SIGGRAPH winner - Wojciech Matusik

Well, there’s been a lot of anticipation and curiosity about SIGGRAPH returning to New Orleans (or Nola), not only since this marks the first major conference since Katrina but also because of the severity of the downturn. Yes, attendance may be sparse, but, you know what? A light turnout is in keeping with the quaint vibe here. And, despite the predictable heat and humidity, it’s not as bad as I remember growing up in nearby Ocean Springs, Mississippi (near Biloxi) back in the early '70s. And this new Convention Center (though very long) is beautiful, clean and easy to navigate -- so far.

“My name’s Zélie Bérubé, I’m 20 years old, and I’m currently going into my fourth and last year of animation at Sheridan College in Canada. This summer I’m interning at Auryn Inc., an animation studio in LA.”

Samurai Champloo

“Hi hi! My full name is Emily Hu. I’m nineteen, I was raised in Taiwan but grew up in California. I’m currently majoring in comics at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. I started seriously drawing in the seventh grade and realized I wanted to be an artist after failing miserably at academics, namely math… haha…”

sellout

Ikki Tousen

2009 TV Series (episodes 1-13). Director: Takashi Watanabe. 325 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $49.98. Distributor: Funimation

Hakufu isn’t just any street fighter. She’s one badass cutie in a short skirt that would make Paris Hilton blush. Her goal: to become king of the hill as she unites seven rival schools. Her inspiration: a jewel infused with the spirit of an ancient warrior. Oh yes, Hakufu has a destiny. And she’s ready to fight for it, even if her skirt and top gets torn away in the process!

Okazaki and I

Who doesn’t know Afro Samurai? That is the question. The sheer coolness of our afro-enhanced protagonist and his number one headband perhaps even rivals that of Steve McQueen. At least that’s what the ratings of the man channel, i.e. Spike TV, suggest.

Roland Emmerich talks about the end of the world in 2012.

San Diego Comic-Con 2009 continued to astound audiences daily as the Hollywood studios debuted their most prized properties for public consumption, many for the first time ever. Friday was Disney’s animation showcase day in Hall H with their annual sneak peek of what the esteemed animation division has coming to theaters in the next year. The major coup was Disney/Pixar’s John Lasseter welcoming Japanese Animation legend Hayo Miyazaki to the con for a panel on his upcoming release Ponyo. Focus also showed off their stop-animation gem, 9. And then Saturday was blockbuster day for Warner Bros, Sony and Paramount with films such as Jonah Hex, 2012 and Iron Man 2 earning major audience kudos and con buzz.

If you take the J train over the Williamsburg Bridge, get off at Kosciusko Street and walk a few blocks west, you’ll come to a storefront that looks like it’s home to a going out of business sale, with benches and various other effluvia out on the sidewalk. Inside is a bar and club called “Goodbye Blue Monday” that’s most definitely in business: the place is decorated not unlike Pee-wee’s playhouse or the home of some mad collector of antique TV sets, mountains of action figures and bizarro furniture. (The rocking chair made out of two motorcycle gas tanks was pretty impressive.)

I’m there because way in the back – as a matter of fact out the back door and through a tiny backyard into a huge, high-ceiling shed – Tom Stathes is holding his first Cartoon Carnival

You know the tingles, that feeling running up and down your spine when you experience something awesome. Last month the Disney folks were kind enough to invite me to a preview of Ponyo – and I swear a day and half later the tingles were still with me.

Miyazaki’s not just concern for, but identification with the environment is once again an integral part of the story. (The once-human scientist “had to leave that all behind to serve the Earth.”) Unlike several other Miyazaki films, Ponyo’s rooting in Japanese culture and myth didn’t leave the Miscweant mystified. (Will someone please explain the endings of Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke to me?) Disney asked us not to review the film, so I won’t talk about the well-known stars who provide the English voices or describe its plot in any detail. I’ll just say that after I left the screening I walked 25 blocks home rather than be de-tingled on the subway. I didn’t even feel like turning on the TV for the next 36 hours or so, until the tingles faded away on their own; I wanted to hold onto that magic as long as I could.

Astro Boy director David Bowers discusses his take on the classic anime character.

The first official day of San Diego Comic-Con 2009 was a doozy for animation and visual effects aficionados as almost the entire programming lineup in Hall H, the 6,000 seat theater at the San Diego Convention Center, featured sneak peeks at the most anticipated 3-D films set to release in the next year. Imagi’s Astro Boy, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Tron Legacy, Sony’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and the mother of them all, James Cameron’s Avatar all debuted footage in 3-D to rapt audiences.

Winners Adam Elliot (Mary and Max), Henry Selick (Coraline) and Festival Director Serge Bromberg

Some final images from the closing ceremonies.