Sarah Natochenny is one of the voice actors at Otakon. He is the voice of Ash Ketchum in Pokémon ready for Otakon 2016. Image: Otakon

ENTERTAINMENT: Anime Voice Actors, Singers, and Animation Producers Will Add Color to Baltimore Otakon

BY KAZAD

Michael Liscio: A versatile actor and voice-over artist. Image: Otakon

BALTIMORE, MD – As anticipation heightens for Otakon 2016 in Baltimore, the organizers of the annual event have added to the list of guests.  One of the new guests is voice actor Michael Liscio. Liscio has lent his voice to characters on the show Pokémon.

Voice Actors Anime

A versatile actor, Liscio is a voice-over artist and actor on stage and screen. He is also a singer/songwriter and writer. Liscio is best known for his work on Pokémon (Clemont and Inkay) and YuGiOh: Arc V” (Yuya, Yuto, Yugo, and Yuri), He can also be seen eight times a week in Avenue Q.

Sarah Natochenny

Voice actor Sarah Natochenny is best known as the voice of Ash Ketchum in Pokémon. For over a decade, she gave voice to this character that has attracted the audience to the show. Natochenny’s other animated series include Super 4 (Twinkle), Robin Hood (Marian), Peter Pan (Tinkerbell), Yoko (Vik), and World of Winx.

ENTERTAINMENT: Menga and Anime Fans Converge in Baltimore for Otakon 2016

Natochenny has also been involved with many video games.  Her voice can be heard in video games like  Batman: The Dark Knight, Thor, Gangstar: Vegas, My Littlest Pet Shop, Dungeon Hunter 4, Bullet Witch, Dragon Hunter, GTA V.

Natochenny has also done commercials and promos for several TV shows and businesses. Some of his credits include Nickelodeon, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Fisher Price, and Scope, which was awarded a Lion at the Cannes Film Festival. Her feature films credits include Axel: The Biggest Little Hero (Boca) and Sheep & Wolves (Xavi).

For the past six years, Natochenny has been working as a film editor. She studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade and Magnet Theaters.

Haven Paschall, one of the guests expected to bring color to Otakon 2016. Image: Otakon

Voice actor and actress Haven Paschall is another guest that will bring some excitement to Otakon 2016. She is celebrated for her roles as Serena, Jessie’s Pumpkaboo and Gourgeist, Miette’s Slurpuff, Sawyer’s Slurpuff, Swirlix, Concordia, Ellie and Florence in Pokémon. Haven is also the voice of Bloom and Kiko in Winx Club season 7 and World of Winx.

Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld

Alyson Rosenfeld: Scheduled to be at Otakon 2016. One of the voice actors at Otakon. Image: Otakon

Voice Actor Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld is  well-known for her roles on Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. She portrays Bonnie and Nurse Joy on Pokémon and Rio Kastle on Yu-Gi-Oh!. Rosenfeld has also played in other anime shows, including  Zexal, Princess Leonora and Baba Cara on Super 4; Kahori Harukawa in the Psychic School Wars anime feature; and Ally and Riley on Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V!.

A notable voice actor, Rosenfeld has also provided voices for numerous cartoons, video games, toys, and commercials. Her unique voice has taken her from the anime features on television and on-screen to the theatre. She can be seen performing theatre in New York City. Her most recently role was in the critically-acclaimed Seussical.

 LeSean Thomas

LeSean Thomas: Television animation producer, director, and illustrator. Image: Otakon

Behind the Voice Actors

Television animation producer, director and illustrator will also be at Otakon 2016. Operating out of Los Angeles, California, He is known for his work on The Boondocks The Legend Of Korra (Book1) and Black Dynamite: The Animated Series. Thomas  is the lead creative force behind the Cannon Busters, the animated pilot, with Japanese animation studio Satelight (Macross Delta, Basquash! Fairy Tail) based on his creator-owned comic book of the same name.

Yui Makino

Yui Makino: A Japanese voice actress, singer, and pianist. Image: Otakon

Yui Makino, a Japanese voice actress, singer, and pianist will also be at Otakon 2016 in Baltimore.  She is one of the voice actors at the event. Makino who started her career as a child actor at age 3,  began playing the piano a 4. Discovered by film director Shunji Iwai at age 8,  Makino has grown into a celebrity in the anime and movie world. She played incidental music for Iwai’s film Love Letter, All About Lily Chou-Chou, and Hana and Alice.

In April 2005, Makino debuted as a voice actress as Sakura, the main character of TSUBASA CHRoNiCLE. Even as she was doing that she pre-debuted as a singer with  Omna Magni, the ending theme song for Genesis of Aquarion.

Makino debuted as a singer with Amrita, which was the theme song for TSUBASA CHRoNiCLE the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom. Some of her other song credits for anime include Undine for Aria The Animation; Euforia for Aria The Natural; and many others. A constant traveler and performer, Makino has performed in France, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, Bangkok, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong. She released 88 Flight digitally, and Kimi no Erabu Michi in 2015, in celebration of her 10-year anniversary.

MICHI

Singer MICHI, the first Anisong singer to debut from Okinawa. Image: Otakon

MICHI, a singer known for her work with such anime titles as Dagashi Kashi is also on the list of the guests at this year’s Baltimore Otakon. Nineteen-year-old MICHI is the first Anisong singer to debut from Okinawa. Produced by Elements Garden, a group that ranks among the leading creators of anime songs, MICHI is unique in every way. Her carefree singing voice,  expressiveness, and innocence have captivated fans across the globe.

MICHI began her career with her debut single, Cry for the Truth/Secret Sky,”  The single served as the opening and ending theme songs to the TV Anime Rokka -Braves of the Six Flowers. A native of Koza, known as Okinawa’s city of music, MICHI has found huge success with her performances overseas in Indonesia and Singapore. In spite of all the odds against her, MICHI’s skills as a natural entertainer are helping her share her love for anime worldwide.

Kazutomi Yamamoto

Kazutomi Yamamoto: A voice actor with a very unique sensibility. One of the voice actors at Otakon. Image: Otakon

Kazutomi Yamamoto’s work in Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! and Mobile Suit Gundam Age, among others, has endeared him to many fans. A voice actor with a very unique sensibility, Yamamoto voiced Kio Asuno in Mobile Suit Gundam Age in 2012 as his first leading role. From then on, he has been unstoppable in the effort to achieve his dreams.

Born on January 3 in Hyogo Prefecture, Yamamoto debuted in Seitokai no Ichizon as Yoshiki Nakameguro in 2009. Since then it has been a success all the way.  In 2013, he won the Best Rookie Actor at the 7th Seiyu Awards.  He was also the protagonist Yumoto Hakone in Cute High Earth Defense Club Love!

The voice actors at this year’s Otakon will make things exciting. Who are your favorite voice actors in anime? Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments. Facebook– Twitter–Instagram