Entry tags:

ax, california, conventions

Con Alert! ~ AX Day Deux
Quick-blog again since the wifi at the con is not free for the press and I believe is around $5 an hour!!! Not on my budget and not after paying $6 to ride a bus there everyday!!

Typing this up from Base Camp Santa Monica where the sun is out and the OJ is cool. A couple things to note - Yen Press is here. They were not in the catalog but they do have a table behind Dark Horse. I was also told that Udon is also here. I think Julie is going to talk to them sometime this weekend.

No booths for Del Rey, TP and Viz but the Broccoli booth is HUGED!! DMP has their own booth with Prez Sasahara himself manning the big big pod and greeting patrons with large gift bags. I guess that is why he is one of the most powerful... His ability to reach out to the customer, be they BL fan or ROBOT fan. Seven Seas has announced a number of titles including more yuri. And they are selling a good chunk of their summer catalog here. Pass by their booth to check out the little living room set up they have for "meetings." I don't know if they will have mikan and mugi-cha today... Mr Horn was on his A-game even though he hadn't done his ironing. His irony was very crisp by the way. No real new news from Aurora but they did have a goth-loli Hello Kitty designed by Novala Takemoto! I wanted one so bad but I really want a sukeban version even more! And finally Jason Thompson has talked me into launching a new feature on the MangaCast... I don't know if its manga or not but it should be tasty.

Here are your panels for today. The Keynote Speech and MangaMania! panels are only for Press and Industry. I'll try to record them for you "insiders" heh, heh.

Saturday June 30th

Digital Manga Publishing Panel
11:00~12:00
LBCC Room 201

Digital Manga Publishing will be announcing new acquisitions and discuss it's current projects, including Vampire Hunter D. Prizes and giveaways. (Please note that the discussion on yaoi will be at our Yaoi Panel.)

Go! Comi: Secrets and Surprises
12:00~13:00
LBCC Room 201

Join the Go! Comi crew and special guests Wendy Pini and Aimee Steinberger as they announce new manga licenses and major original projects -- including the first peek at the mysterious "Project X"!

13:30~14:30
CMX on the Rise
LBCC Room 201

Meet the CMX team! We’ll be introducing our newest manga titles and catching you up on your favorite, ongoing series. Bring your questions and comments. There will be an exciting contest announcement––and a special gift for everyone in attendance!

Japan Ai: Go! Comi Does Japan
14:30~15:30pm
LBCC 203c

Join animator Aimee Major Steinberger (The Simpsons, Futurama) on an otaku's dream-trip through the worlds of cosplay, manga, and doll collecting in Japan. Aimee's hilarious and touching adventures will be accompanied by a generous helping of art from Aimee's upcoming book "Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Sketchbook of Japan," to be published this fall by Go! Comi.

Juné Manga & 801 Media, Inc. Presents the Yaoi Panel (Age 18+)
21:00~22:00
LBCC 104a

Juné Manga & 801 Media, Inc. will be announcing their new acquisitions. See what the Juné folks have up their sleeves and for sneak peaks of L'Etoile Solitaire! Get the latest scoop on what's going on at those crazy folks at 801 Media, Inc. Who knows, you might catch glimpse of Render and BoyzRule. Prizes and giveaways! IDs will be checked at the door.

Saturday is looking hectic for the manga fan. The day starts with the Keynote which I believe is called Manga Mania. Not sure why its not in the AX directory but it is on their calendar for 9:00am in the LBCC's room 203c.

Then there are two DMP Panels. One for their DMP Books line, that looks like a Vampire D panel but teases with the words "new acquisitions". Then if you are 18+ you can attend the yaoi panel that June and 801 will be hosting! Wait... June and 801 in the same room at the same time?

Two panels for Go!Comi also. Original projects, Wendi Pini, Aimee Steinberger, their version of Project X and new titles will be at the first panel. And then hang out with Aimee as she shares her "Japan Ai" at 2:30p.

CMX's panel is on Saturday and I already know of one title they will likely be announcing. And if you show up to the panel you will walk away with a prize!

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If you are not able to make it and you want me to ask a question to any of the publishers present let me know here or at our email (mangacast@gmail.com).

Publishers attending:

ADV Films
Aurora Publishing, Inc.
Bandai
Broccoli Books
Dark Horse Comics
CMX
Digital Manga
DrMaster Publication Inc.
Go! Comi
Hirameki International Group / Akibaotaku
Infinity Studios, LLC
Iris Print
Manga University
Media Blasters
Seven Seas Entertainment
Yaoi Press
Yen Press
Udon Entertainment


Anime Expo 2007

North America's Premiere Anime Convention
Dates: June 29th ~ July 2, 2007
Location: Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California
Cosplay: Yes
Pictures: no charge
Notes: Saturday appears to be sold out. Weekend passes are gone also.