February 9, 2004
News for Metrocon 2004:
Metrocon 2 announces guests
TAMPA BAY, FL - AnimeMetro is pleased to announce voice actors Greg Ayres, Vic Mignogna, Christopher Patton and Monica Rial, and artists Katie Bair and Robert and Emily DeJesus will be guests at METROCON 2004.
The Tampa Bay, Florida-based anime convention is scheduled for July 9-11, 2004, at the Crowne Plaza - Tampa at Sabal Park, 10221 Princess Palm Ave. The guests will participate in panels and special events throughout the weekend.
Greg Ayres is a self-described "fanboy-turned-VA" who started working for ADV Films two years ago and has snagged such high-profile roles as Son Goku in Saiyuki and Kaworu Nagisa in the Director's Cut of Neon Genesis Evangelion. His other feature roles include Touga in Gravion, Bomb in BastoF Syndrome, Yuya Asou in SuperGALS!, Mannen in Pretear and Shinji Kazama in Full Metal Panic!. This will be Ayres' second METROCON appearance.
Vic Mignogna is a professional music composer/producer and veteran actor with ADV Films. His most recent characters include Kurz in Full Metal Panic!, Broly in Dragonball Z Movie 8, Kougaji in Saiyuki, Mamoru in RahXephon and Shougo in the upcoming release of Megazone 23. He can also be heard in Angelic Layer, Gravion, Kino's Journey, Kiddy Grade, Princess Nine, St. Seiya, Yu Yu Hakusho and many others. This will be Mignogna's first, in-person METROCON appearance.
Christopher Patton has been voicing titles at ADV Films for five years. His most recent credits include Ayato Kamina in RahXephon, Sousuke Sagara in Full Metal Panic!, Rei Otohata in SuperGALS!, Eiji Shigure in Gravion, Eutus in Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Sasame in Pretear, Gourry in Slayers Premium and Bebefau in BastoF Syndrome. He can also be heard in Orphen II-Revenge and in the Sorcerer Hunter OVAs, as well as in the Evangelion director's cut and Azumanga Daioh. METROCON 2004 will be Patton's second appearance at the convention.
Monica Rial has appeared in a diverse range of roles, from comedic to dramatic, since her voice acting debut for ADV Films four years ago. Her recent credits include Lumiere in Kiddy Grade, Haruka Shitow in RahXephon, Kirika Yumura in Noir and Minamo Kurosawa in Azumanga Daioh. Her other feature roles include Tamayo in Angelic Layer, Hyatt in Excel Saga, Nozomi in Chance Pop Session, Izumi Himuro in Princess Nine and Saki in Steel Angel Kurumi. This will be Rial's second appearance at METROCON.
Katie Bair is both a full-time manga artist � her titles include Ninja High School and Oasis Destiny for Antarctic Press � and the woman behind Petting Zoo Wigs (www.PettingZooWigs.com), one of the Internet's premier design studios for cosplay wigs. METROCON 2004 will be Bair's first-ever guest appearance at a Florida anime convention.
Robert and Emily DeJesus are the founders of Studio Capsule and popular guests at conventions nationwide. An Indiana native and self-taught artist, Robert DeJesus was one of the pioneers of the "Amerimanga" style of comic art and received his first professional break when one of his short stories was published in Antarctic Press's Mangazine anthology. His freelance projects have since included designing Banzai Chibi Chan, the mascot for PlayStation Magazine: 100% Independent, and producing two children's books based on the Spiderman movie franchise. He and his wife, Emily, have also founded Studio Capsule, which serves as the launching point for their line of underground doujinshi, animation, portfolios and memorabilia. This will be the DeJesus' first appearance at METROCON.
METROCON is a weekend-long celebration of the numerous facets of Japanese popular entertainment � from anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics), J-pop and J-rock (Japanese pop and rock music, performed by "idols") to cosplay (costume design and performance) and video games. More than 1,600 Japanese animation fans turned out for 2003's inaugural event, establishing a new, first-year attendance record for Florida anime conventions.
This year's events are scheduled to include: - The second edition of the "Anime Idol" J-Pop/J-Rock Competition; - An art show and Artists' Alley; - A cosplay competition and a runway-style costume contest; - A dealers'/exhibition room; - "DDR Extreme" Tournaments; - An Anime Music Video contest; - Panels with North American anime industry guests; - Dances and karaoke; - The METROCADE video game room; and last � but certainly not least � 212 continuous hours of Japanese animation and related programming.
Visit www.metroconventions.com for more information, including membership and hotel rates.
METROCON is presented by AnimeMetro.com, AnimeNation and AN Entertainment, and Available Sound.
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