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Otakon 2023 Hosts Voice Actress Junko Iwao, Director Shinji Aramaki

The staff of Otakon 2023 announced this week that the event will host voice actress Junko Iwao and mechanical designer and director Shinji Aramaki at the event.

Iwao has portrayed Tomoyo Daidouji in Card Captor Sakura, Mima Kirigoe in Perfect Blue, Kazuko Saotome in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Hikari Horaki in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Kenta Hasegawa in Chibi Maruko-chan, Sayuri Yumoto in Tamako Market, Haruna Otoo in WORKING!!, and Loerelei Loer in Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Odyssey of the Celestial Ark, amongst other work.

Aramaki made his directorial debut with the Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 OVA. His notable works include the Appleseed 3DCG anime and its sequel Ex Machina. His other works include Megazone 23 Part III, Starship Troopers: Invasion, Harlock: Space Pirate, Appleseed Alpha, Ultraman, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, and Blade Runner: Black Lotus.

Otakon 2023 is scheduled for July 28-30 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. This year's event will also host manga artist Kyōko Aiba and Macross artist Hidetaka Tenjin. It will also host composer Ryū Kawamura. Other guests include composer Yasuharu Takanashi, composer Shota Nakama, and rock ensemble -yaiba-, who will perform. The event announced its COVID-19 policy for this year's event on March 3. The policy says that masks and proof of vaccination are no longer mandatory for attendees of the event in alignment with "local and federal guidance."

Source: Press release (link 2)