Calling all D.C. Metro area Otaku! From February 5-17, the Kennedy Center celebrates Japan’s Hyper Culture! I don’t know what a hyper culture is, but it makes sense that Japan would have one. The Kennedy Center is hosting over 450 artists showcasing Japanese theater and dance, music and fashion, architecture and sculpture, poetry and literature, photography and film. There are 28 free performances and demonstrations alone!

Here’s a list of the ones I’m going to try to see:

• Shin Tanaka: Paper Toy Live - Really excited to see Shin Tanaka in person. I’ve followed his paper toy designs for a while now. Feb 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM FREE
• Robotopia Rising - Anything with robots, I’m totally there! Feb. 7–17, Mon.–Fri. 12:30–7:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. 10a.m.–7:30p.m. FREE
• Robot Lectures during Robotopia Rising - If there’s a question and answer section, I totally want to ask them to build me a Gundam. Feb. 9 at 11a.m. and 3p.m., Feb. 10 at 11a.m. and 3p.m. FREE
• Hakata Kinjishi Taiko and Hakata Koma - Looks like I’m spending all Feb. 9 at the Center. I love me some Taiko drumming. Feb. 9 at 6p.m. FREE
• YMCK - 8bit sound and pixel animation from YMCK. I’m intrigued! Feb. 10 at 6p.m. FREE
• Laptop Orchestra - This could be either really cool or really annoying. Feb. 11 at 7:30p.m. Tickets are $18.
• Maywa Denki - Performance art with giant robots! Feb. 16 at 6p.m. FREE
• Sunday 2/17 is the Anime movie premier marathon with 5 Centimeters Per Second at 11 a.m., The Piano Forest at 1:15 p.m., and Appleseed: Ex Machina at 3:30 p.m. Tidckets are $15.
• A Harajuku Evening - Might as well stick around on Sunday for this fashion show. Feb. 17 at 6p.m. FREE

Of course, the biggest glaring omission is a live-action tokusatsu stage show! Nothing says Hyper Culture more than a live stage show featuring Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Super Sentai kicking the crap out of Shockers, Baltans, and Puddies!

I’ll try to remember to do a short post the day of an event in case you want to meet me IRL down at the Kennedy Center. Should be good times!

[Via Kennedy Center]

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 11:51 am and is filed under Henshin Korner, Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.