Moderated by Lisle Wilkerson, best known for voicing Nina Williams and Christie Monteiro in the Tekken series, the panel was lively, entertaining, and engaging. The first half of the panel focused on the popular WEBTOON manhwa ELECEED, which is being adapted into a TV anime series by DandeLion Animation Studio and will premiere worldwide in April 2027. The shonen web series, translated into 10 languages and still ongoing, is currently at chapter 393, with new updates weekly. For fans of the manhwa, Penguin Random House will also be releasing the print editions in North America next year.

ELECEED

At the panel, special ELECEED guests included the illustrator ZHENA and the author Jeho Son, who shared behind-the-scenes stories with the audience. When asked what anime had first inspired their craft, Jeho Son said it was Laputa: Castle in the Sky, one of Studio Ghibli’s most influential films, that he kept watching over and over. For ZHENA, it was the Rose of Versailles that made her heart beat so hard that she hopes her work might do the same for others one day.

Fans of the manhwa also learned that the cat version of the character Kayden, was originally supposed to be a dog. Jeho Son said that while preparing to pitch ELECEED to ZHENA, he changed his approach at the last minute and presented it as a “fat cat on the streets” story rather than a heavily action-oriented one, believing the latter would’ve made her less likely to join the project. In response to this remark, ZHENA emphatically nodded. And since ZHENA’s own cat is orange, it eventually became the final look of the important character. 

ZHENA also kept expressing that she was nervous working on the project, and Jeho Son explained that it was because he kept on emphasizing to her that the human version of Kayden had to be the “best-looking and coolest character ever,” while the cat version had to be the “laziest and most pitiful-looking.” It all worked out since the manhwa is almost 8 years old now and still going strong.

When an audience member asked how much input the author gives the artist beyond the Kayden character, it was revealed that although Jeho Son spearheaded the story, ZHENA provided feedback on certain characters, especially the ones she had worked hardest to draw. He couldn’t bring himself to kill off characters she felt particularly attached to!

Fans can look forward to the anime premiering in April 2027, but in the meantime, here’s the newest trailer:

RE:BEL ROBOTICA

The second half of the panel brought in a new guest, illustrator Mika Pikazo, known for her vivid, colorful style and most recognized for her character design work on the video game Fire Emblem Engage. Mika’s work was also featured prominently at this Anime Expo, as she designed the newest promotional art for the official magazines, banners, flyers, and more. You can’t mistake her style, which focuses on expressive eyes, hyper-saturated neon color palettes, chaotic composition, and sharp line work, which was heavily influenced by her 2.5 years living in Brazil after graduating from high school. 

Now, she’s working on an anime that was originally a self-published manga from Comiket called RE:BEL ROBOTICA with animation studio SILVER LINK. When the producer first saw her doujinshi, he was drawn to her beautiful use of color and wanted to bring that unique visual style to life through animation. The work also asks what the world will be like in 2050. Will advanced technology really make people happy?

There’s an incredible team surrounding the anime, including:

• Director Shin-Onuma, known for the Fate Prisma Illya series 
• Screenplay by Ryo Yoshigami, known for Psycho-Pass
• Composer Yuki Kajiura, known for Demon Slayer, Sword Art Online, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and more

All we know is that the anime will officially premiere sometime in 2027. In the meantime, here’s the newest trailer, until we get more updates:

Anime Expo, the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America, will return next year to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 2 to July 5, 2027.

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When asked what they were most excited about for Season 3, both spoke about the wider world compared to Season 1, seeing more of Maomao’s different facial expressions, more mystery solving, and having a lot of fun interacting with many new and current characters. 

“The Apothecary Diaries has constantly grown in scale, in the story, and in the world. Because of that, there are more things to distract or for Maomao to be curious about,” Yuki Aoi said, “but personally, I’m really looking forward to interacting with Lahan.” 

Takeo Otsuka said, “Of course, I love her relationship with Jinshi, but I’m particularly excited for Season 3, a character called Lahan.” We’ll definitely pay attention to Lahan since both VAs mentioned his name. Since he’s Maomao’s biological cousin and adopted older brother, their scenes together often have an entertaining “older brother and younger sister” dynamic. Lahan is also a genius with numbers and investigates financial and political matters alongside Lakan.

The Voice Recording Process

When asked whether the VAs had any warm-up rituals before delivering lines or embodying the character, both said they don’t have routines and that, when they’re acting across from each other, the exchange naturally brings the character to life. 

This information surprised me, since I wasn’t aware that Japanese voice actors work in a group setting, since I’ve seen so many American VAs working solo in a booth! This makes so much more sense, though, as the dialogue feels more conversational. “Many, many people! We have a whole cast. Like 20 people and 4 microphones, so we all kind of have to dodge each other as we go to the mic and record,” Yuki Aoi said, laughing. 

Later on in the panel, Yuki Aoi mentioned that the group recording process feels like elementary school in the best way, since the vibes are so much fun.

Takeo Otsuka praised her by saying, “She makes it look so easy, and she kind of leads the way with her voice when she steps up to the mic. The entire studio just goes into Apothecary mode, like we’re all in her world, in her universe.”

Can You Guess Their Favorite Lines?

Of course, I had to ask what their favorite lines were, and for Yuki Aoi, she reminisced about two lines. 

“This is poison. I’ve been made to say it so many times, even though it only appeared in the anime once, but I remember adjusting the tone a lot with that line. There aren’t that many lines when, after you eat, you say it’s poison, so I thought it was really impressive and unique.”

And then when Jinshi gets a scar on his face.

“You’ve become more manly than before. Maomao wasn’t looking at a physically manly Jin-Shi due to the scar. I think she was looking at the soul of a manly Jin-Shi. So it really shows where Maomao is focused on in terms of her definition of manly, and it’s like an almost spiritual growth.”

For Takeo Otsuka, his favorite line, “Is my pretty face the only value I hold? Because it’s really interesting to see how their relationship progresses and when Maomao’s definition of manliness changes. For Jinshi, there aren’t that many people he can say that to, so I think there’s a lot of meaning in saying that to Maomao.”

Special Stage at Peacock Theater

The official evening panel was packed with excited fans, and they warmed up the audience pre-show by inviting Maomao cosplayers to the front to perform a “Maomao catwalk” to compete for Crunchyroll pins and signed copies of The Apothecary Diaries manga. 

We were then blessed by a new 52-second trailer for the movie, coming out in Japan on December 11, 2026, titled The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Consort’s Hidden Treasure.

After energetic introductions and the voice actors confirming that Season 3 dubbing had already begun, they moved to the standing microphones to treat the audience to not one but four live dubbing clips!

The scenes:

• Jinshi and Maomao’s first meeting, where he wrote a note to single her out
• ****THE FROG SCENE*****
• Jinshi asks Maomao if he was just a pretty face to her
• Jinshi gifts the ox bezoar, and Maomao loses all composure

Obviously, the crowd went wild for THE frog scene, but it was also interesting to see how the characters’ dynamic changed from their first meeting to near the end of Season 2 in just a few clips, performed so well by the voice actors.

Takeo Otsuka, after performing Jinshi live, said, “All of your reactions were just so perfect! I was like, man, should I overact a little bit, should I exaggerate a little bit more? I’m really getting into this. It’s my first time doing this in front of such a huge live audience, but I had so much fun; you guys made it a lot of fun for me.”

They further expanded on what it was like to see and perform these scenes back-to-back, from the first episode to the most current available. Yuki Aoi said, “Maomao’s perspective on Jinshi has definitely changed. She sees his straightforwardness, seriousness and sincerity that she wasn’t aware of before. Jinshi, in my opinion, is a person who has been desired by people since birth. So when he gave the ox parts, the fact that he’s doing something for someone else to the degree that he is, and adding more work to his plate as if he doesn’t already have enough, really shows how their relationship has changed.”

Takeo Otsuki remarked, “Maomao now really sees the more stoic and mature and composed version of Jinshi. But because they’ve spent so much time together, I don’t know if Maomao is aware of it yet, but I can certainly see her beginning to open her heart to Jinshi.”

And with this, we eagerly await The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 – Part 1, which will premiere on Crunchyroll in October, with Part 2 following in April 2027. A huge thank you to Mikey McNamara for helping to translate our interview and to studio OLM, TOHO animation STUDIO, Crunchyroll, Natsu Hyuuga, and Touko Shino for bringing this beloved world to life.

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Based on Kei Urana’s manga, Gachiakuta did not take long to separate itself from the rest of the shonen crowd. The series has this grungy, grimy, graffiti-covered identity that immediately makes it feel different. The world is literally built around society’s trash. Still, the show somehow turns that into something visually exciting instead of just bleak.

A big part of what made Season 1 work was how they adapted it. Gachiakuta has such a specific look and attitude on the page, and thankfully, that translated really well into animation. The action had impact, the character designs popped, and the vital instruments power system gave the fights a different rhythm from the usual. In other words, it felt familiar enough to grab people quickly, but strange enough to keep them curious.

Season 2 looks ready to push all of that further. After the events of the first season, Rudo’s journey through the Pit is only getting more complicated. His powers continue to grow, but so do the threats around him. The new teaser shown at Anime Expo gave fans another look at his abilities and made it clear that the Cleaners will play a bigger role in what comes next.

This is the point where Gachiakuta starts to feel like more than one character just trying to survive. The world opens up. New allies enter the picture, and new enemies begin to move. Also, the story begins to dig deeper into the systems that created this broken society in the first place.

Gachiakuta Season 2 director Fumihiko Suganuma described this next chapter as a “big pivot” with “a lot of growth.” Gachiakuta already had the look and the attitude. Now, it has to show how far its world and characters can go.

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During Anime Expo 2026, fans got a new look at what comes next for Frieren, Fern, and Stark. Season 3 is ready to premiere in October 2027, with the spotlight shifting toward the highly anticipated Golden Land Arc. More importantly, the new teaser visual gives fans a closer look at Macht, next season’s big bad.

The Golden Land Arc is one of the most anticipated arcs of the manga. Now, without spoiling anything, Golden Land pushes Frieren into darker, more complex territory. The arc explores a place shaped by tragedy, old magic, and unresolved history. There’s a lot of emotional weight behind it, which is exactly when Frieren tends to hit hardest.

Then there’s Macht himself. Macht is seen as the strongest of the Seven Sages of Destruction, and what makes him stand out is the way he challenges the usual idea of what a demon in this world can be. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has always treated demons as beings that understand, imitate, and distort human emotion. Macht seems to sit right in the middle of that, and he’s the kind of villain who could have the ability to be terrifying for reasons beyond raw strength.

Season 3 will also bring back the creative team from Season 2. Tomoya Kitagawa will direct the season alongside Tomohiro Suzuki handling series composition, Evan Call returning for the music, and Madhouse once again producing the animation.

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Takanobu Mizuno is directing the series, with HAYATE Inc. overseeing production. The script is being written by Satoshi Maejima and Gen Urobuchi of NITRO PLUS, with Urobuchi also handling the series composition. Character designs are by Takashi Okazaki, while KAMIKAZE DOUGA brings the animation to life.

Ghost of Tsushima was released on PlayStation 4 in July 2020. The game also was released on PlayStation 5 in 2021 and Windows in 2024. The multiplayer expansion, Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, launched in October 2020, while its sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, was released in October 2025.

Unfortunately, that was all that was announced at the Crunchyroll showcase. While there’s still no premiere date, Crunchyroll says more details will be shared at a later time.

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Anime Expo attendees were the first anywhere to learn that Solo Leveling: Beyond the System is officially in production. The upcoming theatrical anime film picks up directly after Season 2, continuing Jinwoo’s story on the big screen.

The audience also got an early look at the project through a teaser key visual and a short promotional concept video.

Once again, the studio behind Sword Art Online, A-1 Pictures, will be handling the animation. At the same time, Aniplex, Netmarble, D&C MEDIA, Kakao Piccoma, and Crunchyroll will be producing the film.

Outside of the announcement and teaser materials, that’s all that’s been shared for now, with more information expected at a later date.

The post Solo Leveling Isn’t Over Yet—Solo Leveling: Beyond the System Movie Officially Announced appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

The inspiration comes from Tokyo’s alley culture, where guests will get to walk through an immersive corridor featuring Hulu’s anime lineup. From paper lanterns to cherry blossoms, anime characters and interactive moments are around every corner.

You can check out the image renders above and below:

Expect to see the following anime featured, which are available to stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.

• Naruto Classic
• Tokyo Revengers
• Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
• Rooster Fighter
• Mission: Yozakura Family
• Though I Am An Inept Villainess
• Undead Unluck: Winter Arc

Hulu Animayhem Yokocho will be showcased from July 2nd to July 5th at Anime Expo 2026 on the Los Angeles Convention Center floor.

Here’s the official description for each of the areas:

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Photo Opportunity

Step into the world of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War and take your place alongside life-size standees of Ganju, Chad, Ichigo, Orihime, and Uryu. Fans step into the sixth spot in the lineup to capture a selfie station keepsake, instantly delivered in a branded digital frame.

Naruto Classic Photo Opportunity

Step into Naruto’s favorite restaurant and take a seat beside a 2D cutout of him at the open stools and pose for photos with bowls of (faux) ramen.

Rooster Fighter Interactive Activity

Join life-size cutouts of Keiji, Piyoko, and Elizabeth for the Rooster Fighter Dance Challenge, where fans can dance solo or with friends as animated character overlays dance alongside them in a recorded video keepsake. If you get lucky, you might just get a surprise visit from an actual rooster mascot.

Tokyo Revengers Dragon Graffiti

Step into the world of Toman with a full-width street wall featuring iconic Tokyo Revengers art and the legendary dragon tattoo at its center creating an instant, shareable moment that puts fans right where they’ve always wanted to be: standing with the gang.

Mission: Yozakura Family Interactive Activity

The Yozakura family overslept, and you only have 60 seconds to pack the family’s gear! Guests can participate in a collaborative puzzle-like game, packing the family’s case in a short amount of time.

Though I Am An Inept Villainess Photo Opportunity

Join Kou Reirin and Shu Keigetus on the Maiden Court. Guests will be asked a question and join either side for their court portrait photo opp.

Undead Unluck: Winter Arc Photo Opportunity

Face off with Apocalypse – the devilish book that always has something to say. Don’t get whisked into the Winter Arc confrontation!

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Orange’s Trigun Stargaze, a sequel to Trigun Stampede, premiered on Saturday, March 28, at 7 am PT / 10 am ET. The English dubbed finale premieres Saturday, April 11, at 7 AM PT

Yasuhiro Nightow’s Message

Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow had a message for fans of the show:

“TRIGUN STARGAZE has been a grand challenge—to see just how brilliantly, how far, and how powerfully the new generation who embraced my manga would reflect its spirit—is now coming to a close.

From a new perspective, with surprising plot twists, and to depths yet seen before—being able to add a new face to the work known as Trigun has been a joy far beyond anything I could have hoped for.

To the creators, those who supported this, and everyone who walked alongside this journey, I offer my deepest and most heartfelt thanks.

Love & Peace.”

The team also released a hand-drawn visual on Saturday.

The English Voice Actors on Trigun Stampede and Stargaze

Johnny Yong Bosch, known for voicing Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach and Vash the Stampede in Trigun (1998), is back as Vash in Trigun Stampede and Trigun Stargaze.

“Each of the characters has their own unique perspective on the world and how they come together,” Bosch said. “Vash and his stubbornness of not wanting to kill anyone, and he wants to protect everyone – he won’t stop until they believe in him. I love that about him.”

Sarah Roach (One Piece, Fruits Basket), who voiced the English version of Meryl Strife, is a newcomer in the Trigun anime series. Meryl has been a protégé in Trigun Stampede, and in Stargaze, she is now the mentor.

“It touches on how there are different aspects to humanity,” Roach said. “Humanity is capable of these horrible things, but also we’re seeing all these people come together and try to right those wrongs. I think it really showcases the scope of humanity.”

Milly Thompson is Meryl’s new partner, and she is voiced by Alexis Tipton (My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan).

“There are so many things that are true gray areas, and there’s room for discussion and seeing both sides,” Tipton replied to a question about the series’ theme of environmentalism. “The show really creates opportunities for dialogue on a lot of different concepts.”

Nicholas D. Wolfwood is a traveling priest who carries a giant, cross-shaped weapon. He is voiced by David Matranga (My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Street Fighter 6).

“There are so many different messages, and they’re huge: family, connection, community, vulnerability, and even just resources and sustainability,” Matranga said. “The impact of one on the other is a very relevant thing.”

Trigun Stampede and Trigun Stargaze are reimagined adaptations of the manga by Yasuhiro Nightow.

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Adam McArthur, the English voice of Yuji, wanted to really ground the protagonist.

“If you boil that experience down, that usually adds to its simplest emotion,” McArthur tells Nerd Reactor. “It’s guilt. He’s feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders in that moment, and we’ve all felt like that, whether on a small scale or a bigger scale. We’ve all felt those kinds of feelings, and so it’s basically just walking into the room and having emotional availability to recall what it felt like for me to personally experience those emotions so that when I’m reading Yuji’s words, that’s coming from a place of honesty.”

The actor had a goal with the Shibuya Incident, and he wanted it to feel as real as possible.

“When you could hear my voice, I was being affected,” he explained. “I wanted all the trauma Yuji went through to sound like a teenager who was actually living through this, and not someone who was acting like they were crying or acting like they were sad. We hear the larger-than-life performances in some anime, and some genres of anime warrant that kind of performance, but for JJK, I think a grounded, very real-sounding performance is valid. That was my whole goal with it all. Yeah, it was tough, but a lot of fun.”

Yuta, who is voiced by Kayleigh McKee, is a special grade jujutsu sorcerer who appeared in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the prequel film. He finally comes face-to-face with Yuji in season 3.

“It was only after the movie started to come out that I was catching up on the manga,” McKee said. “I was hearing from fans, and I was realizing everything that was going to go on and how wild that was going to get. It was a series of realizations to have, while at the same time, always unsure because the industry could shift at the drop of a hat. I think it seems like MAPPA really values having Jujutsu Kaisen, so it doesn’t seem like it’s in danger of changing studios, but we’ve seen really good anime change studios and then have struggles. So yeah, I try to take it day by day, but luckily Jujutsu Kaisen, no matter what, is going to be something that I care deeply about.”

About Jujutsu Kaisen

Synopsis: Although born with tremendous power, Itadori Yuji lives a completely ordinary life. One day, to save a classmate, he eats a cursed finger, and now Ryomen Sukuna lives in Itadori’s soul. Guided by the Jujutsu Sorcerers, he joins the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School, an organization that fights the curses. Now begins the heroic tale of a boy who became a curse to end a curse.

Jujutsu Kaisen is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

The post Jujutsu Kaisen’s Adam McArthur Breaks Down Yuji’s Trauma After the Shibuya Incident appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

You and I Are Polar Opposites

You and I Are Polar Opposites is a cute and funny anime series based on the 2022 manga. The down-to-earth and relatable series follows Miyu Suzuki (English voice by Celeste Perez), an energetic and popular high school student who falls for Yusuke Tani (English voice by Brandon Acosta), a quiet, stoic classmate.

“The magic is how relatable it is,” Perez tells Nerd Reactor about the magic of the anime. “Every time that I record an episode, I think a lot about being in high school, being a teenager who’s just full of energy. All of the side characters are also so relatable because they’re just like our best friends that we used to have as kids.”

“I also want to say to our director and our script writer, too,” Acosta said. “They really helped us find that vibe, that tone with our voices and everything, our characterizations. And I love that all the characters feel like high schoolers. It reminds me of when I used to hang out with my friends back then.”

Hana-Kimi

Hana-Kimi, based on the manga from 1996, follows Mizuki Ashiya (English voice by Katelyn Barr), a girl who disguises herself as a boy at an all-boys school to be closer to her idol, Izumi Sano (English voice by Wyatt Baker), a star athlete. To add drama to the mix, another student, Shuichi Kakatsu (English voice by Dallas Reid), likes Mizuki, creating a good ‘ol love triangle drama.

“So, Mizuki, when she’s speaking aloud, she’s doing her boy voice, and she’s keeping her facade up that she’s a boy at this boy school,” Barr said of her character. “But inside her head, she’s still girly girl. So it’s been really fun to find moments. It’s not always a clear A voice, B voice. There are interesting moments in the middle where she’s in mixed company, or she doesn’t know if somebody knows she’s a boy or not.”

“To me, my favorite part is picking out what level of boy voice to do in what moment. It changes every episode, too, because different characters know the secret or don’t know the secret. It’s been a really fun little acting challenge. I think speaking outwardly in a boy’s voice is more fun for me.”

Hell’s Paradise

What is Hell’s Paradise doing here? Even though it’s an adventure set in Edo Japan about the search for the elixir of immortality, the main protagonist, Gabimaru (English voice by Alejandro Saab), just wants to live a peaceful life with his wife.

“Funny enough, for me with Hell’s Paradise, one of my favorite parts is the more subtle romance moments,” Saab said. “I know in this world of immortality and action and fire and all this stuff, that it’s just nice to get, for it to calm down and then realize that it’s like, ‘Oh, Gabimaru’s just trying to get back to his wife.’ And I love those moments where it’s very subtle. The most subtle one is where he just pins down Yuzuriha and is like, ‘I’m married.’

“And then the not-so-subtle moment where it’s that monologue in season two where he’s talking about his wife. But I mean, I do love the action. The Chobei fight looks awesome. But there’s just so much in the show that I really like. But I’m a sucker for rom-com stuff.”

Hana-Kimi, You and I Are Polar Opposites and Hell’s Paradise are now available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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