Hikaru, Keiko, and Wakana: Kalafina
13.28
Hikaru: “I am very happy and didn’t expect this at all!”
13.27
Aha, it’s Hikaru’s bday tomorrow! We all sing happy birthday.
13.26
Hikaru: I was so surprised to see this many fans come to see us! Thank you for everything!
13.24
Keiko: this is the first time we can actually mingle with fans. This is overwhelming compared to Anime Boston. We are so happy and honored.
13.23
And it’s the end of the panel…the last word. Wakana: So many people came to see us! Thank you, come to our concert tomorrow!
13.19
My word, these are softball questions: “what’s the name of the producer who discovered them”? A guy with an orange lightstick got it….
13.18
Quiz: what anime uses their latest song, “Magia”? EVERY HAND in the room goes up. OMG, Madoka is going to be HUGE.
13.16
Now there is a quiz show, with prizes.
13.15
Correction: Hikaru loves string instruments, but personally she does play a little piano and drums.
13.14
Q: What are their favorite instruments? A: (Keiko): Guitar. Rock and roll! (Wakana): Flute. (Hikaru): “I touched a piano.”
13.13
Q: Inspiration for Black Butler 2 song? A (Hikaru, Keiko): for the costumes, Kajiura talked to the designers. They also looked at the storyboard of the anime.
13.10
Q: What are your hopes for the band going forward? A (Wakana): Performing more, around the world.
13.09
Hikaru: the Black Butler song. First time wearing long dress and long sleeves. Very inspirational, different.
13.07
Keiko: Magia. The costumes are strong, womanly, “hard,” and in-your-face.
13.07
Q: What was their favorite PV and the best costumes? A (Wakana): the first one, “Oblivious.” The costumes were all white; it’s her color.
13.03
Q: Do they have a favorite Kara no Kyoukai song? A: (Hikaru wrests microphone away from Keiko): They’re all inspirational, but she finds “Aria” more inspirational. She was so nervous that she started shaking when she sang it.
13.01
Q: Which song represents the way you look at the world? A (Keiko): We all treasure Kajiura-san’s songs. It’s hard to say which one is a favorite because each is so different. But the latest single, Magia, is very different…with Hikaru as the main vocalist, who didn’t do that before.
12.59
Q: Do you contribute the music in any way? A: Yuki Kajiura does it all. We stay true to her vision, that’s how we contribute.
12.57
Now it’s audience Q&A.
12.53
Q: What styles or brands do you like to dress in? A: No particular one, it depends on the song and its theme.
12.52
Q: anywhere specific they’d like to go in LA? Santa Monica Beach and Disney.
12.51
Wakana: excited to have a first West Coast concert! “Please come join us, I’m so excited.”
12.50
Kalafina is in! Apparently this is the second time at an anime convention.
12.46
Cheers for “Magia.” Looks like Madoka has a lot of traction already. #ax11
12.45
Looks like they can’t decide whether to turn off the lights or not during the video…
12.45
Video clip of Kalafina now showing.
12.43
No video, but photography yes. No surprise there. We will send someone to do Miyuki soon too.
12.38
Press is PACKED compared to Furukawa’s panel. Not surprised. They’re playing Kara no Kyoukai songs on the PA.
12.36
We’re inside now. Second row, directly in front of the microphones. Looks like we’ll have a very good shot.
12.13
OK, it seems press does have to clear the room. We will be back shortly
12.05
I think I just saw the Kalafina entourage walk in the back door.
12.00
Furukawa is wrapping up now, the Kalafina panel liveblog will be here. Stay tuned! (Everything is running late; we’re going to send another staff member to Miyuki Sawashiro if it overlaps.)