Masao Maruyama to Return to Otakon 2011

Baltimore, MD (July 13, 2011) – Otakon welcomes back producer and honorary Otakon staff, Masao Maruyama!

The founder of Madhouse Studios, Masao Maruyama has had a hand in the Japanese
animation industry for almost forty years. Maruyama was born in 1941 in the Miyagi
Prefecture. After graduation from Hosei University, he went to work for Mushi
Production. He later went on to help produce Unico, based on a story by Osamu Tezuka,
of Astro Boy fame. In 1972, Maruyama had a direct hand in the establishment of the
burgeoning new animation Studio Madhouse and led the team as a creative producer for
many years.

No matter the wide range of mediums in which Madhouse Studios dealt including
television, OAV, and theatrical release, Maruyama brought the same level of quality to
every production. Regardless of the subject matter, Murayama always brings something
new to the table, and he is internationally known for exceptional animation. Maruyama is
also acknowledged for his eye in finding young talent to bring into Madhouse; under his
creative guidance, talents like Satoshi Kon and Atsuko Ishizuka flourished.

Since Madhouse's inception, Maruyama has produced an amazing library of animation
including Barefoot Gen, Dagger of Kamui, Record of Lodoss War, Vampire Hunter D,
Ninja Scroll, Card Captor Sakura, Trigun, Perfect Blue, X, Boogiepop Phantom, Chobits,
Pita-Ten, Abenobashi Maho Shotengai, Gungrave, Gunslinger Girl, Black Lagoon, Kiba,
NANA, Tokyo Tribe 2, Beck, Monster, Highlander: Search for Vengeance, Devil May Cry,
Death Note, RAINBOW and Red Line.

Maruyama has also overseen production of critically acclaimed films such as Paprika and
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore,
Maryland.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its eighteenth year, Otakon
is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of
the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture
as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the
enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999,
Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's
few large, city-wide events, drawing over 29,000 individual members for three days each
year (for a paid attendance of over 80,000 turnstile attendees). Otakon is a membership-based
convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational
non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily
through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid
staff – we are run by fans, for fans.

For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2011, see http://www.otakon.com/