Today’s edition of "Cel Shaded" leads off with something from the "wow, I’m surprised I haven’t heard about something like this before" file: A program has been launched to donate anime to U.S. troops serving overseas.

The Stuf for Service Men & Women Program, hosted by online retailer Right Stuf in conjunction with Tunes 4 the Troops (www.tunes4thetroops.org), makes it simple for anime fans (or those with credit cards or a PayPal account handy, anyway) to help. For a $20 donation, Right Stuf will send what it calls "a bundle of anime joy" to Tunes 4 the Troops. Pictures posted on the site indicate those bundles will probably contain three or four DVDs, perhaps even a CD or two. The retailer will match any donation, making each bundle’s value $40.

"We appreciate the sacrifices that the men and women who serve in the military make on our behalf … and we also know — firsthand — that a large number of them are anime fans!" a statement on Right Stuf’s website reads.

Fair enough. You can start the donation process by visiting bit.ly/fODCga.

KAWAII KON HAS A (MOONLIGHT MAGIC) BALL

Kawaii Kon attendees who are also interested in ballroom dancing will be pleased to know the convention’s formal dance, the Moonlight Magic Ball, will be returning this year. The event will be April 30, the convention’s second day. Dress code is "black tie invited," meaning tuxedos for men and cocktail dresses, gowns or dressy evening separates for women.

Tickets, priced at $16 through Feb. 28 and $20 at the door, can be purchased online at bit.ly/bRbMBs. Visit bit.ly/f0aK6v for more dance details.

Meanwhile, congratulations to James Wang, Koichi Saito and Janelle Macapinlac, the first three qualifiers for this year’s Karaoke Kompetition. Missed qualifying on Sunday? You have another chance with the second preliminary round March 20 at Orvis Auditorium on the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus. Details are pending.

‘NEMU*NEMU’ AIMS FOR THE TOP

TopWebComics.com, as the site describes itself, is dedicated to promoting online comics. "Webcomics participate in the hope of attracting new readers, while giving back to the community by bringing their own fans to TWC to find other webcomics," the description reads. The higher the ranking, the greater the exposure.

One of the comics slowly making its way up the list is home-grown plush comic "nemu*nemu," which was hovering around the top 50 as of Monday. It’s certainly an accomplishment, considering there are close to 3,300 series listed on the site. But co-creators Audra Furuichi and Scott Yoshinaga are aiming a tad higher than that — the top 10, to be exact.

In exchange for votes, they’re offering large versions of their artwork perfect as computer desktop wallpaper — a more than fair trade for a few clicks, I’d say. After voting, scroll down a bit on the page to find the wallpaper in full-size glory. Vote for the strip at bit.ly/az4ue3.

ANIME AROUND TOWN

» MangaBento: This group of anime- and manga-inspired artists meets from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Academy Art Center, 1111 Victoria St., Room 200. Visit www.manga-bento.com.

Speaking of MangaBento, if you haven’t gone to see the group’s "Kakimochi" exhibit yet — also at the Academy Art Center — you have until Feb. 19 to do so. It looks great, with a wide variety of art styles on display. Visit bit.ly/eCyjrj for a peek at the exhibit.