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AnimeJapan Offers Seminar on N. American Anime Market Expansion

Japan's Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO) announced on Friday that it will hold the "'Online to Real' Hokubei Anime Ichiba Kōryaku-hō" ("Online and Real": A Guide to the North American Anime Market) seminar at the AnimeJapan convention's Business Area on March 23. The free seminar will feature representatives of anime-related companies in North America as panelists.

According to VIPO's seminar announcement, North America's anime market is undergoing a "second anime boom" in which video streaming services, e-commerce, and conventions where fans gather are rapidly growing. The seminar will outline strategies that Japanese anime industry members can use to further expand the industry in North America.

Tokyopop founder and Producers Guild of America board member Stu Levy (seen above right) will moderate the panel discussions. Crunchyroll co-founder and general manager Kun Gao, Funimation vice president of acquisitions and licensing Adam Zehner, and Right Stuf president and CEO Shawne Kleckner will participate in the "North American Online Market Forefront" panel. Anime Central director of exhibitions Phillip Ward-Schmidt, Otakorp vice president Kimberly Merani, and Lynks International president Yaz Noya-Collins will participate in the "Real Marketing Strategies" panel.

The seminar will also have a 30-minute business card exchange session. Simultaneous interpretation in Japanese and English will be provided. The seminar will be limited to 150 participants, and advance registration on VIPO's website is required.

This year marks AnimeJapan's fifth anniversary, and the event will return to the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on March 22-25. The first two days will be "Business Area" days for members of the anime industry, and the second two days will be public days. The convention offered an eight-part anime business course last year.

Source: Anime! Anime! (Kōtarō Nakase)