Anime Expo, the largest anime convention in North America, returns to Los Angeles Convention Center and will be held July 2–5 this year. MAL users and moderators have attended Anime Expo for years, and our team will once again provide live updates from the event this year.

#MALatAX
Over the extended weekend, we will provide updates on our Official X (Twitter) page.

• Attending Anime Expo? Join MAL at AX on Saturday, July 4 at 11:15–11:45 AM for our MAL Meet Up! Come meet fellow members, moderators, and other MAL community members!
  You can also tweet using the hashtag #MALatAX, and we will share some of them to our followers.
  
• Not attending Anime Expo? Follow our Official X (Twitter) page or the #MALatAX hashtag to get a glimpse of this year's event! The digital version of AX, Anime Expo Lite, will also be streaming select events, which are indicated below with *.

About Anime Expo 2026
Each year, Anime Expo brings together fans and industry from Japan, the US, and all over the world for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America. Anime Expo features the best in Japanese entertainment, music, fashion, and video games.

Panels, Premieres, & Screenings

Thursday, July 2:

• Crunchyroll Presents: Tsuihou sareta Tensei Juukishi wa Game Chishiki de Musou suru (The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System) Early Screening – 10:00 AM @ JW Platinum
  
• Sayonara Lara (Goodbye, Lara) Episode 1 Screening & Behind the Scenes Talk with Director Takushi Koide (Supported by Crunchyroll) – 11:20 AM @ 403AB
  
• Crunchyroll Presents: Hanaori-san wa Tensei shitemo Kenka ga Shitai Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life) and Gaikotsu Kishi-sama, Tadaima Isekai e Odekakechuu II (Skeleton Knight in Another World II) Early Screenings – 11:30 AM @ JW Platinum
  
• Bandai Namco Presents: Sword Art Online: Unanswered//butterfly U.S. First Look Preview – 12:30 PM @ JW Diamond
  
• Square Enix Manga & Books Industry Panel – 1:00 PM @ 408AB
  
• Big West Macross Industry Panel at Anime Expo 2026 – 1:00 PM @ 511ABC
  
• Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3) Exclusive Premiere – 1:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• Crunchyroll Presents: Tefuda ga Oome no Victoria (Victoria of Many Faces) and Sasaki to Pii-chan Season 2 (Sasaki and Peeps Season 2) Early Screenings – 2:30 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• *Aniplex of America Industry Panel – 2:30 PM @ Petree Hall
  
• Nyalra: Creator of Needy Girl Overdose – 3:15 PM @ 408AB
  
• Bushiroad Panel at Anime Expo 2026 – 3:45 PM @ 409AB
  
• HIDIVE Presents Hell Mode: Yarikomizuki no Gamer wa Hai Settei no Isekai de Musou suru 2nd Season (Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing Season 2) 2nd Season North American Premiere – 3:45 PM @ 403AB
  
• Crunchyroll Presents: Tempal: Item no Chikara (Overgeared) and Youjo Senki II (Saga of Tanya the Evil II) Early Screenings – 4:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• Animate Presents: Alien Stage - Live Talk & Special Announcement! – 4:00 PM @ JW Diamond
  • Featuring Director VIVINOS and KANG PD
• *Chainsaw Man The Stage Screening by Nelke Planning – 4:30 PM @ Petree Hall
  
• Tokyopop Presents: Love is LOVELOVE! – 4:45 PM @ 411
  
• Square Enix Manga Presents: The (Psychic) Power of BL with 30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!) Creator Yuu Toyota – 4:45 PM @ 408AB
  
• BluPetal Industry Panel – 5:15 PM @ 404AB
  
• Unveiling Kodansha's Latest Manga – 5:15 PM @ 403AB
  
• Crunchyroll Presents: Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha, Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru Season 2 (The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat Season 2) Early Screening and ​​Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari (Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You) Screening – 5:30PM @ JW Platinum
  
• *bilibili Live 2026: First Looks, Exciting Reveals, and Future Surprises of MADEBYBILIBILI – 6:00 PM @ Petree Hall
  
• First Look Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi – 6:00 PM @ JW Diamond
  • Featuring Supervising Director Kenji Kamiyama, Director Shunsuke Tada, Producer Hitoshi Itou, and Lucasfilm Executive Producers Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes
• Why Japanese Content, Why Now? — Academic Symposium Presented by PopPowerProject – 6:15PM @ 411
  
• Ink Pop: Manga for the Family – 6:15PM @ 408AB
  
• HIDIVE Presents World Is Dancing (The World Is Dancing) Episode 1 Encore and Episode 2 North American Premiere – 6:45PM @ 404AB
  
• TBS Anime Special Panel: Takopii no Genzai (Takopi's Original Sin) Producer Talk & Upcoming Anime Showcase – 6:45PM @ 404AB

Friday, July 3:

• Gachiakuta - Return to the Pit! Exclusive First Look at Season 2 featuring Cast and Staff – 10:00 AM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Voice Actor Aoi Ichikawa (Rudo), Director Fumihiko Suganuma, and Producer Naoki Amano
• Kyoto Animation's New Frontier: Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku: Eureka Evrika (Sparks of Tomorrow) U.S. Premiere & Director Minoru Oota Q&A – 10:00 AM @ JW Platinum
  
• AnimEigo Industry Panel – 10:30 AM @ 409AB
  
• Yen Press Industry Panel – 11:30 AM @ 511ABC
  
• After Class Hijinks with Suzuki and Tani of Seihantai na Kimi to Boku 2nd Season (You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2) – 12:45 AM @ Peacock Theater
  
• Shounen Jump Anime Kill Ao (Kill Blue) -Special Homeroom- Featuring creator Tadatoshi Fujimaki (Kuroko no Basket) – 12:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• *Yoshitaka Amano: Art & Entertainment — A New Creative Challenge - Featuring an exclusive trailer screening of the new anime project Deva Zan – 12:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• Behind the Scenes of the Fate/strange Fake English Dub – 12:00 PM @ 403AB
  
• Saishuu Gakushou Hibike! Euphonium: Zenpen (Sound! Euphonium: The Final Movie Part 1) & Saishuu Gakushou Hibike! Euphonium: Kouhen (Sound! Euphonium: The Final Movie Part 2) – Kyoto Animation Chief Director Tatsuya Ishihara Special Panel & Exclusive Premiere Footage
  
• Steel Ball Run: JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) Special Panel featuring Yugo Kanno – 12:30 PM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena)
  
• Kodansha Presents: Blue Lock Creators Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yuusuke Nomura – 1:00 PM @ 408AB
  
• Crunchyroll Showcase – 1:30 PM @ Peacock Theater
  
• What's New From Inklore – 2:45 PM @ 404AB
  
• Otome Kaijuu Caraméliser (Kaiju Girl Caramelise): The Kaiju-Sized?! North American Premiere – 2:45 PM @ 403AB
  
• [U.S. PREMIERE] Tenmaku no Jaadugar (Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia) with Science SARU – 2:45 PM @ 403AB
  • Featuring Executive Director Naoko Yamada and Director Abel Góngora
• Bandai Namco Filmworks Industry Panel – 3:00 PM @ 408AB
  
• A-1 Pictures Industry Panel – 3:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• The Art of Color and Character: A Live Drawing with Mika Pikazo – 3:15 PM @ 411
  • Featuring the premiere of Grow Up Show: Himawari no Circus-dan (Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus)
• Tongari Boushi no Atelier (Witch Hat Atelier): A Magical Chat with the Cast and Creator – 3:15 PM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Creator Kamome Shirahama and Voice Actors Rena Motomura (Coco) and Natsuki Hanae (Qifrey)
• Koori no Jouheki (The Ramparts of Ice) Episode 14 Screening & Special Talk – 3:00 PM @ 408AB
  • Featuring Director Manq and Producer Youko Shiraishi
• Studio KAI Anime Yuusha-kei ni Shosu: Choubatsu Yuusha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku (Sentenced to Be a Hero) Creator Talk Show – 4:15 PM @ 403AB
  
• J-Novel Club Anime Expo 2026 Industry Announcements – 4:15 PM @ 404AB
  
• Doko yori mo Tooi Basho ni Iru Kimi e (To You in the Beyond): World Premiere & Special Guest Panel – 4:30 PM @ 408AB
  • Featuring Director Junichi Wada, Voice Actor Anna Nagase, and Producer Kouichirou Mukai
• Kagurabachi Anime World Tour – World Premiere Screening at Anime Expo
  
• Kadokawa Anime 10th Anniversary Panel: Re:Zero, KonoSuba, and Bungo Stray Dogs Producers Roundtable & Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 4th Season (Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4) The Recapture Arc Ep 1 Premiere! (Supported by Crunchyroll) – 5:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugenjou-hen (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle) Celebration – 5:00 PM @ Peacock Theater
  
  • Featuring Voice Actors Natsuki Hanae (Tanjirou Kamado), Takahiro Sakurai (Giyuu Tomioka), and Saori Hayami (Shinobu Kochou)
• BL Comics Label "GUSH COMICS" Industry Panel – 5:15 PM @ 409AB
  
• Dark Horse Manga – 5:15 PM @ 411
  
• Ao no Hako (Blue Box) Official Panel – 5:45 PM @ 403AB
  • Featuring Japanese Voice Actor Yoshino Aoyama (Yumeka Kido) and English Voice Actor Zach Aguilar (Taiki Inomata)
• *Blue Archive & Beyond: A Special Panel by IO Division – 6:00 PM @ Petree Hall
  
• Black Torch Anime Premiere Panel – 6:45 PM @ JW Diamond
  • Featuring English Voice Actors A.J. Beckles (Jirou Azuma) and Keith Silverstein (Ragou)
• Yomi no Tsugai (Daemons of the Shadow Realm) Presented by Crunchyroll – 6:45 PM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Voice Actors Kensho Ono (Yuru) and Yume Miyamoto (Asa)
• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 — Welcome Back to Night City! (18+) – 7:30 PM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena)
  
• Bring It On Baki-dou (Baki-dou: The Invincible Samurai)! Experience the Showdown with the "Baki-dou" Team – 8:00 PM @ 408AB
  
• From Digital Manga to Anime: Inside C'moA Comics' Latest Adaptations & Fan Screening – 8:15 PM @ 511ABC
  
• Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) Presented by Crunchyroll & NTV – 8:30 PM @ Peacock Theater
  
  • Featuring Voice Actors Aoi Yuuki (Maomao) and Takeo Ootsuka (Jinshi)

Saturday, July 4:

• Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen - Kashin-tan (Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity) – 10:00 AM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena)
  • Featuring Voice Actors Masakazu Morita and Johnny Yong Bosch (Ichigo Kurosaki)
• Akane-banashi Special Panel with Anna Nagase and Abby Trott, Presented by TV Asahi – 10:00 AM @ 408AB
  
• Crunchyroll Presents: Koko wa Ore ni Makasete Saki ni Ike to Itte kara 10-nen ga Tattara Densetsu ni Natteita. (I Became a Legend After My 10 Year-Long Last Stand.) and Bananya 10th Anniversary Early Screenings – 10:00 AM @ JW Platinum
  
• Kikansha no Mahou wa Tokubetsu desu 2nd Season (A Returner's Magic Should Be Special Season 2) Premiere Screening featuring Sayumi Suzushiro – 10:00 AM @ Peacock Theater
  
• Futsutsuka na Akujo dewa Gozaimasu ga: Suuguu Chouso Torikae Den (Though I Am an Inept Villainess): U.S. premiere with cast Hosted by TOHO animation – 10:00 AM @ 403AB
  
  
  • Featuring Voice Actors Hana Hishikawa (Riri) and Makoto Furukawa (Gyoumei Ei)
• Manga Licensing with DENPA and KUMA Books – 10:30 AM @ 404AB
  
• 15 Years and Beyond: Warner Bros. Japan Anime Production 15th Anniversary Panel with Upcoming Titles! – 11:30 AM @ 408AB
  
• Go 100%! Mob Psycho 100 10th Anniversary Celebration – 11:45 AM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Voice Actors Setsuo Itou (Shigeo Kageyama), Takahiro Sakurai (Arataka Reigen), and Director Yuzuru Tachikawa
• Crunchyroll Presents: Lv999 no Murabito (The Villager of Level 999) Early Screenings – 12:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  
• Production I.G x Wit Studio Industry Panel 2026 – 12:00 PM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena) Theater
  • Featuring President Maki Terashima-Furuta, Founders Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and George Wada, and Directors Kenji Kamiyama, Tetsurou Araki, and Shunsuke Tada
• Liar Game and summer anime sneak peek presented by REMOW – 12:00 PM @ 403AB
  
• Magic Knight Rayearth (2026) World Premiere – 12:00 PM @ JW Diamond
  • Featuring Voice Actors Rie Takahashi (Fuu Hououji) and Saori Hayami (Emeraude)
• WORLD PREMIERE: Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru II (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman Season 2) & Beyond presented by NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan – 12:00 PM @ 403AB
  • Featuring Director Akio Kazumi
• Drecom Industry Panel w/ /Makoto Furukawa and Daiki Yamashita from Blade & Bastard – 1:00 PM @ 511ABC
  
• Breaking the Frame: Studio Orange from Trigun Stargaze, Beastars, and more – 1:00 PM @ 408AB
  
• *Needy Girl Overdose IRL Event – 1:00 PM @ Petree Hall
  
• Black Clover 2nd Season (Black Clover Season 2) Premiere Panel with Cast and Staff – 1:30 PM @ Peacock Theater
  
  • Featuring Voice Actor Gakuto Kajiwara (Asta) and Director Ayataka Tanemura
• Exclusive First Look: Norihiro Naganuma (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto [The Apothecary Diaries]) Unveils His New Action-Packed Original Series - Avex Pictures Panel – 1:30 PM @ 404AB
  
• Studio Trigger Panel 2026 – 2:00 PM @ The Novo
  
• Tokyo Revengers: Santen Sensou-hen (Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titan Arc) – 3-Star Cast Panel & Special Recap Video – 2:15 PM @ JW Platinum
  • Featuring Voice Actors Yuuki Shin (Takemitchy), Yuu Hayashi (Mikey), and Masaya Fukunishi (Draken)
• Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) 10th Anniversary Panel Hosted by TOHO animation – 2:30 PM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena)
  • Featuring Voice Actors Daiki Yamashita (Deku) and /Kouki Uchiyama (Tomura Shigaraki)
• Meitantei Conan Movie 27: 100-man Dollar no Michishirube (Detective Conan Movie 27: The Million-Dollar Pentagram) U.S. Premiere Screening – 2:45 PM @ 403AB
  
• Koukaku Kidoutai (TV) (The Ghost in the Shell) × Science SARU: Special Panel ＆Premiere – 2:45 PM @ JW Diamond
  
• *Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 4th Season (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4) Special Panel – 3:00 PM @ Petree Hall
  • Featuring Voice Actors Miho Okasaki (Rimuru) and Megumi Toyoguchi (Raphael)
• Masters of Anime: Exploring Japanese Animation Production
  
  • Featuring Creators Moriyasu Taniguchi, Ryousuke Takahashi, and Tooru Yoshida
  
• Class is in session! Animation MasterClass with the Creative Staff behind Clevatess II: Majuu no Ou to Itsuwari no Yuusha Denshou (Clevatess Season 2) – 3:15 PM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring a screening of Episode 1
• Thunder 3 Premiere Panel with Production Staff) – 3:15 PM @ 408AB
  
• Amuse Creative Studio Presents : New Anime Launch Event – 3:45 PM @ 404AB
  • Featuring Artist Mika Pikazo and the creators of Eleceed
• CloverWorks Industry Panel – 3:15 PM @ Peacock
  
• *Fate/Grand Order: First Order 9th Anniversary x TYPE-MOON Projects – 4:30 PM @ Petree Hall
  • Featuring Aniplex of America's Albert Kao and Voice Actors Ayako Kawasumi (Altria Pendragon and Anne Bonny) and Kana Ueda (Ishtar and Ereshkigal)
• Bright Horizons: The Artistic Journey and Galaxic Baseball League of Acky Bright – 4:45 PM @ 411
  
• Marriagetoxin Road to the Best Marriage! at Anime Expo – 4:45 PM @ JW Diamond
  
• HIDIVE Presents Suterare Seijo no Isekai Gohan Tabi: Kakure Skill de Camping Car wo Shoukan shimashita (The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World) – 4:45 PM @ 511ABC
  • Featuring Director Atsushi Nigorikawa
• That time I entered an all boys school and it got complicated: Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana-Kimi) panel presented by Crunchyroll – 5:00 PM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Voice Actors Aya Yamane (Mizuki Ashiya) and Kikunosuke Toya (Shuuichi Nakatsu)
• VIZ Anime Panel – 5:15 PM @ 408AB
  • Featuring Bleach Voice Actors Masakazu Morita (Japanese voice of Ichigo Kurosaki), Johnny Yong Bosch (English voice of Ichigo Kurosaki), and Black Torch Voice Actors A.J. Beckles (Jirou Azuma) and Keith Silverstein (Ragou)
  
• Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen - Ryoushu no Youjo (Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke) And Your Next Obsession presented by ytv animation & YTE – 5:30 PM @ 403AB
  
• Omoi Manga Industry Panel – 5:45 PM @ 404AB
  
• Sousou no Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End) - Special Event Hosted by TOHO animation – 6:00 PM @ JW Platinum
  • Featuring Director Tomoya Kitagawa, Supporting Director Keiichirou Saitou, Animation Producer Yuuichirou Fukushi, and Character Designer Keisuke Kojima
• Crunchyroll Presents: Hotaru no Yomeiri (Firefly Wedding) and Oni no Hanayome (The Ogre's Bride) (18+) – 6:30 PM @ JW Diamond
  
• Mujikaku Seijo wa Kyou mo Muishiki ni Chikara wo Tare Nagasu (The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power) Special Premiere – 6:45 PM @ Peacock Theater
  • Featuring Voice Actors Rie Takahashi (Carolina Ruby Martinez) and Makoto Furukawa (Edward Ruby Martinez)
• Seven Seas Industry Panel – 7:15 PM @ 404AB
  
• Mezametara Saikyou Soubi to Uchuusenmochi Datta node, Ikkodate Mezashite Youhei toshite Jiyuu ni Ikitai (Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship!) Premiere Screening featuring Makoto Furukawa – 8:30 PM @ Peacock Theater

Sunday, July 5:

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Celebrating 5 Years of Curses with Cast Hosted by TOHO animation – 10:00 AM @ Main Events (Crypto.com Arena)
  
• Tokyopop Industry Panel – 10:30 AM @ 411
  
• HIDIVE Presents Hell Mode: Yarikomizuki no Gamer wa Hai Settei no Isekai de Musou suru 2nd Season (Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing Season 2) Dub World Premiere – 11:30 AM @ 403AB
  
• Big West presents - Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?) – 12:00 PM @ The Novo
  
• GKIDS Industry Panel – 12:15 PM @ 404AB

Concerts

Thursday, July 2:

• J-POP SOUND CAPSULE – 8:00 PM @ Crypto.com Arena
  • Performing artists: ALI, Roselia, SPYAIR, Yoko Kanno, and Youko Takahashi

Schedule is as reported by Anime Expo and may change without notice.
All times are Pacific Daylight Time (GMT-7).

Official site: anime-expo.org
Official schedule: anime-expo.org/ax/schedule-2026/