FanCons.co.uk Press Releases


March 28, 2006

News for MatsuriCon 2006:

MatsuriCon announces third and final round of guests

WORTHINGTON-COLUMBUS OHIO - MARCH 28 2006

MatsuriCon welcomes the third and final group of guests to be attending our April event.

Michael Gould - Master Shakuhachi Player - http://home.earthlink.net/~chikuzen/
Have you ever watched anime or an Asian film and wondered what the haunting and sometimes invigorating wind instrument that's being played is? Wonder no more, it's called a shakuhachi, and Matsuricon has been able to land one of the best players in the world. Mr. Michael Gould is one of the only non-Japanese people in the world to have earned the title of Dai Shihan (which means Grand Master) in the art of the shakuhachi by studying under some of Japan's greatest masters. Since then he has taught classes and given demonstrations throughout the United States about the art of playing the shakuhachi. We are proud to play host to this instrumental master this year at MatsuriCon.

Archaic Jump Productions - Gaming Company
Founded in 1994 by a group of kids with more time on their hands than was probably good for them, Archaic Jump Productions is one of the last standing American-based interactive-digital entertainment firms. Founded by Harlan Watkins and Darion Fenix, they have produced some of the most revolutionary concepts in recent Role-Playing Game history. Attending MatsuriCon will be Harlan "Chaze" Watkins and his wife Mariah "Kawaii-no-aku" MacAvery-Watkins.

Tristan MacAvery - Voice Actor
Tristan MacAvery was "the voice of evil" for several years at AD Vision (now ADV Films). His best-known roles include Gendo Ikari ("Neon Genesis Evangelion"), Waldiss ("Dirty Pair Flash, Mission 1"), Emperor Batros ("Sol Bianca") and Grandpa Danbei ("Cutey Honey"); there are more than 50 other roles that he filled as well. He also wrote and directed a score of scripts for ADV, as well as eight fan-subs for Lupin III (released by Odyssey Anime). His career in improvisation began with Third Coast Comedy in Houston TX, and his sixth book, "The Improvisation Playbook," has just been released to rave reviews from Hollywood, New York, and his old stomping grounds in Houston. CAUTION: His puns can be deadly, and he loves to be the center of attention; his panels may be habit-forming and lead to convulsive laughter.

Patrick Seitz - Voice Actor
Patrick Seitz has done it all from ghoulish work in the anime hit Hellsing, to playing a jock with a bit of a romantic side in Boys Be. Some of Patrick's favorite roles include Luke Valentine in Hellsing, Koshiro in Koi Kaze, Lee Linho in R.O.D. the TV, Keigo Onishi in Tehxnolyze, and Prince Neidhart in Romancing SaGa. In addition to the voiceover work Patrick made the leap to the other side of the microphone last year, adapting a good portion of The Melody of Oblivion, adapting/directing a few episodes of Rumiko Takahashi Anthology, and adapting/directing his first full series, Girls Bravo. He's currently at work adapting/directing something (unannounced as of yet) that's about as different from Girls Bravo as a show can be.

Gakidomo - Musical Guest
Who is Gakidomo? Why it's Matsuricon's second musical guest! Performing some of the greatest hits from your favorite anime shows as well as putting up their unique blend of J-Pop the nine members of Gakidomo are sure to get your toes tapping and your hands clapping. Made up of Brittany Bates, Travell Anderson, Jimmy Senquiz, Gabe Zilka, Marvin White, Carolyn Smith, Sarah Schlueter, and Tim Mills, Gakidomo is sure to put on an act for you to remember so be sure to catch their awesome musical stylings this year at MatsuriCon.

Pre-Registration will also be closing on April 5th, 2006, so be sure to send in your payments and reserve your hotel rooms soon!

MatsuriCon will take place on April 20th-23rd 2006 in Worthington Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. Although a new event, MatsuriCon draws on the expertise of some of the most veteran staffers from the Midwest and East Coast areas. Revolving around the fusion of Traditional and Modern Japanese Culture, MatsuriCon will bring a new hybrid of education and entertainment to the Midwest fan community. Thursday afternoon and evening will be entirely free to all as a "public preview day."

MatsuriCorp is a non-profit group, recognized by the State of Ohio, which produces MatsuriCon. It is the intention of MatsuriCorp to educate the public community in Japanese Culture both old and new, through the hard work of our volunteer staff. Details about MatsuriCon can be found at the web site: http://www.MatsuriCon.org/.