Baltimore, MD (Aug 2, 2011) – Otakon 2011 digs deep for Japan Relief and raises over
¥5,000,000 ($65,000).

In an unprecedented show of generosity and goodwill, members of Otakon 2011
including attendees, guests, industry partners, and staff raised $65,150 for Japan Relief.
The various efforts included merchandise (t-shirts, wristbands, buttons etc), Otakon
exclusive Madoka Magica posters, charity autograph session with Nobuo Uematsu, and
our hugely successful Charity Auction.

Some of the money was specifically earmarked for Japan Red Cross (posters, autograph
session) but the rest will go to these four charities as mentioned before:
●   Save the Children: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund
●   The Japanese Red Cross Society
●   Second Harvest Japan
●   Habitat for Humanity Japan

We would like to thank our members for digging deep and proving that Otakon members are the best and we could not have done it without them.

We would also like to thank the members, industry partners, and guests who donated to make the Charity Auction a huge success.  The top 3 items at the auction were:

• An original beautiful mixed media illustration by Haruhiko Mikimoto from
• Macross.  Donated by Noboru Ishiguro, raising $9100.
•  A stunning colored piece by Hidenori Matsubara depicting Belldandy from Ah My Goddess, donated by the artist and raising $5500.
• A brilliant drawing of Enishi Yukishiro done and signed by Nobuhiro Watsuki,
• used in the cover art for the new Rurouni Kenshin PSP Game: “Rurouni Kenshin:
• Saisen”  Donated by the artist, raising $2100.

You HELPED us
show Japan we care.

You SUPPORTED our efforts
by spreading the word and raising awareness in your own community.

You GAVE what you could
to help relief efforts.

Otakon 2012 will be held July 27–29 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

Last year’s official count was 29,274.

Also, Otakon 2012 dates were announced and will be held July 27–29 at the Baltimore  Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

In the wake of the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, Japan faces years of rebuilding and relief efforts. They will continue to need assistance and support for quite some time. Accordingly, this year’s Otakon Charity Auction will be donating all profits to the following charities:

• Save the Children: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund
• The Japanese Red Cross Society
• Second Harvest Japan
• Habitat for Humanity Japan

We encourage you to set aside some money for this worthy cause. Our industry partners, former and current guests, staff, and others have dug deep to find some great items for this year’s auction. Examples of items include: signed copies of Summer Wars, signed original artwork from industry professionals such as Nobuhiro Watsuki, and self standing promotional banners.

These items along with others will be displayed at the Otakon Art Show starting Friday. Lot numbers will be displayed at that time on the pieces. Items will be auctioned as part of the Art Show auction held Sunday (starting at 11AM.)

Thanks to the following companies and individuals who have donated or committed to donate items:

○ FUNimation Entertainment ○ Bandai Entertainment ○ Viz Media ○ Aniplex of America

○ Watsuki Nobuhiro (Creator, Rurouni Kenshin) ○ Hiroyuki Kitakubo (Director: Blood the Last Vampire) ○ Terry Chu (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member) ○ Chuck Shandry (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member) ○ Jim Vowles Jr. (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member) ○ Alex Wang (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member) ○ Andrew M. Zerrlaut (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member) ○ Cristina “Tsuki” Odom (Otakon Staff, Otakorp Inc. Member)The charity auction website which hosts images of items that will be auctioned can be found here: http://www.otakon.com/2011_charityauction.asp

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29–31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

Baltimore, MD (July 27, 2011) – Musician Hiroaki Yura to return to Otakon for 2011 along with fellow musician Mari Yoshida.

Hiroaki Yura is a Japanese violinist who is the founder and Artistic Director of the Eminence Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia.

The founder of the Eminence Symphony Orchestra, the Eminence Audio Production company, and a violin virtuoso, Hiroaki has extensive solo experience ranging from recitals to solo concerto performances. He has played for heads of state, international delegates and officials such as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Ambassadors and Consulate Generals to many nations.

Hiroaki has performed with exalted and revered musicians such as Prof. Chikashi Tanaka (violin), Maestro John Harding (violin), Alexev Yemstov (piano), Alexander Gavriluk (piano), and has had a wealth of experiences with top composers around the globe. Hiroaki Yura has performed as a soloist with most of the major Chinese Orchestras including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Nanjing Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Woollahra Symphony Orchestra, and debuted in Japan with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hiroaki has won numerous competition internationally and locally, including the 7th Etoh Toshiya International Violin Competition for Young Violinists, was a prize winner at the Gisbourne International Music Competition in New Zealand, received multiple scholarships to study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and has received

Hiroaki has been critically acclaimed by many leading artists such as Pinchas Zukermann, Salvatore Accardo, and Wanda Wilkomirska.

He now directs all orchestral recording for Interactive Entertainment and Films. Amongst his notable credits are The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Diablo III, Soul Calibur IV, and The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk.

A professional Japanese ninja and also a good singer, Mari will debut with the Last Goodbye project by EDAMAMATION, singing music composed by Japan’s leading composers and recorded and mixed by John Kurlander, engineer responsible for the Beatles and the Lord of the Rings. Born in Tokyo, she is forever young as she took the “Perpetual youth and immortality” drug. She hates cucumbers but loves ham and likes to get drunk. She hates the sun and likes to stay indoors but is somehow, very much tanned. She also loves video games so much so that sometimes it seems she has no life. An avid collector of custom entry stamps in her passport but hates travelling. Oh, did we tell you she is a great singer and will take part in a lot of Video Game and Anime music in the near future?

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
 

Set in the rich Tekken universe, TEKKEN: Blood Vengeance follows Xiaoyu Ling, seasoned martial artist and high school student, tasked by the G Corporation to infiltrate an international school in Kyoto to gather information on the mysterious student Shin Kamiya. Before she can make any progress in the investigation, Shin is kidnapped by an unknown assailant. Digging deeper into Shin’s background in an attempt to rescue him, Xiaoyu learns about the frightening underbelly of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima…and the late Heihachi Mishima’s conspiracy that’s stained with blood.

TEKKEN was created by Katsuhiro Harada who is also the project lead in this latest installment. Directed by Youichi Mouri (TEKKEN 5 & TEKKEN 6 opening cinematics) and with screenplay by Dai Sato (Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) this is an action packed film with amazing talent including CG production from Digital Frontier, the artists behind Capcom’s Resident Evil: Degeneration CG feature.

TEKKEN: Blood Vengeance will be available for home entertainment on Blu-Ray as part of the TEKKEN Hybrid set, and as a standalone DVD release from BANDAI Entertainment Inc.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore, MD (July 19, 2011) – Here is a rare opportunity to own an original Madoka Magica Poster at Otakon.

Otakon in collaboration with Aniplex of America have come together to help raise funds for disaster victims of Japan’s earthquakes and tsunami. In exchange for a small minimum donation ($5), Otakon is offering a Limited Edition Madoka Magica Poster courtesy of Aniplex of America. All the proceeds for this promotion will be donated to the Japan Red Cross. The Madoka Magica Poster is an original design and will only be available at Otakon 2011.

Donations for posters will be available at the Otakon merchandise table in the Dealers Room while supplies last but donations will gladly be accepted at any time. Limit one poster per donation and one poster per person.

Originally airing in Japan from April through June, 2011, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an original story developed into TV series by Gen Urobuchi of Nitro+ (Togainu no chi), directed by Akiyuki Shinbo (Goodbye Zetsubo Sensei, Bakemonogatari, Arakawa under the Bridge) and produced by Aniplex’s Atsuhiro Iwakami (the Garden of Sinners, Bake Monogatari, Oreimo, and recently project Fate/Zero). Puella Magi Madoka Magica follows the story of a 14 year old girl named Madoka Kaname. Madoka is offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if she agrees to make a contract with a strange little being named Kyubey. Kyubey will also grant Madoka one wish, but in exchange she shall risk her life by accepting the responsibilities of fighting witches. Little does Madoka know what the real risks of making a contract has in-store for her. With the popularity of the series growing worldwide, Aniplex of America has recently announced plans of releasing the series to the US audience.

For more information about this title please visit www.MadokaMagicaUSA.com

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29–31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore, MD (July 20, 2011) – Otakon is proud to present the premiere of Makoto Shinkai’s latest work, Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below.

It’s been 10 years since Makoto Shinkai’s brilliant debut with his individually created work Voices of a Distant Star, and with the releases of The Place Promised in Our Early Days and 5 Centimeters per Second he’s widened his fanbase and gained a stellar reputation both inside and outside of Japan. And now, finally, director Makoto Shinkai’s highly anticipated newest work, Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below has been completed.

With his overwhelmingly beautiful imagery, Shinkai paints pictures of the distances between people’s hearts, and in this work he challenges a tale of girls and boys on a journey, growing up. In a world yet unseen, the “Children” encounter secrets of the world on their journey, all the while holding different feelings inside of their hearts. This impactful work expresses the distance between different worlds and between people and the world, not just between people. With the same detailed, hard-hitting dialog and portrayals of characters you’ve come to expect from Shinkai, this film is also filled with heart-pumping adventure and a triumphant, grand majesty.

And of course, as in all of Shinkai’s works, with shifting light and sparkling greenery, the beautiful landscapes and unparalleled artistry are the highest qualities. This time, working with an energetic staff, he’s created a world like none you have ever seen.  Also Tenmon, who has provided the music for Shinkai’s works ever since his debut, has created a gem of a theme song with singer Anri Kumaki. The talented voice cast includes Hisako Kanemoto (Sound of the Sky, Squid Girl), Miyu Irino (Spirited Away, Mobile Suit Gundam 00), and veteran Kazuhiko Inoue (Cyborg 009, Naruto, The Place Promised in Our Early Days).

This tale will stimulate the adventurous hearts of adult and child alike, leaving you with the feeling of sweet melancholy at journey’s end. A stage more vast than the first-person perspective works so far, this is a modern, traditional animated work, with an overflowing grand scale worthy of a theatrical feature!  Makoto Shinkai presents to you this original animated film.

This premiere will be followed by a Q&A session with Makoto Shinkai.  As it has just been released, it will only be shown in Japanese with no subtitles.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore, MD (July 14, 2011) – Executive Producer Masayuki Ozaki to appear at Otakon 2011.

Until 2003, Masayuki Ozaki worked for GAGA COMMUNICATIONS, INC where he was involved in acquisitions of Hollywood titles and distribution & promotion of domestic titles. In 2004, he began his career at Sunrise Inc. where he was a planning manager for Mobile Suit Z GUNDAM series. 2005 saw Ozaki launching anime projects such as Sergent Keroro, Zorori the Naughty Hero and other titles that are based on popular manga or novels as a producer and a planning manager. His credits include Dinosaur King, Inuyasha – The Final Act, and Gintama the Movie. He also served as a board member for the founding of a music and live entertainment company in 2010. He takes his producer role beyond the realm of anime and is involved in producing music events, musicals, and other areas of show business.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Peter S. Beagle was born in 1939 and raised in the Bronx, where he grew up surrounded by the arts and education: both his parents were teachers, three of his uncles were gallery painters, and his immigrant grandfather was a respected writer, in Hebrew, of Jewish fiction and folktales. As a child Peter used to sit by himself in the stairwell of his apartment building, making up stories. Today, thanks to classics like “The Last Unicorn”, “A Fine and Private Place”, and “Two Hearts,” he is a living fantasy icon.

Peter has written many teleplays and screenplays, including the animated versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Last Unicorn, plus the fan-favorite “Sarek” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. His nonfiction book “I See By My Outfit” is considered a classic of American travel writing, and he is also a gifted poet, lyricist, and singer/ songwriter. He currently makes his home in Oakland, California.

Already a famous book and movie, in 2011 The Last Unicorn also became a bestselling graphic novel from IDW Publishing.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mr.Uematsu will appear by special arrangement with Distant Worlds, in a Q&A session on Friday July 29th, followed by a charity autograph session. This special autograph session will require a donation of at least $20 to the Japanese Red Cross for ongoing relief efforts in Japan.

Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most celebrated composers in the video game field. He has achieved global recognition for his work on the FINAL FANTASY series that has been performed by world-class orchestras around the world. Nobuo Uematsu has been recognized as a major contributor in the increasing appreciation and awareness of video game music. A prime example is the FINAL FANTASY VIII theme song, “Eyes on Me,” composed and produced by him. His song featured Hong Kong pop star Faye Wong and sold a record 400,000 copies. It also won “Song of the Year (Western Music)” at the 14th Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999, which was the first time in history that music from a video game had attained this illustrious honor. The music from

the game series has grown to such notoriety, Nobuo Uematsu was named as one of the “Innovators” in Time Magazine’s Time 100: the Next Wave Music feature.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.