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Anime Central to Host Monogatari Illustrator VOFAN, Deadman Wonderland Manga Creators, Voice Actress Kikuko Inoue
posted on by Karen Ressler
The Anime Central convention announced on Monday that it will host Monogatari novel series illustrator VOFAN and Deadman Wonderland manga creators Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou. The convention also announced last week that it will host voice actress Kikuko Inoue.
Anime Central previously announced that it will host a Gunsmith Cats reboot anime short. However, the announcement has since been changed to a "trailer screening" of Gunsmith Cats creator Kenichi Sonoda's new "Project [B.B]." Animation director and producer Shuzilow.HA (Shujirou Hamakawa), the composer Marco D'Ambrosio, and Sonoda will still be in attendance. Anime Central did not respond to ANN's request for clarification by press time.
Vertical is sponsoring VOFAN's visit to Anime Central. The Taiwanese illustrator has drawn over 30 book covers, including NisiOisin's Monogatari series and Okitegami Kyōko no Bibōroku novels. His illustrations have served as the original character designs for Monogatari series anime adaptations. VOFAN has also illustrated magazine covers and the original character designs for the Toki to Towa game.
Kataoka and Kondou debuted with the Eureka Seven manga adaptation in 2005. They serialized Deadman Wonderland from 2006 to 2013, and the manga received a 12-episode television anime in 2011. The pair launched Smokin' Parade in 2015.
Anime Central will be Kataoka and Kondou's first professional appearance in North America. Viz Media, the current North American publisher for Deadman Wonderland and digital editions of Eureka Seven, is sponsoring their appearnace. (Yen Press is releasing Smokin' Parade.)
Inoue is a prolific voice actress having appeared in hundreds of roles over the course of her career. She is the voice Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess), Cecile Croomy (Code Geass), Goei (Ikki Tousen), Grace O'Connor (Macross Frontier), and Kasumi Tendo (Ranma ½).
2018 marks Inoue's 30th anniversary as a voice actress. She won the Kazue Takahashi Award for the "female performer who broadens the profession of voice acting in every form of media" at the 10th Annual Seiyū Awards in 2016.
Anime Central will take place in Rosemont, Illinois from May 18-20.
