Santa Ana, Calif. (May 17, 2019) — Each year Anime Expo (AX) attendees have come to expect big name Guests of Honor along with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and this year is no exception. Today, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation is pleased to announce world-renowned musician and composer Yoshihiro Ike as a Guest of Honor for Anime Expo 2019. Not only will he be an acclaimed Guest of Honor, he will also hold an international debut orchestral concert Yoshihiro Ike: Anime Soundtrack World, and participate in panels, to the delight of fans.
“We are thrilled to have a Guest of Honor like Yoshihiro Ike, he is truly amazing”, declared Ray Chiang, CEO of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Anime. “Ike continues to dazzle fans with his music that bridges many communities including video games, live-action, and anime. We are excited to welcome him to Anime Expo 2019.”
Yoshihiro Ike is one of the most recognized music composers in Japan, having worked on more than 100 titles in the last 20 years, with Blood: The Last Vampire, as his debut anime title, which was nominated for the 2000 UK Music Awards, and subsequently awarded the top prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2000. Ike-san started his music career in 1987 as a member of AIKE BAND and later worked in Los Angeles as a bassist for David T. Walker, after which he returned to Japan and started composing music for not only anime but live-action and game titles, such as Aibou, Sonic X, SD Gundam Force, Ergo Proxy, Tiger & Bunny, Saint Seiya, Shadowverse, which in 2018 became the highest-ranking on iTunes, surpassing Shallow by Lady Gaga.
Yoshihiro Ike: Anime Soundtrack World event features a 50-piece orchestra that will bring to the life the greatest collection of anime soundtracks from Tiger & Bunny, Saint Seiya, B: The Beginning and Dororo. Also, the greatest collection of game soundtracks from Rage of Bahamut:Genesis and Shadowverse. With more than 50 amazing musicians from Nashville and Los Angeles, as well as a Koto harpist and a Shakuhachi flutist from Japan, this performance truly reflects the international scope of Yoshihiro Ike’s work. For more information on Yoshihiro Ike, please visit www.ike-yoshihiro.com
Event Details:
For 28 years Anime Expo has brought together fans of anime and Japanese-inspired pop culture from every corner of the globe. Anime Expo 2019 will run from July 4 through July 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with Pre-Show Night on July 3. For more information on Anime Expo, please visit www.anime-expo.org.
About Anime Expo
Anime Expo (AX) brings together fans and industry from Japan, the US, and all over the world for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America. Taking place every year since 1992, Anime Expo features the best in Japanese entertainment, music, fashion, and video games. For more information, visit www.anime-expo.org.
About SPJA
SPJA is a non-profit organization dedicated to popularize and educate the American public about Japanese entertainment and pop culture, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.
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