Anime Expo 2012 has ended, bringing to a close 4 days of Anime, Manga, Cosplay, Music, and shopping sprees. As usual, there was a wide assortment of announcements by several companies in the industry. I will do my best to corral the major U.S. announcements all into one page.

Aniplex of America

- New web series that follows “The Aniplex Guy” as he visits otaku locations in Japan, streaming on Aniplex’s website.

- Second season of Fate/Zero available for pre-order.

- OreImo will be re-released on DVD July 10th (was initially released on BD last year).

- Baccano! will be re-released on BD July 31st.

- Bakemonogatari will be available in a complete BD boxset this fall.

- Aniplex will handle the U.S. release of the Mikunopolis concert (from AX 2011).

- Blue Exorcist will be dubbed and available on Viz Media’s “Neon Alley” service, starting in September.
 
Viz Media

- Introduced “Neon Alley”, a 24-hr programmed channel that will primarily feature anime, dubbed and uncut. The service will also feature 70′s and 80′s martial arts films, series by other studios (FUNimation, Aniplex USA, etc…), and topical content provided by Anime News Network. The service will be available via a “major game console” for $6.99/mo, which will be supplemented with limited advertising.

- Inuyasha: The Final Act Set 1 available on DVD and BD in November 2012.

- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind premium box set, feat. Hayao Miyazaki’s complete manga, will be available November 6th, 2012.

- A digital manga app for Android devices was announced, although there is no fixed date for its release yet.
 
FUNimation

- Deadman Wonderland and Casshern Sins premiered on the newly-resurrected Toonami block on Cartoon Network.

- Titles are available on FUNimation Channel, Netflix, Hulu, the Funimation website, and the “Funimation Cinema,” an embedded app on Facebook.

- New releases:

• Dragon Age
• Tales of Vesperia
• Hetalia Season 4
• Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

- Upcoming releases

• Fractale
• One Piece Season 4
• Oblivion Island

- Re-releases

• Kaleido Star
• Freezing
• Texhnolyze
• Ergo Proxy

- Acquired broadcast rights for the following:

• Mitchiko to Hatchin
• Appleseed XIII
• Blood-C
• Blood-C: The Last Dark
• Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians
• Ikki Tousen: Xtreme Xecutor

- Acquired home entertainment rights for the following:

• Eureka Seven AO
• Aria of the Scarlet Ammo
• Highschool DxD

- Acquired simulcast rights for the for the following:

• Binbogami ga!
• Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero

The Right Stuf International

- Right Stuf On Demand service will print manga titles “on demand,” allowing fans to continue reading titles that were discontinued by their original publishers.

- Upcoming releases:

• Dirty Pair Flash
• Martian Successor Nadesico (TV, OVA, Movie)
• Gekiganger 3 OAV

- The Nozomi brand will focus on collectors editions of critically acclaimed series, while the Lucky Penny brand will release budget-friendly boxset editions, starting in 2013.
 
NIS America

- New releases:

• Ano Hana
• Kimi ni Todoke Vol. 2

- Upcoming releases:

• Bunny Drop
• Ghastly Prince Enma Burning Up
• Natsume’s Book of Friends

- NIS America is aware of fansubs, so they tailor their products to make sure they’re providing something more than just the show itself (artbooks, deluxe packaging, etc…)

When I started up Otakulife.net, I was hoping to actively post on here while working on the EX shows (AX Live, AniView, etc…). Turns out that I was busier than I thought and rarely posted. With today’s turn of events, that has changed altogether.

Let me first start off by talking about my friend, Thomas Abdoyan. He was a great friend who has worked in Anime Expo’s video rooms for many years. He’s the kind of guy who was always willing to lend a helping hand, who would drive over 100 miles just to hang with friends, and would always be smiling. I found out this morning that he was in a car crash and passed away at the age of 28. You were taken from us far too soon, my friend. Rest well. You will be missed…

—

For awhile now, I have been observing actions taken by the CEO of the SPJA (Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, who put on Anime Expo every year) and more recently, the newly-instated Division Director of EX. Several of these actions consist of decisions that I personally do not agree with. Some of these actions include:

- The CEO’s conduct and commentary in front of representatives of several organizations during a trip to Japan from March 20th, 2012 through April 2nd, 2012.
- The CEO’s apparent lack of communication and interest in suggestions, comments, and concerns by the Anime Expo / SPJA staff on several issues, which have caused delays across the board in preparation for Anime Expo 2012.
- The SPJA Board of Directors’ lack of response to the CEO’s actions and to complaints filed by Anime Expo / SPJA staff against the CEO. This has been personally viewed as either ignorance of the problem at hand, or an unwillingness to address the issue before the 2012 convention.
- The removal of Michael Underwood as Director of EX.
- The instatement of Ann Marie Cano as Director of EX.
- The instatement of Greg Hignight as Director of Interactive Events.
- The new EX Director’s arbitrary and unilateral reinstatement of two staffers who were previously terminated with cause from EX without any consultation with the then Deputy Director (myself).

I won’t get into any more specifics here (mainly because I don’t want to deal with the SPJA’s lawyers), but there’s a LOT of questionable dealings behind the scenes at the SPJA. Before you start boycotting AX, let me say a few things:

1) EVERY. SINGLE. CON. has drama. Some are just more public about it than others.
2) This is not a bash against Anime Expo. I love AX. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have spent the past 7 years sacrificing time, money, jobs, and relationships trying to better this event. My specific issues are with the people whose actions, apparent ideals, and inaction have plunged this organization further into this downward spiral to the point where if it recovers, it will be a miracle.

When Bryan Yang and I first started AX Live, it was meant to showcase the SPJA’s dedication to the Anime/Manga industry and to its fans. 2 years on, however, I no longer see those ideals as the guiding force of the organization. Knowing all of this, there was no possible way for me in good conscience to represent the SPJA or AX in any of EX’s productions.

Last Friday, after thinking long and hard, I decided that I would have to leave the SPJA in order to protect my health and my sanity. I informed the current Director of EX of my intent to leave the organization. I promised that while I was still there, I would do all that I can to make the transition of my tasks to others as smooth as possible. The Director said she understood and I began working out the details of the transition, including the short statement I would give during my last broadcast.

While I may not believe in the current leadership or their goals for the SPJA or AX anymore, I STILL believe in AX Live and the service and benefit to the community as a whole that it was created to represent.

This morning, I was asked to come to the SPJA offices. I was informed by the CEO, Marc Perez, that I was being let go effective immediately. According to him, I had become a liability. The CEO, who has been my friend for many years and even lived together for a spell, no longer trusted me. Did he really think that I would air the SPJA’s dirty laundry on-air? (the show would run for hours if I intended to do such a thing) I shouldn’t feel too bad about this though; it seems he really doesn’t trust anybody lately, including other senior SPJA staff.

I will miss AX Live terribly, but I guess it’s for the best.

So that brings us to now. While this has hurt tremendously, it has allowed for me to re-focus my sights on my own endeavors. I have begun working on a new project, one that you will be able to thoroughly enjoy and interact with. I will post more info once certain aspects have been finalized. I will also be posting a LOT more on this site, so please keep coming back for more insights into all things Otaku.

If there’s one thing to be said about all this, it’s that although organizations may come and go, the fandom will ALWAYS survive.

Otakulife.net “Fandom at its Finest”