Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Peter S. Beagle
Author
Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn, is America’s greatest living fantasist and has millions of fans around the world. He was born in New York City 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. As a young teenager he appeared on a regular weekend radio show, reviewing and discussing books. By the time he was 15 one of his story submissions caught the eye of Bryna Ivins, fiction editor of Seventeen magazine, who took him under her wing. Together she and her husband, the poet, critic, and anthologist Louis Untermeyer, introduced the talented young man to many of the famous writers and editors of the day. They also connected him with his first literary agent, Elizabeth Otis, who at the time represented Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) and John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men).
Peter was 16 when he graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1955, a feat he says he managed only with the help of friends (“I loved history and English, and got good grades in those. At everything else I was dismal to the point of embarrassment.”) Fortunately for Peter, a poem he’d written the year before won “best in America” from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The prize: a full scholarship to the Creative Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh.
At 19 Peter wrote and sold his first novel, the remarkable graveyard fantasy A Fine and Private Place. In 1968 he published his second and best-known novel, The Last Unicorn. This was followed years later by The Folk of the Air, The Innkeeper’s Song, and Tamsin; the short story collections Giant Bones, The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche, The Line Between, and We Never Talk About My Brother; and a number of nonfiction articles and books.
Peter has also 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.
Peter appears courtesy of Conlan Press.
Christopher Bevins
Actor/Director
Christopher Bevins has recorded, directed, produced, acted in and/or written script adaptations for over 70 Anime series, movies and specials. His directing credits include BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad, Witchblade, El Cazador de la Bruja, Samurai 7, Speed Grapher, Shigurui: Death Frenzy, Burst Angel, Spiral and Dragon Ball GT, as well as episodes of Gunslinger Girl, Case Closed and Big Windup! He also recently directed and script-adapted the Case Closed movie, The Last Wizard of the Century.
Chris also has numerous voice acting credits, including Apollo in Aquarion, Mercutio in Romeo x Juliet, Kenji in Initial D, Johnny in D.Gray-man, Nicholas Wayne in Baccano!, Shishi Wakamaru in Yu Yu Hakusho, Bee the Puppy in Dragon Ball Z, Lafitte and Shu Shu in One Piece, and Beck the Dog in BECK. You can also hear him in various series like Dragon Ball, Sgt. Frog, Shin chan, Soul Eater, Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist (both series), Ouran High School Host Club, Desert Punk, Kodocha, School Rumble, Case Closed and many more. Recently, Chris reprised his video game role as the English- language voice of Dhalsim in Super Street Fighter IV.
Christopher comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Maile Flanagan
Voice Actor
Prolific actress Maile Flanagan, known best as the voice of Naruto, joins us for the first time at Otakon 2010.
In 2006 Maile won and in 2007 she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Performer in An Animated Program for "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks" on PBS, a show she did for five seasons. She was also nominated for an Annie Award for the same show. She recently completed her 300th episode, 22nd video game and 4th movie as the title character of Naruto, the worldwide anime hit.
Other animated roles: recurring on "Back at the Barnyard" on Nickelodeon, the upcoming animated-live action feature "Cheap As Dirt" starring Johnny Depp and animated feature "Kung Fu Magoo", Ice Age 3, Final Fantasy, Fish Hooks, iCarly (vo),Chicken Little (pilot), Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring, Oh Yeah!Cartoons, Toy Warrior and many pilots. On camera roles include: "Yes Man" "500 Days of Summer", "Evan Almighty", "The Number 23", "The Station Agent", "Phone Booth", "61*", recurring on "Grey's Anatomy", "The Class", and "Reno 911!": "3waytv.tv" (also writer/producer), "ER", "The Office", "Desperate Housewives", etc.
Her acting career started at Boston College in an improv comedy troupe and continued to Minneapolis where she appeared on local stages. In her spare time she does theater in LA, most recently she was in the smash hit Voice Lessons by Justin Tanner with Laurie Metcalf and French Stewart.
Scott Freeman
Actor
Scott has been working at Funimation roughly five years as a voice actor on over 50 shows. While mostly in the background, you may recognize him in many roles such as “Soldier J”, “Man B”, or “Thug A”. He then began portraying more descriptive roles including “Yellow Merchant”, or “Green Shirt Brown Hat Man”. This soon led to playing characters with actual names. Only in the last year or so he has begun playing larger parts, and his success in voice acting has grown. A few of the titles he can be heard in are Pirates: One Piece, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood; the movie Conqueror of Shamballa, Big Windup, Desert Punk, Initial D, KenIchi, Linebarrels, Romeo X Juliet, Soul Eater, and The Tower of Druaga.
Scott was always an artist first, a nerd second, and a musician third. He saw his first anime early in High School on a VHS tape recorded from the home of a Japanese classmate and was an instant fan. Although there were no subtitles, it was still amazing. Needless to say, having the opportunity to work with Funimation today is a dream come true. Scott is always excited to work on new shows with such amazing actors, and appreciates fans like himself who have helped to raise awareness of this culture and allow it to be taken so far along.
Scott comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Todd Haberkorn
Actor, Director, Producer, Writer
American actor, director, producer and writer Todd Haberkorn will be a guest at Otakon 2010. A self-proclaimed anime fan, he has played lead and supporting roles in a number of programs and also produces a weekly podcast.
Haberkorn received his BFA in acting from Southern Methodist University and works professionally primarily in Texas and surrounding states as an actor, director, producer, and writer. As far as shows go, catch Todd's voice as lead roles in Sgt. Frog as Keroro, Suzuka as Yamato, Ghost Hunt as Naru, Claymore as Raki, Holic as Wataknuki, D. Gray Man as Allen Walker, Sands of Destruction as Kyrie, Soul Eater as Death the Kid, and will undoubtedly play more lead roles in the future.
Among his supporting roles are Itsuki in Shuffle, Ichimoruken in Hell Girl, Firo in Baccano!, Kono in Darker Than Black, Hikaru in Ouran High School Host Club and Khoza in One Piece.
When not doing voicework, Todd is a producer with his company, Out of the Office Productions. He also produces a weekly podcast with Leah Clark called Popcast Weekly (popcastweekly.com).
Todd Haberkorn is currently a proud member of the anime community and continues to be its humble servant by way of English dubbing. Todd is represented by The Horne Agency.
Todd comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Clarine Harp
Voice Actor
Otakon welcomes voice actress and producer Clarine Harp as a guest at Otakon 2010. This will be her first time attending. Anime fans will recognize her from along list of shows she has worked on.
Clarine Harp was first cast by FUNimation Entertainment in 2003 to give life to the character of Tweedledee in Kiddy Grade Since then, Clarine’s talents have been featured in a broad range of roles: Burst Angel, Akira Kurosawa's Samurai 7, Speed Grapher, Negima , Shin chan. Witchblade, and RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~, Clarine can also be heard in El Cazador de la Bruja, Claymore, Jyu-Oh- Sei, Trinity Blood, Beck, Romeo x Juliet, Kaze no Stigma, Yu Yu Hakusho, Spiral, Fullmetal Alchemist, Case Closed, Evangelion 1.0, Hell Girl, Bamboo Blade, Aquarion, Desert Punk, Origin - Spirits of the Past, Mushi-Shi, Suzuka, Ouran High School Host Club, Ghost Hunt, Peach Girl, Sgt. Frog, One Piece, Save Me! Lollipop, Baki the Grappler and The Galaxy Railways.
Out of the booth, Clarine spends her time producing DVDs for FUNimation, tending to her horde of rabbits and proudly spreading the gospel of sock knitting. She is also the inspiration behind the character Aubrey, a regular cast member on the popular web comic, Something Positive.
Clarine comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Masashi Ishihama
Character Designer & Art Director
Official website (Japanese)
Masashi Ishihama is a prolific animator, director, and character and mecha designer. He has worked as an animator and/or animation director on Girl Who Leapt Through Time, the Digimon Adventure movie, Welcome to the NHK, The Hakkenden: Legend of the Dog Warriors, Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade, and the classic Giant Robo. He also directed for Speed Grapher J and one of the Bleach openings, and storyboarded, animated, and/or designed for Read or Die in both its incarnations.
Check out the first 22 minutes of Welcome To the Space Show on the Aniplex US Youtube Channel.
Jerry Jewell
Voice Actor
First-time Otakon guest Jerry Jewell joins us for Otakon 2010.
Jerry can be heard as; Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket), Jimmy Kudo (Case Closed), Taira (Beck:Mongolian Chop Squad), Barry the Chopper (Full Metal Alchemist), Happiness Bunny (Shin-Chan), Rin Tsuchimi (Shuffle), Zellman Clock (Black Blood Brothers), Tony Frost (Blue Gender), Suzaku (Yu Yu Hakusho), Jin (Yu Yu Hakusho),Vino/Claire Stanfield (Baccano), and Akito Hayama (Kodocha).
His voice can also be heard in Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT, Black Cat, One Piece, Tsubasa, Trinity Blood and a lot of other things that he may or may not remember or admit.
Jerry is very honored to have had the opportunity to work with a very talented and dedicated group of people at FUNimation, that take the quality of what they do very seriously.
Jerry comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
kanon
Bassist (An Cafe) & Video Game Producer
With a signature flamboyant style and Fender Jazz bass, kanon attracted a sizable fan base around the world as part of An Cafe. After a successful world tour and a big final show at Nippon Budokan in January, An Cafe went on hiaitus.
Currently, kanon is producer for the recently released mobile phone game Pinky Distortion. Pinky Distortion features DIS;CODE, a visual kei band in search of a vocalist. The player takes the role of a young singer recruited as the band's manager, who must find a way to keep the band together and lead them to their first successful live concert. The game emphasizes kanon's belief that a group of passionate people can create something more amazing than any individual.
Kanon will participate in panels and autograph sessions during the weekend, and will be a guest DJ during the Otakurave, Otakon's nightly dance party.
Above: Hiroki Kikuta, Hiroaki Yura, Shihori
Hiroaki Yura
Music Director & Founder of Eminence Orchestra
Hiroki Kikuta
Composer
Shihori
Singer/Songwriter
Eminence website
As a special treat, we are pleased to welcome the music supervisor, composer, and singer for our 2010 Opening Animation.
Returning to Otakon is Hiroaki Yura -- the founder of Eminence Symphony Orchestra and the Eminence Artists, and a violin virtuoso. He has performed extensively for heads of state and in competitions around the world, both as a solo or feaured artist and as the leader of Eminence Orchestra. Most recently, he has been directing orchestral recordings for interactive entertainment and films, most notably the music for Diablo III, Soul Calibur IV, and The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk. He served as recording supervisor on new film, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Composer Hiroki Kikuta is best known for his work on Secret of Mana, Secret of Mana 2 and Koudelka. After a brief stint as a manga illustrator, Kikuta applied for a job at Square, where he formed a friendship with Nobuo Uematsu, bonding over shared musical influences. He would go on to compose music for several games while there. After leaving Square, he composed for several other games, though none of them have been released in the US. He has since worked as a game director, artistic director, and composer. In recent years he has released several albums of his own work.
Shihori is a singer/songwriter known primarily as part of the classical pop unit "Shihori and Asuka". A talented composer and lyricist, she's has written several songs and sung backup for Nana Mizuki, and collaborated with Yoko Kanno on the song "Universal Bunny" for the Macross Frontier movie.
Hiroshi Koujina
Director
Director and animator Hiroshi Koujina will make his first appearance at Otakon 2010. Koujina is currently director for Rainbow - Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin.
As an animator Koujina has been involved in Macross Plus, Escaflowne: The Movie, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, and Crystal Triangle, and was character designer for Kuso Kagaku Sekai Gulliver Boy. For Area 88, Koujina was both character designer and chief animation director. He made his debut as a director for Grenadier. Since then he has brought many works to life; Fighting Spirit, Kiba, and Majin Tantei Nogami Neuro.
Masao Maruyama
Producer, Founder (Madhouse)
Honorary Otakon Staff
The founder of Madhouse Studios, Masao Maruyama has had a hand in the Japanese animation industry for almost forty years. Maruyama-san was born in 1941 in the Miyagi Prefecture. After graduation from Hosei University, he went to work for Mushi Production. He later went on to help produce Unico, based on a story by Osamu Tezuka, of Astro Boy fame. In 1972, Maruyama-san had a direct hand in the establishment of the burgeoning new animation studio MADHOUSE, and since then he has taken on the role as a creative producer to lead the team.
No matter the wide range of mediums in which Madhouse Studios deals including television, OAV, and theatrical release, Maruyama brings the same level of quality to every production. Regardless of the subject matter, Madhouse always brings something new to the table, and he is internationally known for exceptional animation. Maruyama is also acknowledged for his eye in finding young talent to bring into Madhouse; under his creative guidance, talents like Satoshi Kon and Atsuko Ishizuka have flourished.
Since Madhouse's inception, Maruyama-san has produced an amazing library of animation including Barefoot Gen, Dagger of Kamui, Record of Lodoss Wars, Vampire Hunter D, Ninja Scroll, Cardcaptor Sakura, Trigun, Perfect Blue, X, Boogiepop Phantom, Chobits, PitaTen, Abenobashi Maho Shotengai, Ninja Scroll, Gungrave, Gunslinger Girl, Black Lagoon, Kiba, Nana, Tokyo Tribe 2, Beck, Monster, Highlander: Search for Vengeance, Devil May Cry, Death Note, RAINBOW and the upcoming Red Line. Madhouse is currently in the development of Marvel anime series and SUPERNATURAL the animation.
As Madhouse continues to produce shows popular in Japan and overseas, Maruyama has also overseen production of critically acclaimed films such as Paprika and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
Maruyama returns for his record-breaking eighth Otakon -- and his first since being named as honorary staff.
Koji Masunari
Director
Official website (Japanese)
Director Koji Masunari is best known to American audiences as the director for the popular R.O.D -READ OR DIE- and R.O.D -THE TV- series. He also created and directed Kamichu!, and was series director for shows including Honey and Clover, Kokoro Library! , Tenchi Universe, Omishi Magical Theater Risky Safety, Saber Marionette R, and Photon: The Idiot Adventures. He also directed the ending animation for El Hazard, and storyboarded Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom. More recent work includes the award winning Welcome To THE SPACE SHOW, and serves as director and series composition for Android Ana Maico 2010.
Check out the first 22 minutes of Welcome To the Space Show on the Aniplex US Youtube Channel.
Vic Mignogna
Voice Actor & Singer/Songwriter
Joining us once more for Otakon 2010 is fan favorite Vic Mignogna.
Vic has been acting for stage and screen since he was 8 years old. But he started his career in anime about ten years ago as Vega in Streetfighter II. Since then Vic has been in more than a hundred and fifty shows and video games, known for such roles as Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Tamaki Suou in Ouran High School Host Club, Fai in Tsubasa Chronicle, Dark in DN Angel, Kurz in Full Metal Panic, Broly in Dragonball Z, Kougaijji in Saiyuki, Ikkaku in Bleach, Yukito in Air, Takanaga in Wallflower, Tatsu in Peacemaker, Luciano in Code Geass, Virgil Walsh in Trinity Blood, Hikaru in Macross and many more. He is currently back in the role of Edward in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, playing Death Scythe in Soul Eater, as well as characters in Naruto and several others. Vic has also voiced roles in a large number of video games including Soul Calibur, Disgaea, Persona III, Project Sylpheed, DBZ, Bleach, FMA and more. But even longer than his voice acting, Vic has been a professional music composer / singer / producer who has written and produced hundreds of songs for TV, radio and CD. He sings the themes for shows like One Piece & DBGT, and has produced several CDs of his own original music. And finally, in addition to anime and music, Vic has a degree in film and works regularly writing, producing and directing video and film productions. Vic has voiced characters in more than 100 anime series and video games. Vic is also now realizing a childhood dream, acting and directing in an amazing web series called Star Trek Phase II. TOS forever!
Yuji Mitsuya
Seiyuu & Voice/Sound Director
Veteran actor, seiyu, and sound director Yuji Mitsuya will appear at Otakon 2010. Active in the industry since the 1970s through the present day, Mitsuya has acted in scores of anime, and has directed the original Japanese dubs of more than a dozen shows.
Old-school U.S. fans may know him as Ranma 1/2's Doctor Tofu or as Saint Seiya's Virgo Shaka, or even as Hyouma Aoi in the classic Combattler V, but Japanese fans know him from countless childrens' shows, including the veritable Anpanman (in which he voices Katsudonman). He's also voiced Marg in Rokushin Gattai God Mars, and Hyota Arakome in Star Blazers: The Comet Empire. More recently, he voiced Irabu Ichirou in the award-winning Kuchu Buranko.
One of his most famous dubbing roles was Marty McFly from the Back to the Future movies, but he's also provided a number of voices for various Disney dubs, including Dr Finkelstein (Nightmare Before Christmas), Timon (Lion King), and Pleakley (Lilo & Stitch, Stitch!), reprising those roles for the the Kingdom Hearts video games.
Mitsuya's talent and skill extends beyond the recording studios to include extensive involvement with the theatre. In addition to performing, he has directed musicals such as Akazukin Cha Cha, and scripted several notable musical adaptations of anime/manga titles, including both Saint Seiya and Prince of Tennis.
His work directing other seiyu and supervising sound is extensive and includes 5 Centimeters Per Second, The Place Promised In Our Early Days, Suzuka, and the long-running Yu-Gi-Oh! series.
h.Naoto
Fashion Designer
Avant-garde Japanese fashion designer Naoto Hirooka, better known as h.Naoto, will join us for Otakon 2010. As part of this appearance, Otakon will host a fashion show, with models drawn from our membership, and featuring h.Naoto's designs. (Details coming soon!)
Hirooka was born in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. After graduating from Bunka Fashion College, he took a position at S-inc Co. Ltd. in 1999. In 2000, he debuted his own brand, h.NAOTO, which drew inspiration from extreme punk styles. He then expanded his line to incorporate fashions from such Japanese subcultures as Gothic Lolita and visual kei. His original collections earned him praise from critics in Japan, as well as from international artists and musicians.
Later, the h.NAOTO collection added the character-based lines CHANNEL H and HANGRY&ANGRY, designed to appeal to the subcultures of “cute” anime and video-game cosplay. In 2005, he refined his designs once again, with a more evolved collection of fashion and art, hEAVEN.
Always eager to explore new ideas, Hirooka has also produced specialty brands such as the men’s shop “h,” which offers street-based designs inspired by bikers, workers, and the military; and the shop “8club,” which focuses on sexiness and cuteness. No doubt, the brand h.NAOTO will continue to diversify and deepen, appealing to a variety of global subcultures.
Tomonori Ochikoshi
Producer
Official website (Japanese)
Producer Tomonori Ochikoshi has been responsible for several hit shows over the past several years, drawing frequently on a core of talented creators. He has been responsible for Blood+, Kamichu!, Fairy Tale, and the Read or Die TV series. He also produced Kannagi Crazy Shrine Maidens.
Check out the first 22 minutes of Welcome To the Space Show on the Aniplex US Youtube Channel.
Takamasa Sakurai
Writer/Producer
Writer and "pop culture diplomat" Takamasa Sakurai will be a guest at Otakon 2010. This will be his first appearance at Otakon. Sakurai has had a vast career ranging from publishing to producing radio programs, websites, and music videos, as well as writing non-fiction material.
Currently researching Japanese pop culture globally while furthering his career as a writer and journalist, business planner and event producer, he is involved in pop culture diplomatic activity such as speaking in seminars and organizing and producing events in a current total of 43 cities in 17 countries including France, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Korea, China, Russia, and Brazil. Sakurai has been an executive member of the advisory panel to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for several years in succession.
Mr Sakurai is one of the founders of the organization Kawaii Ambassadors, which helps introduce Japan's unique "Harajuku fashion" to countries abroad. He has written such books as Anime Bunka Gaikou (Anime Culture Diplomacy), Sekai Kawaii Kakumei (World Kawaii Revolution) and Nihonwa Animede Saikou Suru (Japan Will Rebuild Itself with Anime).
Patrick Seitz
Voice Actor/ADR Director
We're happy to see the return of Patrick Seitz, who last visited Otakon in 2006.
Patrick is a Los Angeles voiceover actor, script adapter and ADR director who has lent his efforts to over 100 anime and video game titles over the last few years—including Monster, the dub of which he feels exceedingly fortunate to have directed.
With most of his resume occupying that odd point where zany, evil, and ethically ambiguous converge, Patrick’s roles include Grimmer in Monster, Nekozawa in Ouran, Isshin Kurosaki in Bleach, George in Paradise Kiss, Hazel in Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, Dhaos in Tales of Phantasia, Raul in Ergo Proxy, Koshiro in Koi Kaze, Charles Beams in Eureka Seven, Lee Linho in ROD the TV, and Luke Valentine in Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate. On the video game side of the ledger, you can hear him as Ragna the Bloodedge in BlazBlue, Scorpion and Deathstroke in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Arthas Menethil and Garrosh Hellscream in WoW: Wrath of the Lich King, Dracula in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Judgment and The Dracula X Chronicles, Chopin in Eternal Sonata, and Radi Jaeger in Valkyria Chronicles.
In addition to the voiceover work, Patrick has done script-adapting and/or ADR direction for Naruto, Blue Dragon, Honey & Clover, Hell Girl, Girls Bravo, Kamichu!, Tales of Phantasia, The Melody of Oblivion, Zegapain, Guardian of the Spirit and Rumiko Takahashi Anthology. Patrick has a BA in Creative Writing and an MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts, both of which he received at the University of California, Riverside. Before falling down the voiceover rabbit hole, he spent two very Welcome Back, Kotteresque years teaching English at his old high school.
Patrick comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Stephanie Sheh
Voice Actor/Director/Producer
Voice actress, voice director and ADR scriptwriter Stephanie Sheh will be a guest at Otakon. She is best known for her roles as Hinata in Naruto, Orihime in Bleach, Eureka in Eureka 7, and Mamimi in FLCL.
Most recently she has worked on Monster, Slayers - Revolution, Kurokami, Sky Crawlers, and Blue Dragon. She co-voice directed Resident Evil 5 and is the current voice of Rebecca Chambers for the franchise. Sheh has also been a voice director for Paradise Kiss and a producer for FLCL and I'm Gonna be an Angel. She has also written quite a few ADR scripts. One of the highlights of her career has been voicing Sue Yee in the NickToons cartoon Three Delivery, and she hopes to be able to do more original animation soon. She has also provided voices for Mikuru in Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Akira in Lucky Star, Guu in Hare + Guu, Wendy in GunxSword, Kirie in Girls Bravo, Greta in Snow Fairy Sugar, Maya in Fafner, Illyia in Fate, Stay, Night, Ridley in Radiata Stories, Arche in Tales of Phantasia, Natalia Kimlasca Lanvaldear in Tales of the Abyss, Kyrie in Devil May Cry 4, Alfina in Grandia 3, and many more. On occasion, you can spot her on G4's Attack of the Show, playing mini Olivia Munn.
Sheh did a guest spot on Scooby Doo: Abracadabradoo for Warner Bros. Animation. This past year she's worked on quite a few video games, such as Aion, Dungeon Fighter, Infamous, and Littlest Petshop 2. She just recorded the next installment of the games True Crime, Secret World, and Wii Fitness.
In addition, she is a regular on four different soon-to-be released web series. She has also returned to reprise her role as Mikuru in the second season of the anime cult hit The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Michael Sinterniklaas
Actor/Director/Producer
Official Site
Otakon is most excited to welcome back triple threat Michael Sinterniklaas. A 16 year veteran of the Anime industry, Michael founded the recording studio NYAV Post LLC in 2000 which now has facilities in both New York and Los Angeles.
Mr. Sinterniklaas has been busy at work this year voice acting in and directing two new “top secret” original animated series, one for Cartoon Network and one for Nickelodeon that will premiere later this year as well as the second season of SPEED RACER for Cartoon Network . In the world of anime, Michael has been directing Sunrise’s new hit GUNDAM UNICORN OVA, and producing and acting in Funimation’s two new SLAYERS series in the role of Xellos. Michael’s other acting projects this year include Funimation’s EDEN OF THE EAST and BASARA, as well as Viz Media’s NARUTO, MONSTER and BLEACH. His game credits include the BASARA video game for Capcom, and the final boss Orphan in FINAL FANTASY XIII. Last but not least, Michael finished up season four of Adult Swim’s THE VENTURE BROTHERS in which he plays Dean Venture.
In the realm of live action, Michael lent his voice to the Russian blockbuster THE BLACK LIGHTNING as the lead Dima, and getting out of the booth for a stint, Michael got in front of the camera to shoot the feature film TRIVIAL PURSUITS which is just about to wrap up post production.
Other work fans might recognize include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, G.I. JOE, KAPPA MIKEY, YUGIOH, SHAMAN KING, FREEDOM, FULL METAL ALCHEMIST, THE SKY CRAWLERS, GAO GAI GAR, KUROKAMI, POKEMON, SAMURAI 7, D GREY-MAN, BERSERK, MUSHI SHI, BURST ANGEL, MAGIC USERS CLUB, JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO and GLASS FLEET to name but a few.
In the precious few moments Michael finds himself not working, mostly on airplanes, he likes to take in the odd episode of Dr. Who!
Felipe Smith
Manga-ka
Manga artist/creator Felipe Smith is one of the few successful non-Japanese mangaka working in Japan today.
Born in 1978 in Akron, Ohio, and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Smith graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2000. After winning 2nd place in Tokyopop's 2004 Rising Stars of Manga, he published his first 3 volume series, MBQ, through the same publisher.
In 2008 he earned the opportunity to publish his next series, PEEPO CHOO, in Morning 2 monthly magazine, published by Kodansha, Japan's largest publisher. The English-language version of PEEPO CHOO Vol. 1 is now available in the US through Vertical, Inc.
J. Michael Tatum
Voice Actor/Director/Writer
The multi-talented J.Michael Tatum joins us for Otakon 2010.
Nurtured on anime classics from the tender age of Star Blazers, et al, this reclusive fanboy-turned-voice actor/writer/ADR director/flake extraordinaire spent more years than he cares to remember in what might charitably be described as freefall before landing –mostly by accident—smack dab on the industry of his dreams. To this day, some believe the small crater made by the impact remains the source of his power.
Discovered by Funimation warhorse and visionary ADR director Christopher Bevins, who cast him as Rikichi in 2005’s Samurai 7, Tatum’s inexplicable luck held long enough to see his flag hoisted on a slew of dream roles, most notably Kyoya Otori in the hit English language dub of Ouran High School Host Club. Other characters the man still can’t believe he’s had the crazy good fortune to play include: Doumeki in XXXHolic, Jiro Mochizuki in Black Blood Brothers, Isaac Dian in Baccano! God Eneru in the new dub of One Piece, Komui Lee in D-Gray Man, Dororo in Sgt. Frog, and the titular loveable savage of Heroic Age…not to mention Lawrence in Spice and Wolf, and Scar in Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. His vocal “stylings,” much to the chagrin of drama teachers everywhere, he’s sure, have also been featured in Romeo X Juliet, Speed Grapher, Trinity Blood, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, Black Cat, Nabari no Ou, Ghost Hunt, School Rumble, The Tower of Druaga, Aquarion, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, Shuffle, Shigurui, Glass Fleet, Mushishi, and the feature-length film Vexille, among many others.
And as if being involved with so many awesome shows wasn’t enough, in late 2007 the fluky so-and-so tempted fate by officially branching out into ADR directing and adaptive scriptwriting for Funimation as well. His ADR directing credits to date include Aquarion, Jyu-oh-Sei, Romeo X Juliet, Big Windup, and Rin, while his writing credits include substantial work on both Ouran High School Host Club, Heroic Age, Initial D and Blassreiter. He is currently burning the midnight oil on a number of exciting projects due for release later this year. And before you ask, the “J” stands for… Well, it stands for whatever you’d like it to.
Mr Tatum comes to Otakon with help from Funimation.
Amy Howard Wilson
Voice Actor
Returning for her third Otakon (but the first this century) is voice actress Amy Howard Wilson.
Born in 1955, Amy hails from Detroit, and was "bit by the acting bug" at the age of 15. A proud graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City in 1975, Amy worked as a receptionist in a casting/talent payment agency; as a sales rep for a jingle composer; and in 1979, she was a contestant and winner on the “$20,000 Pyramid”.
She has starred in the highly popular series “Star Blazers” as the role of Nova, as well as appearing in an episode of “The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA” as the voice of Miranda.
Amy met the man who would become her husband, David G. Wilson, III at Anime Weekend Atlanta, and they look forward to celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.
In 2007, Amy founded Studio V.O.I.C.E., a full service, family friendly audio production company which she runs with husband Dave, coined a new title - CVO (Chief Vocal Officer) and have been producing audio books in their home studio.
