Kenji Kamiyama, Motonobu Hori, Shigeto Koyama, Christophe Ferreira, Yoshiki Sakurai to attend

The staff for the Dallas anime convention AnimeFest announced on Tuesday that five staff members from the production of the Ancien and the Magic Tablet ( Hirune Hime: Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari ) anime film will appear as guests of honor at this year's convention. The staff members include writer and director Kenji Kamiyama, animation director Motonobu Hori, mechanical designer Shigeto Koyama, creature designer Christophe Ferreira, and producer Yoshiki Sakurai.

Kamiyama directed the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex , Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit , and Eden of the East anime. He also directed the 009 Re:Cyborg CG anime film.

Hori is the character designer for the BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad anime. He also storyboarded and directed a number of episodes for the show, and served as key animator for some cuts. He has worked as key animator, animation director, and storyboarder in a number of anime productions.

Koyama debuted as the mechanical designer for Gainax's Gunbuster 2: Diebuster OAV sequel, and has since worked on such anime as Eureka Seven , Gurren Lagann , Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit , the Rebuild of Evangelion films, and Star Driver . He designed the character Baymax in the Big Hero 6 film.

Ferreira started working in the anime industry at Telecom Animation, and studied under Yasuo Otsuka and Kazuhide Tomonaga. He worked as a key animator in Bleach , Oban Star-Racers , Soul Eater , Genius Party , and Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine . He is also a comic book artist, and is currently working on his Milo's World comic.

Sakurai previously collaborated with Kamiyama on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit as a scriptwriter, and also wrote scripts for Blood+ , Giovanni's Island , Otogi Zoshi , and Redline . He is credited as chief producer on the Cyborg 009 Call of Justice anime films.

The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) will screen Ancien and the Magic Tablet on March 19.

AnimeFest 2017 will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel from August 17-20. The convention will also host director Sayo Yamamoto, co-creator Mitsurou Kubo, and character designer and animation director Tadashi Hiramatsu from the Yuri!!! on Ice television anime, as well as voice actress Atsumi Tanezaki, and scriptwriter Dai Sato.