AnimeJapan 2025 | Day Two Report

I often forget that in Japan, anime con attendance is the opposite. In America, Saturday is always the busiest, whereas Sunday’s attendance numbers are down. Here in Tokyo, Sunday’s attendees greatly outnumbered what I experienced yesterday! Nevertheless, there was still fun to be had on the second and final day of AnimeJapan 2025!

It was on this day where the cosplay scene was more in the mix of AnimeJapan 2025. Just as it is in America, series and movies both popular and obscure were represented by the cosplayers. From Dragon Ball Z and Saint Seiya to Sailor Moon and Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, the costumes were of both high quality and showcased with care. Perhaps most impressive at AnimeJapan 2025 was a trio of cosplayers who dressed as Porco Rosso, Totoro, and the Laputa robot, the latter of which had an amazing lighting effect.

Bandai Namco Pictures had a surprisingly cool setup in their booth. On top of a massive 1:1 replica of GQuuuuuuX's head from the new Gundam series, there was an emphasis on the upcoming new seasons of Love Live, One Punch Man, and a new Gintama spinoff. Speaking of new properties, Rock is a Lady’s Modesty had a nice setup, and there were little blurbs devoted to the upcoming CGI series Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express. They also had a small area devoted to Blue Lock, which has a stage adaptation coming to theaters later this year.

Square Enix had a small area dedicated to their manga that have received anime adaptations. Sections for My Dress-Up Darling and Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun celebrated their current and upcoming second seasons, with some art created by the original mangaka. At the Infinite booth was a section for the upcoming yuri anime I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day. On top of sketches and storyboards from the new series, they also had replicas of the characters’ school uniforms that looked true to the series’ art style.

Although I took a brief look at it yesterday, Kadokawa’s carnival-themed booth was vast and impressive. On top of having promotions for its current and upcoming anime, the booth also had a small working carousel and Ferris wheel. While it might be missed by others, I was also intrigued by the light designs, as shadows of acrobats perform circus acts in a truly immersive fashion.

Inside the Kadokawa booth was a different story! The Re:Zero water fountain, the statues and costumes from Oshi no Ko, and even an interactive area for Classroom of the Elite helped to make these animated worlds feel more alive! Perhaps the coolest thing there was the 1:1 scale replica of Panty & Stocking’s Jeep, which you could sit in the driver’s seat for a cool photo op!

Over at Disney+ was a focus on the upcoming Cat’s Eye remake. With the trailer playing in the background, the trio’s trademark card sat in front for all to see on display. Within the booth was also a showcase on the upcoming desert action series Bullet Bullet, which had character descriptions and sketches. However, it’s the hotly anticipated Twisted Wonderland series that took center stage, with women lining up to see closeups of bishonen variations of classic Disney characters.

Nihon Kogakuin College’s booth was a showcase for future creators. Magazines displayed the plethora of art styles the students were experimenting with. Game demos showcased unique ways of play, ranging from giant buttons to mash to using your voice to progress the story. The most fun showcase was a live voice acting dubbing session, where con-goers could give their acting skills a spin.

For panels & events, the first one of the day was focused on the new season of Aharen-san wa Hakarenai. Joining Aharen voice actress Inori Minase was Nao Toyama, who plays the new gyaru character Riku. After a brief introduction to the series, a new trailer showcased the sorts of misadventures Aharen, Raido, and the rest of the gang were to have. Boats trips, plane rides, and even school activities like the annual sports day event were all showcased with the cute and silly humor we’ve come to expect from this series. It was also announced that a new radio program based on Aharen-san wa Hakarenai will be broadcast alongside the new season.

A special stage event was held at the NBC Universal booth for the new rom-com Expressionless Face Girl and Emotional Face Boy (also known in the English manga world as Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota). Akane Fujita (Kawashida), Kyouhei Natsume (Oota), Yuuya Hirose (Tadokoro), and Souhei Horikane (Sada) took the stage, with Fujita and Natsume already having plushies of their respective characters. After introductions, a trailer played for the upcoming series, which showcased the many emotions (or lack of emotions) Oota and Kawashida expressed. Despite her playing an emotionless character, Fujita displayed the most amount of energy on the stage. But everyone showcased terrific energy during a game where Natsume, Hirose, and Horikane had to guess the tastes of Fujita.

Being a company that masters music and anime, King Records held a special mini-concert for last year’s Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night. JELEE hit the screen, asking the audience who their favorite member was. The virtual alias of Kono Yamanouchi (voiced by Rie Takahashi) then performed a medley of the songs featured in the series, as the crowd held their glow sticks high. Although it was a virtual event, JELEE’s performance was electric nonetheless.

With the finale arriving this week, many eyes were on the White Stage for the Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister panel. Featuring voice actors Ryota Suzuki (Uryu), Sumire Uesaka (Yae), Kaede Hondo (Yuna), and Shion Wakayama (Asahi), the female seiyuu surprised the audience by dressing as shrine maidens. They made comments about each character’s respective arcs, sharing how these episodes affected them emotionally as they recorded them. Alas, no word of a second season yet, but a concert was announced for May, which may be the place to spring such news.

Finally, Kyoto Animation took the reins for the last panel of AnimeJapan 2025. Voice actresses from both Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and CITY hit the stage, as they gave a rundown on their respective characters. A new visual for the Dragon Maid movie, A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved, was shown, with Kanna shining in the center surrounded by her friends and Earth mother. fhána was also announced to return to perform the opening theme song, with the movie coming out on June 28.

At long last, audience members were given a trailer for CITY. The animation sticks to manga creator Keiichi Arawi’s style, while delivering its hijinks in beautifully fluid animation. Although we won’t know if it’ll be as detailed as Nichijou, the teaser does give hope that CITY will look amazing when it airs in July. Needless to say, Summer 2025 belongs to Kyoto Animation!

With AnimeJapan 2025 now finished, it’s clear that the anime industry has no signs of slowing down. In fact, with the many new studios opening, one can only predict that the world of anime will continue to grow at a rapid rate. Considering that means more animation and voice acting jobs, one can only see the many positives that will bring rather than the oversaturated negatives.

Here’s hoping next year’s AnimeJapan will offer just as much variety and unique booth showcases. However, I do think the expo should expand on more interactive experiences, something that has made anime conventions in America a lot more fun. (More bilingual booths and translators at stage events would also be good, considering there were a lot of foreigners at the conventions.) Other than those two minor complaints, I can easily call AnimeJapan 2025 a rousing success!

Special thanks to the staff and crew of AnimeJapan 2025 for helping to make the convention both safe and organized!

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