One day, way back in 2006, a bunch of female VAs got together to spend a few glorious hours with some super awesome wardrobe and makeup teams, and then lounge around a fancy nightclub all day while a very talented photographer made us look like Hollywood royalty for a photo spread in the now defunct (collectable) anime industry magazine (see photo credits above.)
We certainly felt like royalty that day. Then, of course, it was back to our regular lives.
Photographed for Anime Insider by John Conroy. Styled by Summar Salah. Makeup by Andrea Schutter, Victoria Callaway, and Ozzie Ausburne. Hair by Mary Catherine Jimenez. Documentary photography by Michele Griffiths. Clothing, Jewelry, Boots, and Shoes courtesy Tootsies, Lot 8, Melodrama Boutique, Abejas, and Maria Pozo.
Pictured: Hilary Haag, Shelley Calene-Black, Luci Christian, Serena Varghese, Christine Auten, Jessica Boone, Taylor Hannah, Alice Fulks
The project culminated in the world premiere of the “Babes of Anime” (and more fun times acting like Hollywood royalty) at a fancy anime dubbing awards show in New York City. This was a lllloooonnnnggg time ago, and I can no longer remember the name of the show. All I know was that I my handsome husband and I got to dress up in more fancy clothes, walk the red carpet, and generally behave like big shots for a day of two. It was glorious!
All this fun was the brainchild of one Steven Foster, ADV Films director extraordinaire, in an early bid to introduce mainstream media to the world of anime dubbing. The anime industry, and the anime dubbing industry, has certainly come a long way since then! I’m proud to have been even a small part of that growth.