Christmas Card Competition Winner

Nigel November 7, 2014 No Comments

Drum roll please…

After reviewing all the entries, we can reveal the winner of the Christmas Card Design Competition is…Hannah Ffytche, aged 12.

We were impressed with Hannah’s entry and have chosen her design as the winner of this year’s Christmas card competition. She picked the Samurai Chef and had him chopping Christmas dinner with an arrangement of decorations around his hat which made us laugh. The chef hat Christmas tree ornament was a nice touch too.

Well done Hannah!

mayamada xmas card competition

 

We’ll now turn the winning design into an official printed Christmas card in time for Hyper Japan to raise money for Aid for Japan.

And we’ll also be giving a copy of the new Samurai Chef manga book to the winner and runner up design too. That honour goes to Luana Venuti who picked multiple characters in a very festive setting.

Congratulations to both Hannah and Luana!

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Who To See At Hyper Japan

mayamada November 6, 2014 No Comments

We had such a good response to our “Who To See At Hyper Japan” feature that we’ve put together a second part. We’ll be at Hyper Japan Christmas Market from Friday November 14th to Sunday November 16th and have been speaking to a selection of exhibitors also showcasing their brands at the event. It all takes place at Kensington Olympia National Hall in seven days time!

So as well as the mayamada stall, be sure to visit these great exhibitors over the Hyper Japan weekend:

 

Roxie Sweetheart

Who are you and what do you do?

I make and sell cute & kawaii designs on a variety of clothing, jewellery and accessories.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

It’s the best event if you want to experience or learn more about J-Culture, especially fashion.

I will be seeing Siro-A and the Fashion Show for sure!

What will you be doing at your stall?

I will be on my stand selling a variety of unique and handmade products including cropped tees, printed leggings, dresses, skirts and jewellery & accessories to suit both your kawaii and creepy cute needs!

I will also be bringing some new items, sweaters printed with the Melty Castle and Gothic Fairytale prints.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

It’s dedicated to J-Culture and they always have a really good mix of interesting guests and shows.

Twitter: @roxiesweetheart

Instagram: @roxiesweetheart

Facebook: /roxiesweetheart

Aid For Japan

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Akemi Solloway, founder of Aid For Japan: the charity to support orphans of the Tsunami and Earthquake in Japan. I also teach Japanese language and culture.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

To enjoy Japanese culture. Please support our charity.

What will you be doing at your stall?

Akemi will be doing calligraphy and writing people’s name in Japanese (Kanji) as well as teaching the meaning of your name. In addition to that we will be teaching people how to draw Manga, demonstrating Origami and Maiko will also be doing Japanese head massages.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

We can meet Japan fans. It is good to be together.

Facebook: /AidForJapan

 

Kikuya Kanzashi

Who are you and what do you do?

Kikuya Kanzashi designs and makes Japanese tsumami kanzashi hair ornaments inspired by those worn by the maiko and geiko of Kyoto, Japan.

We create a range of handmade kanzashi designs from traditional to modern as well as bespoke custom-made pieces.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

It’s a fun event celebrating a wide range of Japanese culture. There’s something for everyone!

What will you be doing at your stall?

We will be selling our range of kanzashi hair ornaments, perfect for Christmas gifts or as something special to wear during the party season.

We are also excited to be launching our new brand “Fugu Jam”, a contemporary clothing label inspired by Japan.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

Meeting people who are also passionate about Japan and Japanese culture. It is also great to meet the other stall holders, there is a lot of creative talent out there!

Twitter: @KikuyaKanzashi

Facebook: /kanzashi.uk

United Publications

Who are you and what do you do?

Publisher and retailer, selling translated Manga & Anime DVDs.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

An experience. Wide selection of things to see and do relating to Japan. You are likely to find you already have something produced in Japan and will find more of interest.

What will you be doing at your stall?

We will be promoting UK releases of DVD & Blu-Ray Anime.

And have wide selections of Manga & Anime titles from around the world.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

Hyper Japan able to contact a lot more Japanese companies who are interested in expanding their market to include UK customers.

 

Sam Sake

Who are you and what do you do?

Sam Sake is a London-based importer, distributor and retailer of finest quality sake from Akita & Niigata Prefectures, Japan.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

This the best Japanese Cultural event in UK, offering great variety of experiences and original flavours, bringing full spectrum of Japanese culture closer to UK .

What will you be doing at your stall?

For the second time this year our Sam sake Tasting Club will return to Hyper Japan. Our bespoke build bar will provide sake enthusiast with great range of sake available for both purchase and on site consumption.

We will entertain our visitors with Warm sake Hugs (sake + smoked fish) , Akita Chill experience (cold sake) and Plum Kiss (Umeshu).

We will offer opportunity to sample before purchasing any of the bottles. We are also happy to educate and advice about sake.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

As an exhibitor it is a direct opportunity to reach UK sake enthusiasts and bring them closer to delicious sake from Akita and Niigata Prefectures.

Twitter: @samsake

Facebook: Sam Sake

Meow Box

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Keynes, a dietitian who loves all things cute and sweet. I enjoy making jewellery and they are mostly miniature food themed.

Chateau de Meow is a collaboration with the talented Charlene who is behind Chateau de Gateaux; featuring a collection of handmade vintage inspired romantic flower accessories.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

One of a kind Japanese cultural show and amazing shopping opportunities. There’s something for suit everyone!

What will you be doing at your stall?

We will be selling our gorgeous handmade items and featuring some one-off pieces. Be sure to visit our table for some pretty Japanese fashion pieces.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

Everything Japanese you could ever wish for under one roof. Food, fashion, culture and lifestyle.

Twitter: @meowboxjewelry

Instagram: @meow425

Keiko Uchida

Who are you and what do you do?

I came from Japan, from a childhood heavily influenced by design: my mother is a long experienced kimono stylist in her mid ’70s now and my late grandfather and father were celebrated tearoom designers.

We produce our own branded products, which is a fusion of traditional Japanese and modern European aesthetics.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

It’s fun and delicious. It is far to go to Japan, but you can enjoy 100% Japan at Hyper Japan in London!

What will you be doing at your stall?

We are selling our Christmas gift collection at Hyper Japan. Kimono dressing gown, Kimono gift set etc.

We do a special 20% off promotion of Kimono dressing gown at Hyper Japan! If you are looking for a special present, you cannot miss our stand!

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

I will see many people, who are interested in Japan and Japanese culture, which means a lot to me as a Japanese, who lives in London for a while.

Twitter: @KeikoUchidaUK

Facebook: /KeikoUchidaUK

Pinterest: keikouchida

Christmas Card Competition Entries

mayamada November 6, 2014 2 Comments

The entries are in!

Our Christmas card design competition has come to a close and there have been some great entries. We’ve enjoyed seeing how you have used the mayamada cast of characters in your designs.

Remember, we are collaborating with Aid For Japan and the winning design will be turned into an official mayamada Christmas card made available for sale at Hyper Japan Christmas Market event.

All profits fro sales of the card will go to the charity and we’ll be revealing the winning design from the entries below this Friday, November 7th.

Stay tuned!

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Luana

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Jess Witor

 

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Jade

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May Linh

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Nawaal

 

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Hannah

mayamada xmas card competition

Becci

mayamada xmas card competition

Berdan

Who To See At Hyper Japan

mayamada November 5, 2014 No Comments

We’re looking forward to Hyper Japan Christmas Market this month; Japanese performing arts, cosplay shows, lots of food and the first showing of our new Samurai Chef comic of course. There’s a lot in store and we’ve been speaking to other exhibitors heading to Kensington Olympia Friday November 14th to Sunday November 16th to find out what they’ll be doing at their stalls.

As well as seeing us in the Fashion & Kawaii area, make sure to pay a visit to each of these great exhibitors:

 

Japan Centre

Who are you and what do you do?

Japan Centre is one of the largest and most influential Japanese shops in London. We have a supermarket, bakery, deli, restaurant, homeware department and online service.

We are always eager to participate in Japanese related events happening in London and beyond. Come check out our selection of awesome Japanese goodies at Hyper Japan this year!

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

Hyper Japan is a fantastic opportunity for Japan enthusiasts to see a huge variety of entertainment, eat great food and get some early Christmas shopping done!

What will you be doing at your stall?

Japan Centre will have three stalls at Hyper Japan. The food shop will be selling snacks and confectionery, the bookshop will have manga, toys and Japanese books, and our umai stall will be selling hot Japanese snacks like tako yaki.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

We love how Hyper Japan brings people curious about Japanese culture together, allowing them to get involved in a whole host of activities that aren’t always available.

Twitter: @JapanCentre

Facebook: /japancentre

Fish Pish Studios

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Emma, I have been self-employed for the past year and a half. My work comprises of making custom one of a kind soft (plush) toys as well as costume accessories like wings, tails and ears for cosplayers and furry communities.

Most of my work is done online via Facebook or Etsy, however I am branching out to include conventions such as MCM Expo and Hyper Japan so I can meet my customers face to face and help them choose cosplay accessories to match their needs.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

Hyper Japan is an amazing event; it is completely different from other conventions in that it also shows off the culture of a different country which many of us would not have learnt about otherwise.

The items and events being held at Hyper Japan allow people to purchase unique items, often customised and fascinating in one location.

What will you be doing at your stall?

My stall will be selling costume accessories and kawaii items such as flexible headband cat ears as well as the smaller ‘kitten’ headband ears, tails, one of a kind cushion covers along with lots of other items.

The costume ears are unique in that they can be moved in any position and stay there. They make a great addition to any cosplay requiring such ears and are available in a whole variety of colours as well as custom colour selections (online only).

Custom orders are welcome at the stall. Any custom orders given will be fulfilled once I return from the convention. As my items are all hand-made, pretty much everything can be customised with different colours, swapped materials or even just a touch of embroidery.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

I love  the Japanese culture, especially the food and drink, and while  there are Japanese restaurants in London, Hyper Japan is one of the few places to get inexpensive Japanese food and drink without having to book a table.

Etsy: FishPishStidios

Facebook: /EmmaCainArtist

8th Sin Creations

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Laura and I create high quality handmade jewellery and accessories for Japanese fashion styles including Lolita, Dolly Kei, Mori Girl, Gyaru, etc.

My items are classic and cute inspired with a macabre twist.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

People should come to Hyper Japan because it’s a fun event for all ages to come and enjoy Japanese pop culture like music, fashion, games, etc.

You can try Japanese food, do some shopping and partake in fun events!

What will you be doing at your stall?

I will be selling my jewellery and accessories at my stall, please come and say hi!

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

I love Japanese culture so Hyper Japan is one of the few times of year I can enjoy the music, fashion and events, meet new friends and practise my Japanese language skills as well as show people my fashion brand and hopefully sell my items to lovely customers!

Etsy: 8thSinCreations

Facebook: /8thSinCreations

 

Little Moose

Who are you and what do you do?

Little Moose is a British fashion brand who create design led statement perspex jewellery and accessories.

Our vision is of a crazy, colourful world filled with curious crowd-pleasing character based creations that raise a smile and stand out from the crowd. We’re all about having fun with fashion.

Our influences range from early morning cartoons and nature to Japanese sweet wrappers.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

Well, if you’re obsessed with all things Japanese you won’t find an experience like it anywhere else in the country of course!

If you’re looking for a unique Christmas present that you wouldn’t find on the high street, Hyper Japan is the place to come.

As well as that, it’s just a great day out to experience something new on a mid-November day in London.

What will you be doing at your stall?

We’ll be selling all of our latest collection of jewellery, and some exclusive Christmas designs that you won’t be able to get anywhere else.

It’s also the first opportunity anyone will have to pick up the brand new collection of Little Moose handbags which will only have been in the country for a couple of days!

We’ll be trimming up to 15% off of our prices for Hyper Japan to make Christmas shopping just a little bit easier!

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

The best thing about Hyper Japan for Little Moose is that it puts us directly in touch with a large portion of our audience – people who love character design and Japanese counter-culture just like us!

It’s a fabulously creative and visually exciting place to lose yourself, from the products on sale to the people who’re visiting.

Twitter: @littlemooseshop

Instagram: @littlemoosegram

Facebook: /LittleMooseShop

Shinku Rose

Who are you and what do you do?

We are a UK indie brand specialising in bespoke Lolita and kawaii fashion making dresses and hair accessories using couture techniques where possible.

We like to get a beautiful finish and make things to suit each individual.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

This is a great event which has a wide variety of things linked to Japan from food to fashion, music to games etc and gives individuals a taste of Japan.

It is fun, informative and you know you will always find something amazing.

What will you be doing at your stall?

We will be selling ready-to-wear garments and accessories and taking orders for bespoke made to measure dresses.

We have a new base collection with different silhouettes which can be made in any colour and any size from 4 to 24.

We will also be launching our new print, “Winter Wonderland”, available in four colour ways.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

This is a difficult question as I love so many things! The food is always excellent but if I was to choose one thing it would have to be the shopping. There is so much variety from things directly from Japan through to other indie brands like myself who are inspired by Japan.

Facebook: /shinkurose

Tumbr: Shinkurose

Instagram@shinkurosedesigns

Glitter Bomb Jewellery

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Elise and I’m the creator of Glitterbomb – a handmade jewellery company focusing on acrylic creations.

I make bright, glitter-laden jewellery which takes a lot of inspiration from Japanese fashions and pop culture.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

If they have even a slight interest in Japanese culture, it is a great place to experience more.

Food and fashion really shine at the event and there is a lot to see and do. The people I have met at Hyper Japan have also been amazingly friendly and the atmosphere is great!

What will you be doing at your stall?

I will be selling my jewellery with my good friend Cassia who will be exhibiting alongside me (Peppermint Puff).

I’ll also be drinking excessive amounts of bubble tea and whizzing around the amazing stalls as much as possible!

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

I love seeing the different fashions worn by people who attend Hyper Japan. The J-style fashion show is a fun event and it’s great seeing traditional Japanese, Lolita, decora and more all in one space.

Facebook: GlitterBombJewellery

 

MeowMeowCookie

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Patsy, an animal lover, owner of MeowMeowCookie, an exhibitor in Hyper Japan Christmas market this year.

As an artist, when I create my cat cookies I incorporate my love and thanks to the happy cats and dogs I had as pets when I was little. They always made me smile and care. They are the best gifts to me.

Therefore, MeowMeowCookie is a cookie gift. Each one comes with a tag so that you can write a lovely message to your friends.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

To experience Eastern culture.

What will you be doing at your stall?

I will be selling my cookie pops. As an art director and illustrator, I will show not just my cookies but also my creations and some of my lovely cookie cat animations.

I hope my cat team can give a lot of laughs to everyone. I have put one animation on the MeowMeowCookie Facebook page. I hope you enjoy it. More will be shown at Hyper Japan.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

As an exhibitor, Hyper Japan is a good fit for my product and I guess it is a good chance to show my cookie pops to everyone.

Facebook: /meowmeowcookie

 

Suga Dust

Who are you and what do you do?

Suga Dust is a brand new company specialising in customising and creating cool and unique jewellery and accessories all with a ‘Kawaii’ (Cute) twist!

Anything from cameras, pens, mirrors, phone cases, shoes, purses and much more can be customised. It all depends on what you want! There is no limit!

All of the jewellery – such as rings and necklaces – and accessories are handmade. Everything is created with love and care so why not have some Suga Dust in your life today! I ship internationally too.

Why should people come to Hyper Japan?

Hyper Japan is a the place to be if you love everything Japanese and just Japanese culture in general. There is something for everyone – cosplay, performances, games, food, kawaii culture and much more.

Hyper Japan also has a great selection of exhibitors all selling a range of different goods whether it be cookery ware, handmade goods, sweets, clothes and much more.

If you are looking for a fun day out, Hyper Japan is the place to be!

What will you be doing at your stall?

I will be exhibiting at Hyper Japan selling all of my products which are handmade and also selling all of my customised products. I will be selling phone cases, mirrors, rings, necklaces, keyrings and much more. I will be exhibiting across the three days.

What’s the best thing about Hyper Japan?

The best thing about Hyper Japan is its diversity. I like the fact that there are a diverse range of products and things on offer at the event.

The event doesn’t just focus on one particular section of Japan such as anime or manga; it includes every aspect of Japanese culture. There are computer games, anime, fashion, food and much more. Everything is included!

Twitter: @Suga_Dust

Instagram: @Suga_Dust

Facebook: /Suga_Dust

Etsy: SugaDust

Coming To Hyper Japan Christmas

mayamada October 29, 2014 No Comments

Next month will see our last major event of 2014. The year has gone by so fast! We’ll be exhibiting at the Hyper Japan Christmas Market from Friday November 14th to Sunday November 16th.

Hyper Japan is one of our favourites on the convention calendar, ever since we used to visit before starting mayamada at its old Truman Brewery home.

We’ll be bringing some new treats for the Hyper Japan Christmas Market and we can’t wait to show you want we have in store.

Complete Samurai Chef Print Edition

If you’ve been following us for the past few months you’ll know we recently wrapped up a Kickstarter for the complete print edition of the Samurai Chef manga.

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It will include volume 1 and the new volume 2 in a single book and and will be shown for the first time at Hyper Japan.

If you backed the Kickstarter, your limited edition and extended editions of the book will be one their way in November too.

Charity Christmas Card

We’re also doing a major creative and charitable collaboration for the event. We’ve teamed up with Aid For Japan and have been receiving entries for our Christmas card competition.

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We will be picking a winner in November and turning it into an official mayamada Christmas card. It will be sold at Hyper Japan to raise money for children orphaned by the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Tsunami in 2011.

If you haven’t sent us your entry yet and would like to, head to the competition page for more information.

That’s not all…

And then there the usual selection of t-shirts, sweatshirt and new Samurai snapback and beanie hats available at Hyper Japan.

Anime Hats

Make sure you visit our stall to take part in our regular FREE raffles too. You can win a mayamada poster featuring our cast of characters just buy stopping and saying hi.

This event will take place at the National Hall, Kensington Olympia and you can buy your ticket here

Pharrell “It Girl” Video

Nigel October 17, 2014 No Comments

Running mayamada has given us plenty of opportunity to see all kinds of reactions to the phrase “anime and manga”. There have been some interesting reactions over time, luckily most of them positive.

Although we know anime and manga does have a strong following, it has lived largely outside of the mainstream since the days of regularly watching Dragon Ball Z and Naruto on TV. This despite the massive growth of events like London Comic Con and Hyper Japan.

That’s why it was great to see Pharrell, arguably the biggest music star on the planet right now (sorry Kanye), release a new video for his single “It Girl”. It’s a great visual mix of anime and old school video games, and fun to watch.

Seeing such a big artist delve into our world was a pleasant surprise. But the video wasn’t without controversy and several major websites have highlighted the “Lolita Complex” theme running through the video.

Admittedly, there are parts of Lolita fascination that can be considered creepy to people already familiar various anime and manga subcultures, so it’s easy to see how a mainstream audience would find it so troubling.

But beyond that is the wider implication of anime and manga being discussed in the mainstream at all which shouldn’t be ignored either.

We started mayamada to help increase the awareness of anime and manga, our goal is to show that it’s not a collection of weird stereotypes, but another valid form of entertainment and storytelling. Our line of clothing and comics go some way towards changing perceptions, and we’re always excited to see other people use the style in creative ways.

Between Pharrell’s “It Girl” video and the new Jordan Brand Slam Dunk Collection, the awareness of this part of Japanese culture will only continue to grow and that’s a good thing.

But maybe try using some older characters in your next anime video Pharrell? Just to be safe.

Hyper Japan Summer 2014

mayamada August 9, 2014 No Comments

We were excited to return to Hyper Japan this summer and it lived up to our expectations.

Hyper Japan is the biggest Japanese culture exhibition in the UK and attracts everyone from hardcore anime and cosplayers to families to people just coming to see what Japanese culture is all about.

mayamada was there for all three days and we enjoyed meeting so many new faces and fans.

The show also saw the debut of our brand new “SAMURAI” snapback and beanie hats, both got a great response from the Hyper Japan crowd.

Here are some of our highlights from the show.  We’re already looking forward to Hyper Japan Christmas in November too!

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Cosplay Dodgeball Moved to 2013

Nigel October 9, 2012 No Comments

We have bad news on the dodgeball front.  Unfortunately we’re having to cancel the event in November and reschedule it for spring/summer of 2013.

We’re really disappointed to do this but we felt with all the projects we have at the moment we couldn’t put on an event as good as it should be.  The worst thing that could happen is for people to turn up and not enjoy it.

But it’s not all bad news and there’s still a lot to look forward for the rest of 2012..  We’re now focused on our third screening event in December and we’ll have the details on that by the end of the month.

We also have MCM Expo coming up and we’ll follow that up with our first appearance at Hyper Japan in November.

In addition to that there’s also the Samurai Chef manga book which is still in progress and scheduled to be out this year.

Once we have the updated news on the dodgeball we’ll be letting everyone know.  Until then, start practising…

Cosplay Dodgeball Tournament

mayamada September 20, 2012 No Comments

The date has been set. Wwe’re holding our first Cosplay Dodgeball Tournament on Saturday 10th of November at Royal Docks Community School, Newham, London, E16 3HS

The event is being supported by Anime Picks, Hyper Japan and Anime League.

 

We’re calling cosplayers from the world of anime and gaming get ready to battle it out for the chance to win a cash prize as well as tickets to Hyper Japan Christmas and the London Anime Convention.

Players can reserve a spot in the tournament HERE. Tournament entry is discounted at £3 for cosplayers, £5 for non cosplayers.

Teams will be organised on the day but if you already have a team then you’re all set to join the fun and win great prizes.

Spaces are limited to 16 teams (at least 6 per team) so be sure to reserve your spot in the tournament: http://dodgeball2012.eventbrite.co.uk/

Stay tuned to the event page for more details.

 

Terms and conditions:

Participants must be 16 years or over. All entries must be made by booking tickets in advance or purchasing tickets at the tournament. The entry fee is £5 for non cosplayers and £3 for cosplayers.

The tournament is limited to 16 teams. Priority will be given to entrants who have booked tickets in advance.

Winners will be announced on the day and prizes will be given out either on the day or within 28 days following the tournament via an appropriate form (subject to availability and age restrictions).

For full terms and conditions please see http://dodgeball2012.eventbrite.co.uk/