June 29, 2010
News for Anime USA 2010:
Anime USA makes first guest announcments
Anime USA is proud to announce our most up-to-date list of guests to the media:
1. Thousands of American fans have been patiently waiting and AnimeUSA is happy to say the wait is almost over. Jhouse-Rock ENT is pleased to announce 12012 live in concert at the 2010 AnimeUSA convention!
12012 is no stranger to the US but after a few years away they are finally coming back. This revolutionary group has been through it all with no hint of ever slowing down. Having been together for over 7 years the band will be releasing their 10th album "SEVEN" this coming July. One of the pioneers of the visual kei scene, 12012 is still evolving and growing in popularity with every concert. If you missed them before here is your chance to experience what others have been waiting for and talking about for years. AnimeUSA is November 12-14, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City located in Arlington, Virginia.
More details about the 12012 concert and other events with the band will be announced shortly so be sure to check back.
2. Echostream will be Anime USA's secondary act.
Their music draws the audience into a singular world, where haunting melodies swirl over grooving beats and unique instrumentation. Drawing on classical sensibility, the music includes techniques and arrangements normally only found in stuffy concerts populated by grey-haired old ladies. Here, those same instruments are let loose like beasts released to roam the wilds in search of adventures. Pianos, French Horns, Mandolins, Theremins, and of course the standard rock fare - drums, bass, guitars - abound, blending and accentuating one another to create a sound that is just as at home in a movie, on TV, or in a game, as it is on a festival stage.
Echostream is not a new band, although you may only now be discovering them. Over a history of five years, two self-released albums, multiple licenses for TV and compilations (both domestic and abroad), and many large-venue performances (for audiences of over 1,000 people), the band has honed its sound and skills to an exceptional level.
3. Cristina 'Vee' Valenzuela is a anime and video game voice actress residing near Los Angeles, California.
Her story from an anime fan and cosplayer to a professional voice actress and singer is a unique one. She was invited to the Bang Zoom studios at the age of 16 to audition and they have since honed her talent. Now at 22, she has starred in anime such as Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha as the title character, Rozen Maiden as Kanaria, The Familiar of Zero as Louise, and Aika in Aika R-16. Other anime roles include parts in Kannazuki no Miko, Hare + Guu, and The Blade of the Immortal (Machi) among others. She also has voiced for popular video games such as Luminous Arc 2 , Rune Factory Frontier , Avalon Code, Final Fantasy: Crystal Bearers, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, and Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow. She has also performed in numerous theatrical productions and starred in independent films.
Cristina has also gained popularity through her YouTube channel as MilkyCabbage and ValliereVee with her English dubs and Japanese covers of anime songs. She has co-hosted Anime Olympics in the past and is now a host for Revision3's AnimeTV which is also featured on Comcast on Demand. You can also see Cristina in the Adventures in Voice Acting documentary. She was cast as Haruhi Suzumiya in Bandai Entertainment's web marketing campaign, The Adventures of the ASOS Brigade.
4. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is a voice over actress, writer, singer and director. As an actress, she portrayed "Major Motoko Kusanagi" in Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, Solid State Society and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for which she won the American Anime Award for Best Actress. You can also hear her as "Sei" in Alpha Protocol and "Nora" in Final Fantasy XIII. Some of her other popular roles are "Cornelia" in Code Geas,"Kurenai" from Naruto, "Julia" from Cowboy Bebop, "Helba" and "Bordeau" from .hack, "Jagura" from Wolf's Rain and "Caroline" from Vampire Hunter D.
As a director, Mary Elizabeth just wrapped up directing the first season of Stitch! for The Disney Channel and the ADR on the feature animated film Dino Mom. She is currently directing Naruto: Shippuden for Disney XD. She has directed the 4 Naruto movies as well as the Naruto series for which she received the 2008 SPJA award for best director. Among her many other directing credits are the series Cowboy Bebop, Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Wolf's Rain, the movie Appleseed and was a co-writer for the American adaptation of Metropolis. She also directed the original animated series Gormiti Lords of Nature for Cartoon Network and Wild Animal Babies for PBS.
Mary Elizabeth has had the great honor of singing the music of Akira Yamaoka for the movie Silent Hill as well as the games: Silent Hill 3, 4, 5, Origins and the newly-released Silent Hill: Shattered Memories which she also co-directed.
For the gaming world she directed Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman as well as the rest of the original cast in the recently released Afro Samurai game. She also directed the entire cast of iCarly for their interactive game. Mary Elizabeth has directed the voice work for Soul Calibur Legends, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, Devil May Cry 3, 3.5 and 4, Spyhunter, the Naruto Clash of Ninja and Ultimate Ninja series, as well being second director for Kung Fu Panda.
5. Brina Palencia is a voice actress, and music director for Funimation and a director for Okratron5000.
Her voice acting highlights include: Nina Tucker in Full Metal Alchemist, Yue in Negima, Georgie in Shin Chan (for which she also sang the ending theme song), Eve and Tearju Lunatique in Black Cat, Maho in Beck, Silvia de Alisia in Aquarion, Ai in Hell Girl, Mikoto in School Rumble, Moro and Zashikiwarashi in xxxHOLiC, Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece, Yin in Darker Than Black, Priscilla in Claymore, Ennis in Baccano, Rei Ayanami in Evangelion 1.0, Juliet in Romeo X Juliet, Tamama in Sgt. Frog, Holo in Spice and Wolf, Miharu in Nabari No Ou, and Yumi Azusa in Soul Eater.
Her voice can also be heard on several video games such as Borderlands, Guitar Hero III and IV, Stunt Driver 2, Super Dagonball Z, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon as the Moogle/Dungeon Hero X, Mushroom Men as Pax (player) and The Maw as Frank (player). Her ADR Directing credits include: Moon Phase (eps 21-26), School Rumble, Black Blood Brothers, and xxxHOLiC (the movie and eps 1-8). She also served as the music director for Sasami and Negima!?. On camera you can see her at GameStop alongside Chris Burnett as the new GameStop TV co-host.
6. DJ Speed Demon will be performing at Anime USA 2010!
Having spun at numerous raves and clubs across the U.S. and overseas during the last 18 years, DJ Speed Demon has plenty of experience rocking crowds of all sizes, including an upcoming set at Otakurave 2010. He's going to drop some mad funky house and breakbeat sounds on you this time so bring your favorite dance moves to the floor.
Bonus: a limited amount of promo mix CD's will be given out during his sets, so don't miss it!
