Anime Expo has announced that Hatsune Miku will be wowing American fans on July 2nd when she takes the stage at Nokia Theatre. Miku is a virtual pop idol who’s has forged a new front in the music industry with computer-generated singing and holographic performances. The concert is presented by The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, Crypton Future Media, Inc., SEGA Corporation, Tokyo Kawaii Magazine (ASCII Media Works) and Toyota Motor Sales, USA.

Toyota USA has just launched a ad campaign for the Toyota Corolla that stars Miku Hatsune. The Toyota Corolla has been dubbed the official car of her July 2nd concert. Miku was created by Crypton Future Media, Inc. in 2007 using Yamaha’s Vocaloid software application. Since then she has boomed to a world wide success in the internet and the real world. To date, she has been featured in more than 100,000 songs and videos created and shared by fans worldwide. The July 2nd concert will be based on “39‘s Giving Day,” which was Miku’s first solo concert and was held March 9, 2010 in Japan. SPJA stated that the concert is “holographic” with “3D projection.” However, the “39′s Giving Day” concert in Japan did not use 3D projection.

Also performing July 2nd at Club Nokia will be Kalafina. Yuki Kajiura made the group Kalafina in 2008 and since then they have grown a following of passionate fans. Kalafina has provided hit songs for such anime titles Black Butler, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Kara no Kyōkai – the Garden of sinners. Since they debuted in 2008 they have had seven songs on the Top 15 on the Japanese Oricon Charts.

Anime Expo will be held July 1st though July 4th in Los Angeles, California at the Los Angeles Convention center. More information can be found at http://www.anime-expo.org/

Anime Centeral has announced that Bob Shirohata, Mika Nomura, Stephanie Sheh will making the trip to the Chicago based con. Bob Shirohata and Mika Nomura are the director and producer of the hit anime series Hetalia – Axis Powers. Hetalia – Axis Powers is an adaptation of Hidekaz Himaruya’s manga series. Anime Centeral will be held May 20th to 22nd in Rosemont, Illinois.

Shirohata has directed other anime series such as Diamond Daydreams, Gravitation, and Let’s Dance With Papa. Nomura has also produced Steins;Gate, Princess Lover!, and When They Cry – Higurashi.

Stephanie Sheh is an American voice actress and will be returning to Anime Central for a second year. She has voiced such roles as Yui Hirasawa from K-ON!, Hazumu Osaragi from Kasimasi – Girl Meets Girl, Akira Kogami from Lucky Star and Hinata Hyuuga from Naruto.

AM2 has announced Visual Kei group Sadie. and J-rock group Scandal to their guest of honor line up! AM2 is July 1-3 at the Anaheim convention center, Anaheim, California. They will be joining an already stellar guest of honor line up. More info can be found at www.am2con.org.

Sadie. is a Visual Kei band that was founded in 2005, and their first live show was March 18 of that year at the Osaka BIG CAT where they opened for D, Fatima, Doremidan, shulla, Kra and others. Sadie. is composed of Mao (vocals), Mizuki (guitar), Tsurugi (guitar), Aki (bass guitar), Kei (drums).

Scandal is making their second trip to the United States, their previous US tour was in 2008 during which they made a stop at Sakura-Con. Scandal’s members are Haruna Ono (vocals, guitar), Tomomi Ogawa (bass, vocals), Mami Sasazaki (guitar,vocals), Rina Suzuki (drums,vocals). They proclaim themselves as “The Most Powerful Japanese Girlie Pop Rock”

Entrance to the two events are free, but attendees can avoid the lines with a Passport Fast Pass for the events. The Passport Fast Pass also works for all other events for AM2, and can be obtained on their website. Other guests of honor include Sixh., Gashicon, heidi., Kanon Wakeshima, Kanon, kanon x kanon, J.B. Blanc, Dave Vincent, Neil Kaplan and Steve Staley.