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Anna May Belle - June 12th, 2008 - 7:57pm EST

The forums are back up and running! You may notice that they look a little different now. That's because we've switched from phpbb2 to SMF, and hopefully the new features of this forum will pay off! A big thanks goes out to AnimeBelle's sysadmin, Presence. The guy never shows up on our forums to chat, but he's always around when we need help, so send him a PM to thank him and hopefully he'll stick around a little while! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - June 12th, 2008 - 11:27pm EST

Hey y'all! The forums are going through a few technical difficulties. Don't worry, we're not modifying them, restructuring, or any of that, so we should be back soon! If you're a member of the Kimono Fashion Show at Metrocon 2008 and you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me, or post on the Metrocon forums. If anyone else has any more questions, feel free to step into the AnimeBelle chatroom! You can find out all about that by hitting that 'Chat' button on the top navigational bar. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - May 21st, 2008 - 4:58pm EST

The latest chapter of Nowaki went up yesterday, so be sure to go and read it! Also, in case y'all hadn't heard, I'm proud to officially announce that I'm going to be a guest at Metrocon 2008 and Anime South 2009. Make sure you check out these great events, and attend all of the fun AnimeBelle events that you can there. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 29th, 2008 - 3:53am EST

Hey y'all! Sorry it's been a while since the last post. Things have been a little hectic in the World of Anna May Belle. The latest chapter of Nowaki went up last week, which means the next new chapter is less than a week away. This upcoming Saturday, May 3rd, is known across the country by comic book fans as Free Comics Day. For those of you in northeastern Florida, this is also the day to visit Suncoast Comics in Jacksonville, to meet me, Anna May, and purchase my artwork.

Lots of great events are on the way in the months to come, including new events and contests right here on AnimeBelle.com, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 10th, 2008 - 2:47pm EST

Just wanted to remind you all that the latest chapter of Nowaki was posted two days ago on the Tales of Asajima website! This chapter's a big bonus, being almost double the length of the last couple of chapters. Enjoy!

In other news, our resident Anime News moderator otaking66 just let us know about a very interesting website. The "Homeland of Totoro Foundation", which seeks to preserve the beautiful Sayama Hills west of Tokyo Metro that helped inspire Hayao Miyazaki to create My Neighbor Totoro. If you'd like to find out more about the Homeland of Totoro Foundation and their efforts to keep the city's growth from destroying a beautiful natural habitat, you can find their English website here! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 7th, 2008 - 2:47am EST

There's been a huge update to the Anime Express X galleries, and all of the photos are now uploaded, so go check out the new Saturday and Sunday folders! The Florida convention season is officially underway so lots more conventions will be coming up. Keep checking back here on AnimeBelle for more information! In other words, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 31st, 2008 - 2:52am EST

The first batch of Anime Express X photos have hit the gallery! Be sure to go and check out the Friday photos from this fun little con. Lots more are coming soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 27th, 2008 - 12:11am EST

The ninth chapter of Nowaki went up two days ago, but things have been a little hectic around here after Anime Express. Photos of this awesomely fun little con should be going up soon! In the meantime, be sure to hop onto the AnimeBelle forums so you can wish Pa and Ma Belle a very happy 32nd Wedding Anniversary! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 11th, 2008 - 11:10am EST

The eighth chapter of Nowaki is up! Be sure to check out the Tales of Asajima website to read it. In other news, I'm thrilled to say I'll be a guest artist and author at Anime Express X, on March 21st-23rd. Be sure to stop by the AnimeBelle Room and check out some of our great events, panels, and game shows. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 28th, 2008 - 12:33am EST

The convention schedule has been updated, adding some new events. Go and check out EXPcon in St Augustine and Yasumicon in Miami! The latest chapter of Nowaki also went up last Tuesday, and you can find it on the Tales of Asajima website. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 12th, 2008 - 8:40pm EST

"Nowaki" returns to its normal schedule! The sixth chapter went up earlier today, but for those of you who don't check the Tales of Asajima website, or just forgot, consider this your reminder. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 2nd, 2008 - 2:02am EST

The announcement comes a little late, but the fifth chapter of Nowaki is up, and has been for several days now! Chapter Five is available now, and Chapter Six is slated for February 12th. So, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 23rd, 2008 - 7:06pm EST

All of the Anime South 2008 photos are up! The Sunday album was completed with the addition of over 150 new photos. Be sure to go and check them out. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 15th, 2008 - 2:57pm EST

Today's a big day for updates! For starters, Chapter Four of Nowaki is up! Be sure to go and read it, the story is really getting rolling now. Also, a ton more Anime South 2008 photos are finished and uploaded to the Saturday, Cosplay Contest, aniRAGE, and Kimono Fashion Show galleries. Lastly, I've updated the Clubs and Helpful Links sections of the Link Portal, with some new clubs and tons of resources on learning to speak, read, and write Japanese. Be sure to go and check them out! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 12th, 2008 - 11:49am EST

Another huge group of photos has been uploaded to the Saturday album of Anime South 2007, so be sure to go and check them out! More are still on the way, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 10th, 2008 - 11:56am EST

A whole bunch of links have been updated now! I just got through adding a bunch of Japanese cultural links to the Helpful Links section of our portal. The Upcoming Events and Previous Events pages of our convention calendar have also been updated. 2008 is looking to be a big year, with a whopping twenty-three events announced all over the south already! There's bound to be an anime con somewhere near you so there's no excuse not to make it to at least one this year. More updates coming soon so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 8th, 2008 - 1:02am EST

The Cosplay Contest gallery for Anime South 2007 is up! I've also updated the Saturday album with some new photos, so go and check them out now. The Anime South photos still aren't finished yet, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 4th, 2008 - 1:07am EST

Another big update to the Anime South 2007 gallery! This time, the Kimono Fashion Show photos are up, so if you were in it, if you missed it, or if you just want to see more of these beautiful kimono in my own private collection, then go check out the Anime South 2007 Kimono Fashion Show gallery. More photos are still to come, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 2nd, 2008 - 2:30am EST

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm pleased to have just added the Anime South 2007 gallery, though it's still a work-in-progress; many more photos will be added shortly. Also, Nowaki, the free webnovel on Tales of Asajima, was just updated with its third chapter! Go give it a read, so you're not too late to get caught up. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - December 18th, 2007 - 1:28am EST

The second chapter of Nowaki is now available! If you haven't started reading Nowaki yet, there's no better time than now. Just click the Tales of Asajima button up above to find the free webnovel, updated bi-weekly. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - December 11th, 2007 - 1:28am EST

The Features section has been updated, and graced with a wonderful interview with voice actors Richard Epcar and Ellyn Stern, from Anime South 2006. This interview is not to be missed! The duo will be back at Anime South 2007, so find out what they've been doing over the last year. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - December 5th, 2007 - 2:18am EST

It's been months in the making, but it's finally here! See that big banner above? That's the new project here on AnimeBelle, The Tales of Asajima. In the future, The Tales of Asajima website will be home to many of my writing projects, but today it hosts the first chapter of the new free webnovel, 'Nowaki'. The webnovel will be updated every two weeks on Tuesday, so be sure you come back an check it out when more chapters come. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - December 5th, 2007 - 3:33am EST

Would you believe that we just found an entire folder full of Janicon photos that we'd previously overlooked? Believe it! (or 'dattebayo!' for you purists) The Janicon photos aren't quite as close to finished as we thought, but this update of nearly 150 Sunday photos brings us a little closer. Enjoy! As always, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 30th, 2007 - 11:58pm EST

Another batch of Janicon photos is up, and we're nearing the end! Not a moment too soon, either, because Anime South is just around the bend. The final batch is coming before you know it, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 29th, 2007 - 1:35pm EST

More Janicon photos are up, mostly of Friday and Saturday. Be sure to check them out, and y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 27th, 2007 - 3:29pm EST

Hey y'all! Been a while since the last update, what with the holiday and all. But the Belle is back, with more Janicon photos! Be sure to go and check out the galleries, and keep checking back because we're still not finished. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 15th, 2007 - 5:57pm EST

More photos are up and the Janicon Costume Contest photos are finished! Be sure to go and check them out, because soon I'll be putting up even more photos. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 14th, 2007 - 7:20pm EST

Another huge batch of Janicon photos are up! This time we've finished the Kimono Fashion Show photos, and started on the Costume Contest gallery. Be sure to go and check them out! A bunch more photos will be on the way shortly. In other words, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 12th, 2007 - 10:15am EST

More Janicon photos are up! If you haven't seen them yet, check out the AniR.A.G.E Who's Line Is It Anime? photos. Since I'm no improv-comedian myself, this time we're bringing in guest captioners, the AniR.A.G.E crew themselves, to provide our captions! Also, the backstage photos of the Kimono Fashion Show are up, so you can see the beautiful vintage kimono from my collection being put on and modeled in front of a photo backdrop. More photos are on the way, including the fashion show's on-stage photos, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 7th, 2007 - 8:55am EST

I'm back from Janicon and boy are my arms tired! ...no, that wasn't a bad joke. I'd like to see you dress a few dozen people in kimono and obi and see how your arms feel! In any case, we're back with a ton of photos of this fun little first-year convention. In fact, 200 of them are already up! Be sure to go and check out the Janicon folder in the photo galleries. Tons more photos will be coming soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - November 1st, 2007 - 1:38am EST

If you're going to be in the Jacksonville, Florida area this weekend, I'm very pleased to say that I'm going to be a guest artist at Janicon. Come by and see me on Guest Alley. Besides selling my artwork, I'll also be running a number of events!

On Saturday, I'll be hosting the AnimeBelle Kimono Fashion Show in the Main Events room, starting at 1pm. This popular event has gotten even bigger and better, with even more traditional and modern Japanese garments. I'll also be running my Kitsuke: The Art of Kimono panel on Friday at 9pm, to give you an up-close and in-depth look at this beautiful style of clothing.

Come by and kick back with me at Midnight on Saturday night, as I host a two-hour AMV viewing. If gameshows are more to your tastes, then join me for the 100 Yen Pyramid at 7pm on Saturday.

On Sunday, I'll be conducting yet another in my series of live Inside The Anime Studio interviews. I'm very honored to be interviewing the very talented Luci Christian, so stop by at 11am on Sunday to watch.

It promises to be an exciting weekend, so if you can, stop by and visit with me! Bring money. ^^ There'll be lots of photos to post here on AnimeBelle when we get back, so if you can't be here in person, there will be plenty to show you what you missed. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 28th, 2007 - 10:08pm EST

It took a little over a month, but all of the Anime Weekend Atlanta 13 photos are up! After this huge update, we've got over 1800 photos posted of the con. Be sure to go and check them out. It won't be long before photos of the Suncoast Halloween Party and Janicon will be on the way. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 26th, 2007 - 7:45pm EST

Hey y'all! Just thought I'd post a reminder that Suncoast Comics in Jacksonville, Florida, will be hosting their Halloween party tomorrow! There will be fun, games, trivia, a costume contest, dunking booth, raffle, and more, so make sure you don't miss this great event. To find out more, check out this thread on the AnimeBelle forums! See y'all there tomorrow! And y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 23rd, 2007 - 6:02pm EST

A giant update to the AWA13 galleries have been uploaded! More will be on the way, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 16th, 2007 - 5:13pm EST

When will it end?! No time soon! Another big update to the AWA 13 album has been uploaded, and there's a ton to check out in the AMV Events and Costume Contest Prejudging folders, along with a few other photos scattered in other albums. Enjoy! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 14th, 2007 - 5:13pm EST

Another huge update to the AWA 13 album! This time, we've got more photos of the costume contest, and photos of the Bebop Lounge. This makes over 1300 photos so far, and we haven't even uploaded anything to the Sunday album, much less finished most of the others! So keep checking back, and y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 11th, 2007 - 1:33pm EST

Over 170 more photos of the AWA13 Costume Contest have been uploaded and we're still nowhere close to being finished! We'll probably have Halloween Photos to post from Suncoast Comics Halloween Party before AWA is even finished! There are still hundreds more photos to go, so you know what that means... Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 10th, 2007 - 12:57am EST

It's been a few days but now we've posted one-hundred photos of Anime Weekend Atlanta 13's costume contest. There were some incredible costumes on display this year. This is just a fraction of the photos; I uploaded 109 photos tonight but there are still hundreds to come. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 6th, 2007 - 3:37pm EST

Another giant batch of photos is up! This time of the musical guests. The Captains, The Emeralds, and Peelander-Z brought the house down on Saturday night, and now you get to see them rocking out. More photos are still on the way so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 4th, 2007 - 3:38am EST

Over 120 more photos have been uploaded to the Anime Weekend Atlanta galleries! If you've been keeping up with the updates, then go and check out the Saturday folder. If you haven't then there's no better time to take a look through all of the galleries. Lots more will be coming soon, of course, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 3rd, 2007 - 2:26am EST

Every day, another update! The Upcoming Events calendar has gotten a much-needed cleanup, as well as the Previous Events listings, with a number of new dates posted. But like every other day, I've also uploaded another bundle of photos to the Anime Weekend Atlanta gallery! Be sure to go and check them out soon, or else you might fall behind... We're adding more photos every day, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - October 2nd, 2007 - 4:06am EST

More photos have been added, this time to the Costume Contest Prejudging folder! The photographers here at AnimeBelle would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Anime Weekend Atlanta staff for giving us access to the prejudging area, and being so flexible to give us such a great spot to take photos in. If you're expecting both a long shot and an up-close shot of your costume, don't worry! Both will be up eventually, but photos were taken on three different cameras so it will take a little while to sort out. Of course, you know what that means... Y'all come on back now, yhear? ^^

Anna May Belle - September 30th, 2007 - 2:35pm EST

Another batch of Anime Weekend Atlanta photos is up! The Fire and Ice Ball was exceptional this year, so make sure you get a look at all of the lovely decor, beautiful gowns, handsome suits and of course the lady and gentlemen otaku in them! More are on the way, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - September 27th, 2007 - 11:45pm EST

Another update?! So soon! Another 100 or so photos have been added to the Anime Weekend Atlanta galleries. Go and check them out, y'all! But we're nowhere close to finished, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - September 27th, 2007 - 2:45pm EST

Nearly 200 more photos have been uploaded! These include events and cosplayers all over on Friday, the Fire and Ice Ball, and more! Make sure to check out the VAT panel photos and Vic Mignorna's concert under Musical Guests. Tons more photos are coming soon so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - September 26th, 2007 - 4:06am EST

We're back from Anime Weekend Atlanta! Boy was that a blast. You can generally gauge how much fun we at AnimeBelle have by how many photos we've taken. It's difficult to say how many will be posted at this point before we've had time to cull out blurry and superfluous shots, but I do feel confident saying it's well into the quadruple-digits! A big thanks goes out to all of the staff and fellow attendees who made the weekend so enjoyable, especially the VAT Staff. Some photos have already gone up and more photos will be posted shortly, so y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - September 18th, 2007 - 4:24pm EST

Didn't make it to the live Inside The Anime Studio interview with Scott McNeil at Metrocon? Well that's no problem, because we're posting video of the interview right here on AnimeBelle! To check it out, click on the Features button and then on the link under the brand new Interviews section. The interview was somewhere around an hour long, so it's being broken up into several installments, though they're all fun to watch. Be sure to check the first one out now! More will be coming, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - September 1st, 2007 - 3:48am EST

The last of the AFO 2007 photos are up! That means several hundred more were added just tonight, so be sure to go and check them out. Anime Weekend Atlanta is just around the corner, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 28th, 2007 - 11:43pm EST

A bunch more AFO photos have been posted! Be sure to go and check out the Friday, Sunday, and Costume Contest folders. Oh, and don't forget to stop by the forums and wish a Happy Birthday to Pa Belle, who put all of the hard work into retouching those photos! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 23rd, 2007 - 4:48am EST

The AFO photos are going up! The Saturday album has been the first to go up, but many more photos will becoming soon. Be sure to keep checking back for more updates. In other words, y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 14th, 2007 - 3:59am EST

It's finally finished! All of the Metrocon 2007 photos have finally been posted. Be sure to drop by the photo gallery and check all of them out! AFO photos will be coming soon, just as soon as poor Pa Belle has the opportunity to rest his aching wrist. You can thank him for painstakingly touching up all of those photos, removing red-eye (except for the ones who are supposed to have red eyes!), and making sure cosplayers look their best. Y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 8th, 2007 - 2:16pm EST

We're back from Anime Festival Orlando! However, it'll be a few days yet before any AFO photos start going up, because we're still posting Metrocon photos. A ton more just went up in several folders, so make sure you go and check it out! As soon as Metrocon photos are finished, the AFO photos will begin going up. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 3nd, 2007 - 1:10am EST

Nearly 300 photos have been uploaded! Not only have 100 more been added to the Metrocon gallery, but thanks to Duo-chan, we now have a gallery for Momocon 2007, the free convention held up in Atlanta, Georgia. I've sadly never been able to make it in person, so I'm thrilled to be able to upload photos of this convention! Be sure to go and check out the Metrocon costume contest photos, and the new Momocon 2007 gallery right away! I'll be off to Anime Festival Orlando but I'll be coming back with even more photos, and hopefully finishing up the Metrocon 2007 uploads soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - August 2nd, 2007 - 2:00am EST

Hundreds more Metrocon 2007 photos have been posted! It's one last huge push before Anime Festival Orlando rolls around this weekend. It's not the end of the updates though, so keep watching over the next couple of days. Amongst the photos uploaded, there's also an album of photos from our prolific satellite reporter Duo-chan. Her Momocon 2007 photos will be coming soon too! Just more and more reasons to keep checking back so, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 26th, 2007 - 4:53pm EST

There's been another Metrocon photo update, and it's a big one! Hundreds of photos have been uploaded to the Metrocon 2007 photo galleries. The Anime Human Chess Match update alone was huge, but several other folders have been updated too. But that's not all! Thanks to satellite reporter Duo-chan (formerly known on AnimeBelle as Yume Nezumi), more photos have been added to new folders under Anime South 2005, and Metrocon 2006. Be sure to check them all out! This may have been a massive update but many more are coming, too. As always, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 24th, 2007 - 5:39pm EST

We've reorganized Metrocon 2007's Anime Human Chess Match folder to start with the beginning of the show, and uploaded the first 100 photos! A lot more are coming soon so keep checking back. In other words, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 18th, 2007 - 2:37pm EST

A bunch more Metrocon photos have been added to the galleries! Several folders have been updated so make sure you check them all out! More photos are on the way so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 15th, 2007 - 7:13pm EST

Nearly 200 more photos have been added to the Metrocon photo gallery! I also have some great news, as AnimeBelle welcomes a new satellite reporter to the website. Yume Nezumi has sent in her first batch of photos which have been added to the Metrocon 2005 gallery. While this may be an update on an old con, more recent things will be coming soon. So be sure to check out both galleries! More photos are on the way so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 13th, 2007 - 3:43am EST

Over 100 more photos have been added to the Metrocon photo gallery! Of course, many more are still on the way. After all, we did take over 2000 photos at this con! We'll be adding more soon, so y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 11th, 2007 - 2:35am EST

Back from Metrocon, and photos are already going up! I want to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in the Kimono Fashion Show, the AMV Contest, my panels and games, and who took a piece or two of my art home from my table in Artist Alley. Now, without further adeau, on to the photos! We took over 2000 photos this weekend... Though actually, by "we", I mean Ma Belle and Pa Belle. While I was busy with events, Pa Belle stepped in and took over 1000 of those photos, and right now he's hard at work retouching them so they'll look their best. To see the first group of photos, check out the Metrocon 2007 gallery now! More will be coming soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - July 3rd, 2007 - 4:52pm EST

The last of the JACON 2007 photos have been uploaded! Nearly 200 photos have been added. We'll soon be off to Metrocon where I'll be running a number of events, and of course, we'll be bringing back hundreds of photos as always, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - June 23rd, 2007 - 2:17pm EST

Another huge bunch of photos has been uploaded to the JACON gallery. We're getting close to the end of them, and also close to the next con! Speaking of the next con, y'all be sure to drop by my Artist Alley table at Metrocon this year. I'll be a guest and I'll also be bringing tons of my one-of-a-kind wood crafts with my own original artwork on them. More photos coming soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - June 14th, 2007 - 3:00am EST

Over 130 more JACON photos have been uploaded! Be sure to go check them out and help us out by identifying these characters.

On that note, I have a saddening announcement to make. While you can still leave comments on photos, unfortunately they will no longer be visible to the public; as administrator, I am the only one who will be able to view them. I'm disappointed that it's come to this, but unfortunately, many people never heard that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. Commenting on photos is a privilege, not a right, and when people abuse that privilege, it has to be taken away.

However, if you do wish to make a comment public, feel free to sign up on the AnimeBelle forums and start talking there! There are still more photos to come, so as always, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - June 6th, 2007 - 5:20pm EST

Wow, it's been a while since I've made a front page post, and it's been a while since I uploaded more photos too. Well, time to fix both of those problems! When it rains it pours, and a lot of things delayed this update, but now over 300 photos have been added to the JACON 2007 gallery. Be sure to go and check them out! As always, the big thanks goes to Pa Belle for sacrificing his time and the health of his right-hand wrist to touch up all of these photos. There are still more photos to come, so y'all... Wait, I'm not done with this update!

With JACON behind us, even though we're still uploading photos, it's already time to gear up for another convention. I'll be a guest at Metrocon this year and I hope to see all of my friends and fellow Belleites stop by my Artist Alley table. I'll be right next to Steve Bennett and Doug Smith, so you can't miss it. I will also be running the Kimono Fashion Show at 5pm on Friday, which still needs female models! If you will be there by that time, please go to our forums and check under the Metrocon board for details about modeling. Hoping to see you all there and... for real this time... Y'all come on back now, y'hear? ^^

Anna May Belle - May 20th, 2007 - 2:35am EST

There's been another big 'ol update to the photo gallery, y'all! Over 100 photos have been added to the Cosplay Court, Friday, and Wasabi Animusical folders, courtesy of Pa Belle. So y'all run and check them out, and y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - May 15th, 2007 - 2:27am EST

Another batch of photos have been posted, this time to JACON 2007's Cosplay Court gallery! I hope you enjoy them while waiting on the next batch to go up, which should be very soon! So as always... Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - May 14th, 2007 - 1:50am EST

Happy belated Mother's Day to you all! I would've posted yesterday, but Ma Belle actually spent much of her Mother's Day helping me with much-needed preparations for the Kimono Fashion Show that I will be hosting at Metrocon this year!

In other news, the first batch of JACON 2007 photos have been uploaded. Over 120 photos are up and they're only a fraction of the photos we'll be uploading in the days to come. Be sure to go and check them all out, and y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - May 2nd, 2007 - 6:06pm EST

It's been too long since the last update! I've been hard at work preparing for conventions this year, especially Metrocon in Tampa. Their AMV contest rules are up so be sure you check them out... I am honored to be MCing the AMV contest this year so I expect all of you Belleites to send in your videos! In other news, I have uploaded the photos from Freecon in Tallahassee, Florida. Be sure to go and check them out! Also, thank Pa Belle for his great photo retouches. JACON is coming up soon, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 12th, 2007 - 2:42pm EST

The Belleites and I who attended Freecon last Saturday really enjoyed ourselves, though we wish we could've stayed for the whole weekend! We'll be posting photos of the con shortly. We look forward to seeing many of you at Anime Express 9.5 this coming weekend, and photos of that event will follow shortly thereafter! The convention doors open at 8am and close at 10pm, so be sure to stop by and check it out. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 6th, 2007 - 12:38am EST

Just wanted to give you folks the heads-up, that Anime Express has managed to get back on their feet this year and will be holding a one-day-only on Sunday, April 15th. Passes are only $10, so if you can, make sure you're there to support Florida's oldest all-anime convention, especially after they came back from the Christmas tornados that wrecked the con's home, Embry Riddle Aeronatics University. The Belles will be there running a room as usual, and I'll be a guest, so be sure to pop in and say hi! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - April 1st, 2007 - 1:27am EST

I have an announcement, and no, it's no April Fools Joke. I will be appearing as a guest at Metrocon 2007 this July. I'll be running panels and events all weekend, and when I'm not running something or photographing a main event, come swing by my table in Artist Alley and say hi! I'll also be MCing the AMV contest this year, so I expect each and every one of you to have a video entered! The AMV contest rules will be up soon so check out Metrocon's website for more information. But as always, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 18th, 2007 - 12:14am EST

I got another big group of over a hundred AFO photos uploaded! Tomorrow I'll start on uploading the lost Metrocon photos, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 17th, 2007 - 2:59pm EST

I want to start out by saying the anime viewing at Suncoast Comics last night was a blast! Thanks to all who attended, and a huge thanks to Bill, the owner of the shop, for allowing us to meet there. Suncoast Comics has some big plans in their future and I know that the Jacksonville-area anime community is going to love what he's got in store for us.

We here at AnimeBelle were horrified to realize how many photos had been overlooked from Metrocon and AFO last year! Pa Belle has gotten back to work retouching photos and preparing them for upload, and I just uploaded over 260 of them today. Be sure to go check out the updated Anime Festival Orlando 2006 album! More are on the way, and I'll be uploading at least 100 more later today, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 12th, 2007 - 12:49pm EST

Do you live in Florida, in the Jacksonville/Orange Park/St. Augustine/Green Cove Springs area? Then we have an event for you! Starting this Friday, the AnimeBelle Fans Association will be holding viewings at Suncoast Comics in Jacksonville, Florida. The store has been remodeled and now carries over 100,000 comic book issues in store, plus trade paperbacks, graphic novels, miniatures, trading card games, and more! They've been in business for over fourteen years. They're also exclusive dealers for Hard Hero Statues™ and the only ones in Northeast Florida with Drawer Boxes.

The AnimeBelle Fans Association is proud to be holding meetings and viewings at this location! It will be open to the public, and our first meeting/viewing will be on Friday, March 16th, at 7pm. Be there! If you need directions and information, you can visit the Suncoast Comics Website here! Y'all come on down to Suncoast this Friday, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - March 11th, 2007 - 8:45pm EST

Bet you weren't expecting more Anime South photos! Our good buddy NyghtSpektor has sent in the photos that he took at Anime South. All weekend long, those photos were laid out on the registration desk and were autographed by their cosplayers. They've been uploaded in a new User-Submitted album in the Anime South photo gallery, so go check it out! And y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 21st, 2007 - 2:03am EST

The AMV Gallery has finally been updated! Most of the AMVs created by Ma Belle (Wasted Days and Wasted Nights Productions) and myself (AnimeBelle Studios) have been posted again for all to see. We hope you enjoy them! As always, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 20th, 2007 - 1:17am EST

Figured it was time to give you folks a run-down on the 2007 Spring Con Season. Our first convention on the schedule is Momocon in Atlanta, Georgia, which will be held on March 17th-18th. This is only a two-day convention, but on the up-side, it's free! That's right, no pricy ticket at the door. That leaves $30-$50 more to spend in the dealer's room. Or maybe you might eat something that weekend other than instant ramen. ...who am I kidding?

You have no excuse for staying home the weekend of April 13th-15th, because there are two awesome anime conventions happening. Down in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is the Anime Supercon. They've got some great voice-actors lined up, several of which are new to the Florida convention scene. If you're too far north to make it to Anime Supercon, then maybe MTAC is in your stomping grounds. MTAC, short for the Middle-Tennessee Anime Convention, is held in Nashville, Tennessee. This will be MTAC's seventh year, and this year is titled "MTAC Prime". They have a number of awesome, unique events, such as a Host Club, Martial Arts Track, and more.

Two weeks later, on April 27th-29th, Anime Matsuri will be taking place in Houston, Texas. They fill a huge venue with tons of events and panels, the arcade competition "Showdown Championships 2007" played out live at the con, and a large list of guests including Japanese musicians (modern and traditional,) and even a stunt team!

May 4th-6th is JACON in Orlando, Florida. The name of the hotel has changed, but they're still in the same place as last year. Like MTAC Prime, they'll be featuring a Host Club this year, but also a Cosplay Photo Shoot Contest and a Prince of Tennis-themed tennis tournament! If you're a fan of the show, then don't forget your racket! They haven't announced any guests yet, but the con is still months away, and as soon as they do, we'll be sure to let you know.

The next convention needs no introduction. A-Kon, running June 1st-3rd, is returning for its eighteenth year! Looks like this crazy "anime" thing is here to stay. While the convention is still months away, their Artist Alley is already sold out! They have a great looking list of guests, including our good buddy Steve Bennett of the Koala Klub, who will be running his always-entertaining and educational cel painting class.

June 15th-17th is another double-header. Anime Mid-Atlantic in Richmond, Virginia will be held for its seventh year, with an impressive list of very unique guests. There will be concerts, a charity auction, and all of the staple anime con events. Meanwhile down in Huntsville, Alabama, PersaCon will be opening its doors. They only have one guest announced at the moment, but he's not the same guest you'll see at every other con in the state! They're also hosting an AMV Iron Editor competition.

On the weekend of June 22nd-24th, the El Paso Anime Con will be held in... that's right, you guessed it, it'll be in El Paso, Texas. They haven't announced much about their convention, but it's still months away, so keep an eye on this convention and see how it develops.

Metrocon 2007 will be their fifth year, and they will kick off the Summer Southern Con Season. They have a lot of fun, unique events, like the Anime Human Chess Match, or their formal dance with its ongoing plot and scenes throughout the night. We'll be letting you know more about this one when summer draws closer. In the meantime, I hope this list of cons helps you figure out what you'll be doing this spring! As always, wherever you go, keep your eyes peeled for a certain blue-haired southern belle! If she points a camera at you, then you just might wind up on AnimeBelle. Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 9th, 2007 - 4:27am EST

The first group of the Lost Anime Festival Orlando photos has been uploaded! That's 90 brand new photos that got overlooked before, and believe it or not, that's not nearly all of them. More will be coming soon! Thank Pa Belle for all the hard work to get these ready to upload so fast. Y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 8th, 2007 - 3:17am EST

The Events Calendar has had an update, with some repaired links and updated dates. Unfortunately, Anime Express has been forced to cancel this year due to severe damage inflicted on the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University by the tornados on Christmas Day 2006. It is my sincere hope, as with many other anime fans in the area, that the longest-running anime convention in Florida will be able to recover from this setback and that we'll be able to attend and enjoy this event again soon. So to Anime Express, and everyone else, y'all come on back soon now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 7nd, 2007 - 4:42am EST

The last big 'ol group of Anime South photos have been uploaded! And wouldn't you know it? We just stumbled on a bunch of "lost Anime Festival Orlando 2006" photos that still need to be touched up and uploaded. We'll be posting those too just as soon as they're done, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - February 2nd, 2007 - 5:04am EST

Another big group of Anime South photos have been uploaded! Y'all go and be sure to check them out and identify any characters that are left unnamed. No need to send an e-mail, just click that "Add Comment" link and post the info right on the picture! You don't even need to register. You can also leave comments on any photos and costumes you like. Remember to be nice though... If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. But most importantly, y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 22nd, 2007 - 12:30am EST

A giant update has been made to the links section! Of particular note, be sure to check the Clubs and Helpful Links sections. We've now managed to cover every southern state in our clubs section, as well as provide links for a large number of Japanese studies resources throughout the south. So make AnimeBelle.com your Japanese information hub! And y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 7th, 2007 - 12:02pm EST

I was out of town for a few days so I wasn't able to do some much-needed work on the newly updated site... Like adding a couple of events I'd forgotten about to the calendar! Oops! Well, they're there now, so be sure to go give it a look! Y'all come on back now, y'hear?

Anna May Belle - January 1st, 2007 - 4pm EST

At last, it's here! It's taken many months, but finally the new AnimeBelle.com update is here. I want to give you a little rundown of some of the website's new features.

The Features section has been reorganized, and has absorbed what used to be the Stars. The Events Calendar has been expanded to list upcoming conventions, events, and AnimeBelle events. The Webcomics section has also been added, which is where you can now find Shades of Red. In the future, it will also host other webcomics.

By far, I'm the most proud of the Link Portal. AnimeBelle.com has always been intended as a portal to the southern anime community, but the poor old links section had only eight links in it. The new Links section has absorbed the old Clubs section, and the links that were provided in the Art area. I've also added a great deal of community links, shops, and other helpful resources. It's a bright year ahead of us, so y'all come on back now, y'hear?

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