FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kodansha House to make its Los Angeles debut July 2-12, in partnership with Anime Expo
Little Tokyo location to feature guest appearances by Blue Lock’s Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura and Witch Hat Atelier’s Kamome Shirahama
(April 20, 2026) Anime Expo—North America’s flagship anime convention—and Kodansha—the creative force behind iconic pop-culture properties Akira, The Ghost in the Shell, and Attack on Titan—will partner for this year’s revival of Kodansha’s wildly popular immersive pop-up fan event, Kodansha House, which will make its West Coast debut this summer in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood July 2-12, while Anime Expo runs concurrently July 2-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Highlights of this year’s Kodansha House Los Angeles will include guest appearances by the creators of two of the biggest manga hits of the year: Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, the creative team behind the global-hit soccer manga Blue Lock, and Kamome Shirahama, author and artist of the magical fantasy manga Witch Hat Atelier, recently adapted into a highly anticipated anime series. In addition, Kaneshiro-sensei, Nomura-sensei, and Shirahama-sensei will appear as official guests of Anime Expo, where they will hold separate panels and signing events. More details of how to attend these coveted appearances at both Kodansha House and Anime Expo will be announced. Attendees of Anime Expo will also unlock special benefits at Kodansha House with their AX badges—more details forthcoming.
Anime Expo 2026 credentials are available for purchase at anime-expo.org.
Once again Kodansha will partner with Kinokuniya USA as its official Kodansha House retail partner and will operate retail operations during the Los Angeles pop-up event. Look for future announcements on exclusive merchandise that can only be purchased at Kodansha House and through Kinokuniya bookstores.
More than a manga event, Kodansha House is a vibrant meeting place where the world of manga crosses over into the real world. Fans this year will enter a portal that takes them into a dynamic, interactive space to connect with and celebrate the impossible stories they have come to love. They can then spend their time more leisurely with friends, as well as meeting new ones, while hanging out in a manga gallery, cafe, lounge, and library. With daily programming to include manga creator appearances, anime screenings, panel discussions, and more, Kodansha House is the perfect pop-up for manga enthusiasts, both new and seasoned, to mingle and dive deeper into the magic of manga.
For breaking announcements, follow Kodansha USA on social media: Facebook; Instagram; TikTok; X; and YouTube.
Press: To request more information or interviews, please contact:
Ivan Salazar
ivan@kodanshausa.com
Anime Expo Press Relations
animeexpo@fortyseven.com
About Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC
A subsidiary of Kodansha, Japan’s largest publisher, Kodansha USA Publishing is the English-language publisher of some of the world’s most recognizable manga properties, including Katsuhiro Otomo’s AKIRA and Naoko Takeuchi’s Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, along with a robust catalog of English-language Japanese novels, cookbooks, craft guides, historical and cultural literature, and more. Today, thanks to recent fan-favorite and critically acclaimed hits like Attack on Titan, Blue Lock, Gachiakuta, and Witch Hat Atelier, Kodansha USA Publishing is one of the best-selling manga publishers in the United States. Kodansha USA Publishing’s print offerings are distributed by Penguin Random House Publisher Services, and their digital manga and select digital books are available across a number of digital comics, manga, and book vendors. For more information visit kodansha.us
About Anime Expo
Anime Expo (AX) 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. Taking place every year since 1992, Anime Expo features the best in Japanese animation, popular art, entertainment, music, fashion, and video games. For more information, visit www.anime-expo.org.