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Sakura-Con to Host Actor Nozomu Sasaki, Lain's ABe

Sakura-Con announced that it will host the voice actor Nozomu Sasaki, Serial Experiments Lain and Haibane Renmei artist Yoshitoshi ABe, the mecha designers Kōichi Ōhata and Hideo Okamoto, and the X television series theme song singer Myuji at its April 10-12 event in Seattle, Washington. Sasaki (pictured at right) has performed over 100 roles, including Akira's Tetsuo, Yū Yū Hakusho's Yusuke, Monster's Johan Liebert, and Death Note's Mello. ABe (pictured below) created or designed many manga and anime works, such as his breakthrough hit Serial Experiments Lain, NieA_7, Haibane Renmei, and Texhnolyze.

Ohata designed the title robot in Gunbuster and worked on Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack and The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II: Lovers, Again. He also created M.D. Geist and directed Burst Angel, Genocyber, and various other series. Okamoto worked on the Transformers and Zoids toy line and later created the armor in Yoroiden Samurai Trooper (Ronin Warriors) and the monsters in Godzilla vs. Destroyer. Myuji sang "eX dream," the theme song to the television anime adaptation of CLAMP's X manga.

Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. author and columnist Roland Kelts, Real Life comic creator Greg Dean, and Penny Arcade comic creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik also join the guest roster. The previously announced Japanese guests include the rock band girugamesh and the prolific voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi.