Anime Professionals Gather for Ceremony, Gala February 24th

Norwalk, CT, November 10, 2006: The New York Comic Con today announced that it will host the first-ever American Anime Awards. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 24th at the New Yorker Hotel in midtown Manhattan.

The American Anime Awards celebrates Japanese animation (anime), which has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. The Awards showcase the very best anime to make its way to North America, and the winners will be chosen by anime fans themselves.

Anime fans will have a chance to vote for their favorites online during the month of January 2007. The five nominees receiving the most votes will be announced February 5th, and the winners will be announced at the American Anime Awards ceremony February 24th. North America's most prominent anime and manga companies will be on hand at the Awards, including VIZ Media, TOKYOPOP, Media Blasters, Geneon, FUNimation, Del Rey, Bandai, and ADV Films.

The American Anime Awards presentation ceremony will be hosted by a group of top voice actresses, including Christine Auten, Jessica Boone, Shelley Calene-Black, Luci Christian, Alice Fulks, Hilary Haag, Taylor Hannah, and Serena Varghese. Many more voice actors, directors, and anime professionals are expected to attend the awards ceremony and the post-awards gala that follows.

"Anime and manga are an important part of what the New York Comic Con is here to celebrate," said Greg Topalian, Group Vice President in charge of New York Comic Con for Reed Exhibitions. "We're proud to be hosting this very special event, and we encourage all anime fans to take part in the New York Comic Con."

The awards will be streamed live over the internet via the entertainment super site IGN.com. A fuller broadcast, including pre and post-ceremony coverage, will air later on cable's Anime Network. A limited number of tickets to the American Anime Awards are available to New York Comic Con attendees on a first come, first served basis. For more information or to register for tickets, fans may visit the website at www.nycomiccon.com.

The American Anime Awards ballot will be developed by both industry representatives and independent anime experts. Each producer-distributor of anime in North America will have an opportunity to offer up to two candidates for consideration in each category. An equal number of anime experts working independently will offer their own nominees. The combined ballot will be assembled by Milton Griepp, publisher of the industry Website ICv2.com, who is acting as Awards Committee Chairman and will oversee the online polling.

"The American Anime Awards is an idea whose time has come," says Griepp. "Anime is a multi-billion dollar industry in North America, and anime and manga have impacted every facet of today's pop culture landscape."

Griepp continues, "The response from anime producers has been very positive. We also have a great panel of anime experts to round out the nominating process, including representatives from Anime Insider magazine, AnimeNewsNetwork.com, and AnimeonDVD.com."

The categories for the 2007 American Anime Awards are:

Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Actor in a Comedy
Best Actress in a Comedy
Best Cast
Best DVD Package Design
Best Anime Theme Song
Best Comedy Anime
Best Anime Feature (OAV)
Best Short Series (13 episodes or less)
Best Long Series (over 13 episodes)
Best Manga