Bus

Taking the bus in Matamoros

The border towns of Mexico are the gateway to this amazing country. Getting around Matamoros in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas by bus is a world apart from public transit in Canada and the US, but opens up the what this bustling city has to offer.

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Local

BC Ferries fares to go up June 1st, 2019

May 17, 2019 • • Post a commment

BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of Oak Bay arrives at Horseshoe Bay.

The cost of taking BC Ferries is about to go up thanks to a new 1.5% fuel surcharge starting June 1st, 2019.

On routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, this is an additional 25 cents for an adult passenger and 85 cents for a vehicle. For the smaller inter-island routes, this is 15 cents for adult passengers and 45 cents for a vehicle.

BC Ferries uses fuel surcharges/rebates to offset the fluctuations in the price of fuel. Rebates are given at time of ticket purchase when the cost of fuel is low, while surcharges are added when the prices are high.

Sources: BC Ferries

Anime, Gaming

Crunchyroll brings free anime to Twitch Prime members

May 17, 2019 • • Post a commment
Crunchyroll Twitch Prime Partnership

Crunchyroll brings bring 30 days of free anime to Twitch Prime members.

Crunchyroll and Twitch Prime are working together to bring 30 days of free anime to Twitch Prime members. This bonus is the first non-gaming loot for Twitch Prime members.

Members of Twitch Prime have their choice of free PC games each month, with free in-game items, along with free channel subscriptions on Twitch, plus chat colours and emotes.

For the last two years, Twitch has hosted the live-stream for Crunchyroll’s annual Anime Awards, where 1.3 million viewers tuned into the pre-show anime marathon, consuming almost 19 million minutes. The official stream garnered half a million unique views.

Amazon Prime members are automatically given Twitch Prime membership and can take advantage of this offer through Twitch.

Gaming, Videos

New trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake unveiled

May 9, 2019 • • Post a commment

Square Enix dropped a teaser video for the much anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake, which is a total overhaul of the popular Final Fantasy VII that was released 20 years ago on the original PlayStation.

The brief video uses footage from the beginning of the game in the dismal city of Midgar and opens with Aerith and Cloud before introducing members of AVALANCHE: Barrett, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge. Of course, some familiar enemies make an appearance, including the feared Guard Scorpion with its feared tail laser.

There is no release date for Final Fantasy VII Remake as the title is still under development for the PlayStation 4.

More information is expected in June 2019, potentially during E3.

Source: YouTube

Manga

Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 4, 2019

April 29, 2019 • • Post a commment
My Hero Academia & Promised Never Land - Free Comic Book Day 2019

Cover art for the My Hero Academia & Promised Never Land available for this year’s Free Comic Book Day.

The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day. On Saturday, May 4th, 2019, (which is also Star Wars Day) head on over to your favourite comic store and choose from a selection of popular series — all free!

In addition to classics like Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Captain Canuck and Little Lulu, there’s a few manga up for grabs. This year’s assortment includes:

    • My Hero Academia & Promised Neverland by Kouhei Horikoshi / Kaiu Shirai, Kouhei Horikoshi, Posuka Demizu from Viz Media.
    • Pokémon: I Choose You! & Pokémon Adventures by Ryo Takamisaki / Mato and Ryo Takamisaki from Viz Media.
    • Kino’s Journey by Keiichi Sigsawa Iruka Shiomiya from Vertical Comics.
    • Street Fighter Sakura VS Karin by Ken Siu-Chong and Omar Dogan by UDON.
    • Witch Hat Atelier / Cardcaptor Sakura: Collector’s Edition / Magus of the Library by Kamome Shirahama / CLAMP / Mitsu Izumi from Kodansha.

For a complete list of available titles, free previews and participating store locations, check out the Free Comic Book Day web site.

Source: Free Comic Book Day

In Pictures

Photos from Sakura-Con 2019

April 27, 2019 • • Post a commment

This past Easter weekend, downtown Seattle was filled with many amazing costumes as thousands of Japanese pop-culture fans descended on the Sakura-Con anime convention. For three days, there was plenty of cosplay, live music, vendors and fun.


Couldn’t make it down or want to relive the weekend? View the rest of the photos on Gallery.

In Pictures

Photos from Sakura Days Japan Fair 2019

April 15, 2019 • • Post a commment

Grey clouds and periods of rain presided over the opening day of the annual Sakura Days Japan Fair in the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, but that didn’t stop festivities.

Though many trees had already shed their blossoms, there were a few still in bloom to celebrate this springtime tradition next to an assortment of Japanese food stalls, live entertainment including musical guests from Japan and booths selling traditional clothing and trinkets.


Couldn’t make it out or did the rain hold you back? View the rest of photos on Gallery.

Local

Honda Celebration of Light 2019 dates and countries revealed

April 9, 2019 • • Post a commment

Japan’s performance in 2017

The Honda Celebration of Light returns to Vancouver’s English Bay this summer with three fun filled nights of fireworks synchronized to music. For 2019, the line-up includes two new participant countries are joining host country Canada – India and Croatia.

This is the 29th year the event has lit up the city, with India starting first on Saturday, July 27th, 2019, followed by Canada on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 and then Croatia on Saturday, August 3rd, 2019.

Leading up to the pyrotechnic display, which begins at 10:00 pm, there will be live music and a selection of food trucks. For those wanting a more comfortable seat, there are three viewing lounges offering premium views (at a price); tickets are available online through the Honda Celebration of Light web site.

Source: Honda Celebration of Light

Anime

Crunchyroll to regularly share data on popular anime streams

April 5, 2019 • • Post a commment

The top 20 total titles on Crunchyroll for the last week of March 2019

With 45 million users, Crunchyroll streams anime to all corners of the world and plans to release statistics on a steady basis of what their fans watch and from where.

Over a one week period, from March 25th to 31st, 2019, Crunchyroll provided an alphabetical list of their 20 most watched series.

  • Black Clover
  • BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS
  • DARLING in the FRANXX
  • Domestic Girlfriend
  • Dragon Ball Super
  • Fairy Tale
  • Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma
  • Hunter x Hunter
  • JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
  • Mob Psycho 100
  • My Hero Academia
  • Naruto
  • Naruto Shippuden
  • One Piece
  • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-
  • Sword Art Online
  • THE PROMISED NEVERLAND
  • The Quintessential Quintuples
  • The Rising of the Shield Hero
  • That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Also included were top ten lists from different countries, including Canada. Canada’s most watched series for this period were (in alphabetical order):

  • Black Clover
  • Fairy Tail
  • Hunter x Hunter
  • JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
  • Mob Psycho 100
  • Naruto Shippuden
  • One Piece
  • Sword Art Online
  • That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
  • The Rising of the Shield Hero

As Crunchyroll serves anime fans in over 200 countries, for the week of March 25th to 31st, 2019, the top ten countries per subscriber paints an interesting picture of where the service is being enjoyed.

  1. Uruguay
  2. Portugal
  3. India
  4. Philippines
  5. Italy
  6. Colombia
  7. Poland
  8. Dominican Republic
  9. Ecuador
  10. Peru
Anime, Videos

Second season of The Promised Neverland coming in 2020

March 31, 2019 • • Post a commment

A second season for the anime series The Promised Neverland, based on the manga by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu, is coming in 2020.

The date was unveiled in a short video at the end of the episode that aired on Fuji TV March 28th, 2019. The 15-second clip was uploaded to Aniplex’s YouTube channel.

The first season of The Promised Neverland is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Source: Natalie

Anime, Videos

New My Hero Academia movie coming this winter

March 31, 2019 • • Post a commment

Following the success of the animated film My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, there’s another movie based on Kohei Horikoshi’s popular manga on its way to Japanese theatres this coming winter.

Promotional art for My Hero Academia: The Movie was uploaded to Twitter today, featuring Bakugo as a kaiju while a horrified Midoriya, Ochaco, Iida and Todoroki look on.

A brief 15 second spot was also posted to YouTube earlier this week.

Sources: Twitter, 『僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE』公式サイト

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