Yaoi-Con Announces 2008 Event

SAN MATEO, CA, March 5, 2008 -- Yaoi-Con, the premiere Western fan convention dedicated solely to the yaoi genre of Japanese anime and manga, is pleased to announce its eighth annual event, to be held the weekend of September 26-28, 2008 at the Marriott San Mateo-San Francisco Airport hotel in the South San Francisco Bay area.

Created primarily by women for a largely female audience, yaoi (a.k.a. "boy's love") is unique in its exploration of deep bonds and relationships, both platonic and romantic, between male characters. Yaoi works typically contain intense and highly idealized examples of love and romance, as well as characters designed to appeal to a woman's aesthetic sense of masculine beauty. This potent combination is a major factor in the genre's soaring popularity outside Japan, including the United States. In its country of origin, many popular mainstream mangaka, or manga artists, had their start in the genre.

Since its inception, Yaoi-Con has been committed to the promotion and celebration of this unique genre, inviting guests who represent the broad spectrum of art and stories available. This year, the convention is proud to welcome back for her second visit as guest of honor Youka Nitta, one of Japan's most successful and popular yaoi artists. Nitta-sensei is well-known her engaging storylines and meticulous attention to detail, not to mention the overwhelming gorgeousness of her characters and their impeccable fashion sense! Her works range from titillating one-shots, including the popular Casino Lilly, to long-lasting series, such the phenomenal Haru wo Daiteita. More information about Youka Nitta may be found on both Yaoi-Con's Web site (www.yaoicon.com/guests/) and her official Web site (http://youka-nitta.com/).

Yaoi-Con is also proud to feature guests who are active in the industry and who are responsible for propagating the yaoi genre to a ever-widening audience. Industry and other guests will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

Yaoi-Con is dedicated to provide engaging, one-of-a-kind activities and events for convention attendees. Yaoi-Con 2008 will again feature a 24-hour anime and live-action screening room, a manga library boasting over 1,000 volumes, a game room, yaoi-themed panels and workshops, a Dealers' Room packed full of hard-to-find merchandise, Cosplay and Anime Music Video contests, a fundraising Bishounen (beautiful boy) Auction — Yaoi-con's most popular fund-raising event - and much more

The yaoi genre continues to enjoy a level of popularity that surprises non-fans, but at its core, the yaoi phenomenon is driven by women who appreciate beautiful men who love other beautiful men. The yaoi publishing industry has exploded in the U.S. over the past few years and many exciting new titles are in store for fans in 2008. Yaoi-Con hopes to be a part of this thriving genre for years to come.

For additional information on Yaoi-Con 2008, visit the Web site at http://www.yaoicon.com or contact the Public Relations Chair April Gutierrez at pr@yaoicon.com.