Crunchyroll is bringing some of Hollywood's most recognizable names to a first-of-its-kind anime industry gathering this fall.
The streaming platform has confirmed its inaugural Anime Future Forum, a one-day invitation-only summit set for Oct. 7 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, the day before New York Comic Con opens at the same venue. More than 400 industry figures are expected to attend the event, themed "Designing for Anime's Future."
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and DC Studios co-CEO and director James Gunn are among the headlining speakers. Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson, the directors behind Sony's upcoming Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, will appear on a panel moderated by Sony Pictures Animation president Kristine Belson.
Sony Group Corp. president and CEO Hiroki Totoki will deliver opening remarks, with Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja also taking the stage. Aniplex chairman Atsuhiro Iwakami, MAPPA president and CEO Manabu Otsuka, Toho film producer and executive officer Taichi Ueda, and Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ digital editor-in-chief Yuta Momiyama round out the Japanese entertainment contingent.
The speaker list extends beyond film and television. Olympic gold medalist figure skater Amber Glenn, rapper and author Big Sean, and content creator Jordan Howlett are also confirmed.
"Crunchyroll is honored to host and curate a forum for exciting and innovative discussions from and between industry leaders around the amazing art form of anime," Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini said in a statement. "This is the first and only type of industry event outside of Japan where anime is front and center for discussion."
