July 10, 2009
News for Otakon 2009:
Otakon to host east coast premiere of Evangelion 1.0; Mike McFarland as guest
Baltimore, MD (July 10, 2009) – Funimation will premier its English dub of Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone at Otakon 2009. The film will be shown twice: Friday, 17 July at 8 p.m. and Saturday, 18 July at 12:30 p.m.
The original Neon Genesis Evangelion television series first aired in 1995-1996 and is considered by many to be a modern classic. Gainax and director Hideki Anno gained critical acclaim and massive commercial success by exploring philosophical, religious, and psychological themes against a post-apocalyptic world in which gifted children pilot giant mecha against a mysterious threat. The series has spawned countless imitators, and in the late 1990s the concept was revisited in the form of two movies that condensed the original series, and offered a slightly different, but equally ambivalent, take on the ending.
Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone is the first of a planned four-movie series (known collectively as Rebuild of Evangelion) that re-imagines the story. Director Anno and most of the creative team reunited for this project, starting with a complete redesign and taking advantage of modern production tools and techniques. The Funimation dub version reunites much of the original English cast, under veteran line producer Mike McFarland and head writer John Burgmeier.
Animator Hidenori Matsubara, part of Anno's team from both the original series and the current movies, is also a guest at the convention.
About Evangelion 1.0
After the second impact, all that remains of Japan is Tokyo-3, a city that's being attacked by "Angels" -- giant creatures that seek to eradicate humankind. After not seeing his father for more than eight years, Shinji Ikari receives a phone call, in which he is ordered to report to NERV headquarters, where he must train to fight the Angels through the use of giant humanoid mechas called Evas. Shinji's objective is to pilot the Eva Unit 01, while teaming up with the Eva Unit 00 pilot, Ayanami Rei -- all under the watchful gaze of his distant father.
Learn more at the official Funimation website for Evangelion: http://www.funimation.com/evangelion/
Otakon 2009 will be held July 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its sixteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 25,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 70,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.
For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2009, see http://www.otakon.com/
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Baltimore, MD (July 10, 2009) – American voice actor and dub director Mike McFarland, who has worked on a wide variety of popular series, will be a guest at Otakon 2009.
McFarland got his start in anime as one of the first voice actors in Texas to be hired by FUNimation Productions in 1997, and has since moved on to become a director, script writer, and line producer for numerous anime series.
Notable roles include Master Roshi, Yajirobe, Android #8 and Pui-Pui in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, Baby and Baby-Vegeta in Dragon Ball GT, Goemon in Lupin The Third (Movie Specials), Ritsu Sohma in Fruits Basket, Lt. Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist, Cain in Trinity Blood, Buggy the Clown in One Piece, "Ranka" Fujioka in Ouran High School Host Club, Tybalt in Romeo x Juliet, Leo in Burst Angel, Bruce J. Speed in Galaxy Railways, as well as various roles in Yu Yu Hakusho, Nerima Daikon Brothers, Kodocha, Desert Punk, Black Cat, Kiddy Grade, and many others.
As an ADR/Voice Director, McFarland has worked on such series and films as Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror Of Shamballa, Dragon Ball Z, Vexille, Yu Yu Hakusho, Mushi-Shi, Case Closed, Dragon Ball, Galaxy Railways, Trinity Blood, and Evangelion: You Are (Not) Alone. ADR scriptwriting credits include Fullmetal Alchemist, Kodocha, Trinity Blood, Solty Rei, Mushi-Shi, and the uncut versions of Dragon Ball Z.
McFarland is also an accomplished improv comedian, musician, and has appeared in numerous commercials and independent films, including The Rage Within, House Of The Generals, Placebo, and the award-winning Shtickmen. For more information, check out his web site: www.mikemcfarland.com.
McFarland appears courtesy of FUNimation. Look for him at their booth and panels.
Otakon 2009 will be held July 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its sixteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 25,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 70,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.
For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2009, see http://www.otakon.com/
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