The first ever American Anime Awards will be presented on Saturday night, February 24th, at New York Comic Con.  The ceremony will be held at the New Yorker Hotel in midtown Manhattan, streamed live via IGN.com, and broadcast later on Anime Network.  Attending the ceremony will be top anime and manga companies, including Viz, Tokyopop, Media Blasters, Geneon, FUNimation, Del Rey, Bandai, and ADV Films.

The awards will be chosen by fan voting on the Web during the month of January, from nominees submitted by American anime and manga companies, and by a panel of industry experts, including representatives of Anime Insider, Anime News Newtork, and Anime on DVD.  The five top vote-getters will be announced on February 5th, and the winners at the ceremony.

A group of top voice actresses, including Christine Auten, Jessica Boone, Shelley Calene-Black, Luci Christian, Alice Fulks, Hilary Haag, Taylor Hannah, and Serena Varghese, will host the ceremony.

The categories are:

  • Best Actor
  • Best Actress
  • Best Actor in a Comedy
  • Best Actress in a Comedy
  • Best Cast
  • Best DVD Package Design
  • Best Anime Theme Song
  • Best Comedy Anime
  • Best Anime Feature (OAV)
  • Best Short Series (13 episodes or less)
  • Best Long Series (over 13 episodes)
  • Best Manga

ICv2's own Milton Griepp will serve as Awards Committee Chairman.