Tuesday, May 31, 2011

ANIME EXPO 2011 PRESENTS GOOD SMILE COMPANY PRESIDENT TAKANORI AKI AS AN INDUSTRY GUEST - VIA ANIMEEXPO.ORG


ANIME EXPO 2011 PRESENTS GOOD SMILE COMPANY PRESIDENT
 TAKANORI AKI AS AN INDUSTRY GUEST


LOS ANGELES (May 31, 2010) -- Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced the President of Good Smile Company, Takanori Aki, as an industry guest. Mr. Aki will be holding an attendee panel at Anime Expo when it returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1 - 4, 2011. 

In keeping with its mission to connect fans with creative leaders and the latest trends from Japan, this panel will give attendees insights into one of the country’s most successful figure-making companies, famous for its “figma” (multiple articulated joint figures) and “Nendoroid,” (cute, pint-sized “chibi” figures).

Known as one of the most charismatic entrepreneurs in the industry, Aki is the force behind the "BlackRock Shooter” Project.  Expanding on an illustration by the artist huke, famed of his character design works for “Metal Gear Solid,” Aki created a line of sculpted figures and produced an original animation (OVA) based on huke’s artwork.  To date, more than 600,000 copies of the OVA and 160,000 "BlackRock Shooter" figma and Nendroid figures have been sold.  Growing the franchise, Aki introduces the video game, "BlackRock Shooter THE GAME", this summer in Japan.

In addition to Mr. Aki, Anime Expo 2011 has announced a line-up of Guests of Honor that includes chart-topping Japanese pop trio Kalafina, Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo, voice actor Vic Mignogna and video game developer Sohei Niikawa, as well as Anime Expo’s first ever Virtual Guest of Honor, Digital Pop Idol Hatsune Miku.  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.

VOICE ACTRESS AND SINGER MIYUKI SAWASHIRO JOINS GUEST OF HONOR LINE-UP AT ANIME EXPO 2011 - VIA ANIMEEXPO.ORG


VOICE ACTRESS AND SINGER MIYUKI SAWASHIRO JOINS
GUEST OF HONOR LINE-UP AT ANIME EXPO 2011


LOS ANGELES (May 31, 2010) -- Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro as its newest Guest of Honor when it returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1 - 4, 2011. Sawashiro will participate in autograph sessions, an attendee panel and a fan meet-and-greet.

Sawashiro’s voice is recognizable to fans from such popular anime series as “Beelzebub,” “Angel Beats!,” “Durarara!!,” “PERSONA -trinity soul-,” and “Arakawa Under the Bridge,” in which she portrays the character Maria and also performs the theme song. In honor of Sawashiro’s appearance, Anime Expo will present a special screening of “Arakawa Under the Bridge.”

Over the last 10 years, Sawashiro has provided voice-over in more than 120 anime titles.  She has also lent her talent to many video games and Drama CDs.  Notably, she voiced Puchiko in the English dubbed releases of “Di Gi Charat – A Trip to the Planet” and “Leave it to Piyoko!” making her one of the few Japanese voice actors to have reprised a role in English in addition to the original Japanese performance. 

Sawashiro joins the line-up of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor that includes chart-topping Japanese pop trio Kalafina, Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo, voice actor Vic Mignogna and video game developer Sohei Niikawa, as well as Anime Expo’s first ever Virtual Guest of Honor, Digital Pop Idol Hatsune Miku.  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.