September 30, 2008
News for Ohayocon 2009:
Ohayocon announces first round of guests
The staff of Ohayocon is pleased to announce that Mike McFarland, Aaron Dismuke, Brett Weaver, Matt Greenfield, Tiffany Grant, Greg Ayres, Chris Ayres, Rikki & Tavisha Simons, and Robert & Emily DeJesus, will be our guests at Ohayocon 2009.
Mike McFarland has been a Voice Actor, Director, Script Writer, and Line Producer for numerous anime series for Funimation. Mike got his start in anime as one of the first voice actors in Texas to be hired by FUNimation Entertainment in 1997.
Texas-born Aaron Dismuke started with a few small parts (in FRUITS BASKET and KIDDY GRADE), courtesy of his cousins, Funimation ADR director Justin Cook. But it wasn't long before the budding voice actor showed real talent, and quickly catapulted to a critical leading role in FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST as Alphonse Elric.
Brett has been an anime voice-actor for twelve years. In the time between his first role as Washington in "Gunsmith Cats" to his most recent turn as Kamina in ADV's version of Gurren Lagaan.
Matt Greenfield is a producer, director and co-founder of ADV and he will be Ohayocon's 2009 Roastee for the Celebrity Roast.
Tiffany Grant is thrilled to be returning to her NINTH Ohayocon - especially since her husband, Matt Greenfield, will be the victim honoree for this year's roast! Best known as the English voice of Asuka from NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Tiffany was the first voice actor hired by ADV in February 1994.
Greg Ayres is not your average voice actor. The once "Fanboy" turned VA started working for ADV Films just a few years ago, and in that short time managed to snag two of his favorite roles in anime. He was thrilled to voice the role of his favorite character Son Goku in Saiyuki, then just one year later Kaworu Nagisa in the Director's Cut of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Not many conventions, have guests that work as part their staff. Greg is a department head for Dance.
Christopher Ayres has been working professionally in theatre, television and film since the age of 6. His work has been seen regionally, nationally and on Broadway. He currently works as a voice actor for ADV FILMS and FUNimation ENTERTAINMENT, and has recently started working as an A.D.R. Director for ADV FILMS.
Rikki Simons is known as the voice of the robot GIR on Invader ZIM, the writer and co-artist of the graphic novel series ShutterBox (published by Tokyopop), Super Information Hijinks: Reality Check!by, and the illustrated novel Ranklechick and His Three-Legged Cat.
Tavisha Simons produces her art and stories under the studio name of Tavicat along with her husband, Rikki. She has co-created original titles such as Ranklechick and his Three-Legged Cat, and Super Information Hijinks: Reality Check!, and ShutterBox. Now with the tremendous success of her ShutterBox manga series (published by Tokyopop), Tavisha is looking to an even brighter future.
Robert DeJesus is a writer, story creator, illustrator, storyboard artist, and character designer for Studio Capsule. Emily DeJesus is a writer, editor, story creator, and manager of Studio Capsule. These two also work for Ohayocon. Robert is the Art Director and Emily is our Conchair. Ohayocon is the first convention to have a guest be our Conchair.
Please read more about all of our guests on our web site at www.ohayocon.org
About Ohayocon: Ohayocon is Ohio's largest anime convention and 2009 marks are 9th year. Our convention will be held January 30th through February 1, 2009. Ohayocon offers a variety of programming and events including artist's alley, cosplay, video gaming, table top gaming, video screening rooms, celebrity roast, two dances, dealers room and many panels and workshops related to Japanese culture and the anime fandom and industry.
