New York Anime Festival (NYAF) announced Kobun Shizuno and Aimee Major Steinberger as Guests of Honor at the first festival, being held December 7-9 in New York City.  Shizuno has directed many notable anime series (Burst Angel, Elfen Lied, Case Closed, Ai Yori Aoshi, Peacemaker, Princess Nine, and Final Fantasy: Unlimited) and is co-director for the upcoming Neon Genesis Evangelion feature films.  Steinberger is a veteran American animator who has worked on series including The Simpsons and Futurama and is currently writing and illustrating a book of her adventures in the worlds of cosplay, doll collecting, and other otaku pursuits, called Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan, coming out this winter from Go! Comi.

NYAF Show Manager John McGeary said of the guests, 'Mr. Shizuno's works, from the classics that gave him his start, to the upcoming installments of the Evangelion saga, are enormously impressive.  Meanwhile, Ms. Steinberger has been involved in the production of some of America's most-beloved cartoons while also becoming one of the leading American figures in the Japanese pop culture movement.  We are certainly fortunate to have both these artists contribute their time and talent to our show.'

NYAF also recently announced voice actors Peter Fernandez and Corinne Orr as Guests of Honor (see 'First New York Anime Festival Guests of Honor').