table of contents 3 Letter from the Con Chair 4 Guests of Honor 14 Events 23 Video Programming 26 Panels & Workshops 33 Artists’ Alley 39 Dealers’ Room 41 Room Directory 43 Maps 50 Where to Eat 60 Getting Around 61 Rules 67 Sponsors 68 Volunteering 69 Staff 72 Autographs APRIL 6–8, 2012 1 ANIME BOSTON CELEBRATES 10 YEARS! 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: 4,110 3,656 7,500 9,354 11,500 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: Attendance: 14,339 15,438 17,236 19,136 ????? This weekend we're celebrating Anime Boston's 10th anniversary. We would never have reached this milestone year without our fabulous guests, the support and effort of our staff, and the overwhelming love and inspiration our attendees have provided over the last nine years. Thank you! 2 Anime Boston 2012 LETTER FROM THE CON CHAIR Greetings! On behalf of the New England Anime Society, our honored guests and the entire Anime Boston staff, it is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to Anime Boston 2012! This year is particularly exciting, as we are celebrating our tenth anniversary. When I think back on 2002, when we were working to organize ourselves and plan for the first year of the convention, I’m still astounded at how much has the event has grown and developed. Like a child, the convention “grew up” faster than we expected, and around it, we have lived ten years of life. For those of us who were there from the beginning this means ten years of marriages, children born, friends who have passed on, break-ups, falling in love, learning new things, losing some battles, and winning others. After more than ten years of convention work, we are not the same people now as we were in 2002; but, I believe that we are all a bit more worldly and stronger having had this experience with Anime Boston. In a real way we grew up, in the way that adults can, alongside the convention. How many of you, I wonder, have been with us these past ten years? How have your lives changed during that time and what impact did our three-day, yearly event have on you? How many cherished convention memories do you carry, how many friends did you meet at Anime Boston and how many opportunities have you had to laugh and learn during those twenty seven days of Anime Boston goodness? How, in short, has Anime Boston changed you? This year, I urge you to make the most of these three days. Meet some new people and share your interests, try out a couple panels that cover new-to-you topics and chat with the presenters, consider supporting to our charity efforts to improve the lives of others and talk to Anime Boston’s staff members if the opportunity presents itself – we’d love to hear about your experiences! In a few short days our tenth convention will come to a close, bringing our total number of convention days to thirty – a whole month’s worth of Anime Boston experiences. In the span of our lives a month is usually a very small period of time, but what an effect it has had on us! It is my sincere hope that you, too, have been positively changed and charged by sharing this time with us. We couldn’t have this party without you! Cheer and Warm Regards, Andrea M. Finnin Anime Boston Con Chairman APRIL 6–8, 2012 3 GUESTS OF HONOR japanese guests Kanako Ito Vocalist A frequent contributor to the soundtracks of Nitroplus games, Kanako Ito's vocal style is as powerful as it is diverse. Her vocal tracks can be found on many TV, anime, PC game, PS2, PSPS, and XBOX 360 soundtracks, including STEIN'S GATE, School Haruko Momoi Days, STAR MINE GIRL / SUMAGA, CHAOS:HEAD NOAH, sweet Voice Actress, Singer and Composer pool, DEUS MACHINA DEMONBANE, Song of Saya, Angelos Armas, Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-, Togainu no Chi / TRUE BLOOD Myself: Yourself and Hatenkou Yuugi. Haruko Momoi is a Japanese voice actress, a singer and a composer. She is also a prolific writer. Momoi established a self- produced label, AKIHABA LOVE RECORDS, and began produc- In addition to multiple live tours of Japan, Kanako Ito has appeared ing artists. Her voice work includes: "Steins;Gate" (VG) as Feiris at Brazil's "Sana 9" anime festival in 2009 and has performed as part Nyannyan, "Seto no Hanayome" (OAV) as Seto San, "Prism Ark" (TV) of Japan's Animelo Summer Live from 2009 to 2011. as Filia, and "Tales of the Abyss" (TV) as Anise Tatlin…etc. She cur- rently runs an irregularly scheduled live broadcast program called In 2011, she released her 2-Disc "Best" album "Thank you!" "Dokusen! Moco Moco 60 Minutes" on Niko Niko Douka. including her various anime and game theme songs. Momoi co-hosts a radio talk show called "THE WORKS" (FM79.5) Kanako Ito's appearance at Anime Boston will be her debut and also host "Ere Uta!" (NHK Radio One). She is a columnist for several magazines and publications where she is able to showcase American live performance. her multiple talents. As the original Queen of Akihabara and with the concept of "From Akihabara to the World!", Momoi has been Find out more about Kanako Ito at: actively traveling to North America, Mexico, Europe and Asia. www.japanfiles.com/kanakoito.html For the latest information, visit: www.kanataro.com The Haruko Momoi Official Website Kanako Ito appears at Anime Boston by arrangement with www.rg-music.com/momoi JapanFiles and Nitroplus / Digiturbo. The Haruko Momoi Official Blog, Mo-Mo-Blo www.ameblo.jp/momoi-ktkr 4 Anime Boston 2012 GUESTS OF HONOR MINT NeKO Shotaro Kaizuka Fashion Designer Music Producer, Composer and Guitarist Debuted with Sixh., a collaboration brand with designer IBI under Shotaro Kaizuka is a Japanese music producer, composer and h.NAOTO Brand. The fashion that MINT creates starts with a guitarist. When he was at Waseda University (Tokyo), he started gothic aesthetic that has evolved into more decorative, ornamental his career as a musician. He used to lived in the U.S. and he is a ventures, emerging into an essence that is simple yet high fashion. graduate in Film Scoring of Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA). A MINT-esque look is unique and creative—a coupling of witticism When he was in Boston, he founded J-Pop/Rock bands/groups and languid feeling. and organized concerts and recitals in New England area. He joined NIPPON COLUMBIA CO., LTD. (a.k.a. Columbia Records) in Currently, MINT is independently focusing on his original fashion 2011 to bring Japanese music (J-Pop/Rock, anime and video game brand, MINTNeko. The brand, endorsed by many musicians in music, Idols, Visual-kei, and so on) to all over the world. NIPPON Japan, is growing in popularity. MINTNeko is unfolding as a new COLUMBIA is the oldest record label in Japan and they celebrated character fashion brand. their 100th anniversary in 2010. NIPPON COLUMBIA has released music of "DRAGON BALL", "THE iDOLM@STER", "STRIKE WITCHES", "GOSICK", and more. NIPPON COLUMBIA (Japanese) www.columbia.jp APRIL 6–8, 2012 5 GUESTS OF HONOR japanese guests (cont.) Tsutomu Narita Yoshitaka Suzuki Composer and Arranger Composer and Arranger Tsutomu Narita is a Japanese composer and arranger. He started Yoshitaka Suzuki is a Japanese composer and arranger. His style is playing piano when he was a child and he started composing based on the techniques of Hollywood film scoring and he creates music when he was 16 years old. He now works in various fields outstanding harmonies between music and video games. He has - classical music, concert band, musical, Pop/Rock, etc. He often worked for very popular video game titles, such as Metal Gear arranges music composed by Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of Solid and Final Fantasy. He is one of the leaders in new generation Final Fantasy Series. He is one of the leaders in new generation of of Japanese video game music industry. Japanese video game music industry. Composition Composition "Metal Gear Solid portable OPS" "UNCHAINBLADES REXX" – Nintendo 3DS & PlayStation Portable "Metal Gear Solid 4" "Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker" Arrangement "Metal Gear solid Arcade" "Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy" – Concert "BAYONETTA" "GUIN SAGA" – Anime "Ace Combat Assault Horizon" "FINAL FANTASY XIV Online" – PC "Final Fantasy XIII-2" "Xenoblade" – Nintendo Wii "THE LAST STORY" v Nintendo Wii Arrangement "Lord of ARCANA" – PlayStation Portable "THE LAST STORY" "The 3rd Birthday" – PlayStation Portable "Final Fantasy XIII-2" "THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY" – Nintendo 3DS Also, he plays keyboards and guitar for Nobuo Uematsu's band "EARTHBOUND PAPAS". Tsutomu Narita Official Website (Japanese) www.tsutomunarita.com 6 Anime Boston 2012 GUESTS OF HONOR north american guests Takamasa Sakurai Christopher Ayres Author and Cultural Adviser Voice Actor and Director After graduating from Waseda University with a degree in Political Christopher Ayres has been working professionally in theatre, tele- Economics, Takamasa Sakurai worked for a major publisher as a vision and film since the age of 6. Currently a voice actor for ADV writer and an editor for many nonfiction books. At the same time, Films and FUNimation Entertainment, Ayres is also an ADR Director Sakurai was also a radio program producer. At the beginning of the for ADV Films and Amusement Park Media. His first project at stu- internet era, Sakurai, along with multiple universities, aggressively dio was the hit anime musical comedy The Nerima Daikon Brothers. helped many students and professionals complete training to meet His other voice acting roles are Kei Kourono in Gantz, Suitengu in the increasing demands of website and mobile platform content Speed Grapher, Von Kampher in Trinity Blood, Hayashimizu in Full producers and planners.