All posts by Krystal Kitsune

Ronin Expo 2019 Interviews | Hiroshi Nagahama & Reuben Langdon

Anime, Cons, Cosplay, Current Interviews, Events, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, video games, Voice Actors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Cosplayer waiting in line at Ronin Expo 2019
Cosplayers at Ronin Expo 2019

We had the honor of interviewing actor Reuben Langdon and famed anime director, Hiroshi Nagahama during Ronin Expo 2019 in Little Tokyo, California. Ronin Expo is an annual anime festival located in the heart of the Los Angeles Japanese community, Little Tokyo!

Nagahama sketching for fans
Reuben Langdon signs a slice of pizza for a fan

Hiroshi Nagahama, began his career at Madhouse Studio as a mechanical designer for ‘The Cockpit’, after leaving Madhouse, he became a freelancer. He later went on to direct the highly acclaimed anime series, Mushishi. In recent news, Nagahama was working alongside writer Stan Lee to co-create, The Reflection an anime series surrounding individuals who have superpowers after coming in contact with a mysterious light. More on this in our interview with Hiroshi Nagahama below:

Reuben Langdon is known for voicing Dante (Devil May Cry series), Ken Masters beginning with Street Fighter IV various others. Aside from voicing characters, he’s also a well-known motion capture actor, doing motion capture for Chris Redfield in Resident Evil Code Veronica, 5 & 6. In addition, Langdon is also a stuntman, filmmaker and on-camera actor, working on well-known film titles such as,  The Medallion, Spider-Man 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Night at the Museum 2, Ant-Man, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Avatar. In recent news, Langdon was involved in a life-threating armed assault, earlier this year, while filming a documentary in Guatemala, Mexico. This and more in our interview:

We would like to thank Ronin Expo staff for providing the services we needed to execute these interviews. Special thanks to Lisle Wilkerson for interpreting our interview with Nagahama.

We’ll see you at Ronin Expo 2020!

For our 2018 Ronin Expo coverage click here. For updates on Ronin Expo please visit, https://www.ronin-expo.org/

 

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Sonic Revolution 2019

Anime, Art, Autographs, Cartoons, Cons, Cosplay, Current Interviews, Events, Los Angeles, Photography, Voice Actors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sonic Revolution is SoCal’s only Sonic The Hedgehog annual convention, although not officially endorsed by SEGA, it provides the best service to ensure Sonic fans get a great sonic experience!

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Sonic Revolution was held on June 9th at The Sage Resturant and lounge in Whitter, California with Sonic Team Racing as this year’s theme.

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Although the convention was small, it had so much to offer! From an artist ally to a small bar area!

Special guests included Evan Stanley, Ryan Drummond, Sasso Studios, Alan Denton, Greg Hahn, and Bill & Sam Freiberger among others.

During the convention, we got the chance to sit down and speak with voice actor Ryan Drummond, the first actor to voice Sonic in a video game! Watch as we speak about his career origins and more!

Sonic Revolution had various guest panels, raffles and a cosplay contest, where fans got the chance to win sonic figures and more.

With word getting around, it goes without saying Sonic Revolution will continue to grow! We’ll return for more of that Sonic experience and bring you more content with the return of Sonic Revolution come 2020! If you’re a Sonic The Hedgehog, this is the place to be at!

Photo gallery from Sonic Revolution 2019 held at The Sage Resturant and lounge in Whitter, California.

 

Resident Evil II REmake Interview with Nick Apostolides and Jolene Anderson

Anime, Autographs, Cons, Cosplay, Current Interviews, Events, Giveaways, Los Angeles, Photography, video games, Voting Polls, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Anime Pasadena returned for its 2nd run, Anime Pasadena 2019, held on April 20th at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA!

 

During the convention, we had the pleasure of interviewing voice actors, Nick Apostolides & Jolene Anderson the voices of Leon S. Kennedy and Ada Wong in the Resident Evil II Remake.

 

Watch as Nick and Jolene tell their stories from their time filming and recording their lines for the game!

The Kitsune Network would like to thank YouTube user, Story Mode for providing the in-game footage and game cut scenes for this interview.

GIVEAWAY

We are giving away an (1) AUTOGRAPHED Resident Evil II Remake print signed by Nick Apostolides (Leon S. Kennedy) & Jolene Anderson (Ada Wong)!

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ACTUAL PRIZE PRINT (Print size Approx.: 11×8.5’in)

HOW TO WIN?

Good luck to everyone who enters, you have till May 19TH to enter. Winners will be announced on MAY 20TH!

Photo gallery from Anime Pasadena 2019 held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.

 

 

CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Re;surrection U.S. Premiere

Anime, Cosplay, Events, Los Angeles, Photography, Voice Actors, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On April 17, 2019, Funimation hosted the Hollywood red carpet premiere of the much-anticipated anime film, CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Re;surrection at The Montalbán Theater in Hollywood, California.

 

In attendance was Sunrise producer Kojiro Taniguchi and the talented Code Geass cast Johnny Yong Boch (Lelouch Vi Britania), Rebecca Forstadt (Nunnally), Christopher Bevins (Tamaki) & Karen Strassman (Kallen) .

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Lelouch’s Death scene as seen in S2 Ep 25 “Re;“

It’s been 10 years since U.S. audiences last saw Lelouch, leaving behind questions about his supposed death at hands of Suzaku Kururugi (masquerading as Zero). Unlike the previous films, which were compilations of the series, Lelouch of the Re;surrection is a direct sequel series’ second season.

 

During the premiere, we spoke with producer Kojiro Taniguchi and the voice cast about their return to the Code Geass series:

The long-awaited film is set to release in theatres on May 5th (Subbed) and May 7th – 8th (Dubbed) tickets now on sale, click here for more information.

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Get to the theater early to receive an exclusive Lelouch postcard!*

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*While supplies last.

About Film:

He gave up his life to save the world and protect the ones he loved. The day Lelouch vi Britannia fell was the day this war-torn world found peace. Now, as his friends work to keep the peace, a terrorist attack could risk everything. Can the brilliant tactician outwit death and save them all? Or will Lelouch’s legacy fall here?

GIVEAWAY!

We are giving away the COMPLETE Code Geass Bluray collection! That’s right, A lucky winner will have the chance to own the entire CODE GEASS collection!

 

HOW TO WIN?

Good luck to everyone who enters,  you have till May 10TH to enter. Winners will be announced on MAY 11TH!

Photo gallery from Funimation’s Hollywood Red Carpet premiere of CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Re;surrection at The Montalbán Theater in Hollywood, California.

 

The Kitsune Network would like to thank Funimation, Dylan DeMott and the talented individuals who were involved in with the production of the film. Thank You.

AniFest 2019

Anime, Concerts, Cons, Cosplay, Events, Giveaways, Japanese Music, Los Angeles, Photography, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The annual anime festival kicked off at the Cultural Arts Center in Torrance, California on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019

With the success of last year’s event, it’s no surprise that AniFest returned with a bang! With not only more attendees but also with more guests and performing acts!

Cosplay guests included D-Piddy, Ruiriupanda, VampyBitMe, Rinmieru, Paprika Mari and yours truly, to name a few.

Anifest had over 10+ performers including the Taiko Collegiate, Stephanie Yanez x Plasmic, Voia, Manatsu Project & Candy Bomber.

One of many performances were the Röli Angels, an idol group from Japan. They performed during Anifest’s very own, Arcane Maid Cafe.

The Roli Angeles performing the hit-song, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis:

During the festival, we stopped by Sanyo Foods’ Sapporo Ichiban booth, where representatives gave FREE ramen samples by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto to all attendees.

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Ramen Maid Astolfo

Sapporo Ichiban will be uploading all the photos they took with cosplayers during AniFest, keep your eye out for their album here.  Sapporo Ichiban has now uploaded their AniFest photos, you can view them here. For deilcous ramen, visit their online store here.

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AniFest ticket winner!

Before I leave you with our wonderful AniFest photo gallery below, I’d like to mention the winner of our AniFest ticket giveaway, Romy! Hope you enjoyed your time at AniFest! Missed out? There’s always next year, that’s right, AniFest returns for another fantastic year in 2020, See you there!

Photo Gallery

Special thank to:

Beari King, Drew and the rest of the AniFest team for making this festival extraordinary!

ZAG Store OPENS* its doors in Santa Monica, CA

Anime, Cosplay, Events, Los Angeles, Miraculous, , , , , , , , ,

THAT’S RIGHT! The ZAG store, or The Miraculous Ladybug store, is now open!

Located at 3002 Main st in Santa Monica, CA, the store had its grand opening this pasted Sunday. Tons of Miraculous Ladybug fans and cosplayers of different ages attended this memorable event.

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In attendance was none other than the CEO and founder of ZAG Entertainment, Jeremy Zag signing Miraculous Ladybug posters.

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Store Overview

The store is located right on the corner of Main St and Pier Ave in Santa Monica, California. The store differs slightly from its initial design as seen here:

Concept Design
Actual Design

The actual size of the store inside is quite petite but carries different types of merchandise. The rest of the space is corporate offices, which is where the online store is managed. Due to the limited space during the grand opening, we were unable to film inside the store, however, we are planning on going back to do so.

Let me conclude by explaining the asterisk (*) next to the word “Opens“, Yes the store IS currently opened but it’s NOT permanently. The ZAG store will open once a month, however, since its grand opening, there haven’t been any updates of the next opening date. Keep your eye out for updates on the official Zag Store website.

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Special thanks to Jeremy Zag for dedicating this amazing poster to the website and the rest of the ZAG staff.

Photo Gallery

This is a developing story that we will continue to keep updated with all of the latest information. If you have any information pertaining to this particular story, you can contact The Kitsune Network at Contact@TheKitsunetwork.net.

Okamoto Kitchen Interview

Anime, Current Interviews, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, Photography, TKN Exclusive, Voice Actors, , , , ,

Okamoto Kitchen has been around since 2015, since then, they’ve been catering to hungry anime fans across southern California.

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Recently they’ve announced and funded their newest project; their anime series based on their real-life experiences in the food truck business as portrayed by their mascot, Haru-chan!b3de41bef653527d31a2d360447b24eb_original

Okamoto Kitchen founder, Gerald Abraham, spoke to us exclusively about their newest project, their food, and future plans. Watch our exclusive interview:

Hungry For more? Okamoto Kitchen took us behind the scene in this overview video of their delicious J.F.C. (Japanese Fried Chicken) Plate.

To learn more about Okamoto Kitchen, their food & their anime project visit their official website here.

Photo gallery

Trinity Seven: Heavens Library & Crimson Lord Advance (FREE) Screening

Anime, Cosplay, Events, Films/Movies, Los Angeles, Manga, TKN Exclusive, , , , , , ,

Did miss out on watching Trinity Seven at Anifest? We’ve got you covered! Harkins Theatres Cerritos 16 is hosting a Trinity Seven: Heavens Library & Crimson Lord advance screening on March 28th!

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Each admission ticket includes (x1) Trinity Seven Poster from Japan (While Supplies Last), (x1) Trinity Seven Postcard & (x5) Trinity Seven Collectable Limited Trading Card (5 of 9 cards: randomly selected)

Poster from Japan (While Supplies Last )
Trinity Seven Postcard
Trinity Seven Collectable Limited Trading Card (5 of 9 cards: randomly selected)

Attendees will also have the opportunity to take a photo with different characters from the film

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BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

As a TKN exclusive, we are giving away FREE tickets to this event! Just type in code 328TRINITY7 during checkout for a FREE ticket! click here for the event page!

Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019

Anime, Cons, Cosplay, Events, Los Angeles, Photography, Voice Actors, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For the first time ever, American fans of Fate/Grand Order got a chance to experience the fantastic world of the mobile game thanks to the Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019, hosted by Aniplex of America.

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The tour made its first stop in Los Angeles, California with a special two-day event held at the California Market Center. The celebration began on February 23rd and continued the next day, February 24th.

Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour featured a plethora of attractions including many immersive photo-op areas, a Challenge Quest Battle Zone, and a “Learning with Manga” Kigurumi Greeting Stage where fans can catch a glimpse of the Female Protagonist.

Upon entering the event, fans glimpse of the large-scale Fate/Grand Order Monument, which captures an iconic scene from the game’s story that is sure to pull at any fan’s heartstrings.

The Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019 also had a mesmerizing Noble Phantasm Exhibit featuring life-size weapons from the game including both Jeanne d’Arc and Jeanne d’Arc (Alter)’s flags, Nero Claudius’s Aestus Estus, Gilgamesh’s sword, Ea, Leonardo da Vinci’s staff, and the unveiling of the never-before-seen Sakata Kintoki (Rider)’s Golden Bear and Altria Pendragon (Alter)’s Excalibur Morgan.

The event also featured summon special guests Noriko Shitaya (voice of Sakura Matou), Satoshi Tsuruoka (voice of Arash, Gilles de Rais, Caligula, and Spartacus), and FGO PROJECT’s Creative Producer, Yosuke Shiokawa, for special panels on the Main Stage.

Satoshi Tsuruoka
Noriko Shitaya
Yosuke Shiokawa

Fans attending the Los Angeles event were also the first ones to get their hands on exclusive tour merchandise, as well as products from other vendors selling Fate merchandise.

For fans who were unable to make it to the Los Angeles event, don’t worry the Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019 plans to head to Anime Central (Rosemont, IL), Anime Expo (Los Angeles, CA), and Anime Weekend Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) throughout 2019, before making its final stop at Anime NYC (New York, NY) in November.

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Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019 Schedule:

  • Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019 in Los Angeles (February 23- 24, 2019) California Market Center (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Anime Central (May 17-19, 2019) Hyatt Regency O’Hare and the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (Rosemont, IL)
  • Anime Expo (July 4- 7, 2019) Los Angeles Convention Center (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Anime Weekend Atlanta (October 31 – November 3, 2019) Renaissance Waverly & Cobb Galleria Center (Atlanta, GA)
  • Anime NYC (November 15-17, 2019) Javits Center (New York, NY)

For information about the schedule and updates, please visit the official Fate/Grand Order Tour website here.

Fate/Grand Order U.S.A. Tour 2019 Photo gallery

Made In Abyss U.S. Premiere

Anime, Cosplay, Events, Films/Movies, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Voice Actors, , , , , , ,

On March 15, 2019, Sentai Filmworks hosted the Los Angeles red carpet premiere of the dark fantasy and adventure anime film MADE IN ABYSS: Journey’s Dawn at the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE 14. Journey’s Dawn is the first film in the two-part MADE IN ABYSS compendium.

In attendance was the talented and famed anime director Masayuki Kojima, composer Kevin Penkin, music producer Hiromitsu Iijima and producer Shimpei Yamashita.

Made In Abyss television series took audiences by surprise and garnered ecstatic reviews with its disarming facade that shrouded a dark masterpiece and although the film is a compilation of the series’s episodes, however, it features brand new scenes by Kojima & Yamashita.

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We spoke with Made In Abyss film director Masayuki Kojima & the film’s music composer, Kevin Penkin during the red carpet premiere:

Watch the film dubbed on the 25th! Can’t make it?

Order the Blu-ray series here or the MADE IN ABYSS Premium Box Set

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Film synopsis:

The enigmatic Abyss is an unforgiving and deadly place. Despite the dangers, it still captures the imagination of explorers such as Riko who wishes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and trains hard to become a Cave Raider. One day, she receives news that her mother died in the Abyss, yet a mysterious note tells Riko that her mother may still be alive. Vowing to uncover the truth about her mother’s fate, Riko embarks on a journey with a humanoid robot boy name Reg. Together, they will discover if they have what it takes to survive where so many others have perished.

Photo gallery from Sentai Filmworks’ Los Angeles red carpet premiere of MADE IN ABYSS: Journey’s Dawn at the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE 14

The Kitsune Network would like to thank the wonderful and talented people of Sentai Filmworks & Rogers & Cowan.