Each year, tens of thousands of anime fans gather in Los Angeles for Anime Expo (AX), America’s largest anime convention. This year, it is held July 1 -4. And, each year, the convention staff holds an auction, in which attendees can bid on items donated by sponsors and industry professionals. All proceeds go to a charity chosen before the event.
This year, given the tragedies that recently struck Japan, Anime Expo announced that it will donate proceeds from the auction to the Japanese Red Cross Society, a cause that is both worthy and fitting, given the nature of the convention. As Marc Perez, chairman and CEO of the SPJA, put it: “While news of the disaster may start to recede from the headlines by July, we know it will still be top-of-mind for anime fans who have a heartfelt connection with the people of Japan.”
The SPJA, or the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, is the non-profit organization that created and produces Anime Expo. You can visit www.spja.org for more information on the organization and its mission, or www.anime-expo.org for more information on Anime Expo and its charity auction.