New York Anime Festival 2010

Aniplex of America

Aniplex of America employees Hiroe Tsukamoto and Yosuke Kodaka opened the Aniplex panel by screening a video featuring some of the works the company is associated with, such as Bakemonogatari, Welcome to THE SPACE SHOW, Durarara!!, and others.

Tsukamoto introduced Aniplex as one of the largest animation brands in Japan and listed the company's American websites, AniplexUSA.com, DurararaUSA.com, and GurrenLaganntheMovieUSA.com. Durarara!! episodes have been made available on YouTube subtitled starting today.

Trailers for Oreimo and togainu no chi - Bloody Curs- were then shown. Both titles are being simulcast on Anime News Network starting October 9 and October 13, respectively.

Next, information on upcoming video releases was announced:

• Durarara!! Part One - January 25, 2011
• Durarara!! Part Two - March 29, 2011
• Durarara!! Part Three - May
• R.O.D. The Complete Blu-Ray Box - January 18, 2011

Exclusive new art from Brains Base will be created for the American Durarara!! release. The DVD set will also include five collectible postcards. Fans who preorder at the Bandai Entertainment or Right Stuf online stores will be able to purchase the set at a discount-- US$39.98 rather than US$49.98 --and may receive a Celty keychain, while supplies last.

The R.O.D. release will simulate the original Japanese release, with a box and special booklet. Both Gurren Lagann movies have also been released and are available at the New York Anime Festival (NYAF) for a discount.

Tsukamoto went on to detail events taking place at NYAF throughout the weekend, starting with a preview of the new Mardock Scramble: The First Compression film, scheduled to screen Friday evening. The original novel will be published by Viz Media's Haikasoru sci-fi line on January 18, 2011.

A preview of the fall TV series Star Driver, also screening at NYAF on Saturday. The president and executive producer of Studio BONES, which is animating Star Driver, will make opening remarks before and conduct a Q&A after the show's screening.

The film Welcome to THE SPACE SHOW will be screened on Sunday; attendees at the screening will get a special sticker while supplies last.

A Durarara!! panel featuring voice actor Crispin Freeman (Shizuo Heiwajima) and the premiere of the English dub will take place on Saturday. A cosplay gathering and scavenger hunt are also taking place on Saturday.

A voice cast member for Durarara!! was announced next:

• Mela Lee as Erika Karisawa
• Brian Beacock as Walker Yumasaki
• Steve Blum as Kyohei Kadota

The panel then went into Q&A, during which Tsukamoto confirmed that the Durarara!! DVD releases will include the DVD-only episodes released in Japan, and that Vic Mignogna will not appear in the Durarara!! English dub.