Yaoi-Con Animation Convention Announces Dates, New Location and Guests of Honor for its Seventh Annual Event

Yaoi-Con anime convention announces mid October dates and a new location in San Mateo for its seventh annual event. Veteran illustrator Mamiya Oki and her frequent collaborator, novelist Tsubasa Kawahara join the convention as guests of honor.

San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) May 16, 2007 -- Yaoi-Con, the only Western fan convention dedicated solely to the yaoi genre of Japanese anime and manga, is pleased to announce its seventh annual event, to be held the weekend of October 26-28, 2007 at the Marriott San Mateo-San Francisco Airport hotel in the South San Francisco Bay area.

Created primarily by women for a largely female audience, yaoi is unique in its exploration of deep platonic bonds and romantic relationships between male characters. The intense and highly idealized examples of love and romance commonly found in yaoi works are a major factor in the genre's soaring popularity outside Japan, including the United States. In its country of origin, many popular mainstream mangaka, or manga artists, had their start in the genre.

Since its inception, Yaoi-Con has been committed to the promotion and celebration of this unique genre, inviting guests who represent the broad spectrum of art and stories available. This year, the convention is proud to welcome veteran illustrator Mamiya Oki and novelist Tsubasa Kawahara as our guests of honor. These two have collaborated on the "Platonic Dance" and "Jadou" novel series (the latter of which has also appeared in manga format). Oki is a celebrated illustrator whose work can also be seen in the "Locus of Blue" and "Record of the Delfinian War" novels. These two will be attending focus panels and autograph sessions during the convention.

Yaoi-Con would also like to welcome several guests who will be appearing at the convention courtesy of their publishers. Digital Manga Press has invited manga artist Hinako Takanaga, author of the popular title "Little Butterflies" while Yaoi Press will be bringing the Italian duo Dany & Dany (Daniela Serri and Daniela Orrú), authors of the recently released "Wishing for the Moon." Other guests will be announced as they are confirmed.

Yaoi-Con 2007 will feature such engaging activities and events as a 24-hour anime and live-action screening room, a manga library boasting over 1,000 volumes, yaoi-themed panels and workshops, a Dealers' Room packed full of hard-to-find merchandise, a fundraising Bishounen (beautiful boy) Auction, Cosplay and Anime Music Video contests and much more! As always, we hope to add a few new events in with the old, so check the site - or sign-up for updates to keep up with the latest news.

The yaoi genre continues to enjoy a level of popularity that surprises many, and new titles - and even a new publisher - are on the horizon for 2007. Yaoi-Con hopes to be a part of this thriving genre for years to come.

For additional information on Yaoi-Con 2007, visit the Web site at http://www.yaoicon.com or contact the Public Relations Chair April Gutierrez at pr(at)yaoicon.com.

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