Anime Expo® 2009 Announces At-Con Ticketing Procedures for All Main Events

Ticket Guidelines Announced for Nation's Largest Anime and Manga Convention

LOS ANGELES, CA – June 30, 2009 –What are the Main Events of Anime Expo® 2009? How do you get to watch a Main Event? How many events can you attend? Who is eligible to obtain tickets? How do you get a ticket? Questions regarding ticket guidelines for Main Events are answered for the nation's largest anime and manga convention, Anime Expo® 2009, from July 2 – July 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. More information can be found at <www.anime-expo.org> .

Many attendees have been obtaining Reserved Seating Tickets for Anime Expo® 2009 Main Events to get the best seats possible without having to wait in long lines for stand-by tickets as well as allowing them priority access into the Main Events Hall for the event. Reserved Seating Tickets are available for the following events: Morning Musume Concert, Moi dix Mois Concert, AX Idol and AX Masquerade. Hotel vouchers are also available for the AX Anime Music Video (AMV) Contest. At-con Event Ticketing Booth (West Hall Lobby) dates and hours are:

· July 1, 2009: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
· July 2, 2009: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
· July 3, 2009: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
· July 4, 2009: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

What are the Main Events?

These events include the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Masquerade, the Anime Music Video Contest, the art auctions, AX Idol and various concerts. All of this year's scheduled Main Events are accessible free of charge to registered Anime Expo® attendees and will be held in the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) Main Events Hall.

How do you get to watch a Main Event?

Due to high attendee interest and limited seating, concerts, Masquerade, the Anime Music Video Contest, and AX Idol will require tickets for admission. Tickets will be handed out to attendees during a specified time frame before each event. Each individual ticket grants admission to one specific event. Attendees will have the opportunity to pick up tickets to multiple events based on availability.

How many events can you attend?

All attendees are welcome to attend as many events as possible providing that tickets are available. Attendees may wait in the standby line for tickets on the day of the event or purchase tickets to multiple events under our Reserved Seating program (limit one ticket per event per registered attendee).

Who is eligible to obtain tickets?

All registered Anime Expo® attendees with valid badges, with the exception of “Exhibit Hall only” passes, are eligible to obtain tickets for the ticketed Main Events.

How do you get a ticket?

There are two ways to obtain tickets to the Main Events:

1. Purchase a Reserved Seating ticket at the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth in West Hall Lobby or from official AX roaming ticketing staff before the start of the open ticket distribution for the desired event. Attendees are limited to one (1) ticket per event per registration ID and can purchase tickets for multiple events at this time. Some Main Events do not have Reserved Seating tickets available for purchase.

2. Line up in the Standby Line at the Concourse Foyer starting four (4) hours before show time on the day of the desired event. Open ticket distribution begins one to two (1-2) hours before the start of the event. The number of tickets given out is based on availability. Please note that queuing for tickets at this time does not guarantee that you will receive one. Once the start time of the event has passed, any unclaimed tickets for the event can be picked up in front of the LACC Main Events Hall.

More detailed instructions can be found under Ticket Pickup Procedures.

Attendees with special needs must inquire about seats with our Disabled Services Coordinators located at the Anime Expo® Information Desk in Registration (West Hall B). Please note that there are a limited number of handicapped spaces available in the LACC Main Events Hall. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Tickets for these sections cannot be obtained at the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth or through the open distribution process. Once the start time of the event has passed, any unclaimed tickets for the event can be picked up in front of the LACC Main Events Hall.

Rules and Regulations · Tickets are non-transferable. Attendees will not be allowed to apply their Room Block ticket and a Reserved Seating ticket on the same event.

· No ticket exchanges after you leave the booth or the standby line. Please check that the tickets you receive are for the events you wish to attend before leaving the booth or the standby line.

· LOST OR STOLEN TICKETS CANNOT BE REPLACED.

· All Reserved Seating ticket sales are final. No refunds, exchanges, or cancellations.

· A valid attendee badge and badge holder is required to pick up tickets and to attend any of the Main Events. When picking up tickets for other attendees, please have their badge, badge holder and a photo ID of them with you.

· All attendees are subject to the Anime Expo® Code of Conduct. In addition, attendees are expected to adhere to the policies set for the LACC.

· Unlawful resale (or attempt) is grounds for seizure and cancellation without compensation. Any person caught buying or selling any Anime Expo® event tickets will face immediate ejection from the event and a ban of one year (minimum) from the convention, effective immediately.

TICKET PICKUP PROCEDURES:

Anime Expo® Hotel Room Block Attendees

· Attendees registered under the Anime Expo® Hotel Room Block at any one of the Anime Expo® hotels (Hilton Checkers, Holiday Inn City Center, Hotel Figueroa, Los Angeles Athletic Club, Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Omni Los Angeles, Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, Westin Bonaventure, Wilshire Grand Los Angeles) will be eligible to receive tickets (one (1) per person, limit four (4) people per hotel room).

· In order to receive a ticket, the room registration must be made through the Experient website before Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 11:59 PM, PDT and must be under the Anime Expo® Hotel Room Block. Reservations made directly through the hotels will not be honored. Please specify the events you wish to attend on the Experient website when registering.

· Anime Expo® Hotel Room Block Attendees may pick up tickets to registered events at the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth in West Hall Lobby during the following hours:

o (HOURS TBD)

· All unclaimed tickets for an event will be released for open ticket distribution 90 minutes before show time.

Steps:
1. Choose one Main Event per registered hotel guest on the Experient website after making reservations. Tickets from a reserved room may be all for one event, all for different events or in any other combination.

2. Visit Anime Expo® Registration to obtain a valid badge, badge holder, and hotel ticket voucher(s).

3. Only one attendee from each reserved room is needed to pick up all the tickets for their party. Bring a valid badge, badge holder, hotel ticket voucher and photo ID of each attendee with a reserved ticket to the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth. All items are required in order to receive tickets.

4. Doors will open for seating one to two (1-2) hours before the event's scheduled start time.

Anime Expo® Regular Attendees

Reserved Seating
· Reserved Seating tickets are offered for sale on the official Anime Expo® website in limited quantities to pre-registered attendees and can be purchased by Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 11:59 PM, PDT. Tickets may also be purchased during the convention at the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth in West Hall Lobby during operating hours. This is optional and geared towards attendees who cannot or do not wish to wait for the open ticket distributions in the standby line.

· Attendees are limited to one (1) ticket per event per unique registration ID.

· Attendees who have purchased Reserved Seating tickets may pick up purchased tickets at the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth in West Hall Lobby during the following hours:

· All Reserved Seating ticket sales are final. No refunds, exchanges or cancellations.

Steps:
1. Visit Anime Expo® Registration to obtain a valid badge, badge holder, and Reserved Seating voucher(s).

2. Bring a valid badge, badge holder, Reserved Seating voucher (if purchased online) and photo ID to the AX Main Events Ticketing Booth for redemption during operating hours up until 15 minutes before the show's scheduled start time. All items are required in order to receive tickets.

3. Doors will open for seating one to two (1-2) hours before the event's scheduled start time.

Open Ticket Distribution (Standby Line)

· Attendees who are not part of the Anime Expo® Hotel Room Block or have not purchased Reserved Seating tickets may wait in line on the day of the event for any unclaimed event tickets. Attendees with valid Anime Expo® badges do not need to pay for tickets in the standby line, but waiting in line does not guarantee entry to the event.

Steps:
1. Visit Anime Expo® Registration to obtain a valid badge and badge holder.

2. Line up at the Concourse Foyer starting four (4) hours before show time on the day of the desired event. Tickets will be distributed one to two (1-2) hours before the start of the event, 2 tickets per person, on a first come, first served basis. Please note that queuing for tickets at that time does not guarantee you will receive one. The number of tickets given out is based on availability.

3. Doors will open for seating one to two (1-2) hours before the event's scheduled start time.

Anime Expo® 2009 Official Guests of Honor include Yun Kouga, Hiroyuki Imaishi, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Yōsuke Kuroda, Toshimichi Mori, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Morning Musume, Yasuhiro Nightow, Atsushi Nishigori, Satoshi Nishimura, Takashi Okazaki and Kari Wahlgren.

Attendees, Press and Industry Members are also encouraged to view the video coverage site of the 2008 convention at www.axbackstage.org.

Red & Black Sponsors include: FUNimation, Silver Sponsors include: Anime News Network and Digital Manga Press, Patron Sponsors include: COPIC, Central Park Media and The Right Stuf, Media Sponsors include: ImaginAsian TV, Animation Magazine, Anime Insider Magazine, Anime News Network and UTB Hollywood.

About Anime Expo®
Located in Los Angeles, California - Anime Expo®, the nation's largest anime/manga convention, serves to foster trade, commerce and the interests of the general public and animation/ comics industry. This event serves as a key meeting place for the general public to express their interest and explore various aspects of anime/manga, as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. AX 2009 will be held July 2 – July 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California. More information can be found at its website www.anime-expo.org.

About Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property – Anime Expo®. More information can be found at its website www.spja.org.

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Anime Expo®/SPJA's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.