Artscience Museum To Host Interactive The World of Studio Ghibli Exhibition (4 Oct 2024 To 5 Feb 2025)

Artscience Museum will be hosting THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI exhibition from 4 Oct 2024 to 2 Feb 2025. This is a show that Studio Ghibli fans simply cannot miss!

The interactive showcase which features the charming Ghibli universe was held in Bangkok last year. Previously, the exhibition delighted fans in major Asian cities, like Hong Kong and Taipei. In a couple of week's time, THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI's latest iteration will land on Red Dot Island, and Red Dot Diva (who has probably watched all of the Ghibli movies), can't wait for it!

In case you are not familiar with Studio Ghibli, here's a brief history of the iconic Japanese animation studio. The company was founded by directors Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki, and producer Toshio Suzuki in 1985. The studio's unique worlds and imaginative story-telling, depicted through detailed and emotive hand-drawn animation, are the key ingredients that have captivated film lovers worldwide. In a world flooded with flashy CGI effects, Studio Ghibli's hand-drawn films are exceptionally precious and special.

Studio Ghibli has received Academy Awards nominations for 7 of their films, and won Best Animated Feature for two of them - Spirited Away in 2003, and The Boy and the Heron in 2024.

Fans visiting THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI can expect to immerse themselves in 16 large and detailed theatrical sets displayed in 11 film galleries. These hail from beloved Ghibli movies, including My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and more! The upcoming show will also include the latest award-winning movie The Boy and the Heron. Needless to say, this would mean ample opportunities for your selfies and wefies. Who doesn't want to sit on a train carriage with No-Face?

You can also learn more about Studio Ghibli's intricate and creative process through 16 box art and trick-eye installations. At the end of it all - a retail store awaits you! Get prepared to be tempted by all those official Ghibli merchandise.

During the announcement of the exhibition, Vice President of ArtScience Museum Honor Harger said, "This year ArtScience Museum presents one of our largest and most ambitious exhibitions to date – The World of Studio Ghibli. It showcases the work of one of the most important cinematic production houses in the world, who have created some of the most beloved and critically acclaimed animated films of all time. We are incredibly honoured to host the first major exhibition by Studio Ghibli in Singapore.”

Studio Ghibli added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to hold The World of Studio Ghibli exhibition at Singapore’s prestigious ArtScience Museum – a venue which is highly esteemed by Japanese visitors and many others. This exhibition will transport visitors into the realm of Studio Ghibli, where they will get to experience the films first-hand. Whether you are a Ghibli enthusiast or a newcomer, the exhibition offers something for everyone. As a leading destination for tourism and business, Singapore welcomes people from all around the world, and we hope they will also visit the exhibition to encounter the world of Ghibli and become fans of our films.”

Tickets are already available for purchase via Klook and Marina Bay Sands box offices. The prices for non-Sands LifeStyle members range from SGD 29 to SGD 49 per adult, depending on whether you are a local or not, and also, if you are visiting during peak or non-peak hours. Sands LifeStyle members will enjoy discounts on the tickets. There are also family ticket bundles. More details can be found at the two venues mentioned above.

THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI is expected to draw in a crowd of local as well as regional fans. So, in order not to miss out on the show, do get your tickets and book your choice slots early!


Dates: 4 October 2024 to 5 February 2025
Times: 10 AM to 7 PM (last entry is 6 PM)
Venue: ArtScience Museum, MBS
Admission: Visit Klook or MBS box offices (see links above).


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Top 5 New TV Series For Your Watchlist - Premiere Dates January to March 2023

A new year means more new TV shows to watch! There are several series already set to return in 2023, like The Blacklist, Star Trek: Picard, The Mandalorian, The Gilded Age, and (sob!) the last season of The CW's The Flash, but if you intend to add more spice to your daily entertainment hour, there is a pile of new shows that will premiere in 2023.

Based on USA premiere dates starting from January to March 2023, Red Dot Diva recommends 5 shows that you can add to your watch list. Do note that not all shows and channels are available in Red Dot Island. Paramount Plus is one of them, so you would either have to find your own way to watch these, or pray that they will turn up on either Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ SG.

Scroll down to check out Red Dot Diva's recommended list!

Attack On Titan Exhibition At Artscience Museum - The Invasion Is Here!

The epic invasion of scary, colossal beings has begun! Starting 19 February 2022, Artscience Museum and collaborator SPACELogic has kicked off the ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition that pays tribute to the best-selling manga's creator Hajime Isayama and the series' amazing 11-year run with Japanese publishing company, Kodansha. The exhibition makes its South-East Asian and overseas debut here, with a few new additions and surprises.

Come along with Red Dot Diva as she walks through the exhibit in this feature, so you can know what to expect. Or, if you are unable to head to Red Dot Island during the exhibition's run, Red Dot Diva hopes that you will be able to live vicariously through this article and photos.

Got your ODM gear ready? Here we go!

Attack On Titan Exhibition Stomps Into ArtScience Museum From 19 February 2022

Attention, troops! Get your ODM gear ready! The Titans will be arriving at ArtScience Museum from 19 February 2022.

ATTACK ON TITAN (Shingeki no Kyojin) is an insanely popular manga series by Japanese creator Hajime Isayama, with over 100 million copies sold in print. During its 11-year run, readers followed the adventures of a young man named Eren Yeager and his close friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Alert, in a dystopian world where humanity is threatened by horrifying, man-eating giants.

The manga was adapted to an anime series produced by Wit Studios, except for the last season, which was taken over by MAPPA. The series is currently streaming on Netflix Singapore, and The Final Season: Part 2 recently premiered on 10 January 2022. New episodes are being released weekly, with reports stating that there will be a total of 12 episodes to wrap up the anime series.

Organised by SpaceLogic, the ATTACK ON TITAN: The Exhibition will feature over 180 pieces of Hajime Isayama's works of art, from his early days of the manga series to the present. This will be the exhibition's South-East Asia debut. Here are what visitors and fans of the franchise can expect from the exhibition:

Star Wars: Visions - Stunning Visuals and Unique Stories In Anime Form

STAR WARS: VISIONS, an anthology of nine anime shorts, is wonderfully creative and goes right into the emotional core of what the Star Wars is all about. Even though it is not canon, the series offers a thrilling alternate universe, while taking you back to the mega franchise's Japanese roots.

Star Wars has always drew ideas heavily from Japanese culture. In interviews, George Lucas mentioned that he is a huge fan of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa. When you watch Kurosawa's 1958 black and white movie THE HIDDEN FORTRESS side by side with the original 1977 Star Wars movie, you will see the same story beats about a princess, a general, a pair of comedic peasants and the fight against a feudal lord.

Samurai lore and visual traditional Japanese aesthetic, like the ronin, lightsaber, Darth Vader's helmet and kabuki, are also embedded in Star Wars. Even in the sequels, you will find that the Japanese influences remain strong. In THE LAST JEDI, Rian Johnson paid homage to Kurosawa's RASHOMON by portraying the re-telling of young Ben Solo and Luke Skywalker's fateful incident at the training temple in three different versions. Also, Kylo Ren's repaired helmet in the last movie of the Skywalker saga is influenced by kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery.

The anime studios involved with STAR WARS: VISIONS are Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production I.G. When Red Dot Diva was binge-watching the series, it was evident that the production teams adored the Star Wars franchise, and threw their hearts into it by putting their own unique spin to their animated shorts.

Netflix's Pacific Rim: The Black Expands The Franchise's Lore in Intriguing Ways

Kaijus, mechas, anime-style action and Idris Elba. That was what made “PACIFIC RIM” the 2013 creature feature directed by Guillermo del Toro, so much fun to watch. And also Idris Elba. Mmmmm, yes ... Red Dot Diva has to mention him twice.

Five years later, the sequel “PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING” did not fare so well. It was missing the magic touch of Guillermo del Toro and screenwriter Travis Beacham. Despite the loud action sequences, the story was flat and souless. Thankfully, Netflix's new anime series “PACIFIC RIM: THE BLACK” sets things right for the franchise.

The anime series is set in Australia, where various kaiju have taken over the continent. After a terrible battle with a bunch of kaijus five years ago, the jaeger pilot parents of siblings Taylor and Hayley decided to leave them and a few other children at a remote natural sanctuary near an abandoned base of operations. They then went off with their jaeger Hunter Vertigo looking for help, with a promise to return. Since that day, the Pan Pacific Defense Corp, who are in charge of the Jaegers, had implemented an initiative called "The Black". What exactly that is, no one really knows.

Cuteness Alert! There Will Be WE BABY BEARS - A Spinoff of We Bare Bears

Pic: Cartoon Network

WE BARE BEARS: THE MOVIE which aired on Cartoon Network recently was the end of a beloved animated series, and Red Dot Diva is sure that scores of fans around the world are still not able to get over that fact. But... hold on with the tears, there's a piece of good news!! Are you ready for it?

If you thought the adorable factor of Grizz, Pan Pan and Ice Bear surpasses all scales of adorableness, then get ready for the spinoff series, WE BABY BEARS! Yes, the Bears when they are cute little baby cubs! OMG.

The original comedy series, which is currently in production, will explore funny and fantastical adventures of baby Grizzly, Panda and Ice Bear. In each episode, the baby bears travel through imaginative and colourful new worlds via their magical cardboard box, searching for a place to settle down and belong. During their various journeys, they will get to meet familiar fairytale characters, and decide if they should stay or continue on with their search for a new home.

We Bare Bears director Manny Hernandez returns as executive producer alongside the franchise's creator Daniel Chong.

“Manny’s admiration for anime and music come to life in this fresh new expansion of a beloved franchise,” said Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “The spectacular landscapes and musical inspirations transform this new series into an unforgettable journey for all We Bare Bears’ fans and beyond. And did I mention they are baby bears?!”

The new series is expected to premiere in the second half of 2021.

For the moment though, you can still get your We Bare Bears fix by watching (or re-watching!) the heartwarming WE BARE BEARS: THE MOVIE, which is still available on HBO GO for South-East Asian fans.

Celebrate Hanami at Garden By The Bay's Sakura Matsuri 2020 - Residents get 50% discount on ticket prices

It is still possible to enjoy hanami (flower viewing), even though your travel plans has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You just need to head down to the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay for the Sakura Matsuri - Tale of the Peach Boy.

From now till 29 March, over 300 sakura (cherry blossom) and about 200 momo (peach blossom) trees transform part of the Flower Dome into a Japanese springtime landscape. With over 20 varieties of these blossoms are also set against the backdrop of red torii gates as well as a quaint teahouse.

By the way, tickets to the Flower Dome for Sakura Matsuri, Cloud Forest, Supertree Observatory and Floral Fantasy for Singapore residents are now at 50% discount! Children aged 3 to 12 years are also able to enter these locations for free during the March school holidays. So, this is a family outing and photo opportunity not to be missed!


WHERE FLOWERS NEVER STOP BLOOMING 

This special initiative by Gardens by the Bay aims to stand by local businesses and bring a measure of joy to Singapore residents who have had to cancel their trips to Japan because of COVID-19. From now till 15 March, Gardens by the Bay is offering 500 Singapore residents a chance to visit the Sakura Matsuri for free.

All you need to do is to share what your disrupted travel plans mean to you through the Garden's website. Not only do you get a chance to enter the floral display for free, this offer includes Pan Pacific Singapore's Fun-mily Escape package that has a weekend staycation for 2 adults and 2 children, plus a brunch at Keyaki Japanese restaurant! The entire deal is worth about SGD 798++.

That's not all. Visitors can also receive 30% off their bills at Pan Pacific hotel's Edge, Hai Tien Lo and Keyaki restaurants if they present the Flower Dome's ticket. This offer is redeemable until 30 June 2020.

Here are some are things to do when you are strolling along the Sakura Matsuri garden trail.

Makoto Shinkai's Latest Movie "Weathering With You" Premieres in Singapore on 6 September 2019

After the astounding international success of the body-swapping, time travel love story “Your Name” in 2016, fans of Makoto Shinkai have been looking forward to enjoy more imaginative tales and dreamy landscapes in his signature style.

“Weathering With You” is Makoto Shinkai's latest animation masterpiece. In the long awaited movie, the city of near-future Tokyo is facing an unusual deluge of rainstorms. Hokada, an underaged runaway tries to look for a job and ends up as an intern in a publication that investigates strange phenomena, one of which is a story about "sunshine girls". He meets and befriends one of them, Hina, who is able bring on clear skies through prayer. Both of them decide to use and monetise her superpowers... but surely, there is a price to pay for that?

When the movie was released in Japan earlier this year, it raked in takings of over USD100 million (10.7 billion yen) at the domestic box office, officially making it the biggest Japanese film domestically since “Your Name”. It has also been chosen as Japan’s entry for the best international feature film category at the 2020 Oscars.

“Weathering With You” has since been released in Hong Kong and Indonesia, and has topped box offices in the opening week in both countries.

Singapore audiences need not wait too long to experience another of Makoto Shinkai's enigmatic tale of young love unfolding in stunning, photorealistic backdrops. The Singapore premiere of “Weathering With You” (organised by film distributor Encore Films), will be held at Capitol Theatre this Friday, 6 September.

Hardcore fans can be one of the first to watch “Weathering With You” at this special event on 6 September, before the official theatrical release on 12 September 2019. All they need to do is buy the tickets at this link. At the cost of SGD 55 per ticket, fans will also be able to redeem exclusive movie premiums, like the transparent umbrella and notebook as seen in movie, an A2 movie poster and invite card. Seats are filling up fast, so get your tickets pronto!

Here's the trailer for “Weathering With You”:

Diva's Movie Review: I Want To Eat Your Pancreas - Overly Melodramatic But Will Still Make You Tear Up

Before the anime version of Yoru Sumino's novel “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas”, there was a live action adaptation with a slightly different title. It was called “Let Me Eat Your Pancreas”, starring Minami Hamabe and Takumi Kitamura in the lead roles. Red Dot Diva caught the tearjerker during a long haul flight, and thought it was engaging even though typically sentimental in that Japanese way. What is it about teens dying from terminal illness in several Japanese tragedies anyway?

The animated film “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas” directed by Shinichiro Ushijima is no less sentimental. In fact, Red Dot Diva found it overly dramatic, and repetitive in many instances (it seems that the novel was like that too), making the movie longer than necessary. Still, it had its moments, and the odd couple's sentiments about mortality, love and friendship were sincere and heartbreaking.

As you can probably guess by now, the bloodthirsty title, “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas” is not a horror movie or a film about the zombie apocalypse. Nope, it is actually a romance story about two people of opposite personalities. Sakura, a bubbly girl suffering from a life-threatening illness, decides to make use of her limited time on earth completing her crazy bucket list of things to do. Not wanting to become a shadow of her sickness, she strives to it a secret, and during her journey through life, she decides to befriend a seemingly boring, moody, anti-social guy from the same school that no one seems to like, and whose name remains a mystery till the last few minutes.

Welcome Comic Book Artists David Finch and Mark Brooks to STGCC 2018!

STGCC 2018 announced their first round of guests was well as opened online ticketing for the event yesterday.

Comic book artists David Finch and Mark Brooks will be meeting fans at the pop-culture event, held on 8 and 9 September at the Marina Bay Sands Expo!

David Finch started out in Top Cow Productions' "Cyberforce", working closely with creator and studio founder Marc Silvestri. After the run for "Cyberforce" ended, he created the titles "Ascension" with writer Matt "Batt" Banning, and "Aphrodite IX" with David Wohl.

In 2003, David returned to comics collaborating with Brian Michael Bendis on Marvel's "Ultimate X-Men" and "Avengers", as well as the relaunch of the superhero team called "The New Avengers". Sometime in 2010, David switched to DC Comics, providing covers for "Brightest Day" by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi. He also wrote and drew for 18 issues of the "Batman: The Dark Knight" series, before moving on to "Justice League of America" and "Forever Evil".

As for comic book artist Mark Brooks, this is not his first time visiting Singapore. Mark, who has worked on various of Marvel's popular titles, like "Deadpool", "Ultimate Spider-Man" and "Secret Wars", made an appearance as a guest hosted by the now-defunct Invasion! Toys, back in STGCC 2012.

His career has grown in leaps and bounds since then, with his art gracing the covers and interiors of several Star Wars comics, like "Han Solo" which was published in 2016. The limited series garnered favourable reviews and earned Mark Brooks and writer Marjorie Liu an Eisner Award nomination in 2017. Not only that, his pencil work caught the eye of Star Wars creator George Lucas, and he had requested to buy every page of the original art from the first two issues of "Han Solo"! Wowzas, right?

Enjoy Hanami at Garden By The Bay's First Sakura Matsuri - 16 March to 8 April 2018

Gardens by the Bay is hosting its first Sakura Matsuri from 16 March to 8 April. Red Dot Diva was invited for a preview of the event, and based on just the sakura show at the Flower Dome, it is a beautiful feast for the eyes!!

A post shared by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on Mar 16, 2018 at 9:12pm PDT

A post shared by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on Mar 16, 2018 at 10:26pm PDT

Gamestart Asia and Anime Festival Asia Form Alliance To Build More Awesome Content in Asia

Fans who enjoy gaming and anime are in for a treat this year and beyond.

SOZO, the organizer of Anime Festival Asia (AFA), Red Dot Island's largest Japanese pop-culture event, has joined hands with Eliphant, the owners of Gamestart Asia. The two companies intend to use their newly formed alliance to power up on more gaming, anime and cosplay content in both of their shows held within the region. They have even moved to a new office premise together in order to consolidate their efforts.

As previously reported, Gamestart will be expanding their show to Indonesia this year. Dates have not yet been announced for the new show.

As for AFA, there will be plans to add more gaming activities and content in their events. 2018 is also AFA's 10th anniversary for the Red Dot Island show, so there is definitely are going to be a host of celebratory activities happeing at the convention!

“Southeast Asia emerges as one of the fastest growing markets for gaming and content, we recognised that both AFA and GameStart audiences have diverse interests in both gaming and anime. With our partnership, we hope to work closely to bring even more exhilarating content and holistic experiences to both fanbases across the regions,” said Shawn Chin, Managing Director of SOZO and founder of Anime Festival Asia.

“We are extremely excited to be able to bring our event to various regions, with the support of our partners. We are determined to support the regional gaming industry, especially in esports and game development. We are positive that our partnership will provide more events and enable us to bring awesome content to both gamers and anime fans,” said Elicia Lee, founder of GameStart Asia and CEO of Eliphant Pte Ltd.

It is not too early to start working on your cosplays, and saving money to attend both Gamestart Asia and AFA later this year. Also, remember to keep a look out for more exciting announcements about their calendar of events on both events' official channels in the coming weeks!

Diva's Recap of "Ghost in the Shell" 14-Minute Preview (Spoilers!)

At a small "Ghost In The Shell" fan event last Friday, 17 March 2017, Red Dot Diva had the chance to watch a 14-minute sneak peek of the live action movie in 3D.

Despite the furore over the casting of Scarlett Johansson as Major (which is based on Motoko Kusanagi in the manga by Masamune Shirow) and "whitewashing" of the popular franchise, the film looks visually stunning. It took just a few minutes for Red Dot Diva to feel immersed in the near-future cybernetic world, and she wished it was a full movie screening instead. 

"Ghost In The Shell" is a story about a cybernetic anti-terrorist field commander Major, who is determined on going after a hacker called The Puppet Master. There may be a larger purpose to The Puppet Master's plans to take control of Hanka Corporation's artificial intelligence programs, and Major begins to uncover her past and question about her own existence.

For the live action movie, instead of The Puppet Master, the main enemy is cyborg ghost-hacker named Kuze (Michael Pitts). Or rather, Kuze will a mix of the two anime characters in the upcoming film directed by Rupert Sanders.

( WARNING : SPOILERS AHEAD )

STGCC 2016: More Guests Announced, Including Emma Rios, Jacob Chabot and Stephanie Hans

The announcement for the second wave of Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) guests was released when Red Dot Diva was having her holiday in the UK.

Unlike in previous years, Red Dot Diva is glad to see that there are a few more noteworthy women creators in the guest list. She hopes that their presence at the convention will help boost the profile and confidence of other female creators locally in the region.

One of the female creator guests is Spanish artist Emma Rios, who has her very own graphic novel called "I.D." published with Image Comics. She is also part of the creative team for "Pretty Deadly" with popular writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and the scifi-fantasy series "Mirror" with artist Hwei Lim. Prior to these published works, Emma has also illustrated for Boom! Studios ("Hexed") and Marvel ("Doctor Strange", "Amazing Spider-man").

Movie Review: Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人) 2 : End Of The World - Not Enough Crunchy Bits

Even though the live action movie "Attack on Titan" Part 1 did not meet most of the fans' expectations, it still had a pretty good box office run both in Japan and locally in Red Dot Island.

Part 1 made SGD 3.8 million (USD 4.8 million) in its opening week in Japan, and over here, gross takings was over SGD 818,000 after four weeks of screening at only 15 locations.

Red Dot Diva watched the preview of Part 2 earlier this month and was all set to enjoy a similar "fear experience" that was the most enjoyable aspect in the first movie.

To her surprise and disappointment, the follow-up film had fewer hungry Titans stomping and much less gore, with hardly any character development. In fact, some of the characters were hardly even seen or had spoken dialogue - like Sasha, for instance.

Instead, there was a lot of dialogue which slowed down the pace considerably, making the movie harder to sit through without feeling impatient. The action did pick up toward the end but by then, one would hardly care enough for the young cadet team to root for their victory.

"Attack on Titan" Movie: Interview with Haruma Miura, Kiko Mizuhara and Director Shinji Higuchi

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Meeting a fandom's high expectations is a rough deal, especially when a beloved anime is adapted to a different medium. So, it was inevitable that there was a gamut of reactions from those who have already watched "Attack on Titan" (AoT) Part One.

These ranged from the sheer disappointment of hardcore AoT lovers, to the "it's pretty OK" mentions by those who are not too invested in the franchise. Then, there are also the horror fans who relished the uncomfortable existential terror that ran through the course of the film, and those who loved the movie anyway.

AoT's creator Hajime Isayama, who is involved in the production, said that he was perplexed by the hate hurled at the movie adaptation, and assured that he as well as the director, writer and producers are taking in various opinions to better understand the fans' reactions.

Nevertheless, "Attack on Titan" topped the box office in Japan, with takings of about 600 million Yen (about SGD 6.8 million) on opening week.

Fans outside of Asia are eagerly waiting for the English version, and this week, FUNanimation announced the North American premiere dates. The Titans are set to stomp into theatres on September 30 for Part 1 and October 20 for Part 2.

Thanks to local distributor Encore Films, Red Dot Diva had a chance to ask AoT actors Haruma Miura (Eren), Kiko Mizuhara (Mizaka) and Director Shinji Higuchi a few questions:

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Movie Review: Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人) Part 1 - More An Appetiser Than A Main Course

Whether the live action movie adaptation of "Attack on Titan" (進撃の巨人) is worth feasting one's eyes upon would depend on one's palate.

Essentially, "Attack on Titan" is about the remaining clusters of mankind battling to survive against enormous creatures who stampede through the cities' barricades, and whose single purpose is to devour every single human being in sight.

Both the original manga written and illustration by Hajime Isayama, as well as animated series, are hugely popular with anime fans. For such fans, the live action movie may turn out to be a disappointment.

Red Dot Diva understands that there is an almost impossible challenge to adapting the character-rich world of manga and anime into a two-part movie, but in this case, she felt that the key changes made were not entirely to the film's advantage.

ICDS 2015: Meet Guest-of-Honour Cosplayer Jin (behindinfinity) at *Scape 22 & 23 August 2015!

Red Dot Diva tips her hat off to cosplayers in general. These hardworking folks invest a lot of their time and soul into their craft. With many cosplay and anime events happening all year round in Red Dot Island, active cosplayers are almost always hard at work imagining, planning, designing and working on their costumes.

What's different about International Cosplay Day compared to other similar events is that it is an annual worldwide celebration that occurs on the last Saturday of August. So, even if one does not have a convention to go to, it would be a good excuse to get into a costume and gather with some friends to celebrate the joy and camaraderie of cosplay.

In Red Dot Island though, International Cosplay Day Singapore (ICDS) has taken on a local flavour. Fellow geeks from The Neo Tokyo Project have been organizing a fan-driven weekend gathering for the last 6 years!

This year's edition of ICDS, which will remain at *Scape, is held on 22 & 23 August, 11 AM to 7 PM. The website was updated a few weeks ago, and holds some interesting information, including the name of a special guest.

STGCC 2015 Causes Local Geekdom To Squee By Announcing Adam Hughes As Guest

STGCC 2015 finally announces their first round of guest announcement, and they certainly did not skimp on the surprise factor.

ADAM HUGHES

This year, internationally reknown and Eisner award-winning comic cover artist Adam Hughes will make his way to the convention! Red Dot Diva could almost hear the local geekdom squee with delight upon knowing that Adam Hughes will be here. She was aware that the fans have been hoping and requesting for Adam to attend STGCC for many years. 2015 is the year that this wish is set to come true.

For those who are not familiar with Adam Hughes he is well-known for drawing women figures beautifully in a pin-up art style, and has worked for the biggies like DC and Marvel, as well as Dark Horse, Archie and Lucasfilm. His variant art covers are highly sought after. A few years ago, he returned to sequential art and was the artist for mini-series "Before Watchmen: Dr Manhattan", written by J. Michael Straczynski.