The following is an archive of Anime Expo® 2010 guest listing:
Guests of Honor
Saki Aibu
Saki Aibu is a well-known Japanese actress, having starred in over 25 TV shows and 4 feature-length movies. Ms. Aibu recently acted as Izawa Riiko on the TV show, Zettai Kareshi, which was adapted from a popular manga series. She has also lent her vocal talents to characters in various anime titles, including Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (Remi Altava), Doraemon: Nobita no Shin Makai Daibōken (Miwako Mangetsu) andKaiketsu Zorori (Tail).
AKB48
AKB48 comes to America to deliver a one-of-a-kind, powerhouse performance exclusively for Anime Expo attendees. As this year’s Special Dream Ambassadors, the group members are passionate about representing and spreading Japanese pop culture to American fans.
Yuu Asakawa
Yuu Asakawa has enjoyed much success over her career as a seiyuu. Her extensive list of credits includes Love Hina series (Motoko Aoyama), School Rumble (Otoko Osakabe), the Vandread series (Jura Basil Elden), Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 (Priss S. Asagiri) and Azumanga Daioh (Sakaki), and more.
BENI
BENI is most known for her singles Harmony, Here Alone, Mou Nido to… and Yurayura. She has also lent her vocal talents to the ending theme songs for the anime titles Eyeshield 21 and Major. The pop star’s most recent album, Lovebox, debuted to impressive numbers and took the top spot on the Oricon charts.
Cast of Kisaragi
KISARAGI was originally released as a film in 2007. The critically acclaimed film received various awards including the 31st Japan Academy Award Picture of the Year, the 51st Blue Ribbon Award and the Katteni Eiga Award. In 2009, it was adapted into a theatrical play in Japan and China and opened to rave reviews.
Kyle Hebert
Kyle Hebert is a Los Angeles-based anime and video game voice actor whose list of credits include over 80 individual projects. A favorite among fans, Kyle has enjoyed much success over the course of his career.
Rei Hiroe
Mr. Hiroe is the sole creator and artist of the popular manga series, BLACK LAGOON. Since its creation in 2002, the manga has sold over 4.5 million copies in Japan alone, and has been translated into multiple languages and published throughout the world. The English version released in North America has been a smash hit for VIZ Media since the series’ debut in 2008.
Yui Horie
Yui Horie has been an integral part of the voice acting industry since her debut. She has been featured in more than 125 popular anime titles, including Love Hina (Naru Narusegawa), Fruits Basket (Toru Honda), School Rumble (Eri Sawachika) and Negima! (Makie Sasaki). Also an accomplished singer, Ms. Horie has performed the theme song for anime titles such as Toradora!, Love Hina Again and Otoboku.
Tomohiko Ishii
Tomohiko Ishii began his work in the industry in 1999 as assistant producer for Spirited Away, The Cat Returns and Howl’s Moving Castle. In 2006, he joined Production I.G and produced Sky Crawlers. His credit list also includes the anime Eden of the East, where we produced both the TV series and the two theatrical movies.
Kenji Kamiyama
Kenji Kamiyama is an accomplished anime creator, director, artist and writer. Some of his most well-known roles include director for Eden of the East, director forGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, writer for Blood: The Last Vampire, and animation director for Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.
Toshihiro Kawamoto
Toshihiro Kawamoto is among the most well-known animators and character designers in the industry. His impressive career spans over two decades in which he has worked on titles such as Cowboy Bebop, the Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 series, Golden Boy and Wolf’s Rain as chief animation director and character designer.
Eri Kitamura
Eri Kitamura found success in her first major role as Saya Otonashi in the anime Blood+. Soon after, her list of credits grew to include several well-known anime titles, most notably Minami-ke (Yuka Uchida), Ga-Rei -Zero- (Natsuki Kasuga), Queen’s Blade (Alleyne) and Kodomo no Jikan (Rin Kokonoe).
Katsuyuki Konishi
One of the most popular and established voice actors in all of Japan, Mr. Konishi has lent his talents to hundreds of well-known anime titles. His role as Kamina in the Gurren LagannTV Series, Johann Trinity in Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Komui Lee in D.Gray-man, and Ozma Lee in Macross Frontier, have helped solidify his position as an accomplished Japanese seiyuu.
May’n
Since her debut in 2005, May’n has made her mark in the industry as an accomplished musical artist. She found fame when she was chosen to be the singing voice for Sheryl Nome in Macross Frontier. Since landing that role, May’n has released several hit songs as her Macross Frontier character, including Diamond Crevasse and Lion.
MELL
MELL has lent her vocal talents to various anime titles, singing the openings for Rideback, Sky Girls and Black Lagoon. She is also featured on the soundtracks of Hayate the Combat Butler and KILL, a live-action feature film by Mamoru Oshii.
Masakazu Morita
Famous voice actor Masakazu Morita is most known for his role as Ichigo Kurosaki in BLEACH. He has also lent his talents to the anime titles Final Fantasy X as Tidus, Gundam Seed Destiny as Auel Neider and Sengoku Basara as Maeda Keiji.
Megumi Nakajima
Megumi Nakajima entered the industry with the ambition to spread her love of music to her fans worldwide. She is most known for her role as Ranka Lee in the anime series, Macross Frontier. Ms. Nakajima also performed the theme song for the popular anime, as well as various other songs featured on the soundtrack.
Satoru Nakamura
Accomplished animator and animation supervisor; some of his best-known works include: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Moribito – Guardian of the Sacred Spirit and Library War. He has most recently worked as an animation supervisor for Eden of the East (TV series) and the franchise’s two theatrical movies.
RSP
RSP comes to Anime Expo to celebrate their involvement with the popular anime, BLEACH. The group has released several fan-favorite singles, including A Street Story and the female version of Lifetime Respect. RSP also recorded two ending songs for BLEACH – Kansha and Tabidatsu Kimi e.
SOPHIA
Formed in 1994, the Japanese rock band has enjoyed much success through the years with the release of more than 15 albums and 35 hit singles. The band’s single, Boku wa Kokoni iru, was used as an ending theme for the anime Kaleido Star.
Shinichi "Nabeshin" Watanabe
The charismatic director is among the most well-known anime directors in Japan. Mr. Watanabe is a favorite among fans for his directorial work on Excel Saga, Puni Puni Poemy, The Wallflower, Tenchi Muyo! GXP and Nerima Daikon Brothers along with many other titles.
Special Guests
Danny Choo
Danny Choo is an accomplished writer, blogger, television personality and anime enthusiast. Known internationally for his antics as the “Tokyo Stormtrooper,” Danny Choo has been regularly featured in web, print and broadcast media such as CNN, BBC and G4TV.
Nobuyuki Takahashi
Nobuyuki Takahashi comes to Anime Expo as an accomplished member of the anime industry. He has been active in the world of publication, advertising and product development as a producer and coordinator.
Japanese DJs
The DJs will offer an eclectic mix of international dance music including Japanese hard rock, heavy metal and hardcore pop. Attendees can dance the night away to an exhilarating soundtrack made possible by these accomplished and well-known Japanese DJs.
Industry Guest
Kase Aina
Anime Expo welcomes vocalist Kase Aina as an industry guest of MangaGamer. She performed the opening theme for Sora wo Tobu, Mittsu no Houhou, as well as songs in the Da Capo and Valkyrie Complex Vocal Albums.
Yasushi Akimoto
Yasushi Akimoto is an award-winning lyricist, producer and director. Mr. Akimoto created the all-female musical group, AKB48, which has enjoyed much success and increased popularity over the years.
Johnny Yong Bosch
Voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch will attend Anime Expo 2010 as an official co-host of the fan-favorite competition, AX Idol. As the frontman for the edge rock band, Eyeshine, Johnny & his band will also open the AX Idol event with a mini-set of 3 songs.
Vic Mignona
Vic Mignona comes to Anime Expo as a 2010 AX Idol judge. Vic has been acting for stage and screen since he was 8 years old. His career in anime began about ten years ago as Vega in Streetfighter II. Since then, Vic has been in more than a 150 shows and video games.
Jason Miller
Jason C. Miller will join the AX Idol 2010 judge line-up. Jason is an accomplished and multi-faceted performer, with more than a decade of professional experience as a musician, songwriter, actor and voice personality. On screen, Miller most recently appeared in the Sci-Fi Network movie Battle Planet.
Kuribayashi Minami
Anime Expo welcomes voice actress Kuribayashi Minami as an industry guest of MangaGamer. Most known for her role as Suzumiya Haruka in Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien(Rumbling Hearts) and Erstin Ho in Mai-Otome.
Katie Noma
Award-winning producer Katie Noma will join Anime Expo as a 2010 Industry Guest. Noma’s first film KISARAGI (2007) received various awards including the 31st Japan Academy Award Picture of the Year, the 51st Blue Ribbon Award and the Katteni Eiga Award.
Mitsutoshi Ogura
Mitsutoshi Ogura is one of the most prolific producers at Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan, LLC. He is responsible for many of their flagship franchises, such asFate/stay night, and Black Lagoon. Mr. Ogura has also worked on many fan-favorite anime titles such as Mahoromatic and Kamen no Maid Guy.
Kaeko Sakamoto
Kaeko Sakamoto joins Anime Expo as a 2010 AX Idol judge. Kaeko Sakamoto is the Vice President of Bang Zoom! Entertainment and an award-winning casting director. Ms. Sakamoto has worked as a producer and casting director for a immense number of English language dubs, including Samurai Champloo, Saiyuki Reload, Eureka Seven, etc.
Eric P. Sherman
Eric P. Sherman returns to Anime Expo as a 2010 AX Idol judge. Mr. Sherman is the President and founder of Bang Zoom! Entertainment (Burbank, CA; 1993), the most prestigious anime recording studio in North America. A graduate of NYU’s Film School, Mr. Sherman has produced, written, and directed numerous films and shows over the years.
Cristina Vee
Voice actress Cristina Vee will attend Anime Expo 2010 as an official co-host of the fan-favorite competition, AX Idol. Cristina ‘Vee’ Valenzuela is an anime and video game voice actress residing near Los Angeles, California. Her story from an anime fan and cosplayer to a professional voice actress and singer is a unique one. She was invited to the Bang Zoom! studios at the age of 16 to audition and they have since honed her talent.
WIZ
WIZ is a celebrity illusionist duo with countless TV appearances in Japan. They are known to incorporate elements of musicals, dance, and traditional Japanese theatrics and magic techniques to achieve stunning and exotic piece of entertainment that goes beyond the boundaries of illusion shows – they call it “visuallusion.“