What is Doujin Overload?

Doujin Overload is an exhibition of the constantly evolving style of communication, art and entertainment called doujinshi. The organizer, Anime NZ Ltd, is composed of like-minded individuals who share a deep appreciation for this sophisticated and thought provoking medium of expression, and wish to share the experience of this style of art with the community.

What is Doujinshi ?

The term doujinshi (同人誌), is used to describe media unofficially produced by the fans of Japanese popular culture. Such work can range from the expression of original concepts, to work that pays homage to - or parodies - a variety of subjects from animation, video games to graphic novels and beyond. Doujinshi is not limited to books alone. It can range from single illustrations to fan guides, posters, cards and doujin computer games. On rare occasions, doujin animations have been produced by enthusiastic fans.

The Goal

A celebration of the passion and enthusiasm of our local doujinshi artists. Doujinshi is a Japanese phenomenon, and while major aspects of what inspires it in its original culture have recently filtered down into our own popular culture - through translated works, animation and merchandise like Dragon Ball Z, Evangelion, Pokemon and Yugi-Oh - they are but the tip of the iceberg. While they are relatively well recognized names, awareness of this growing branch of popular culture is still limited in New Zealand. However it is growing due to officially released and published material becoming easier to find and acquire. Forums, venues, and even just awareness of the opportunities for fan and fan-artists still remain under-developed. Enthusiasts can experience difficulties in finding others with similar interests, and there are few social forums - that they are aware of - where they can gather together. By giving local doujinshi artists the opportunity to increase their exposure - by displaying their works to the general public through a common forum - Doujin Overload will increase awareness of this form of artistic expression.

Doujin Overload 2007
Event Review and Breakdown

Summary

The second Doujin Overload event saw both a larger venue and crowd from the first year. There were 31 tables representing 27 groups, attracting a crowd of 400+ people of all ages. We also had new events which proved very popular, while continuing the events from the previous year.

Summary of Events

Last year's Doujin Overload saw three new events: The Mini-anime concert, the Display Figures stand, and the Haruhi Dance by the AOA Dan. The Mini-anime concert, performed by the “GNC Muso’s” (lead by Mike Merry), played a set of four anime theme songs in 2 separate sessions, and was warmly received by the people attending. The figures display stand, at the far end of the room, represented the collections of H'idenshi, Francis Kim, Mark Knowles, EB and Michael Bibby, and proved to be the most popular attraction of the event, with people repeatedly visiting the stands to take pictures of the display. Finally the Haruhi Dance performed by the the AOA Dan, was the main event of the day. This invited participation from the general public themselves, some of whom were quite game to join in. All of the new events proved very popular and were instrumental in keeping a lot of the public around long after they had finished doing the rounds of the art tables (this is based on comments left by the general public).

The features from the 2006 event had a good reception also. There was a bigger turnout for the cosplay event in 2007, and plans are underway for an even bigger event in 2008. Our thanks go to Macy-chan, who agreed to organize the event this year despite being a freshman at the event. Our thanks also go to all the cosplayers, who provided colour and variety to the event. Further, the art competition saw a larger participation base from the general public with this year's winner, Jack Lin, taking home the prize of a set of Deleter art supplies. Second prize was taken by Laina Lee, and third prize by Simon Kao. Our thanks go to everyone who participated.