Making it happen
AniManGaki, event partner of Star Supa Comic, is raring to reach out and thrill a wider audience.
TEN years ago, Yvonne Sing would have scoffed at the idea that the anime club she founded when she was a student at Sunway University would morph into the anime, comics and games convention it is today.
It was a club that started out with 30 members, drawn together by their love of all things ACG. Their first convention drew a modest crowd of about a thousand.
But dream big and the world is yours, and no one knows this better than Sing and her team.
AniManGaki, now operating under Rakugaki Events, has carved a name for itself over the years, not just as a gathering place for enthusiasts and fans, but also as a community-based event that aims to delight, inspire and educate.
“We want to change the perception of geek culture. It is a misconception that people who are into such things are socially awkward misfits who waste too much time and money on what is perceived as a useless hobby. In actual fact, there are many really talented people out there who can bring lots of joy into
other people’s lives,” says Sing.
This year’s AniManGaki, held at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, attracted some 20,000 visitors.
Indeed, the local ACG scene is growing in leaps and bounds, gaining momentum and drawing new enthusiasts every day. The second half of the year is especially busy for the community in Malaysia, as events come fast and furious.
“On some weekends, there are three or four events held simultaneously at different venues. So there is a lot of interest in the scene, a lot of potential, but there remains lots of room for growth,” she says.
No surprise then, that Sing is excited about AniManGaki’s involvement as event partner in the Star Supa Comic, which will be held on Dec 29-30 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
She views this collaboration as not just a testament to the growing popularity of the ACG scene, but also an opportunity to reach out to enthusiasts and the uninitidelighted ated alike.
“We are that there is interest from the mainstream public and we are looking forward to sharing our passion with them. We have had other collaborations in the past, but Star Supa Comic is the biggest partwe’ve nership had so far. It is very exciting for us to be part of this event,” she says.
AniManGaki event director Lim Jo Lynn echoes Sing’s enthusiasm, adding that it is at such conventions where connecmade tions are and friendships are forged.
“It provides people with a platthem form for to express their creativity, but it is also a place where like-minded people from all over the world come together. One of the most rewarding things that they take away with them is the relationships they build with each other at such gatherings,” says Lim.
There will always be a home for ACG enthusiasts in the world AniManGaki has built.
But perhaps more importantly, there is space for the new and the curious to come on board.
“We want to do our part in developing and cultivating the arts. There is that kid in us that never grows up, and we believe that voice should never be stifled,” Sing concludes.
Star Supa Comic will take place at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur on Dec 29-30. It is organised by i.Star Events (a subsidiary of Star Media Group) with event partner AniManGaki and media partners DimSum, 988 and Suria FM. For more information and to register, call i.Star Events at 03-7967 1388 ext 1097 / 1505 / 1541 or visit: bit.ly/starsupacomic.