Interest

More Relief Efforts for March 11 Earthquake/Tsunami

In response to the March 11 earthquake (Tōhoku Chihō Taiheiyō-oki Jishin) and tsunami in Japan, the following organizations have announced that they are setting up relief efforts and donations:

• Music exporting company HearJapan said that it will be donating 50% of all sales made on the website to Japan Platform, an organization that performs rescue operations in earthquake and tsunami affected areas. According to its press release, the company will continue this campaign until March 21.

• Organizers of the Anime, Manga and Music (AM2) convention in Anaheim, CA, announced in a press release that they are donating 25 percent of all passport sales made until April 30, towards various Japanese disaster relief funds.

• American publisher Manga University will be donating 10 percent of all sales made at its online store this month to the Japanese Red Cross.

• The anime-themed soda maker Tentacle Grape is planning to donate 10 percent of soda sales made until May 18 to the Red Cross.

• A number of anime bloggers and podcasters, including ANNCast, are linking viewers to Bloggers for Japan. The website provide donation opportunities to two organizations - Doctors Without Borders and Shelter Box USA.

• Otaku USA magazine recommends the Japan Society's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund for donations.

• Video game community CheapAssGamer will be matching all donations up to US$10,000 made through the website to GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

• Brian Crecente, editor-in-chief of widely-known video game blog Kotaku, is hosting a donation fundraiser in Denver, CO. All money raised at the gaming event will go towards the Japanese Red Cross.

• The staff at Comics Alliance is constantly updating a list of artwork for sale by a number of American artists. All money received through sales will go towards various relief foundations.

This adds to the growing list of groups and individuals who are donating money to assist relief efforts. The following are previously covered fundraising events and donation drives:

• Anime podcast One Piece Podcast is hosting a 24-hour podcast marathon March 19 to help fund raise money towards relief efforts.

• American voice actress Stephanie Sheh is co-hosting a charity art auction in Los Angeles on Thusrday, March 17. All money raised will go towards the Japan Center for International Exchange.

• Multiple manga artists including Nodame Cantabile's Tomoko Ninomiya and School Rumble's Jin Kobayashi collaborate to make a charity dōjinshi (self-published work) to raise earthquake relief funds.

• Japanese rock performer Gackt launched the "Show Your Heart" donation fund with money raised going to the Japanese Red Cross.

• X Japan leader YOSHIKI announced that he will be auctioning his iconic "crystal" piano to raise money for his own nonprofit charity organization, the YOSHIKI Foundation.

FInally, MSNBC's Technoblog has compiled a list of official relief organizations where donations can be made directly, in addition to those listed here.

[Via Comic Book Resources]