The Convention Fans Blog

Matsuricon is an anime convention in Columbus, Ohio on August 19-21 at the Hyatt Regency. They focus mostly on anime, manga, and video games. Though they do not have a problem bringing in other pop culture from both Japan and America. They bill themselves as a “family friendly” event, with most panels and events all ages.

This is the con’s sixth year and last year they had an attendance of about 1400. Despite this small – medium size (I’ll let you decide), they have arranged for over 20 different guests for their convention; voice actors, musicians, artists, industry people, and more.

• Sonny Strait voice of Krillin in DBZ, Maes Hughes in FMA, Usopp in One Piece, Lupin III in the movies, and Tom on Toonami. He created his own comic, We Shadows, and did art for Elfquest.
• Eric Vale scriptwriter for anime series and voice of Trunks in DBZ, Sanji in One Piece, Yuki Fruits Basket, Kymblee in FMA, Kanta in Desert Punk, Ryuusuke of Beck, Oji in School Rumble
• Cherami Leigh voice of Sae in Peach Girl, Primula in Shuffle, Patty in Soul Eater, Tamaki in Bamboo Blade, Natsumi in Sgt. Frog, Mai in Ghost Hunt, Himawari in XXXholic, Ayano in Stigma
• Brittney Karbowski voices Black Star in Soul Eater, Aoba in Jinki Extend, Sia in Shuffle, Franca in Coyote Ragtime, Ku in Shattered Angels, Mai in My Santa, Selim Bradley in FMA: Brotherhood.
• Brina Palencia ADR Director and voice of Ciel of Black Butler, Holo in Spice and Wolf, Tony Chopper in One Piece, Rei in the new Eva movies, and is the co-host of Game Stop TV.
• Stephanie Young voice of Clare in Claymore, Nico Robin in One Piece, Mana in Negima, Kagero in Basilisk, Junko in Desert Punk and performed the theme music in DBGT, Negima and Tsubasa.
• And her husband, David Brehem, an animation producer, director, and scriptwriter; together they are part of the jazz band The Brehms.
• Kyle Hebert voice of Kiba in Naruta, Aizen and Ganju in Bleach, Kamina in Gurren Lagann, Teen Gohan and the Narrator in DBZ, Vato Falman in FMA, Ryu in Street Fighter IV
• Micah Solusod voice of Soul in Soul Eater, Malek in Blassreiter, Kamui and Subaru in Tsubasa: Tokyo revelations, Haruki Hishida in Rideback, Tsutomu Senkawa Birdy the Mighty Decode.
• Chris Cason ADR director, scriptwriter, and voice of Gluttony in FMA, Tien and Mr. Popo in DBZ, Chamo in Negima, Babbit in Kodocha, Boo and Whitey in Shin-chan, Hanai in School Rumble
• Clarine Harp voice of Tweedledee in Kiddy Grade, China in Hetalia, Sei in Burst Angel, Ginza in Speed Grapher, Kaede in Negima, Miss Katz in Shin-chan, and DVD producer for FUNimation.
• Josh Grelle voice of Taishi in Comic Party Revolution, Kyohei in The Wallflower, Kenichi from Kenich: The Mightiest Disciple, Ren in Kaze No Stigma, Kyoushiro in Shattered Angels
• Ian Sinclair ADR director and voice of Dallas Genoard in Baccano, Ishida in Bamboo Blade, Bardroy in Black Butler, Romano in Hetalia, and Baron Flint in the video game Borderlands.
• Scott Freeman voice of Britan in Hetalia, Yuuji Sakamoto in Baka and Test, Kazuki Sakuraba in Ga-Rei: Zero, Yasopp and Kamakiri in One Piece, Dominio Rixerio in Chrome Shelled Regios
• Veronica Taylor the original VA of Ash and May on Pokemon, Amelia on Slayters, Max on Dinosaur King, Narue in World of Narue, and April in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Eric Stuart singer/songwriter and voice of Brock and James from Pokemon, Seto from Yu-Gi-Oh, Gourry in Slayers, and voice director for Yu-Gi-Oh, Viva Pinata, Ultimate Muscle, and more
• Jennifer Hale the voice of Ms. Keane and Princess Morebucks on PPG, Naomi Hunter from Metal Gear Series, Sam from Totally Spies, Cinderella in Kingdom Hearts, Samus in Metroid Prime
• Kevin Bolk of webcomics It Sucks to be Weegie, Ensign Sue Must Die, and I’m My Own Mascot
• James Hatton creator of the minimalist mythological webcomic In His Likeness
• Melinda Timpone creator of the sci-fi drama webcomic White Noise
• Alex Kolesar and Joe Kovell creators of the samurai adventure webcomic No Need for Bushido
• Steve Nunez anime and video pianist and member of the parody group They Might Be Elders
• Kevin Mackeever a member of the Robotech team
• Doug Walker known as The Nostalgia Critic, That Guy With The Glasses, and Chester A. Bum

I will be there hunting people don for autographs and taking in the con. Hope to see some people there.

More information about events, dealers, artists, and everything else can be found at their site http://matsuricon.org/

Closer to the con I will come back to post more about the event.