Happy New Year everyone! 2011 is less than 12 hours away, and I hope 2010 has been a great year for you. For me, it was a year filled with many challenges and new experiences. EOY 2010 was also exceptionally enjoyable for me, and I hope you had lots of fun too.
If you're interested to be part of the EOY team and want to be part of the fun, I've got good news. Currently, we have have 3 open positions for EOY 2011:
Videographer Responsibilities: General video coverage/publicity videos of EOY event, auditions and artistes/guests
Traits: enjoys making/editing videos on YouTube, likes anime, enjoys talking to people, loves shooting videos and people, positive attitude. For example: you make videos on your YouTube channel. One of my biggest YouTube inspirations is Freddiew (http://www.youtube.com/user/freddiew).
Programmer Responsibilities: Write, maintain and develop backend code/apps for EOY.
Traits: well versed in PHP, app development (Apple/Android). Willing to learn and explore code development, especially for Apple/Android apps is a plus. Knowledge in PHP/app coding, positive attitude, likes experiementing with code, motivated, able to work alone.
Public Relations (A&P) Responsibilities: Sourcing and securing sponsors, media and partners to work together for EOY 2011.
Traits: enjoys meeting people, extroverted, good at persuading people, familiar with social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc), famiiar with Public Relations and sponsorships for EOY with the purpose of getting support (monetary and non-monetary) and both pre/post event publicity.
Please note that EOY is a fans-for-fans event, and for all positions, although they are non-paying, it gives you the exposure and experience in running a huge event like EOY, and is very good for building your portfolio. No one on our team is currently on payroll; we simply do EOY simply for the fun for it, and because we really love anime, cosplay, music and Japanese sub-culture.
This is a year long project, so do note that there is a requirement to commit till EOY 2011 is over. Most of us work on EOY during our free time, and the workload is very manageable.
You will also get the chance to meet and work with Japanese artistes/guests, if any, for EOY 2011.
EOY is like a place where people are placed in areas that they best excel at. If you're good at stage, we want you to do stage work. Likewise, if you are good at videography, we encourage you to work in that area. We believe in passion, and pursuit of our likes and interests.
We're also... not too serious. Since it's not a job, we're all out to have fun together. I hope EOY will always be a place whereby we make lots of friends, express our creativity and have lots of fun.
Interested applicants, please write it to tim[at]theeoy.com and attach your portfolio (if any). Shortlisted applicants will be requested for an interview. Thank you very much for your interest!
EOY will be supporting SOY for sound; I'm their sound engineer for this year. SOY is another popular cosplay event, and will be held next week. Check their official website (http://soy-japtsubasa.net/) and Facebook for more details~ Do poke us if you see us there. See you guys there! - Tim
Hi everyone, here's the long awaited coverage for EOY 2010 - EOY 2010 Coverage As promised in the previous entry, we've put up your photoalbum and video links as well as some of our own! We hope they will serve as great memories of all the fun you had at EOY 2010.
There are more videos to be processed and added, so please stay tuned!
I still can't believe it, but EOY is over already! It's a little sad because we spent about a year planning for it, and in a twinkling of an eye, it's over! Nevertheless, I'm sure everyone has preserved many beautiful memories from this event in the form of photos and video recordings, and we'd like to invite you to share them!
Please post links to your albums and videos (facebook, photobucket, flickr, youtube etc, as long as they can be publicly viewed!) to our EOY Facebook page. We'll link them up in our next post where we will compile all the event coverage material, and even give some special mentions to some of the really good photos and videos. If you're a photographer or videographer, this is the chance to give your works more publicity! If you're a cosplayer or performer, we're trying to collate as many videos and photos of you in one place so you don't have to run around looking for them! As for the Danceroid fanboys and fangirls, feel free to show off your photos with the girls and their merchandise!
We're looking forward to your submissions, which we will compile in the next post together with official coverage by the EOY crew and translations of blog entries from Kozue and Ikura about their EOY experience. Please stay tuned! EOY 2010 may be over, but we can preserve the wonderful moments for a little longer!
Tomorrow's the big day! Is everyone excited? I certainly am and I'm really afraid that I won't be able to get much sleep tonight. But all the same, I'll have to try because I'll be up really early in the morning at about 6am, as would most of the EOY team, supporting entities and performers who don't live near RP, to prepare the event grounds and performances so everyone can be assured of having a great time! We'll be exhausted, but all of it would be worthwhile if everyone enjoys yourself at EOY, because EOY is not about us, but about everyone having fun together!
To fully enjoy the EOY experience, regardless whether you're performing, cosplaying or just here to have fun, here are some things that you should take note of:
Don't forget to pick up the Event booklet at the door! Our mascot looks absolutely gorgeous on the cover and all the pages are beautifully designed. Apart from it being a lovely souvenir, it will come in handy when you need to find your way around, find out what booths are participating, and use it to get autographs if you don't manage to get hold of the limited number of DANCEROID CDs and DVDs that will be sold at the event.
When you're inside the grounds, do look out for the EOY standees (there are 2 of them!) and take a photo with them for remembrance. Post the photo to our Facebook page! It would be very meaningful to visit our page, see all the pictures of people standing next to the standees and remember the fun & enjoyable moments you shared with your friends at EOY 2010!
Have fun cosplaying or mingling with the cosplayers, but do set aside some time to watch performances! EOY is a cosplay-based event, but our local talents have great entertainment for you too! They've been practising hard, so do come and give them your love. Of course, the cosplay competitions are always exciting for all you diehard anime and cosplay fans. Not to mention, our Japanese guest performers DANCEROID will be performing at the Theatre too. You can read the Event Schedule here: http://www.theeoy.com/announcements/34/
As you can see, DANCEROID is having two performances. Unlike last year where only VIPs get to watch the later, longer performance by the visiting guests, this year, non-VIP ticket holders can watch both performances! However, VIP members have guaranteed seats in the theatre, while seats for regular ticket holders are subject to availability. So if you're a huge fan of performances, do purchase the VIP ticket to avoid being made to wait outside the theatre!
The DANCEROID autograph session is open to all. It is held from 7.20 pm to 8 pm at the Foyer. It is First-come-first-served and VIP ticket holders have priority. This is the girls' first time performing outside Japan, so do go and show them your love!
Bring cash with you to buy food and drinks, DANCEROID CDs and DVDs, and shop at the booth grounds. Our sponsors and supporting entities have lots of cool items for cosplay, including costumes, wigs, coloured lenses and more! There's even a professional photography service for cosplayers! From the regular booths, you can buy anime merchandise as well as original and fan illustrations and merchandise. So do make sure you bring enough to spend. You don't want your day to be ruined by disappointment from missing out on your desired items!
I wish I could say 'Be comfortable', but with the outfits some of you are wearing, let's not kid ourselves. All the same, there are ways to keep discomfort to the minimum and remain cheerful for the entire day. - Keep all big baggage in the baggage storage area so that you don't have to be burdened by them. - Eat all meals, breakfast especially. That's the most important meal of the day. - If your feet are tired, there's always the Theatre. You are always welcome inside if you have a VIP ticket or if there are available seats for non-VIP ticket holders. - Cosplayers with your coloured contact lenses, don't forget your eyedrops! - Sleep early tonight and wake up early tomorrow morning. You will feel much more refreshed. - Pack all your items by tonight, so you won't be in a dreadful rush tomorrow. - Bring lots of friends! If you're having fun with your friends, you'll forget all the discomfort you're subject to. - Get tickets beforehand instead of at the door so you don't have to wait in the queue. Today's the last chance to grab your pre-sale tickets!
We're looking forward to having a blast with all of you!
The Lolita Fashion Runway will be back again as one of the highlights of EOY to charm you with all the beauty and extravagance that is Lolita fashion. Yet this elaborate fashion does not solely belong to the runway or conventions. Find out how Lolitas in Singapore enjoy this fashion!
Big, frilly dresses, elaborate accessories, intricate jewelery and Victorian-style parasols... As a unique and extravagant fashion that never fails to turn heads on the streets of Singapore, it's no wonder that Lolita fashion is often thought of as something out of this world. Yet most Lolitas regard their frilly clothes as normal, albeit very beautiful, clothes that are worn for the uncomplicated purpose of fashion. Considering that the Lolita fashion runway is one of the highlights of EOY and we're expecting many Lolita-wearers at the event, this is an opportune moment to clear up your doubts about this subculture fashion that has courted many misconceptions.
First of all, what is Lolita Fashion?
Lolita Fashion is a fashion that originated from Japan, inspired by clothes from the Victorian and Rococo era. Over the years, some genres have branched out into other sub-styles that barely retain the classic look of clothes from those historical periods, but those are essentially the beginnings. The most defining feature of a Lolita outfit is a flared, bell-shaped silhouette in the skirt (with the exception of pants designed for a boyish style suitable for men, or women who want an adrogynous look). The people who dress in such clothes are commonly referred to as Lolitas. This term has no relation to the novel that goes by the same name.
Show your support & love for our local performers who will bring you more than 4 hours of breath-taking songs & performances. For those who are interested to see some our of performance lineup, visit our Event Highlights page - http://www.theeoy.com/highlights.
How did you first know about Cosplay? "Well, actually i knew about it from websites and really wanted to try it out but i was really too shy and i didn't have any friends that are interested in this too. Then there was one time when I saw a cosplay event and I went there to have a look, and was amazed by how cool they looked.
Catch our exclusive interview with Jesuke to find out more of her, view her cosplay photo links and many more. Click here to view her featured page.
When some speak of how they can't live without a certain website or forum, one tends to brush them off as net-addicts or no-lifers. Yet there are some online communities that impact us greatly, so closely connected they are to IRL that they are practically IRL.
I speak not of the over-rated Facebook, but of SGCafe, possibly the greatest resource for the Japanese pop culture scene and hobbyists in Singapore. When I was a typical Singaporean teenager leading a typically mundane life as a student, SGCafe ignited a spark in the dullness. Through this online portal, I found like-minded friends and discovered that our little island actually had a lot to offer when it comes to unique events dedicated to Japanese pop culture, be they small or grand. It would not be an overstatement to say that SGCafe opened a whole new world to my eyes.
Like many other SGCafe-ers, I was deeply relieved when, prior to SGCafe's announcement of a likely closure last year, VR Media decided to acquire SGCafe, allowing the forum to continue from where it was left off, but adding some new features and concepts to it.
In this sense, EOY is quite a lot like SGCafe. When the previous organizing committee decided to give up EOY, we took over the management because it was a pity to see such a popular event come to an end. It hasn't been a breeze. It was our first time managing such a large scale event, and we had to convince everyone that we were qualified. Not only did we have to maintain its caliber, but we also had to improve on it.
SGCafe has been a great inspiration for us. Once they took over, they lost no time in daringly revamping the entire community, from reinstating the Marketplace to introducing new features to make it a bona fide one-stop news and resource on Japanese pop culture and gaming. My favourite feature is http://blog.sgcafe.com. I love how it makes you aware, at a glance, the latest jpop-culture events and offers in Singapore.
People say that "If it's not broken, don't fix it." But from another point of view, it stifles creativity, fun and progress. However, changing is difficult, and making major changes that are well-received prove an even greater challenge. SGCafe has taken on the challenge and become even better than ever. This year, EOY has also introduced many new features, not just to the event itself, but also to our website and registration system. Our new Featured Cosplayers section has received many hits and I urge you to check it out if you haven't already done so.
SGCafe has partnered with various J-pop culture related entities to provide the latest official news and coverage, and EOY is proud to be their official partner. We're looking forward to learning from each other to give you better access to all things related to the J-pop culture!
At the start, i didn't even know that such a thing called Cosplay existed, or that people cosplayed locally XD One day when i was googling for some pictures on "DN-Angle"(anime), I opened a particular picture and when I saw clearly what the picture was, I went "HOMG THAT'S A HUMAN!" (that's when i knew who Jesuke was and thought "he" was from Japan) and then i found out what cosplay(costume-roleplay) was.
As the first Japanese pop-culture convention in Singapore to give our participants the opportunity to hone your skills on stage and perform like a super star, EOY is proud to give you a spacious stage, professional sound system, and most importantly, an enthusiastic crowd!
Danceroid members Aikawa Kozue and Ikura are barely out of their teens, but already, they're a phenomenon to enthusiastic fans who revere their skillful dance moves and spunky performances. From performing in their own rooms, they have moved on to greener pastures, EOY's stage being one of them!
With advanced technology becoming more affordable and the increasing popularity of social networking websites, getting that few minutes of fame (and maybe few hours if you're really outstanding) is no longer an unreachable rockstar dream. On the other hand, this is also a double-edged sword. Almost anyone who's anyone can now create videos to post online. Much as I remember some star-quality performances, the nonsensical ones that made me go 'what did I just watch' made a greater impression.
Kozue and Ikura are lucky lasses. Despite the flood of dancing videos online, their home-made videos garnered millions of views on video websites like Nico Nico and Youtube, gaining them the international recognition they deserved. They are signed on by an entertainment company, enabling them to do tours around Japan and even overseas. But luck doesn't count for everything. The girls are undoubtedly talented, and more importantly, they are brave and quick to secure opportunities that allow them to show off their funky moves to more appreciative audiences.
Arguably, the internet is the largest global stage. But would you be able to hear the audience's enthusiastic cheers and claps, see the ecstatic faces of the crowd as they drown in your performance, witness their yells of 'encore' as you step off the stage, and most importantly, ensure that every angle of your performance, every note of music and vocals, are unhindered with the use of well-positioned stage lights and a clarion sound system?
There has been some talk about STGCC and EOY with the clashing of dates, but in actual fact, there really isn't a clash of events.
For those who don't already know, STGCC is a 3-day event from 10-12 Dec, that focuses primarily on comics and toys, mainly from the Western culture. They're been taken over by Reed Exhibitions, and are having some cosplay competitions on 10 and 11 Dec.
EOY, on the other hand is a Japanese cosplay and anime centered event, just on one day, 12 Dec '10. We're more on the Japanese side, with a hybrid of performances. I like to pitch it as pop art; it sounds a lot better.
A couple of months ago, I met up with the organizers and producers of STGCC, and had a nice tea session with them. They shared with me their inspirations, ideals and how they came about with doing STGCC here in Singapore.
It was never STGCC or EOY's intention to have clashing dates, because in all honesty, it does no one any good. They're great producers and I have a lot of respect for them.
During our discussion, we brought up the issue of the 12 Dec date, and they have kindly shifted their cosplay competitions only to 10-11 Dec, with a kids' event on 12th event. I think they're really awesome people. Details can be found at: http://www.singaporetgcc.com/cosplay-stgcc
So in case anyone think that there is a cosplay clash... there really isn't, at least not anymore. Please do go support STGCC from 10-11 Dec, and do come for EOY on Sunday, 12 Dec '10, as it's a great season of celebration for everyone.
For many years, EOY has been a cosplay event at Expo. The main reason why I brought it out of the place in '09 is that I wanted all the young talents a bigger place and a nice stage to perform in. To be really honest, local talents are seldom recognized here. Very often we pursue to passion of costume making, make great friends, play in a band, but we seldom get very far with it.
I've seen many talents with my eyes, which is why we decided to go a slightly different route than most events by making you guys the stars. It's akin to how Singapore Idol works... where you are star.
For those are who are more geeky and tech-savvy (my wife always complains that I am, when I think I am not), I use a Nexus One, which is a Google phone based on Android. I use a custom OS called Cyanogen Mod; you can view it a little like a legal jail-broken OS with a lot of functions, but one that even the giant, Google, acknowledges.
The write of Cyanogen mod gets code from many authors and puts them together. For example, the launcher might be made by Jacob, the scrolling made by Peter, the camera additional functions made by Alice, the picture gallery scroller made by May.
Because of the mass collaboration, it becomes a very amazing and powerful OS. My Nexus One is faster than most Androids, and has some amazing functions. I can do wireless tethering, create a portable wireless hotspot, and my camera has HD effects that brightens colors and makes pictures look amazing. True, it may be a little buggy sometimes, but it's a gem 99% of time.
In the same way, I envision EOY as something like that: putting the best functions and people together. I may provide the stage and platform, but you are really the developer of the "programs". We all play a part in making EOY an enjoyable place, and while we may be a little buggy, we are fun, courageous to try new things, and are free to express ourselves, chase our dreams and do what we like.
May our EOYs get more and more fun every year as we grow together.
Alright, I'm going to Bugis for dinner with my wife in a while.
And to end the entry, here's another Kozue dance for you:
As promised, EOY Tickets go on sale today! You can purchase them via GateCrash, Singapore Post Offices, SAM and Pan-in-the-Box. As previously stated, presale tickets are $13, tickets sold at the door are $16, and VIP tickets are $29. Tickets are limited, so hurry up and grab them!
A 25% discountis applicable for the purchase of 3 VIP tickets and above, limited to the 1st 60 tickets only.
Do spread the word and invite your friends to take advantage of this great discount! The more, the merrier! We look forward to meeting all of you at EOY!
Artists/groups who're planning to submit, do drop us an email: (jiemi@theeoy.com) so as to better prepare ourselves for collection day.
Collection Timings and Venues to be announced in mid November.
Lastly, Good luck and Spread your Passion!
Calling all aspiring artists and art groups!
Here's your chance to display your artworks for exhibition and sale at the EOY!
Submitted art works will be displayed at the EOY event grounds where all event attendees including Cosplayers can pose with and for shutterbugs to snap for their galleries. This is a great opportunity for the local community to come together and appreciate the talents of the local art scene!
Before submitting, please read and agree to the following regulations:
Any medium or platform is allowed as long as the size of the art piece adheres to the dimensions of 2m x 1.5m.
Submission of works through digital means such as CDs, email, etc is not allowed. All art works must be submitted as hardcopies to a designated collection point which will be announced at a later date.
Charcoal artworks are not allowed due to logistics issues. We apologize for this.
Only ONE entry per artist is allowed.
You understand that the EOY undertakes great care and measures in handling the artworks and will not be held responsible for damage or loss of artworks. It is your responsibility to undertake precautions to protect your artwork.
You may price your artwork at a value of your choice. choose to quote the price of the artwork to be displayed and sold at the EOY.
Artworks must not contain sexually explicit content or content involving violence and gore. The EOY committee reserves the right to reject/remove any artworks containing any of the content mentioned above.
You may request to have the artwork returned to you after the event if it is not sold. Collection must be made personally.
Don't miss this rare opportunity! Your talent deserves a larger audience!
It truly gave me great joy and honor to represent Singapore and visit a country where anime, the root of our passion comes from. Also, we got to meet cosplayers from more than 6 different countries and share our love for cosplay.
Catch our exclusive interview with Yuanie to find out more of her, view her cosplay photo links and many more. Click here to view her featured page.
I know I told many people earlier this year that may not have any special Japanese guests for this year.
But..., we changed our mind.
This year, we are going to have something a little different. We had a musical concert and singer last year, and because we love Japanese pop art, we decided to do dances this year instead.
We're proud to present to you Japanese dancing net idols, Aikawa Kozue and Ikura from DANCEROID, most well-known for dancing to popular Vocaloid tunes on YouTube, with MILLIONS of views. Kozue alone has 15,900,000+ video views from her channel! They're great dancers, and are very inspiring.
They will star and dance on our EOY stage during the main event, as well as perform a short dancical.
Aikawa Kozue: Luka Luka Night Fever (1,900,000+ views):
Ikura: Strobo Nights by Hatsune Miku (400,000+ views)
Sale of Tickets $13 (Pre-sale) $16 (Door) $29 (VIP: General Admission + Guaranteed Seating for all performances + Free Drink) [25% off for bundle of 3 VIP tickets and above]
Tickets are available for purchase with Gatecrash, Singapore Post Offices, SAM Machines and at Pan in the Box (Chinatown Point Lv2) from 25 October 2010 onwards. Please note that a small booking fee is charged by Gatecrash, except for tickets bought through Pan in the Box.
Why should I get VIP tickets? What does guaranteed seating mean? The Republic Cultural Centre Theatre has a maximum capacity of 1,117 (2009: 609 seats), and Singapore theatre laws and fire regulations do not allow more people to enter once the entire auditorium is filled, as standing is not permitted.
VIP tickets guarantee that you always have a seat in the front VIP area of the auditorium, nearest to the stage, for all performances including dances from Aikawa Kozue and Ikura (DANCEROID).
A free drink will also be provided for all VIP holders. Currently, a 25% discount applies if 3 VIP tickets or more are purchased together.
Regular ticket holders have access to the 2nd portion of the auditorium on level 1, as well as the 2nd levels (circle seats). However, once the auditorium is fully packed (especially for the popular performances such as the Group Cosplay Competition, Lolita Runway, Net Idol Appeareances), it is beyond our control and the TRCC staff will not allow more people to enter until people have exited.
To ensure that EOY 2010 does not run into overcrowding issues, and for all our guests to enjoy their day and have fun during EOY, there will be a limit of 3,200 tickets. Ticket sales will stop once the number has been reached.
I'll see you guys and girls during EOY '10 this year again. I promised last year that your comfort and welfare will always come first, making money will always be secondary. We are not a commercial entity and no one in our team is on payroll. I have not forgotten about it, and never will.
Thank you for believing in the entire EOY team, and for sharing your creativity with us.
Here's to you, the one that made it possible for EOY to happen. For without you, there will be no EOY's to celebrate together with.
May we live our lives to the fullest, pursue and cherish what we love, and celebrate EOY's till the day we die.
Hello Everyone, we are very happy to introduce our Editor's corner where our beloved editor - Angie gets to showcase her articles. Here's a sneak peak at her first article and learn how you can benefit from setting up game booths at EOY.
Run the Show as Games Master!
EOY is thrilled to be the first Japanese pop-culture convention in Singapore to give all participants the opportunity and space to run your own Games Booth! If you're puzzled over the excitement and why you should sign up for a Games Booth, read on and find out!
There is something I really like about Japanese culture, and that is how festive their events usually are, be they for religious events or school events! At large-scale celebrations, it's common to see lots of people dressed for the occasion, buying food and souvenirs and indulging in activities unique to the event from make-shift booths!
I believe many Japanese culture enthusiasts agree with me on this, since festivals organized by Japanese schools in Singapore enjoy good turn-outs every year! Small wonder this is, for the fun and entertainment value derived from such school festivals are regularly thrown into the spotlight in anime and manga set in a school setting. While most of these school festival scenes in anime are exaggerated, it's pretty much fact that school festivals in Japan are great opportunities for students to express their creativity while having fun and strengthening friendships.
Creativity, fun and friendship. Incidentally, that's our theme for this year's EOY! To add a new twist to our usual range of activities, we decided to go for a festive spirit and implement the concept of games booths, knowing that you will love it. These games booths will not be run by the organizing team. They will be run by you, the participants of EOY!
But why run a games booth when I can have a more relaxing time playing at different booths or just sitting behind my table?
Please register for an account, and/or use your Facebook account to register for performances, booths, game stalls and the like! http://www.theeoy.com/participation/
If you are great with making costumes, sign up for our group cosplay competitions. You can sing, dance, or do a musical performance that creatively showcase your talents.
Have a band? Register for a performance slot!
Our EOY stage is one of the largest performance stages in Singapore, complete with an acoustic concert sound system and moving lights. We use the best sound equipments, and believe in giving our community a stage to fully express themselves.
Artists and those selling your own merchandise may register for a booth this year to showcase your latest designs, doujins and merchandise. Booths are priced at an affordable fee of $49.
Also, this year we are introducing game stall booths, which will be registered for and managed in the same way that regular booths are. The difference is that booth owners will engage guests to play games at your stall. This is to create a festival/fair-like culture, where we can all have fun together.
At EOY, we do everything in the name of fun. We're not rigid, and you shouldn't be too. We're all not professionals, but we all love cosplay, anime, music and Japanese culture. Act on your passion, and have fun. You're never too old to do that.
It's going to be another great EOY. I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone again!
Love, Tim Organizer & Sound Engineer, EOY
* All performers who register for stage performances will undergo auditions to ensure suitability. These auditions will be held in November. Please stay tuned for the announcements!
Registrations for booths, performances, games and everything else will be out on 1 October 2010, so do mark them on your calendars so that you wouldn't miss the registrations.
I am so looking forward to seeing the amazing cosplays and talented performances for 2010. If you love cosplay, get a group and sign up for the group cosplay performances.
If you musically inclined, sign up for our stage performances, and we accept all kinds of musical instruments, as long as your music/songs are anime/JPop/Japanese related!
The organizing team is getting busy as I type this, and I'll like to thank everyone for your support. Our event name and theme for 2010 is creativity, fun and friendship.
I believe that is how every EOY should be like; expressing our creativity selves, having lots of fun and building great friendships with one another.
Let's work towards that, and have a great EOY 2010!
Keep a lookout at this space and stay tuned, as someone is about to be awakened. =)
More updates :
Also to find out what is it like in EOY 2009, visit our EOY 2009 coverage now!!! Credits to The Banzai! Effect for image resources and reference links.
EOY 2010 registration is coming real soon, please keep a look out for it!!
Artwork collection 2010 has started and click here to view new submission!!!
EOY 2010 is now looking for artwork submissions to be showcased in our print media, social media and website. This year we are looking for EOY-related artwork in a wallpaper size format.
Artists can choose to use "EOY - The Stage for Talent" as a theme. More info - EOY is an annual Japanese cross-cultural event that showcases the talents of individuals in the community, featuring areas such as:
Cosplay Anime Comics, Art & Photography Gothic, Lolita & Punk Fashion Vocals & Dance
"To some, EOY is somewhat like a "playground" for Cosplayers to gather and have fun but to others it could be something more personal etc.
So basically, we are looking for artist's perception of EOY - The Stage for Talent. - Vincent"
Only selected entries will have their artwork showcased in our website. Proper credits will be given to the respective artist.
Important Note Although EOY does not own the art, however, by submitting them to us, it allows EOY to use them. We make every possible effort to ensure that proper credit is given, so please ensure that it belongs to you. We do not want to credit the wrong artist.
Please send all artwork submission to vincent@theeoy.com and we will upload them once the artwork are selected and processed.
Please include these in your email:
Name of Artist
Name of Artwork
Email of Artist (optional)
URL to their other Artwork (optional)
Artwork must be in .jpg / .png format. Size should preferably be 1920 x 1200 (Resolution 300 Dpi / pixel per inch).
Regulations
We highly encourage that the subject matter of each entry to be EOY related. It must not contain nudity / extreme violence / explicit pose etc. or other inappropriate imagery deem so by the EOY Team.
Entries must be original work of art submited by creator.
Creators are highly encouraged to watermark their artwork so as to protect their efforts.
EOY reserves the right to remove any artwork in violation to any of the regulation.
Entries must have the following information: Artist’s name, title, e-mail and url of other work (optional).
Entries must be submitted latest by 4th December 2010
By submitting the artwork, the artist gives EOY permission to use their artwork for promotional, non-commercial purposes.
Only selected artwork will be displayed. EOY Team's decision is final.
Artwork submission starts 30 August 2010, send in yours now!
Yes, I know that it is a little far at The Republic Cultural Centre, Woodlands, but our new place is just really huge. We have outgrown the Drama Centre in just one year, and TRCC is a much bigger place that we can move to. TRCC is located from a 10 min walk from Woodlands MRT, and is completely sheltered.
Most importantly, the foyer has 2 levels this time, and lighting is just fantastic. In terms of absolute size, it is about 2 times the size of the Drama Centre. The theatre now seats 1,117, which is about 80% bigger than 2009.
I promise that I would find a larger space for everyone, and I have went to many locations searching high and low, before deciding on TRCC.
I also understand that there has been some talk about a date clash with STGCC. I've tried my best not to have any clashing dates with any other events. Doing it a week earlier is too close to AFA and some of the school holidays would not have started, one week later clashes with CF and in the last week, it clashes with Christmas. Our date was finalized much earlier on in Feb 2010, even though we didn't announce it then. This was about the best date that we could settle for.
Just in case you're wondering why there is a 3,200 ticket cap, it's because we went into some overcrowding issues previously; due to space limitations, we want all our guests to be able to enjoy EOY comfortably in the new location. Please book your tickets earlier to avoid disappointment!
In EOY 2010, we will introduce the availability of games booths, in additional to regular artwork booths. We hope to have things like Haunted Houses, fortune telling, UFO catchers and the like; like a giant fair and festival where we can all celebrate and have fun.
The musical and talent element of EOY will continue to go on, so please remember to register to audition/perform during EOY. For those who did not manage to qualify, I encourage you to try again this year.
Never, ever let go of your dreams of cosplay, of music and everything else. It has been my childhood dream to play the piano, and I've recently started learning piano. You are never too old to cosplay, or too old to play music.
I'll see you all once again in EOY 2010 and have lots of fun.
I hope everyone has had a great Chinese New Year so far, and that the "harvesting" has been good so far. It's my first year giving red packets, so it's a new experience for me!
EOY 2009 had some hits and some misses. Some people enjoyed themselves, some didn't, and from the general feedback that we have gathered... space was the main issue.
In EOY 2009, we pitched EOY as an arts event, and moved it out from Expo to the Drama Centre. We wanted to give the event a larger stage, better sound, better effects and although it may not seem like it, the venue was about 20% bigger.
Unfortunately and fortunately, EOY 2009's turnout was a lot larger than 2008, and as such, the new venue couldn't hold the entire crowd well, and ran into some over-crowding issues. Around 10 am on EOY 09, I was shocked at the amount of people coming in, because I have never seen an EOY with so many people in the morning.
The number of guests for EOY was significantly larger than 2008, and as a result, there were crowd issues and it caused some unhappiness with some people. For that, I really want to apologize, as it was totally unanticipated on our end as well.
I also received some hearsay that the venue was booked just for Yui Makino, but I wish to clarify that Drama Centre was first booked, before we decided to invite Yui to EOY. Our local community will always take precedence; foreign artistes and commercial entities will always be secondary. Yui was invited because she is a talented pianist and singer, which lies in the same direction we are heading for EOY.
The main reason why we decided to move to such a location is that I wish to upscale the entire EOY cosplay community, and let everyone have a better place, a bigger stage, as well as the opportunity to showcase their talents. It was never our intention to make money, nor exploit any of the performers. My payroll for EOY 2009 is $0.
We're looking into the refinement of EOY 2010, and we're currently looking for a new venue, and probably some changes to our program. Nothing has been finalized yet at the moment, but I can promise you that the new location will be larger than Drama Centre, and we will be definitely moving out from the library.
Perhaps you may have heard me mention this before; I see the entire EOY like a collective community, as opposed to being customers. I've always believed in pursuing our talents and dreams, even when it seems difficult or impossible. From young, I have always pursued actively what I love... and that is the reason why I decided to run EOY and Black Alice; simply because I love it and the community that it holds. In the same way, I hope you guys will also actively pursue what you love, may it be cosplay, music, singing or dancing.
I was watching K-On! a couple of months back, and it just strike me that many of us, have always wanted to perform on stage, perhaps as a band. K-On! speaks of a group of girls who pursued what they love but yet, studying hard for their exams. In the same way, I think it speaks to many of us here.
Some people think that we're crazy to do an event in such a location, but we do it because I see cosplay as a form of art. It may not be fine arts, but it's a form of pop art. The general public may not think much of it at the moment, but I envision the day where cosplay will be largely accepted as a form of art, and that the talents of these people will be put to good use... and eventually they'll find jobs related to their passion.
I don't know if you've heard of O-school, but it's a dance school in Singapore that was first started a few years ago. These people love dancing, and they built a school just for that. Hip-hop, in those days was just picking up. There were no such things as job opportunities for dancers.
The president is an acquaintance of mine, and they did it simply because they love dancing. These days, they are like one of the most famous dance schools in Singapore, and they not only train students, but also provide jobs for them.
I was invited to a party for *Scape Mall a few months back, which is an upcoming mall to take a look at some of the retail units there. Dancers from O-school were invited to do up a performance, and they were paid for it. I managed to speak to 3 of the dances just the other day. Their passion is really inspiring.
Moving people from the belief that cosplay is a form of art might seem like a distant dream, but I really believe it can happen. The talents that I see at EOY are simply amazing. In 2009, I traveled to Malaysia for Animangaki, GACC, Comic Fiesta, as well as various events in Singapore. I am really amazed by the talents that we saw during EOY. It is one of the best in this region that I have ever seen.
Prior in the earlier years when I was not the organizer, EOY has always been an event that I love, and that I look forward every year. Since 2005, it has always held a special place in my heart. There's always something magical about this place. That magical feeling is something that is contributed by every EOY participate here.
Till now, it still is something that I look forward to every year.
I hope you will make EOY your house of talents too, and continue to contribute magical feelings to this place by continuing to cosplay, showcase your talents and build relationships with one another.
We're not perfect people, and on behalf on the entire team, I would like to thank everyone for believing in us, and seeing EOY 2009 come to past. It has been a great honor and joy working throughout the year. Thank you for giving me a chance to lead the team through EOY 2009.
