August 10, 2005
News for Anime Evolution 2005:
Anime Evolution outlines events and guest list
Asian Popular Entertainment Event Highlights Multimedia & Local Talent
Burnaby, BC - Anime Evolution (AE 2005) is primed to be Vancouver's premiere Asian entertainment event where industry and audiences are able to interact directly in an informal setting. This three-day Japanese Animation Convention, expected to draw over 2,000 people, will bring together art, animation, video games, TV, film and music in a celebration of Asian popular culture and multimedia. All are welcome to attend the event, which draws largely on Vancouver's local talent pool of gifted actors and artists, as well as film and animation studios, comic book publishers, and game developers. Festivities take place August 19-21, 2005 at Simon Fraser University's Burnaby Campus. Events take place at various locations on campus and the convention runs 24 hours a day.
Over the course of the weekend, AE 2005 will feature Q&As and workshops with professional voice actors, directors, artists, animators and game developers. In addition, visitors can participate in a cultural festival, video screening & video game rooms and live performances by DJs, bands and improv actors. Attendees can also expect to see convention goers engaged in more unusual activities like an Anime-Idol competition, a collectable card game room and dramatic costume play - or "cosplay" - where anime fans don costumes representing anime characters and participate in a fashion show. The convention art gallery will be open to submissions from all AE 2005 attendees, and there will be an "Artists' Alley" where visitors can buy and sell original works of art.
This year's industry guests include director Rob Bakewell (Gundam Endless Waltz, Junkers Come Here, Gundam Wing, Infinite Ryvius), voice actors Johnny Yong Bosch (Witch Hunter Robin, Akira, Trigun, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Kirby Morrow (Gundam Wing, Inuyasha, Dragon Ball Z, Escaflowne), Brian Dobson (Gundam Wing, Transformers, Dragon Ball Z), and Cathy Weseluck (Cybersix, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Mobile Suit Gundam). Special guest speakers from The Art Institute of Vancouver include game design instructor and industry veteran Anthony Gurr (Bubble Bobble, The Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and animation instructor and award-winning animator Martin L'Heureux (Men in Black 2, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace). Also present will be webcomic writer/artist Greg Dean of Real Life, comic publisher Arcana Studio (Kade, Ezra, 100 Girls) and the team behind the online graphic novel Broken Saints: Brooke Burgess, Ian Kirby and Andrew West.
AE 2005 is proud to be sponsored by the Art Institute of Vancouver. For more information on the event or to purchase tickets, visit: www.animeevolution.com.
