KiraMeku is a 9 person dance group based in Boston, MA. Their main focus is the Love Live! franchise but they are a fan of all things Idol! KiraMeku is returning to ANIMAINE to bring you something bigger and better than last year! They have a FULL DAY of activities and events planned- trivia contests, singing opportunities, panels, and of course the main event, the Idol Showcase! More details to be announced, but mark your calendars for Sunday, October 8 for Idol Showcase Applications! Be sure to submit your application for a chance to shine at ANIMAINE!
Greg Ayres
Greg Ayres has spent the last thirteen years working in an industry he had admired for years as a fan. With over 200 credits to his name, this fan-boy has managed to get to play a variety of characters that are almost as colorful as his hair. He was thrilled to be a part of the Toonami re-launch in the roles of Ganta Igarashi in Deadman Wonderland, and Heihachi Hayashida in Samurai 7, and even more thrill to follow that up the following summer’s thriller Another as Kouichi Sakakibara. His most recent roles include Sho Utsumi in SSSS.Gridman, Satoru Asahina in From the New World, Kenji Nakanishi in Say I Love You, Sion in No. 6, Heisuke Toudou in Hakuoki, Tommyrod in Toriko, Arikawa in This Boy Can Fight Aliens, Tomoki Sakurai in Heaven’s Lost Property, and Volken, in the Book of Bantorra. Some of his all-time favorite roles include Son Goku in Saiyuki, Chrono in Chrono Crusade, Kaoru Hitachiin in Ouran High School Host Club, Youhei Sunohara in Clannad, Yuki in The Wallflower, Leo in Ghost Stories, Satoshi Hiwatari in DNAngel, Kaworu Nagisa in the Director’s Cut of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Negi Springfield in Negima. He can also be heard as Uesugi Kenshin in Sengoku Basara, Seikechi Tayama in Oh Edo Rocket, Hiro Hirono in ef: A Tale of Memories, Abe in Big Windup, Jr. in Xenosaga: The Animation, Tsujido in Speed Grapher, Roan in Ragnorok The Animation, Yamazaki in Welcome to the NHK, Gau Ban in Shadow Skill, Pope Alessandro XVIII in Trinity Blood, and a bunch of other titles he’ll probably forget to mention When he’s not in a booth with headphones on, you can usually find him sporting headphones of another variety behind “the decks”. A veteran nightclub DJ of many years, he jumped at the opportunity to play music and organize late night dances at many of the conventions he attends. From packed rooms at anime conventions, to the legendary stage of The Knitting Factory (NYC), he never misses an opportunity to share his love of music with anyone who will listen.
Greg has been part of ANIMAINE since the very beginning, and we’re excited for him to return!
Scott Melzer
Scott is the head writer and director of the anime fan parody group NoN.D.E. Fanfilms. An anime fan since birth in 1966, Scott grew up on Speed Racer and Star Blazers, having no idea of the shows' origins. In college he learned the truth: they were Japanese, and there were uncut versions of these shows! And there were conventions! Rabid otakunization soon followed. In 2001 he tried his hand at directing fan parodies, and the homage to fans and fandom "This Is Otakudom" was the result, followed by "S.T.E.A.M.: The Movie" in 2005 and "Fanboy Soze" in 2011. Scott is currently developing his fourth film and spreads the joy of parodies by showing screenings of Abridged shows and Fan Parodies at cons along the east coast.
Scott is coming back to ANIMAINE for the sixth time and we can't wait. If you haven't been to one of his panels you should absolutely check them out this year.
