Non-Western

Rinrei

Hilde Heyvaert
Rinrei

First a little background: In Japan (there are exceptions, such as Tokyo-based steampunk band Strange Artifact), much like is the case with visual kei, steampunk music compiles a wide variety of genres, unified almost solely by their look.

Unlike Western steampunk bands, they don’t have a set gimmick and steampunk lyrics, but use their look to set themselves as part of the movement while playing their own particular musical genre.

One of those artists is Eri Kitamura, the most recent Japanese artist to have discovered steampunk.

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Rurouni Kenshin

Hilde Heyvaert
Rurouni Kenshin

Many of us have grown up watching the Samurai X/Kenshin cartoons (anime) on TV. Or read the classic manga. Kenshin is without doubt one of the best known Japanese fictional characters in the Western world, so it was a bit of a surprise that it took until 2012 for there to finally be a movie adaptation. A live-action movie that, when announced, both rejoiced fans and left them skeptical of the venture.

That skepticism turned out to be entirely unnecessary, as Rurouni Kenshin has become, without a doubt, one of the best anime/manga adaptations into a live-action movie ever made.

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Steampunk at Japan Expo

Hilde Heyvaert

Japan Expo Paris France
Steampunk enthusiasts at Japan Expo, Paris, France, July 5 (Hilde Heyvaert)

Japan Expo is known as _the_ J-culture convention of Europe, and with it’s 15th edition they proved once again why.

For the first time in years the convention was operating without it’s twin Comic Con Paris, and while several people had expressed some worry about this, the event held up fabulously on it’s own. Continue reading “Steampunk at Japan Expo”

Japan Expo Belgium

Hilde Heyvaert

Japan Expo Brussels Belgium
Merchandise at Japan Expo Belgium, Brussels, November 2 (Hilde Heyvaert)

Japan Expo Belgium, the Belgian subsidiary convention of the near legendary Japan Expo that is held yearly at Parc des Expositions Paris-Nord-Villepinte in July, has already gotten to its third year, and is, we are happy to note, not breaking it’s streak of improving every single year, growing into a bigger and better version of what it was the year before. Continue reading “Japan Expo Belgium”

Japan Expo and Comic Con Paris

Hilde Heyvaert

Japan Expo and Comic Con Paris France
City Hall stand at the Japan Expo and Comic Con Paris, France, July 4 (Hilde Heyvaert)

From Thursday July 4 to 7 the annual double extravaganza that is Japan Expo and Comic Con Paris was held at Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord-Villepinte. A ticket for either one allowed you entrance to both, and the conventions mingled into each other quite easily at the border area between both so it’s best to review them together as a total. Which I shall do indeed. Continue reading “Japan Expo and Comic Con Paris”

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

Hilde Heyvaert
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

The year is 689 of the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian is, despite of a good amount of opposition, about to be crowned China’s first empress. When an official bursts into flames on the construction site of her celebratory giant Buddha statue, the conspiracy theories start flying about and the need for a very special detective to not only solve this case but also prevent the untimely demise of the endangered royal arise.

Enter Di Renjie (Detective Dee), a man imprisoned after leading a failed rebellion some years ago, who must now solve this case with the aid of the empress’ right-hand woman, Shangguan Jing’er, and penal system officer, Pei Donglai.

Facing a sorcerer, assassins left and right and a plot to bring down the empress to boot, they must try to solve this particular enigma.

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Hirokin: The Last Samurai

Hilde Heyvaert
Hirokin: The Last Samurai

On the planet Aradius, the human interlopers have suppressed the indigenous Arid for years because of their link to the planet itself, called the Wei, and their fear thereof. This resulted in a near genocide of the Arid race and all kinds of unpleasant side-effects that both remaining Arid people and humans alike suffer from.

Centuries later, the planet is a wasteland and humanity is led by the tyrant Griffin, who uses his deacons to hunt down the Arid and their rebel leader, Moss.

Enter our reluctant hero, Hirokin, who crosses paths with the despot and ends up with the choice between standing up for the Arid and leading their rebellion so they can once again be free — or avenging his family.

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