With September finally here, the 2010 convention season is coming to an end. To celebrate the end of the summer, I’m making my way to Atlanta for the second time since 2009. While making preparations for my Atlanta trip, I’m working on a third website just in time for the release of the next Square-Enix MMORPG. And we look back at the life of a famed Anime director who left us in August.

Final Fantasy Pavilion

With less than a month remaining until the release of Final Fantasy XIV, Rukishou, Jamaipanese, and myself is launching a new Final Fantasy fansite called Final Fantasy Pavilion, or FFPavilion or The Pavilion.

Final Fantasy Pavilion focuses mainly on FFXIV, but there are plans to add other titles in the database of Square’s extensive library of Final Fantasy games and their many spinoffs such as Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII. The site opens to the public on September 30th (the time of the Regular Edition release), but you can check out the site right this moment and become a member, although there’s not much to do until the forum and the site is up and running. @FFPavilion is also on Twitter!

Being a veteran FFXI player, I am fully prepared for what lies ahead in Eorzea. I will be able to embark in just a few months, allowing an invite into PS3 beta or a custom built PC specifically for FFXIV into the month of November…

Satoshi Kon

The anime community is morning the loss of famed director Satoshi Kon who passed away at the age of 47. Kon was the man behind full-length anime films such as Memories, Perfect Blue, Millenium Actresss, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika, including the 12 episode anime series, Paranoia Agent.

The first film of Kon’s I watched was Perfect Blue. I did not read about it (and this was a few years before discovering anime magazines), but seeing it in the listings of it being a “Japanese animated” feature film sealed the deal. I watched it from the beginning to the end, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The same can be said for his other works, especially Paranoia Agent during it’s run on Adult Swim years ago.

It was a shock hearing of his death. Watching Satoshi Kon’s movies is impossible to not like. Any of his works is on every anime watcher’s recommendation list, especially mine. Kon-sensei is gone, but definitely not forgotten. His legacy will live on for years to come.

Anime Weekend Atlanta 16

I will be returning to Atlanta for the 16th annual Anime Weekend Atlanta convention on September 17th at the Cobb Galleria Centre. This will be my second time attending the long running convention, but the first time attending as a member of the press!

While juggling getting back and forth to cosplay photoshoots on Saturday as Rukia (Bleach), Pan (Dragonball GT), and Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala), I will be interviewing a guest or two for the blog and the podcast. Who will it be? Vic, Travis, Laura, Lisa, Micheal, or Shinji? But I can’t make any promises (especially since I’m cosplaying as three characters in one day) as the guests may not be able to keep theirs.*

For those en-route to AWA as well, the full guest list (including musical guests Molice and Mayu) and the Gathering and Meetup Times thread on Cosplay.com is waiting for you!

BONUS! AWA 16 will mark the final year of the epic Yaoi After Dark panel. The host of YAD, Violaine, has released a commercial. Being a Yaoi event, it is 18+ (the Friday Meet & Greet is open to all ages), but the commercial is safe for viewing. @yaoiafterdark is also on Twitter!