Anime Expo® 2012 - Los Angeles Conventions Center (LACC) June 29th-July 2nd 2012

Anime Expo 2011 Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Most Successful Convention In Event’s History

AntonioV — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:41:18 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA

Anime Expo (AX), North America’s largest anime and manga event, celebrated its 20^th anniversary with its most successful event ever – four days at the Los Angeles Convention Center that drew over 125,000 fans of Japanese animation, manga (comic books) and pop culture.

The program was highlighted by the first-ever U.S. performance of Japan’s latest pop sensation, the digital diva Hatsune Miku, which debuted to a sold-out Nokia Theater audience and garnered publicity worldwide. Anime Expo, sponsored by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), also hosted over 200 exhibitors showcasing tens of thousands of products and a sold-out Artist Alley, a venue for amateur and semi-professional artists to celebrate Japanese pop culture through fantastic works of art.

In addition to musical concerts and a packed dealer’s hall, the event enabled fans to meet and hear from the creative forces behind the art form as Anime Expo’s Guests of Honor hosted informative artist panels and autograph sessions. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” attendees were truly able to fully-immerse themselves in the AX experience with costume play, non-stop karaoke and dance, exclusive and World Premiere screenings, gaming and much more.

“This really was an incredibly special year for us,” said Marc Perez, the non-profit SPJA’s Chairman and CEO. “Our fans are the most amazing group of people and their enthusiasm for one of the world’s great entertainment art forms is unparalleled.” According to Perez, those fans were responsible for also raising nearly $30,000 dollars at the SPJA Charity Auction which was dedicated this year to the Japanese Red Cross Society to aid in disaster relief.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo news, follow AX on Twitter, and. YouTube and become a fan on Facebook.

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. More information can be found at www.spja.org and dev.anime-expo.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Hosts And Judges For Fan-Favorite Event “AX Idol”

AntonioV — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:04:25 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 27, 2011) — Anime Expo is excited to announce today the AX Idol 2011 hosts and judges that will be participating in the event’s 9^th season. Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga convention, is scheduled for July 1 – 4, 2011, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. AX Idol will be held in Nokia Theater on July 3^rd from 12:15pm – 3:30pm.

The 2011 AX Idol competition will be co-hosted by voice actor Kyle Hebert and Jonathan Meza. The judge line-up will feature BangZoom! President Eric Sherman, producer and BangZoom! Vice-President Kaeko Sakamoto, musician/voice actor Jason C. Miller, American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis and a Special Guest judge courtesy of VIZ Media to be revealed at a later date.

One of the most coveted and attended events at Anime Expo, AX Idol gives attendees the unique opportunity to display their voice acting and singing talents in front of both fans and respected industry professionals. Each year, attendees audition with the chance to win amazing prizes. Thousands of fans gather around to root for their favorites as AX Idol competitors battle it out on stage. AX Idol is brought to you by Bang Zoom! Entertainment and VIZ Media.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check out footage on YouTube.

About Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Inc.

Situated in the heart of Burbank, California, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Inc. is a leading and award winning full service audio post production studio servicing the anime, video games, feature films and TV Industry. Founded in 1993, Bang Zoom! Entertainment is committed to delivering the most comprehensive level of audio and creative production expertise imaginable. More information about Bang Zoom! Entertainment and its services can be found at http://www.bangzoomentertainment.com.

About VIZ Media

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, and blockbuster properties like Naruto, Bleach and InuYasha, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance, and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

About Anime Expo

Held annually in Los Angeles, Anime Expo is North America’s largest anime and manga celebration. Anime Expo gives fans the rare opportunity to meet and hear from some of the most famous anime, manga and musical artists from Japan and get into the action through everything from costume play, karaoke and video competitions to exclusive screenings, non-stop video gaming competitions and the wildly popular Masquerade, in which fans transform themselves into their favorite characters through creative costuming, accessories and make-up and put on their own show before an audience of thousands. AX 2011 will be held July 1 – July 4, 2011 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. To register or for more information, please visit dev.anime-expo.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Madhouse Studio Creators as Guests of Honor

BenC — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:28:01 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 21, 2011) — Anime Expo 2011 has announced Tetsuro Araki, Masayoshi Tanaka and Kentaro Hashimoto of Madhouse Studios as Guests of Honor. The trio will be present for a special July 2^nd screening of the acclaimed zombie apocalypse series “HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD” and will host a creator’s panel at Anime Expo, when it returns to the L.A. Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011.

Tetsuro Araki has engaged with a number of animated TV series, including “Di Gi Charat Nyo” and “GUNGRAVE,” as a Madhouse staff. He makes a shocking directorial debut, with the animation adaptation of the comic series “DEATH NOTE.” Since then he has directed the vampiric saga “Kurozuka” and adapted the zombie apocalypse “Highschool of the Dead.” Mr. Araki is now working with Production I.G. on his new series “Guilty Crown.”

As an animator, Masayoshi Tanaka has worked on popular series such as ”X,” “CHOBITS,” “EUREKA 7,” “HONEY AND CLOVER” and many more. As character designer and chief animator, his most famous works include “TORADORA!,” the animated adaptation of the Shonen Jump series “REBORN!” and “HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD.” He is currently working on “Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai” at A-1 Pictures.

Kentaro Hashimoto has produced mega-hit animated television series like “Death Note” and “Kurozuka”. Mr. Hashimoto has brought out new animated interpretation of the classic literature by Ango Sakaguchi in “Aoi Bungaku: In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom.” His newest series is the acclaimed zombie apocalypse action animated series “Highschool of the Dead.”

The roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; techno pop band Nirgilis; “LASTEXILE -Fam, The Silver Wing-“ production team Koichi Chigira, Makoto Kobayashi, Takaaki Suzuki and Hiroyuki Birukawa; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actors Toshio Furukawa, Vic Mignogna, Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe; stars of the Power Rangers series and movies; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi; manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher and anime director Seiji Mizushima. Anime Expo has also announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Nitroplus President Takaki Digitarou Kosaka As An Industry Guest

LangleyB — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:41:58 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 20, 2011) — Anime Expo 2011 has announced President and Chief Producer of Nitroplus, Takaki Digitarou Kosaka, as an Industry Guest. Fans will have a chance to meet and hear from the man responsible for overseeing the scripts for all the episodes of “Puella Magi Madoka Magika,” during an attendee panel at Anime Expo, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011.

Founded in 1999, Nitroplus has obtained enthusiastic fans in the PC game market by using the advantage of profound storylines and a wide range of appealing characters in various styles of works such as “Phantom PHANTOM OF INFERNO,” “Demonbane,” and “SONICOMI. Nitroplus has been working to expand its works into manga, music, and animation. Most recently, their critically acclaimed XBox 360 game “STEINS;GATE,” co-produced with 5p.b., has been adapted into an anime.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces “Year of the Fan” Benefits as Part of 20th Anniversary Celebration

BenC — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:06:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 20, 2011) — Anime Expo’s 20th Anniversary at the L.A. Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011 will include several special features aimed at reinforcing this year’s theme of celebrating the “Year Of The Fan.”

In effort to make the experience even more “fan friendly” to our attendees, Anime Expo introduces the addition of a Dance or Exhibit Hall Only Pass ticket, carpet in the Exhibit Hall, and free entrance to the Exhibit Hall after 3:33 p.m.

Dance-Only Passes are priced between $5-$20 online until June 29 and $10-$25 on-site (good for one night of dance). Exhibit Hall-Only Passes are priced at $20 online until June 30th and $25 on-site (good for one day). In addition to the above, Anime Expo continues to offer 1, 2 and 4-day passes to Anime Expo which enable fans to not only check out the exhibit hall and attend dance events, but also experience all else AX has to offer including live panels, 24-hour video programming, gaming, karaoke, cosplay competitions, celebrity guest meet-and-greets, autograph signings and much more. All options can be found online here.

“We love our fans,” said CEO and President of The Society For The Promotion Of Japanese Animation Marc Perez. “Our goal is to give the fans exactly what they want and demonstrate that we wish to provide a great experience for all.”

Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July. The roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; techno pop band Nirgilis; “LASTEXILE -Fam, The Silver Wing-“ production team Koichi Chigira, Makoto Kobayashi, Takaaki Suzuki and Hiroyuki Birukawa; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actors Vic Mignogna, Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe; stars of the Power Rangers series and movies; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi; manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher and anime director Seiji Mizushima. Anime Expo has announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check out footage on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Tune in Tokyo, Stephanie Yanez and Dig Jelly as Club Nokia Performers

VensyM — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:36:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 17, 2011) — Tune in Tokyo brings its global pop sound to the Club Nokia VIP Lounge as part of Anime Expo 2011, presenting a night of J-Pop, K-Pop, Japanese Electro and Indie, and International Club Beats on Saturday, July 2nd. They will be joined by AX Idol Winner and J-Pop singer Stephanie Yanez, and LA-based hard rock band Dig Jelly, in a special acoustic performance. There will also be a Vocaloid-inspired fashion show sponsored by Q-Pop, featuring Japanese labels Sexpot Revenge, Algonquins, Super Lovers, and the Putamayo x Vocaloid Collaboration.

The event runs on July 2nd from 9 PM – 2 AM, and is welcome to all ages. The Club Nokia VIP lounge is located on the second floor, accessed by the elevators on the left side of the entrance. A convention badge is required for entry into Club Nokia.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Tune in Tokyo

Tune in Tokyo has been spinning J-Pop, K-Pop, and International Club beats since 2008, bringing the sound of modern Asian dance pop to clubs and special events throughout Los Angeles. This five member DJ unit, featuring co-founders Greg Hignight and Del Martin, and DJs Tora, Ally, and Leett, hosts monthly events at Royal/T Maid Cafe, Shop, & Artspace, and 2nd Street Jazz in Little Tokyo, and have also presented an array of live performances featuring musicians from the United States and Japan. Tune in Tokyo presents the best in Asian and global dance pop, weaving together cutting edge electro, dance rock, and Indie with the bold Japanese street fashion scene to create a unique club experience. For more information, visit www.tuneintokyoclub.com or http://tuneintokyoclub.tumblr.com/.

About Stephanie Yanez

Stephanie Yanez is an American Jpop singer, Virtual Idol of Japanese anime avatar site TinierMe.com, and Anime Expo’s AX Idol. She has toured all over the States and in Japan. She has been seen on T.V. as the Tokyo Reporter for Anime Select’s Comcast On Demand documentary “Crazy Sexy Tokyo”. Miss Yanez has released numerous CD’S and singles which are all on iTunes, Amazon,etc. She has worked with Crypton Future Media, Gcrest, Aniplex USA, I’VE Sound, Geneon USA, Victor Entertainment, and Broccoli on numerous projects. She has opened up and shared the same stage with Kotoko, Yousei Teikoku, and Nikka Costa. She recently officially collaborated with Crypton Future Media’s Hatsune Miku and TinierMe with “Ultimate Miku World”, an exclusive song and music video. For more information, visit www.stephanieyanez.com.

About Dig Jelly

Dig Jelly, fronted by female Rock ‘n’ Roll wild child Rayko, has been described as “Energetic, hook-driven, mind-blowingly, in-your-face modern rock with a lethal dose of pop.” Featuring the alluring Japanese-born singer-songwriter/guitarist/pianist on lead vocals and piano who one critic acclaims, “Possesses the pipes to belt it out and scream with the best of them,” Dig Jelly are ready to take the world by storm with the release of Predicate! For more information, please visit http://www.digjelly.com.

About Q-Pop

Q Pop is your one stop destination for unique artist made goods, vinyl toys, rare records and japanese funky street fashion. Q Pop is the exclusive west coast seller of Harajuku fashion labels Algonquins and Sex Pot Revenge, as well as the exclusive US seller of Super Lovers. We also carry Swimmer, Hip Hero and many other creative and fun designers. Located in the historic Little Tokyo area of downtown Los Angeles, Q Pop features beautiful interior design by Justin K Thompson. It also features 2 large murals by renowned artists Kevin Dart, Chris Turnham, and Elizabeth Ito. Q Pop is also a mini gallery space. Exhibitions, events, and performances take place regularly. For more information, visit http://qpopshop.com/ or http://qpopshop.blogspot.com/.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Veteran Voice Actor Toshio Furukawa as Guest of Honor

VensyM — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:14:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 17, 2011) — Anime Expo 2011 has announced veteran voice actor Toshio Furukawa as a Guest of Honor. Fans of the performer famous for such voice roles as Kagege, Kai Shiden, Shin, Asuma Shinohara, Piccolo, and Ataru Moroboshi will have a chance to meet and hear from the man behind the voice at Anime Expo, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011.

Furukawa has played a variety of characters from comedians like Ataru of “Urusei Yatsura” and Inumanu of “Gosenzosama Banbanzai,” to calm, serious ones like Shin from “Fist of the North Star” and Piccolo of the “Dragonball” series. Toshio is capable of performing with a “boy voice” and has played noble hot-blooded heroes such Prince Mito of “Saikyo robo Daioja” and Kento Tate of “Future Robo Daltanius.”

The roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; techno pop band Nirgilis; “LASTEXILE -Fam, The Silver Wing-“ production team Koichi Chigira, Makoto Kobayashi, Takaaki Suzuki and Hiroyuki Birukawa; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actors Vic Mignogna, Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi; manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher and anime director Seiji Mizushima. Anime Expo has also announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and view YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Production Team Behind “LASTEXILE – Fam, The Silver Wing-” As Guests of Honor

BenC — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:59:15 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 16, 2011) — In conjunction with the highly-anticipated world premiere of “LASTEXILE -Fam, The Silver Wing-,” Anime Expo 2011 announces the production team behind the latest chapter in the popular “LASTEXILE” series as Guests of Honor. Fans of the series will have a chance to meet and hear from Koichi Chigira, Makoto Kobayashi, Takaaki Suzuki from GONZO and Hiroyuki Birukawa from flyingDOG at Anime Expo, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011.

Acclaimed anime director Koichi Chigira is a frequent GONZO collaborator. Mr. Chigira is the director of such hits as “Full Metal Panic!,” “Gate Keepers,” “LASTEXILE,” “The Tower of DRUAGA –the Aegis of URUK– or –the Sword of URUK–,“ “Tokyo Babylon,” “Tokyo Babylon 2,” and “Brave Story.”

From production design to mechanical design to directing, Makoto Kobayashi has played many roles in the mechanized world of anime. Fans recognize his unique artistic touch from such classics as “LASTEXILE,” “Space Battleship Yamato Fukkatsuhen,” “Mobile Suit Gundam Z,” “Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ,” “SAMURAI 7,” “Trinity Blood,” “The Tower of DRUAGA –the Aegis of URUK– or –the Sword of URUK–.”

Takaaki Suzuki is known as a creator who has developed the military, world and science fiction settings for “LASTEXILE,” “GUNxSWORD,” “Strike Witches” and “Strike Witches 2.” He has written scripts for some of these titles and has also worked as a planning assistant for “Witchblade.” In addition to his contributions in the anime world, Mr. Suzuki is the creator of the popular novel series “The Witches of Africa.”

Anime producer Hiroyuki Birukawa is one of key forces behind the success of the first LASTEXILE series. He is also well known as the producer for “Linebarrels of Iron,” “The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final” (OVA), “THE QWASER OF STIGMATA” series, “GUNxSWORD,” “Betterman,” “Metal Fighter Miku,” and “Generator Gawl.”

In addition to the LASTEXILE production team, the roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; electronic dance act Nirgilis; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actor Vic Mignogna; anime director Seiji Mizushima; voice actors Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi and manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher. Anime Expo has also announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Voice Actors Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe as Guests of Honor

VensyM — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:22:15 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 9, 2011) – Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced voice actors Toshiyuki Morikawa and Taliesin Jaffe at its latest Guests of Honor, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011. Fans will have an opportunity to see and hear from both of these prolific artists during a meet-and-greet, autograph signing and focus panel. In addition, half-time at the Masquerade competition will feature Mr. Morikawa in a live voice-over demonstration.

During his career as a voice actor, Toshiyuki Morikawa has lent his talents to a long list of popular anime series and video games. He has also been the Japanese voice of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves and Adam Sandler in feature films and most recently as Will Schuester from the popular TV show “Glee.”

Morikawa’s credits include roles in highly recognizable anime series including “After War Gundam X,” “Berserk,” “Black Lagoon,” “Bleach,” “Digimon Adventure 02,” “Last Exile,” “Naruto,” “Pokemon, “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” “ Yu-Gi-Yo!,” “X-MEN,” “One Piece,” “Super Robot Wars” and many, many more. He has also been featured in the world of electronic entertainment with roles such as the infamous Sephiroth of the “Final Fantasy” video game franchise and Heishiro Mitsurugi in the “Soulcalibur” franchise. In 2011, Mr. Morikawa expanded his involvement in the business founding the voice actor company Axlone.

Taliesin Jaffe started his career as a child actor appearing in films such as “Mr. Mom,” “2010” and “Explorers,” and television shows such as “She’s the Sheriff,” “Amazing Stories” and “The Facts of Life.” After a brief adventure living in Japan, he began working in the world of anime and video games. As a voice actor, Mr. Jaffe has portrayed characters such as Blanka and Adon (“Street Fighter IV”), Darion Mograine, Admiral Ripsnarl and the Devourer of Souls (“World of Warcraft”), Edge (“Final Fantasy IV”), The Flash (“Mortal Kombat vs. DC”), Takeya (“DearS”), Joe (“Speed Grapher”), Hatomura (“Paranoia Agent”), Hanasho (“Girls Bravo”), Kenkichi (“Kamichu!”), and Rufus (“Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria”) to name a few.

He is also known as a director and script adaptor and has been involved with the production of shows such as “Hellsing,” “ROD the TV,” “Hellgirl,” “The End of Evangelion,” and “Monster.” He has directed the English voice over for many games including the “Street Fighter IV” series, “Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes,” and “Marvel vs. Capcom 3.” Taliesin has won numerous awards for his efforts, and is currently working on no less then three secret projects about which he may not utter the slightest word.

In addition to these new guests, the roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actors Vic Mignogna; electronic dance act Nirgilis; anime director Seiji Mizushima; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi and manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher. Anime Expo has also announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Anime Expo 2011 Announces Anime Director Seiji Mizushima as Guest of Honor

VensyM — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:16:10 +0000

LOS ANGELES (June 9, 2011) — Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced anime director Seiji Mizushima at its latest Guest of Honor, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011. Fans will have an opportunity to see and hear from Mr. Mizushima during a meet-and-greet, autograph signing and focus panel.

Seiji Mizushima began his directorial career with the “Generator Gawl” series, which debuted in 1998. Since then he has gone on to direct hit anime series and movies including “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie – Conqueror of Shamballa,” “Shaman King,” and “Slayers Next.” In 2010 he directed the first all-new Gundam movie in 19 years, “Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie – A Wakening of the Trailblazer,” a sequel to the successful “Gundam 00″ TV series, which will be released by Bandai Entertainment this summer.

In addition to Mr. Mizushima, the roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina; singing sensation Maon Kurosaki; Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo; voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro; voice actors Vic Mignogna; electronic dance act Nirgilis; video game developer Sohei Niikawa; Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki; Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi and manga artists Izumi Matsumoto and Fred Gallagher. Anime Expo has also announced Hatsune Miku as its first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.

To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.

About Anime Expo

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.