Vic Mignogna
Vic is a 46 year-old Italian American employed as a voice actor and has received acclaim for scores of roles he’s on anime movies and video games. Vic performed the lead role in the Generator Gawl and has portrayed characters such as Shougo in Megazone 23, Hikaru in Macross, Hiroki in Princess Nine, Dark in D.N. Angel, and Goemon in Legend of the Mystical Ninja.
Vic is well-known for his dub part of Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, for which he received a Best Actor award from The American Anime Awards. In addition to his acting abilities, Vic is an avid lover and composer of music. Vic once performed on Star Search singing the song “Worth Waiting For”. Vic has a fan club called Risembool Rangers and has donned costumes often at anime conventions and Risembool Ranger Dinners as the characters he performed voice overs for.
Forrest J Ackerman
Ackerman could probably be referred to as the Father of Cosplay. He was a huge and influential science fiction fan who even received a special Hugo award as a Fan Personality back in 1953. In addition to being a fan he also wrote and edited science fiction, eventually starting a magazine in the fifties known as Famous Monsters of Filmland, which included science fiction, fantasy and horror stories. His magazine had an inspirational impact on many young readers and was read by budding talents such as Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. Stephen King, who latter became Ackerman’s friend, called him the World’s Greatest Science Fiction Fan. Ackerman suggested an animated film of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings”, but Tolkien rejected the submitted storyline in 1958. While attending the 1st World Science Fiction Convention in 1939, he wore a futuristic suit which ignited a wave of costume followers for which today’s personification is cosplay. Mr. Ackerman died on December 4, 2008.
Tiffany Lynn Grant
Tiffany is a Houston born actress and voice–over artist who is known for her dubbing work with ADV Films, of which her husband, Matt Greenfield, is director and co-founder of. Like Vic Mignogna, Grant also worked on the series Fullmetal Alchemist through FUNimation Entertainment. In October of 2008, she was scheduled to appear with Vic Mignogna at Anime Banzai in Salt Lake City, Utah. At anime conventions, Grant has cosplayed as Asuka Langley Sohryu in Neon Genesis Evangelion, the character some say was her favorite dubbing role.