Anime Expo Unveils Exciting Guest Lineup and Premieres

Announced Guests and Panel Highlights

The Anime Expo staff has revealed a star-studded lineup and exclusive premieres over the past 10 days:

Mokumokuren (Manga creator) and voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi will debut the anime adaptation of Mokumokuren’s horror manga The Summer Hikaru Died (original manga titled Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu).
Manga creator Shinobu Seguchi, known for Prisoner Riku.
Creators Gorō Taniguchi, Tatsuyuki Tanaka, and Alex Xu will participate in the Community-Driven Anime Production Panel.
Doujin artist Asanagi.
Directors Hiroaki Akagi and Masaki Watanabe, along with producers from TV Asahi and Netflix.
Voice actors Makoto Furukawa and Daiki Yamashita.
Manga artist Ogeretsu Tanaka.
Amuse Creative Studio hosts a panel with Kazuhiro Nishikawa (CEO of Dandelion Animation Studio), manga editor Rei Hebiguchi.
Producer George Wada will join the VIZ Presents panel.

1st teaser visual for The Summer Hikaru Died anime Image courtesy of Kadokawa

Additional highlights include the world premieres:

GINTAMA - Mr. Ginpachi's Zany Class on July 5 (hosted on Instagram).
Scene reveal from the upcoming anime KILLTUBE with guest director Kazuki Kuribayashi.

The Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage fan event will host talents like Karin Isobe, Yuki Nakashima, Fumiya Imai, and Kent Itō.
Notable industry guests include MAPPA President Manabu Ohtsuka, Hiroya Hasegawa, and Higurashi and Umineko creator Ryukishi07.
The Call of the Night cast, including voice actors Sora Amamiya and Gen Sato, will participate in discussions for season 2.

A major J-POP SOUND CAPSULE @AX2025 concert will feature:

TOGENASHI TOGEARI, band for Girls Band Cry,
Legendary bands like FLOW, GRANRODEO (known for Kuroko's Basketball, Bungo Stray Dogs),
Sakurazaka46, and JAM Project's Hiroshi Kitadani (famous for One Piece),
Metal band ASTERISM opening with Crescendo.

Final Fantasy XIV director/producer Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), alongside Final Fantasy XVI producer Kazuki Ura.
Teams involved in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, featuring director Kazuya Tsurumaki, series composer Yōji Enokido, voice actress Tomoyo Kurosawa, and Bandai Namco Filmworks.

Anime Expo will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 3 to 6.