FanCons.co.uk Press Releases


May 28, 2009

News for Anime Expo 2009:

Anime Expo 2009 announces Toshiyuki Morikawa as an official guest of honor

Legendary Seiyuu Toshiyuki Morikawa to Attend Nation's Largest Anime and Manga Convention

Anaheim, California (May 28, 2009) -- Anime Expo® 2009 will be the place to be this fourth of July weekend as legendary and world re-known Japanese voice actor (seiyuu) of Anime and video games, Toshiyuki Morikawa, is announced as one of the official Anime Expo® 2009 Guest of Honor for the nation's largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

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.

Mr. Morikawa joins Hiroyuki, Iamaishi, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Yosuke Kuroda, Toshimichi Mori, Morning Musume, Yasuhiro Nightow, Atsushi Nishigori, Satoshi Nishimura and Kari Wahlgren as official Anime Expo® 2009 Guests of Honor.

Attendees, Press and Industry Members are also encouraged to view the video coverage site of the 2008 convention at www.AXBackstage.org.

Red & Black Sponsors include: FUNimation, Silver Sponsors include: Anime News Network and Digital Manga Press, Patron Sponsors include: COPIC, Central Park Media and The Right Stuf, Media Sponsors include: ImaginAsian TV, Animation Magazine, Anime Insider Magazine, Anime News Network and UTB Hollywood.

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 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California. More information can be found at its website (www.anime-expo.org).

About 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 (www.spja.org).

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Anime Expo®/SPJA's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

###