More Anime Expo 2009 Updates

News on the Nation`s Largest Anime and Manga Convention Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases Official Site: anime-expo.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang Anime Expo 2009 will be the place to be for anime and manga lovers this fourth of July weekend. The nation’s largest anime/manga convention serves as a key meeting place for the general public to express their interest and explore various aspects of anime/manga, as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. AX 2009 will be held July 2 – July 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California.

Attendees, Press and Industry Members are invited to view the video coverage site of the 2008 convention at AXBackstage.org and to register for the 2009 convention at anime-expo.org. In addition, the convention recently launched a Japanese language version of its newly re-designed fan-friendly site to be used as a welcome portal to Japanese industry, press, attendees and fans.

More Official Guests of Honor Added

Several more Official Guests of Honor have been added to Anime Expo 2009, joining the previously announced Daisuke Ishiwatari, Toshimichi Mori, Morning Musume, and Kari Wahlgren. Toshiyuki Morikawa is a legendary and world reknowned Japanese voice actor (seiyuu) of Anime and video games. Mr. Morikawa has appeared in many anime roles within such popular titles as AFTER WAR GUNDAM X, BERSERK, BLACK LAGOON, BLEACH, D. GRAY-MAN, DEVIL MAY CRY: THE ANIMATED SERIES, DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02, FIGHTING SPIRIT, FULL METAL PANIC? FUMOFFU, GUNDAM WING, INITIAL D: FOURTH STAGE, INUYASHA, KYO KARA MAOH, LAST EXILE, NANA, NARUTO, POKEMON, ONE PIECE, SAIYUKI, STORY OF SAIUNGOKU, TENJHO TENGE, THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA, MOBILE SUITE VICTORY GUNDAM, SLAM DUNK, SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, STAR WARS: CLONE WARS, YU-GI-OH!, DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS, GAKUEN HEAVEN, HARU WO DAITEITA and many others highly recognizable titles. Mr. Morikawa has also been featured in the world of electronic entertainment, as he is also the voice of the infamous Sephiroth of the FINAL FANTASY video game franchise and Heishiro Mitsurugi in the SOULCALIBUR franchise. Mr. Morikawa has also voiced in other video game titles including KINGDOM HEARTS II, NARUTO ULTIMATE NINJA 3, SUPER ROBOT WARS ORIGINAL GENERATIONS, STREET FIGHTER, TEKKEN and many others.

Atsushi Nishigori: Character designer Mr. Atsushi Nishigori has worked on many titles including MAHOROMATIC, THIS UGLY YET BEAUTIFUL WORLD, HE IS MY MASTER, OVER THE TOP! 2 and serves as the character animation director for the TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGGAN franchise. Mr. Nishigori was also the recipient of 7th Annual Tokyo International Anime Awards` Individual Character Design Award category. Yasuhiro Nightow and Satoshi Nishimura: The team that created the TRIGUN anime over 10 years ago is reuniting at Anime Expo! TRIGUN anime and manga creator Yasuhiro Nightow and TRIGUN movie director Satoshi Nishimura will be joined by two additional members of the highly anticipated 2009 slated TRIGUN movie team, Shigeru Kitayama and Noriyuki Jinguji, for a TRIGUN movie panel in which they will talk about the various behind-the-scene episodes, from days way back when, and about the experiences they had while in the production stages of the newest TRIGUN movie as well as key points regarding the upcoming film. Mr. Yasuhiro Nightow has loved to draw manga since childhood. He continued his creative passion well into his adult years in order to fill the "holes" of his life (i.e. what he wanted and couldn`t get, what he wanted yet no one had yet to create it, etc.). He debuted as a manga artist in 1994 with CALL XXXX published by Shueisha in Super Jump. Since then he has also created the manga Samurai Spirits which appeared in Tokuma Shoten`s Family Computer Magazine. In 1995, the manga Trigun begain its serialization in the Tokuma Shoten Shonen Captain magazine. The Trigun manga title inspired the television anime series of the same title and became highly popular in the U.S.

Mr. Satoshi Nishimura is the director of the highly anticipated 2009 TRIGUN movie and has worked on many huge and popular titles including ALIEN NINE, BLACK LAGOON, CARDCAPTOR SAKURA, DRAGON BALL Z MOVIE 1: THE DEADZONE, FIGHTING SPIRIT, FUTURE GPX CYBER FORMULA, GOKU: MIDNIGHT EYE, GUYVER: OUT OF CONTROL, HAND MAID MAY, MASHIN EIYUDEN WATARU 2, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED, PARADIS KISS, REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA, RUROUNI KENSHIN, SAMURAI SHODOWN: THE MOTION PICTURE, SHIN CHO BAKUMATSU SHONEN SEIKI TAKAMARU, STREET FIGHTER ALPHA, TRIGUN and much more! Hiroyuki Imaishi: After graduating from Tama Art University, Mr. Imaishi was hired as an animator for the Gainax Company, Limited. His first work was the animation that many critics considered a social phenomenon: NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. Since then, Mr. Imaishi has worked on storyboards and as art director for such hit anime series as HIS AND HER CIRCUMSTANCES and FLCL. Mr. Imaishi made his directorial debut with the OVA DEAD LEAVES. Mr. Imaishi has also worked on RE: CUTEY HONEY and TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGGAN franchise. Mr. Imaishi was also the recipient of the 12th Animation Kobe Director`s Award. Yosuke Kuroda, head of Studio Orphee and famed screenplay writer of anime, manga and game productions, won the 8th Animation Kobe "Best Individual/Individual Achievement". Mr. Kuroda has been involved in projects including anime and drama series, novels, story concepts for mangas and video game production. With over 50 notable projects in his portfolio including titles such as BEST STUDENT COUNCIL, BIG WINDUP!, EXCEL SAGA, GUNGRAVE, HAYATE THE COMBAT BUTLER!, HELLSING (OVA), HONEY AND CLOVER, INFINITE RYVIUS, LOVE HINA, MAGICAL GIRL PRETTY SAMMY, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00, PLEASE TEACHER, S-CRY-ED, SAINT SEIYA (OVA), TENCHI MUYO! RYO-OH-KI and TRIGUN as just a few.

Seiji Mizushima: The highly revered anime director returns to Anime Expo this year! A chance of a lifetime to meet the famed director who is currently working on the theatrical version of MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 that is set for a 2010 release date. Mr. Mizushima has also worked on many amazing and recognizable titles such as APPLESEED: EX MACHINA, DAI-GUARD, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: THE MOVIE-CONQUEROR OF SHAMBALLA, GENERATOR GAWL, MADARA, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, OH! EDO ROCKET, SHAMAN KING, SAION: I WISH YOU WERE HERE and many more! Mr. Mizushima last attended Anime Expo in 2006 in Anaheim, California.

Cartoon Network to Hold Portfolio Reviews

Anime Expo 2009 welcomes Cartoon Network to host portfolio reviews at the Artist Alley of the nation`s largest anime and manga convention. All artists that are interested, and are registered attendees of the convention, are eligible to sign up for a professional review of their work on Friday and Saturday between the hours of 10:00 am till noon and then 2:00 pm 4:00 pm. Reviews are done at a first come first serve basis, via sign-ups located at the Cartoon Network section of the Anime Expo 2009 Artist Alley area within the Exhibit Hall at this year`s convention. "We are so delighted to welcome Cartoon Network to our convention," states Anime Expo 2009 Artist Alley Manager Ms. Jennifer Bennett, "to have Cartoon Network review your portfolio is a dream to many U.S. artists in the anime and manga genre."

The Chicken Returns! Anime Expo 2009 Welcomes ROBOT CHICKEN

The Annie and Emmy Award winning popular stop-motion animation sketch comedy show, ROBOT CHICKEN, which airs on Cartoon Network`s Adult Swim, is slated to appear at this year`s Anime Expo. The convention will host an official ROBOT CHICKEN panel including co-creator, executive producer, writer, director and actor Seth Green (FAMILY GUY, WITHOUT A PADDLE, AUSTIN POWERS, PARTY MONSTER), actor and writer Breckin Meyer (GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST, GARFIELD: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES, HERBIE FULLY LOADED), ROBOT CHICKEN director Chris McKay (MORAL OREL, TITAN MAXIMUM), ROBOT CHICKEN co-producers/co-head writers Douglas Goldstein (Wizard, ToyFare) and Tom Root (Anime Insider, TITAN MAXIMUM), and writers Mike Fasolo (Wizard Magazine), Kevin Shinick (WHERE IN TIME IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?) and Erik Weiner (UNSCRIPTED, NERDS).

AniMaid Café to Debut at AX 2009

Ever imagined or wanted to experience the maid cafes of Akihabara, Japan in the U.S.? After much anticipation and planning, Anime Expo 2009 is proud to present its first ever AniMaid Café. Hosted by the Funky Fresh Cosplay Group, AniMaid Café is an event you will not want to miss! The AniMaid Café caters to all guests with both Maids and Hosts. Enjoy the evening with food, drinks, live performances, fun interactive games, contests, prizes, merriment and much more! Don`t miss out on your chance to be a "master" at the nation¹s largest anime and manga convention. The AniMaid Café is also looking for volunteer Maids and Hosts to assist with serving of guests and looking after certain areas. Interested individuals/parties are encouraged to apply and final decisions will be maid by the AniMaid Café management staff. Requirements are as follows: · Must be at least 18 years of age or older · Must have a great personality and works well with others · Must be in good health (in order to participate in live events) · Must be willing the make/buy his/her own Maid/Host outfits (subject to approval by the AniMaid Café management staff and must be in line with the Anime Expo dress code) · Must be able to make meetings for trainings (Most trainings will be conducted in the Southern California region consisting of Los Angeles and/or Orange County areas) Interested individuals/parties should send an email correspondence to Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with basic information about themselves and a picture. Further information will be provided upon receipt of initial application.

About Anime Expo

Located in Los Angeles, California - Anime Expo, the nation`s largest anime/manga convention, serves to foster trade, commerce and the interests of the general public and animation/ comics industry. This event serves as a key meeting place for the general public to express their interest and explore various aspects of anime/manga, as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. AX 2009 will be held July 2 - July 5, 2009 a the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California. More information can be found at its website anime-expo.org.

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization with a mission 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 its website spja.org.

For more information on Anime Expo 2009 please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: