MangaNEXT 2007

New York, NY -- April 15, 2007 -- Universal Animation, Inc is pleased to announce that MangaNEXT will be returning to the New York City metropolitan area for its second incarnation. MangaNEXT 2007 will begin on Friday October 5 and end on Sunday October 7, 2007, taking place at the Crowne Plaza Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey. The convention venue is just minutes away from the heart of New York City, and is conveniently located close to mass transportation and major highway routes.

MangaNEXT is the only convention in the United States to focus on the explosion of "manga culture" in America. It is similar to and yet different from anime conventions. Our focus is primarily on manga, doujinshi and art. Anime conventions have been around for many years, and manga has had a large presence at these events, but prior to MangaNEXT last year, there has yet to be a convention dedicated to manga. With the manga market growing in leaps and bounds and exceed the pace of the Anime market, its manga's time to shine.

"We are very excited to announce our second year," said Shelly Berghold, Chairperson for the this year's event. Dave Asher, last year's Chairman, added, "the time had come for a convention dedicated to manga, and I'm thrilled to see it continue".

Attendees last year were treated to a variety of manga-focused events and panels. Representatives from Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, Del Rey, Media Blasters, Drama Queen, ALC Publishing, and Vertical were present to provide insight on the publishing side, while artists such as Hiroki Otsuka and Tania Del Rio were able to enlighten attendees on the creative side. A well-stocked Dealers Room ensured that attendees had much reading material available to them. Last year's event
provides a good foundation for the event, one which will be expanded upon in 2007. Details regarding registration are not yet available.

Universal Animation (http://www.universalanimation.org), the non-profit group that organizes AnimeNEXT is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation of Anime and Manga in the United States. Founded in 2002 in NYC, Universal Animation is responsible for planning AnimeNEXT, which is held annually in the Tristate (NY/NJ/CT) area. Universal Animation is an independent organization with no affiliation to any commercial
entities.