Press Release: On March 16-18, 2012, Lansing will enter the cyber era. Voice actor Richard Epcar, is confirmed as the final guest for Shuto Con, returning for its second year to the Lansing Center and Raddison.

Epcar is most famously known for his role as Batou in the cyberpunk, cult classic series of Ghost in the Shell films.
The GitS franchise has inspired directors like the Wachowski brothers and Steven Speilberg, who is preparing a live-action version of these futuristic anime films.

Joining Epcar will be Shuto Con guest of honor, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, who co-starred with Epcar almost since the films debuted in America, as an import from Japan.

McGlynn is also known for her music directing and vocals in the Silent Hill series of video games and the wildly popular anime series Naruto.

"Naruto is something of a convention staple today," said Will Burgess, Guest Coordinator at Shuto Con. "Rarely is there a convention without costumed attendees wearing outfits from the series, so we're excited to have guests like Mary Elizabeth who has worked on the anime."

In addition to a bevy of voice actors, Shuto Con will also play host to several concerts from bands playing everything to video game remixes, original metal tributes, and cover songs from J-pop bands.

"The Pillow Cases are a cover group to The Pillows, who play a heavy rock and pop sound that is so unique," said Burgess. "This is the next best thing to flying the band in from Japan. We expect a great show from The Pillow Cases."

The Pillows gained fame after collaborating on a soundtrack to the hit anime, FLCL, proving to be a great match for the band, as the anime is as wild and unpredictable as their music. After their popularity boom in America, they released the single "Ladybird Girl" which is used as the opening theme song for the Cartoon Network series, Ben 10. 

The Pillow Cases will play some sets featuring fan-favorite music from FLCL as well.

More information about guests, events and concerts can be found at the Shuto Con website: www.shutocon.com.

Press Release: At a little more than five months away from their March 16 to 18, 2012 event, staff of Lansing's premiere Anime convention, Shuto Con, are getting busy.

"This year we were able to practically double the space we had last year, all because of the wonderful support of the Anime and Gaming fans around us," said Stefanie Shall, Chairwoman of Shuto Con, "Due to this expansion we were also able to book some really amazing Voice Acting guests."

Shuto Con confirmed Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Todd Haberkorn, Doug Smith, and a recent addition, Greg Ayres to their guest list of voice actors this year.

"I am especially excited that Greg Ayres joined our Shuto Con guest line up, as not only does he do great voice over work, but he is also a very accomplished DJ who will be providing music at our “rave” inspired dance" said Shall.

Guests will host panel discussions and take part in many of the events planned for the convention, including a “rave” inspired dance, several musical performances, and cosplay costume contest.

"Cosplay is a convention tradition of dressing up as your favorite character from anime, comics or games," said Will Burgess, Guest Coordinator, "Shuto Con practices Interactive Cosplaying which encourages attendees to interact with others as their character throughout the convention."

Shuto Con also features a video and tabletop gaming room, a vendor hall and Artist Alley featuring original works by local artists.

"We are currently running two art contests for our program booklet/badges and t-shirts" said Shall. "The art contests end Friday, November 18, and winners will receive a free Artist Alley table where their artwork will be featured at the con."

For more information about the art contests see the contest section at: shutocon.com/about.html. Additional information about guests and events can be found at the Shuto Con website: www.shutocon.com.

Press Release: Officers at the Lansing anime convention, Shuto Con, kicked off plans for the 2012 convention with some big announcements. Special guests Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Todd Haberkorn and Doug Smith have been confirmed to attend as presenters next year. McGlynn is best recognized for her role as Motoko Kusanagi in the cult, cyberpunk anime series and movies, Ghost in the Shell. She has also performed some singing roles in the popular Silent Hill games. Haberkorn has received much acclaim as the role of "Italy" in the anime Axis Powers Hetalia, satirizing warring nations in WWII. Smith will return for his second year to present his original artwork and discuss his part in the short anime series, Golden Boy, where he plays a perverted, but loyal student of the world around him. "Doug was so much fun last year," said Guest Coordinator, Will Burgess. "He really engaged the audience as his infamous and hilarious Golden Boy character."

Among other events, there are plans for a formal ball, Pokemon gym leader challenge, and "cosplay refresh" room, where costumed attendees can repair garments and take photos, among events added to the 2012 schedule. "This year we had a great show, but with this lineup of guests and events so early, it looks like this will be the best convention yet," said Burgess.

More information about guests and events can be found at the Shuto Con website: www.shutocon.com.

Shuto Con Announces Their First Round of Guests, Including Guest of Honor

LANSING, MI (April 28th, 2010) - Shuto Con is excited to announce their Guest of Honor - Michelle Ruff, and special guests Year 200X, Doug Smith, and Hobocon.

Shuto Con is Lansing's Premiere Anime Convention, coming March 25th-26th, 2011. This convention will be a two day event held in Lansing, MI that focuses on Artists and the art of Interactive Cosplaying!

Michelle Ruff - Michelle is excited to be here from Los Angeles and is looking forward to meeting all the anime fans from her home state of Michigan! Most recently, Michelle won the SPJA 2009 Best Actress Award for her role in Cartoon Networks "Bleach" as Rukia Kuchiki. She began her acting and voice studies in Chicago, where she worked and studied at the legendary Second City, as well as at Player's Workshop and the renowned ImprovOlympic. Ruff relocated to Los Angeles to focus on her voice career, and has been working non-stop in the VO industry ever since. She also enjoys doing theatre and recently appeared in a show called Friday Night Quickies at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Having the ability to bring to life to a number of characters, Ruff can voice any age. A specialist in young voices, she has mastered babies to teens: girls and boys, as well as twenty to thirty-somethings. She also is exceptional at character voices of those in their forties and fifties, and can adeptly handle most any accent. She lends her voice to original animation, video games, dubbing, commercials, television shows and feature films. Michelle's lent her voice to many favorite anime Characters including Rukia in Bleach, Yoko in Gurren Laggan, Yuki Nagato in Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia, Tsukasa in Lucky Star, Chi in Chobitz and Aoi-Chan in Ai Yori Aoshi as well as lending her voice to many fan fav video games. You have heard her voice in animated features including Kung Fu Panda, Biohazard: Regeneration, Monsters vs. Aliens, Madagascar 2, The Tale of Despereux, Polar Express, Through the Moebius Strip, What the @#$! Do We Know, and the animated TV Show Tutenstein. Television shows Ruff has done voice-over for include CSI, Greek, The Mentalist, The Sarah Silverman Show, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Melrose Place, Supernatural and Eureka.

http://www.voiceofmichelleruff.com/


Year 200X - Year 200X is a heavy metal video game cover band from Lansing, MI. Y2KX was formed in early 2006 by Tim Lydon and Tony Oliver. Joined by friends Rance Tatroe, Ian Whiters, Jake Bryan, and occasionally Kyle Hoke, they came together for two purposes: to have fun, and to play the awesomest guitar-driven video game covers that they can. Almost immediately, they were featured in Nintendo Power Magazine (June, 2006). Their debut album "We Are Error," a compilation of 13 tracks from games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, was released in August 2008 to great reviews by the video game community and fans of metal alike.

The band is currently working on new material, which will broaden their game selection by including music from systems other than the NES.

http://year200xband.com/


Doug Smith - Doug Smith is an accomplished freelance artist and voice actor who has performed many roles for ADV and Funimation, including the lead, Kintaro Oe, in "Goldenboy".

His artwork has been used for CD album covers, magazines, comics, posters, anime con program guides, badges, DVDs, TV and is currently working with Meta 3D Studios illustrating and assisting in the creation of their online video game, "Fantasy Kingdoms". Doug is also the Art Director for non-profit Voices For, an organization which works with talented people in the anime/manga industry to create products, the profits of which are donated to charity. Be sure to stop by Doug's table, view his art and say hi!

For more information:

http://www.dougsmithart.com

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0808008/

Voices For: http://www.voicesfor.com

Meta 3D Studios: http://www.meta3dstudios.com


Hobocon - Hobocon follows three fun loving friends as they journey through one of their most epic adventures of all time, or as they like to call it, their best worst idea ever! Dr. Boxcar (Jason Slingerland), The Pixie (Wilhelm Rumpf) and Benny (Rob Couch) let the cameras roll as they chronicle what it is really like to be a hobo at a convention from a gamer's point of view. Watch them as they stave off sleep and forage for food, while trying not to get discovered and thrown out.

Hobocon is not like other notable gaming themed documentaries. Hobocon "gets it". We did not make a movie just for the hard core gamer nor did we set out to make a stare-at-the-freaks exposé. Hobocon is for everyone from the non-gamer to your over-the-top cos-player. Throughout the movie, we take the time to interview a wide cast of characters and let them voice what this culture is all about. Simply put, Hobocon is more than just a fun look at GenCon, it is 'gaming convention 101' for everyone!

http://www.hobocon.com

http://www.screenhead.com/reviews/hobocon-review-the-best-worst-idea-ever/

Pre-registration is only $20 for the entire two-day weekend! This will grant you access to the Artist and Dealer's Alley, all the panel rooms, and the Main Events hall. The first 50 people to pre-register will also get a coupon to claim a special Shuto Con collectable item at the convention! To pre-register for Shuto Con please visit http://www.shutocon.com

Press Release for April 29, 2010

Shuto Con is Lansing's Premiere Anime Convention, coming March 25th-26th, 2011. This convention will be a two day event held in Lansing, MI that focuses on Artists and the art of Interactive Cosplaying!

Starting on Friday morning our convention will run from 9AM until 12AM Saturday night (Sunday morning) non-stop. On Saturday night we will conclude the festivities with a techno blasting, glowstick waving dance! We plan on having lots of wonderful panels, over 30 unique artists, several dealers to get your latest anime swag from, anime and video game viewing rooms open during the entire convention, a table top gaming room, special guests, and much more!

Shuto Con also hopes to give you a truly unique experience by participating in our "Interactive Cosplay" experience. We highly encourage ALL our attendees to dress up as their favorite characters and act like them during the convention. A mock battle arena will be staged where you can "fight" it out with other cosplayers, or even take "bets" on who will win! Special points will be given out to those that participate the most, and at Closing Ceremonies on Saturday night we will announce the Shuto Con "King and Queen of Cosplayers"! If you do not wish to participate, but would still like to capture those fond memories, we ask that your bring your cameras and/or video recorders and witness a viral hit in the making! For more information and rules on this event please visit the Interactive Cosplay page.

Pre-registration is only $20 for the entire two-day weekend! This will grant you access to the Artist and Dealer's Alley, all the panel rooms, and the Main Events hall. The first 50 people to pre-register will also get a coupon to claim a special Shuto Con collectable item at the convention!

We can't wait to see you there! Be sure to check out http://www.shutocon.com for more information!

Press Release for February 2, 2010.