Ahoy, I'm Peter Tatara. In brief, I'm left-handed, a vegetarian, and my blood type is A. I work for the New York Comic Con and New York Anime Festival and have a cute girlfriend and a Space: Above & Beyond boxset. I'm generally a happy guy.

Lolita Fashion Day Update

Just learned that Zoth Rothberg of Morrigan NYC will be unveiling a new nautical themed print, second in her 19th Century Literature series, during Lolita Fashion Day at Kinokuniya. You can learn more at her panel from 3-4 PM "Lace, Thimbles, and Pincushions" on June 5.

For more on Lolita Fashion Day, visit this post...

http://www.mediumatlarge.net/2010/05/lace-frills-cookies-kinokuniya.html

Lace! Frills! Cookies! Kinokuniya Celebrates International Lolita Day!

News from the world of ruffles and pink by way of our friends at Kinokuniya... For its third straight year, Kinokuniya Bookstore is proud to offer activities for NYC's Lolita fashion community in honor of International Lolita Day, a day created to spread information and outreach about the diverse world of cute, cool, elegant, and hip Lolita fashion in modern Japan. Taking place on Saturday, June 5 at Kinokuniya Bookstore, located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, the store will present an afternoon series of workshops, presentations, and giveaways

Kinokuniya's Lolita Day events -- created by members of the NYC Lolita community -- is aimed at discussing with general New Yorkers and fashion lovers alike how Lolita fashion has influenced designers, bloggers, fans, and both runway and mainstream fashion. The day will include a selection of special activities aimed at everyone from dedicated Lolita fashionistas, to casual fashion fans, to New Yorkers up for a unique experience.

For newcomers to the Lolita fashion scene, Japanese Lolita fashion embraces child-like charms and details from periods such as Rococo France and Victorian England. The Lolita look is full of knee-skimming skirts, pintucks, petticoats, and blouses edged in lace. Developing since the 1970s in Japan, Lolita fashion is now rapidly gaining a large following worldwide.

Kinokuniya Lolita Fashion Day All-Day Events

Café Zaiya Sweet Treats: Any customer who comes into Kinokuniya's Café Zaiya will receive free sweets in honor of International Lolita Day with their purchase.

Black X Pink Giveaway: Any customer who comes into Kinokuniya Bookstore at 1073 Avenue of the Americas on Saturday, June 5 can enter to win a $50 gift certificate to the Tokyo Rebel boutique located in the East Village, as well as one of two Lolita First Aid Kits, bags containing essentials that every Lolita should have. Contents inside the Lolita First Aid Kits will include items from Lolita brands I Do Declare and Morrigan NYC as well as Anna Sui, Magnolia Bakery, and Rose House. The giveaway is located beside Kinokuniya's cashier, and winners will be drawn at 5 PM, following the final Lolita Day presentation.

Kinokuniya Lolita Fashion Day Schedule of Events

Lolitas in the Wired: Ever wanted to start a blog on Lolita or Japanese fashion? Not sure where to start? Prominent bloggers Dalin Rowell of La Vida Frills, Victoria Tignor of Lolita Charm, and Crystal Marlarsky of Pretty Wonderland discuss why they blog and how Lolita fashion has influenced them. 2-3 PM.

Lace, Thimbles and Pincushions: Join Kelsey Hine of I Do Declare and Zoh Rothberg of Morrigan NYC as they talk about sewing your own Lolita closet and the steps it takes to develop your own fashion brand. Learn about the skills you need to sew, sell, and run your own business. 3-4 PM.

Spoonful of Sugar: Long-time Lolita Bibi presents a discussion on Lolita history and aesthetics, along with mini-tutorials on adding Lolita touches to daily life. With a taste for all things old and fussy, she has been in love with Lolita fashion for over 10 years. To Bibi, being a Lolita is an exercise in aesthetic living and a fulfillment of a mid-youth crisis. 4-5 PM.

Kinokuniya Bookstore invites Lolitas and New Yorkers up for an unforgettable experience to come out to Kinokuniya's Lolita Fashion Day on Saturday, June 5!

Aniplex Announces Kamina Cosplay Contest!

Our friends at Aniplex announced a special Gurren Lagann cosplay contest with American Cosplay Paradise and Anime Expo. Up for grabs are tickets to AX, seating for their screening of Gurren Lagann: The Movie -Childhood's End, and a meeting with Mr. Katsuyuki Konishi, the voice of Gurren Lagann's Kamina.

For all the details, visit www.acparadise.com.

Aniplex will release the first Gurren Lagann film on on July 1. It's available exclusively through Bandai Entertainment’s Online Store - store.bandai-ent.com.

Early Bird Pricing Ends May 15!

Are you going to the New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con this year? Did you buy your tickets? Or are you still putzing around? We recommend you not wait much longer, as the current Early Bird prices expire after May 15th.

Ticket sold through May 15th are all at a discounted rate: Weekend Passes are just $45, Friday passes are $25, Saturday passes are $30, and Sunday passes are $25. After May 15th, tickets will be sold at their standard online price: Weekend Pass - $50, Friday Pass - $30, Saturday Pass - $40, Sunday Pass - $30.

Order your tickets now to avoid the lines on-site and save some dough. Or wait. Your choice. It’s completely up to you, but – if I was you – I’d log into nycomiccon.com or nyanimefestival.com now. (And remember, you need a badge to either NYAF or NYCC. Either way, that badge will get you into both events.)

Samurai Beam Online

ANN's got a nice story on Samurai Beam, the product of NYC's Japan Society's first manga-ka artist-in-residence.

Artist Hiroki Otsuka's been working on a new title -- Samurai Beam -- just for Japan Society, and the first 14 pages are available to view online. Each week during Otsuka's residency, new pages of Samurai Beam will be made available.

(Japan Society's also throwing their second Cosplay Party on May 15th.)

For info…

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-05-03/japan-society-hosts-first-14-pages-of-hiroki-otsuka-new-manga-samurai-beam

http://www.japansociety.org/samurai_beam