Studio Khara’s Hibiki Yoshizaki is MCM’s Anime Guest of Honour

We’ve made it to the month of October and that means we’re now on the road to MCM London Comic Con at the end of the month! Taking place at Excel London once again, it promises to be another fantastic event full of unique opportunities across the board for attendees.

If you haven’t already, BUY TICKETS TO MCM LONDON COMIC CON HERE!

In the anime spectrum there’s always something special for fans to experience and this event will be no different! Regular attendees may recall that a few years ago we worked with Studio Khara to bring fans a one of a kind experience with a special guest. This October we are working closely with them once again, but we’re taking it in a unique direction we’re excited about as it will focus on a particular project relating to their world famous Japan Anima(tor) Expo short film series. (Not familiar with this? Read on below as we’ll bring you up to speed.)

Read on below for all the details you need to know as we welcome director, designer and director, Hibiki Yoshizaki (whose notable credits include Evangelion 3.0, The Dragon Dentist, Japan Anima(tor) Expo) to MCM London Comic Con!

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The MCM Anime Guest of Honour: Hibiki Yoshizaki

ABOUT HIBIKI YOSHIZAKI:

Director and video director. Born in 1980. Currently works at khara Inc.

Yoshizaki contributed various production designs and director of onscreen monitor graphics for Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo. With ME!ME!ME! included in the short film series Japan Anima(tor) Expo, Yoshizaki marked his debut as a director of an original film and gained acclaim both inside and outside Japan. He also directed ME!ME!ME! CHRONIC feat.daoko / TeddyLoid and GIRL, both of which were included in Japan Anima(tor) Expo.

Yoshizaki participated in The Dragon Dentist, a feature length film by Studio khara by providing direction and contributing storyboards. Yoshizaki has also directed the music video Utada Hikaru / Sakura Nagashi (Eva 3.0 version) and the TV advertisement Kirai, demo, Suki (“Hate it, but love it.”) for HAL College of Technology & Design for its 2016 academic year.

PANEL AND SIGNING SESSIONS

PANEL

As has become tradition at MCM London Comic Con, there will be the Anime Guest of Honour Panel taking place!

Join us on Saturday 27th October for the Hibiki Yoshizaki Guest of Honour Panel Talk “Behind the Scenes: ME!ME!ME!” at 3pm at the Centre Stage. Entry to this talk is absolutely free, so please come along and be apart of this special talk!

SIGNING SESSIONS

You will also have the opportunity to meet the man himself as he will be taking part in 2 free signing sessions across the weekend – one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

We can confirm that the free “Hibiki Yoshizaki ‘ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK!’ release signing sessions” will taking place at

• 4:15pm – 5:15pm on Saturday 27th October
• 3pm – 4pm on Sunday 28th October

 

Both signing sessions are free! As we’re celebrating the release of the “ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK!” art book, we’re happy to confirm that there will be copies of that on sale which you can purchase and then get signed by the man himself! Alternatively you can bring one item to get signed with you or we’ll have a special signing card that he can sign for you on hand – and that’s free too!

Both of these signing sessions will be taking place in a designated area just outside of the ME!ME!ME! exhibition space!Want to know more about that? Read on below!

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ME!ME!ME! EXHIBITION

For the first time ever outside of Japan, in conjunction with Studio Khara we will be bringing an exhibition to MCM London Comic Con that focuses on a very famous short film from the Japan Anima(tor) Expo series, ME!ME!ME! In this exhibition space a variety of artwork relating to this short film will be on display and you’ll even be able to see watch the short film too as it will be screened there!

But that’s not all, as we can also confirm that there will be a selection of official ME!ME!ME! merchandise on sale, plus the official art book of the short will be available to purchase as well. (Pricing TBA at event.)

It’s worth noting now, particularly if you’re familiar with the short film, that due to… let’s say some risque imagery within the short film, the exhibition space will be restricted to attendees over the age of 18. So please make sure you bring some I.D. with you, as there will be checks to enter the exhibition space as required.

It will be a one of a kind experience that’s completely free to experience as part of your admission to the MCM London Comic Con event and we hope you’ll take the opportunity to spend some time in there and celebrate this very unique project with us across the whole weekend.

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ABOUT ME!ME!ME!

The short film animation “ME!ME!ME!” was distributed on the Japan Anima(tor)’s Exhibition website in November 2014.
Directed by Hibiki Yoshizaki, charactor design and animation direction by Shuichi Iseki, and music by TeddyLoid＆DAOKO. This innovative animation that has no words and is composed of music and imaginary scenes that attracts worldwide audiences.

ABOUT STUDIO KHARA

Founded in 2006 by the creator of Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, who serves as the studio’s president. They are the studio behind the current Rebuild of Evangelion film project. The company also devised the Japan Anima(tor) Expo short film project which was created to encourage talented individuals in the anime industry to bring new innovative and unique works to life.

ABOUT JAPAN ANIMA(TOR) EXPO

From the official website: The short film series “Japan Anima(tor) Exhibition” presented by Studio Khara and Dwango.

Original projects, spin-off projects, promotional films, Music PV, and VJ Films etc…

Various omnibus animations produced with love and energy, regardless of any genres.

The digital distribution anime series bring opportunities for project development, R&D, human resources development, and free production under limited period and budget, to explore the possibilities of future film production.

“We planned this short film project for believing in the pursuit and exploitation of fun of images that Japanese animation has, deepening and diversity of flexible expression, understanding and exploitation of individual talents, and the dreams and possibilities to the future, which are inherent in Japanese anima(tor)s. I appreciate your kind support and approval with this small resistance as many as possible.”
— Hideaki Anno, Studio Khara

“Honestly I am completely out of anime, but I do believe that all the innovations come from reckless challenges. The challenges come not only from young abilities but also from mature skills of experts. But we cannot start anything without setting opportunity to offer challenges. I hope this small project would be a part of contribution to the future development of Japanese anime.”
–Nobuo Kawakami, Dwango

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS RELATING TO THE ANIME GUEST OF HONOUR

And to conclude, we know there’s a lot of info to take in above, so here’s a quick summary for you –

• ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK! exhibition will open throughout all three days of the event and is completely free to enter as part of your admission to the event. The exhibition is restricted to attendees aged 18 or over. I.D. checks will be enforced as needed.

SATURDAY

• The Hibiki Yoshizaki Guest of Honour Panel Talk “Behind the Scenes: ME!ME!ME!” – 3pm @ Centre Stage
• Hibiki Yoshizaki ‘ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK!’ release signing session #1 –  4:15pm – 5:15pm @ ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK! exhibition stand. (There will be a signposted area at the stand to let you know where it will take place there.)

SUNDAY

• Hibiki Yoshizaki ‘ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK!’ release signing session #2 –  3pm – 4pm @ ME!ME!ME! BOOK!BOOK!BOOK! exhibition stand. (There will be a signposted area at the stand to let you know where it will take place there.)

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We’ve got lots more to tell you about as far as our (Anime Ltd/All The Anime) plans in general for MCM London Comic Con go, so expect to see all the details pop up within the next few weeks. But we hope you’re excited at this very unique opportunity to meet Hibiki Yoshizaki and explore the vibrant world of his work ME!ME!ME from the Japan Anima(tor) Expo.

We can tell he’s very excited to be coming to London to meet attendees, so we hope you’ll give him a jolly welcome over the weekend!

Signing out~!

Jeremy