HBG is headed down to Sydney to cover one of the biggest anime-centric events down under this weekend! It will take place 1st to 2nd July at the ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre near Darling Harbour, a pretty iconic spot in central Sydney.
Having been run for more than a decade, SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show is a Japanese pop culture convention that is devoted to artists, creators and fans alike. A driving force in Australia’s anime and manga community that attracts thousands of visitors every year, SMASH! has something for everyone. With high calibre guests, exciting activities such as cosplay, panels, games, and an extensive Vendors and Artist Market, SMASH! gives fans the chance to enjoy unique experiences and celebrate their fandom in a social environment.
For 2023, SMASH! has brought together a good mix of guests that highlights the ever-changing interests and tastes of the otaku community, not only locally in Australia but also across the world, including vtubers, digital artists, cosplayers, electic performers and voice actors as well.
We’ve got some homegrown Singaporean presence with Rithe as the guest cosplayer for this year alongside notable talents such as ProZD – a voice actor you may have heard in God of War: Ragnarok, and many other games, Toru Furuya – who has voiced a few memorable characters such as: Ray Amuro (Gundam Series), Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon), and Sabo (One Piece) and even the crazy antics and performances from LadyBeard!
Not just about the guests
Of course if you’re attending an anime event for the first time, there’s still a whole bunch of stuff that you can dip your toes into. The event has a slew of entertainment that will be fun for the whole family including Japanese cultural experiences such as origami, calligraphy and kimono workshops as well as lots of pop-culture showcases that will be a feast for the eyes.
Exhibition Halls, Displays and Artist Market!
With huge number of exhibitors and artists coming from all over Asia (and further!), the exhibition hall, artist market and indie games section will be filled with lots of content to keep us excited. We’re looking forward to showcasing somee unique displays, such as the itasha area (vehicles wrapped with anime motifs) along with an impressive showcase of Gundam figures on display including custom versions.
We’re definitely excited to be part of this event (and also a great excuse to stop and see Sydney post-Covid) and there’ll be as much coverage as we can get through the livestream on Twitch.tv/AGCtv. We will also have photo and story highlights on HBG’s Instagram and Facebook pages. So if you’ve got some free time this weekend, be sure to check up on our socials to keep yourself entertained!
