News

New Melbourne Anime Convention Announced - CHAOz

CHAOz is a new convention that was announced through facebook when a new group went public on Wednesday the 19th of March 2014. The page also linked to their new website setup to promote CHAOz.

The event is not meant to be limited to anime and Japanese culture with the organising group aiming to;

"To present an event where fellow creators can discuss, enjoy and view each-others' hard work, and enjoy a day of competitions and panels while they're at it!"

To this end they are organising panels on traditional Japanese calligraphy, comic artistry and alternative methods for prop-building. And alongside the cosplay competition they also plan to add painted figures and a "figure construction viewing competition" to the events.

There isn't many details currently available as to what is exactly going to happen at the event or the pricing, what we do know is below;

Details

• Where: University of Melbourne, Wilson Hall and Old Arts Building, Parkville VIC 3010.
• When: Saturday the 23th and Sunday the 24th of August 2014.
• Cost: Prices are currently unknown.
• Website: http://chaoz.com.au/.

Incidentally the Wilson Hall and Old Arts Building at the University of Melbourne was Manifest's original location when it started.

You can also follow CHAOz's twitter feed and visit their facebook page. CHAOz has also started an event for CHAOz Con which you can find here.

We have updated the Australian Convention Guide with CHAOZ's information here.

About CHAOz

CHAOz stands for the Cosplayers, Hobbyists and Artists of Australia (Oz). The organising group is a new business called Red Panda Event Management Pty Ltd and the business is owned equally by James Tapai and Chantelle Gonsalves, previously the project manager and events organiser of the now defunct Melbourne Anime Festival. However we have been informed that both James and Chantelle were not involved in the decision to shut down Manifest and had left the Manifest Organising Committee well before the decision was made. On a final note, Red Panda Event Management Pty Ltd's address is also listed as Critical Hit, the anime and video games store in Melbourne's CBD.

NOTE: Red Panda Event Management Pty Ltd wish to clarify that Red Panda Event Management and Critical Hit are independent and legally separate companies. And while both companies do share key staff and the same address please direct all inquiries for CHAOz through their website.

We here at ANN|AU wish CHAOz all the best in organising their first event and will be reporting on developments with CHAOz as it happens.