SMASH! (convention)

Infobox Anime convention
name= SMASH! - Sydney Manga and Anime Show


country= Australia
status= Active
venue= The Roundhouse at UNSW
size=
caption= The SMASH! logo with Skadi and Cyrus, the convention mascots
location= Sydney
years= 1
attendance= 1435
events= Cosplay competition and games, art competitions, panels, workshops, video game room, Artist Circle, community groups, video rooms, merchandise and food vendors, stage events
website= http://www.smash.org.au

SMASH! – Sydney Manga and Anime Show is an annual anime and manga convention held in Sydney, Australia. After successfully holding its inaugural event in 2007, it is currently in the planning stages for 2008

SMASH! features a wide spectrum of events including a Cosplay competition, art competitions, trivia, panels, screenings, Cosplay Chess, Maid/Host Club Cafe and more. SMASH! also has an Artist Circle, where Australian artists can showcase and sell their artworks, comics and other hand-made merchandise. According to the Artist listing on the SMASH! website, in 2007 there were over 30 represented artists, artist groups and small publishers [Cite web
url = http://www.smash.org.au/archive/2007/artist_list.html
title = Artist List (SMASH! 2007)
accessdate = 2008-04-22]

History

MASH! 2007

The 18th of August 2007 marked the first SMASH! event. It was located at the Roundhouse, a venue on the campus of the University of New South Wales. Ticket prices were $9 for preregistered attendees, and $12 at the door. The convention ran from 10am until 6pm and attracted a total attendance of 1435 [Cite web
url = http://www.smash.org.au/archive/2007/attendance.html
title = Attendance Figures (SMASH! 2007)
accessdate = 2008-04-22]

A number of events were held throughout the day, including:

* Anime screenings, including the Australian public premier of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Death Note [Cite web
url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/news/2007-08-14/smash-update-convention-info-and-anime-premiere
title = SMASH! Update - Convention info and Anime premier
publisher = Anime News Network
accessdate = 2008-04-22] (licensed by Madman Entertainment).
* 10 hours of panels covering a range of topics, including self publishing, animation and the gaming industry, tutorials on concept art and digital colouring. Special guests included W. Chew Chan, storyboard artist for Happy Feet and Superman Returns, local Tokyopop manga artist Queenie Chan, and Gregor Whiley, Vice President of the Australian gaming company Strategic Studies Group.
* A Maid Cafe and Host Club (essentially a cosplay themed cafe).
* Stage Events (such as Iron Artist and Who's Line is in Anime), Madman Cosplay Competition and Cosplay games.
* A slimmed down version of the singing competition Kouhaku Uta Gassen
* A musical performance by the 2002 Triple J Unearthed winner Yunyu [Cite web
url = http://yunyu.com.au/home/publicity/154/
publisher = Yunyu
title = All Ages Gig
accessdate = 2008-04-22]
* A doodling competition sponsored by Wacom, as well as digital, traditional and 4-panel comic competitions.

MASH! 2008

SMASH! 2008 will be held at the Roundhouse, on the campus of the University of New South Wales again. SMASH! has announced that they will have a special guest of honour, Hidenobu Kiuchi a Japanese seiyū. [Cite web
url = http://www.smash.org.au/guests/guests-info SMASH!
publisher = SMASH!
title = SMASH! Guest Info
accessdate = 2008-05-06]

References

External links

* [http://www.smash.org.au/ SMASH! Official Website]