With CharaExpo only 1 day away, we have compiled the quintessential guide for you on how to get the most out of your eight bucks (or six, if you have already bought the early bird tickets).
1. Buy the early-bird tickets
If you have not gotten your tickets for CharaExpo, get them before the event to avoid any long ticketing queues! The early-bird tickets cost only $6 each. Sales for on-site tickets, costing $8 each, will commence at 9am and close at 6pm daily. You can get them at various hobby stores, Sony Stores (313@Somerset, Bugis, NEX and IMM outlets) and online via Peatix. The Peatix ticket redemption counter will operate from 1pm to 6pm on 19 June, and from 8.30am to 6pm on 20 and 21 June. Click here for the full list of stores where you may purchase the ticket.
Children 12 years of age and under have free admission to the event. However, do not forget to bring your school ID along for verification.
2. Be there early
CharaExpo will open its doors at 10am sharp. Plan to reach there at least half an hour before. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9.45am on 20 June! Be there early to get into the queues for exclusive items. Many Japan-only merchandise are on sale at the event, such as Angel Beats character designer Na-Ga's limited-edition artbook, rindou, the Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls T-shirts from Cospa and the Love Live! collaboration goods from Kanda Matsuri. You won't want to wait till they sell out!
How to get to CharaExpo at the Singapore Expo Hall 7:
- By Train
Alight at CG1 Expo MRT Station and follow the directions towards Singapore Expo Hall 7.
- By Bus
Board Bus 12, 24, 38 and alight at Bus Stop #96039. Follow the directions towards Singapore Expo Hall 7.
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| Na-Ga's limited-edition artbook, rindou |
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| Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls T-shirts from Cospa |
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| Love Live! collaboration goods from Kanda Matsuri |
In addition, the first 15,000 through the door will receive an exclusive free goodie bag. All the more reason for you to head there early.
Front-row New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) tickets will also be on sale from 10am at $5 each, while stocks last, at the NJPW booth (B05).
- There is a limit to the number of tickets you may purchase per day.
- Tickets are only valid on the day of purchase.
- All seats are free seating, apart from the reserved seats for VIPs.
3. Plan your schedule
Stage Programmes | Autograph Sessions | Exhibitors' Booths | Creators' Booths
a. Stage Programmes
CharaExpo will be holding several stage programmes concurrently throughout the day. Plan well for which stage programmes you will be attending so that you will not miss the chance to catch your favourite creators and talents live on stage.
There will be performances by anisong singers Ayano Mashiro and Maon Kurosaki and special stage programmes at the main Entertainment stage.
Live drawing sessions will take place at the Mini Stage.
Wrestling matches featuring NJPW and Singapore Pro-Wrestling wrestlers, and NJPW talk shows will be held at the Pro-Wrestling Ring Area.
b. Autograph Sessions
Be clear about the timings for each autograph session. NJPW wrestlers' autograph sessions will take place at the Pro-Wrestling Ring Area while the illustrators' autograph sessions will be held at the Mini Stage.
- Do note that autograph sessions are limited only to the first 50 to 70 fans in line, depending on the creator.
- Printed autograph boards will be provided free-of-charge.
- However, autograph tickets are required for Akira Itou, Masami Obari, Tamura Mitsuhisa, Daisukelzuka and Kaoru Hagiya's signing sessions.
- A minimum purchase of $10 at any of the Trading Card Games retail booth will entitle you to 1 autograph ticket.
- No ticket or purchase is necessary for Mel Kishida's signing sessions.
- A purchase is necessary for Ryo Horikawa's signing session. Fans are advised to check with the staff at the Ameiro Rainy Cocoa/Ryo Horikawa booth (H08) for more information.
- Mel Kishida's autograph session is limited only to the first 70 fans in line.
- A minimum purchase of $30 at the NJPW booth (B05) will entitle you to one autograph ticket for the autograph session at the Pro-Wrestling Ring Area.
- Ticket sales for the live NJPW matches do not count.
- Autograph boards will be provided for free.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jushin Thunder Liger will be signing on 20 June while Shinsuke Nakamura and Kazuchika Okada will be signing on 21 June, from 12pm onwards.
- Exhibitor Frontwing (booth H09) will also be organising their own autograph session for illustrators Akio Watanabe, Nanaca Mai, Fumio and Kuchuu Yusai from on 20 June, from 1.30pm onwards.
- Autographs will be limited to the first 100 in line on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- There is a participation fee of $10 for the autograph session.
- Printed illustration boards will be provided.
- Participants stand a chance to win original hand-drawn illustrations drawn by the illustrators during the live-drawing sessions in a ruffle too.
c. Exhibitors' Events and Promotions
Check out our buying guides on Love Live!, The Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls goods and studio VisualArt's/Key's Little Busters and Angel Beats goods. For the full listing of goods on sale, check out the CharaExpo website, Twitter or Facebook page for the latest updates.
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| Love Live! and Cinderella Girls Buying Guide |
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| Studio Key's Buying Guide |
Some of the exhibitors will be organising their own activities throughout the day and holding promotions at CharaExpo. There will be a sure-win lucky dip (kuji) with a minimum purchase of $40 at the Bushiroad booth where stand a chance to win Love Live! School Idol Festival PR cards and exclusively-signed autograph boards by any one of the Milky Holmes voice actresses, Mimori Suzuko, Tokui Sora, Mikoi Sasaki or Izumi Kitta.
Frontwing will be holding a Grisaia interactive puzzle hunt where the first 500 solvers on each day will receive an event-exclusive postcard. More details and instructions are stated in the fine print in the image.
Sony will be giving out tickets to a meet-and-greet session with Ayano Mashiro or front-seat tickets to the NJPW live-wrestling matches with any purchase.
- The Meet-and-Greet session will take place at the Sony booth (D13) from 4.00pm to 4.45pm on both days.
- NJPW live-wrestling matches will take place at the Pro-Wrestling Ring Area from 4.00pm to 5.15pm on both days.
EGOIST, yanaginagi, Hachioji-P and BEATLESS goods will be on sale at the INCS booth (G02) tomorrow!
d. Watch some movies and be Singapore's No. 1 Otaku
Watch your favourite anime movies at CharaExpo! Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova- DC and The Last: Naruto the Movie will be showing daily at the Movie Area!
- Free movie vouchers will be given out 1 hour before the screening time.
- Limited to only 200 tickets per session.
Pit your anime and manga knowledge against others in the Otaku Wars challenge and be crowned Singapore's ultimate otaku!
- From 1.00pm to 1.30pm daily
- Guess who will be hosting? Attend the event to find out more!
4. Get enough rest and drink plenty of water
Ensure that you get sufficient rest the day before. You won't want to turn up to CharaExpo feeling all lethargic and torpid. I could write another paragraph about the importance of sleep and why teenagers require at least 8 hours of sleep but let's not do that. The hall will probably be crowded and hot too so stay sufficiently hydrated! Stay safe at CharaExpo and enjoy yourselves!
5. Be familiar with the dos and don'ts
Take some time to read the CharaExpo Regulations before you attend the event. Remember to cosplay decently and ask the guests and cosplayers before taking any photographs of them! Photography is also not permitted at certain areas and some guests may not wish to be photographed.
Let's all have a safe and pleasant time at the event!
Stay updated with social media!
Follow XDantheManX Online's Twitter handle, @TanoshiiNow and Facebook page for live updates from the event. We will be tweeting with the hashtag #charaexpo.
We will be reporting live on the event highlights on both days!
