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Moon Taeyeon is an Otakon 2026 Guest

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Moon Taeyeon
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Moon Taeyeon will be a guest at Otakon 2026. Moon is a Korean webtoon artist and manhwaga whose work explores human emotions, relationships, and the narratives of everyday life through a delicate visual language.

She debuted in 2014 with the webtoon “ZOZIANGSAE’s MOON” and has since continued to develop a distinctive artistic world, centered on character psychology and storytelling.

Working across webtoons, illustration, caricature, and exhibition projects, Moon expands the narrative and artistic possibilities of comics while exploring new ways that visual storytelling can connect with audiences. She has participated in numerous exhibitions and caricature events, engaging directly with the public and experimenting with the intersection of comics and visual art.

Moon currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Cartoon & Animation, Division of Media Arts at Baekseok Arts University, where she teaches and mentors emerging creators. Through both her artistic practice and educational work, she contributes to the growing global presence of Korean webtoons and visual storytelling.

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Go Hong-Seok is an Otakon 2026 Guest

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Go Hong-Seok

Go Hong-Seok, widely known by his pen name gog00n, will be a guest at Otakon 2026.

Gog00n is a visionary illustrator and designer who specializes in “Hangul calligrams.” By utilizing the unique structural beauty of the Korean Alphabet (Hangul), gog00n reinterprets the inherent meaning of words into striking visual forms, creating an artistic experience that transcends conventional text.

From the legendary admiral Yi Sun-sin to contemporary pop culture icons and everyday objects, gog00n breathes life into his subjects using only the lines and dots of Hangul. His work serves as a testament to the infinite artistic potential and geometric elegance of the Korean script.

Currently, he shares his expertise as a lecturer in the Department of Webtoon Illustration at Gyeonggi University of Science and Technology, and serves as a board member of the Korea Webtoon Association.

Through his active presence on Instagram and YouTube, he continues to inspire a global audience by capturing the “miraculous moment when letters become art.”

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Courtney Lin is coming to Otakon 2026 as a Guest

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Courtney Lin

Courtney Lin will be a guest at Otakon 2026. Lin is an actor known for her work both behind the microphone and in front of the camera.

Lin’s specialties in voiceover include animation, video games, toys, commercials, anime, dubbing, ADR/looping, and VO career coaching. Animation credits include “Monster High,” “The Casagrandes,” “Teenage Euthanasia,” “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Anime credits include “Panty & Stocking,” “Black Rock Shooter Dawn,” “Romantic Killer,” “Mashle: Magic and Monsters,” and “Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun.”

Video games include Diablo 4, Starfield, Fire Emblem Heroes, Mario Kart World, Pokemon Masters EX, and CookieRun Kingdom.

Commercial credits include McDonald’s, ATT, Google, Toyota, Best Buy, Corona, Hatchimals, and SeatGeek.

Aside from VO, Lin also has extensive training in drama and on-camera work and has worked on hit shows such as “Barry” (opposite Bill Hader), “Truth be Told” (opposite Octavia Spencer), “The Dropout” (opposite Dylan Minnette), “Sugar” (opposite Colin Farrell), “Night Court” (opposite Melissa Rauch) and “Ted” (opposite Seth Macfarlane).

She is also a co-founder of The School of Voiceover and co-host of Official_1UpTV on IG/YouTube. As a coach, her VO students have gone on to sign with agents such as Atlas Talent, Artistic Talent, Dean Panaro Talent, and CESD. She takes immense pride in her work helping students find their voice in the voice-over world.

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The Music of SQUARE ENIX to Be Featured in an Otakon 2026 Concert

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The Music of SQUARE ENIX - Magic, Memories, and Melodies

AWR Music Productions and SQUARE ENIX will present “The Music of SQUARE ENIX – Magic, Memories, and Melodies,” during Otakon 2026.

From the creators of “Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL FANTASY” and “NieR: Orchestra Concert,” “The Music of SQUARE ENIX – Magic, Memories, and Melodies” celebrates the unforgettable worlds and iconic soundtracks that have defined generations of video game storytelling and adventure.

This all-new symphonic concert production celebrates the music of CHRONO TRIGGER, FINAL FANTASY, KINGDOM HEARTS, Legend of Mana, NieR, Octopath Traveler, and more in a spectacular multimedia experience.

Through sweeping symphonic arrangements and stunning high-definition game visuals from SQUARE ENIX projected above the stage, this concert invites audiences to relive the stories, emotions, and adventures that continue to inspire players around the world.

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Sam Slade Has Been Announced as an Otakon 2026 Guest

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Sam Slade

Sam Slade will be a guest at Otakon 2026. Slade is a Filipino-American voice actor whose passion for video games led to her voice work.

Originally from the city of Hampton, Virginia, on the Chesapeake Bay, she began her journey as a performer in 1999 on piano and picked up percussion, saxophone, and baritone horn before beginning her acting studies in 2020.

Slade’s passion for her work in video games was born from a childhood of playing JRPGs (particularly Pokémon) and has led her to portray Anby from Zenless Zone Zero; Topaz from Honkai: Star Rail; Stia from Octopath Traveler 0; Baldr from Fire Emblem: Heroes; Whisperain and Perfumer in Arknights; Avistar in NIKKE, and many more.

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Cassandra Lee Morris is coming to Otakon 2026 as a Guest

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Cassandra Lee Morris

Cassandra Lee Morris will be a guest at Otakon 2026. Cassandra Lee Morris is a Los Angeles-based voice actor who has voiced nearly 300 characters for video games, anime and animation.

Game-wise, fans recognize her as Morgana from Persona 5, Galacta from Marvel Rivals, Mualani in Genshin Impact, Yuumi and Nami in League of Legends, Sothis in Fire Emblem Three Houses, Sora in Nikke, Beffica in Bugsnax, and many more.

Some of her most notable anime roles are Yubel in “Yu-Gi-Oh GX,” Leo and Luna in “Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds,” Taiga in “Toradora,” Leafa in “Sword Art Online,” Saber Nero in “Fate,” Kyubey in “Madoka Magica,” Cere Cere in “Sailor Moon,” Anastasia in “Re:Zero,” Ritsu in “K-On!,” Kota in “My Hero Academia,” and Yuno the Distant Talon in “Ishura.”

She was also the voice of Frankie Stein in “Monster High,” Sabrina in “Miraculous Ladybug,” and Stacie in “Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures.”

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Jordan Dash Cruz is coming to Otakon 2026

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Jordan Dash Cruz

Jordan Dash Cruz will be a guest at Otakon 2026. He is an actor and director known for voicing roles in many popular video games.

Cruz resides in DFW Texas. Originally hailing from the Sunshine State of Florida, Cruz has been acting professionally for seven years. He is known for Stark (“Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”), Mini Master Roshi (“Dragon Ball Daima”), Aoshi Tokimitsu (“BLUE LOCK”), Taiga (“Wind Breaker”), and Qi Rong (“Heaven’s Official Blessing”).

You can hear him in video games, playing roles such as Temenos (OCTOPATH TRAVELER 2), Golden Alligator, Nabil, Nogata and Khasani (Genshin Impact), Tierno (Pokemon Masters EX), and Vizier Thoth, Pixel Hammer Thor, Raxolotl Ratatoskr and Raven King Chernobog (Smite).

When it comes to directing, Cruz has had the opportunity to assist in directing anime favorites like: “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” “BLUELOCK,” “Trapped in a Dating Sim,” “Psycho Pass: Providence,” “Natsume’s Book of Friends,” “A Galaxy Next Door,” “Reign of the Seven Spellblades,” “MF Ghost,” “Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts,” “The Duke of Death and His Maid,” “BOFURI Season 2,” “Twilight Out of Focus,” and “The Great Jahy.”

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Crystal Lee is an Otakon 2026 Guest

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Crystal Lee will be a guest at Otakon 2026. She is a Taiwanese-American voice actress based in Los Angeles.

Her prominent roles include: Phoenix in Marvel Rivals; Nezha in “Nezha II”; Clorinde in Genshin Impact; Jade in Bratz; Khali in MapleStory; Aurelia Pelegren in Age of Darkness: Final Stand; Arko’narin Starshade in World of Warcraft; Akari in OUTERPLANE; and Khun Mascheny Zahard in Tower of God: NEW WORLD.

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Crystal Lee

Xanthe Huynh is coming to Otakon 2026

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Xanthe Huynh

Voice actress Xanthe Huynh will be a guest at Otakon 2026. She is known for her roles in video games as well as in popular anime shows.

Among her roles are the video games Persona 5 (Haru Okumura), Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Marianne Von Edmund), Honkai Star Rail (Pela), The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Series (Altina), Octopath Traveler II (Agnea), Neo: The World Ends with You (Kanon), Genshin Impact (Changsheng), Epic 7 (Sharun), Lost Ark (Nineve), SMITE (Charybdis), Street Fighter 6 (Female Avatar #1), Scarlet Nexus (Tsugumi), Arknights (Coura), Atelier Meruru (Meruru), Triangle Strategy (Narve), Lost Judgment (Amasawa), Pokemon Masters (Erika), Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (Chichae), Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores (Kina), and River City Girls (Sabuko).

You can also hear her voice in anime roles such as “HunterxHunter” (Alluka), “Lycoris Recoil” (Takina), “Kimi ni Todoke/From Me to You” (Sawako Kuronuma), “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day” (Menma), “Sailor Moon SuperS” (Palla-Palla), “Naruto Shippuden” (Chino), “Yuki Yuna is a Hero” (Yuna Yuki), “Love Live School Idol Project” (Hanayo Koizumi), “K-On!” (Ui), “Edens Zero” (Hermit Mio), “Pokemon Horizons” (Ann), “FLCL Progressive” (Hidomi), “Kuroko’s Basketball” (Momoi), “Prince of Tennis” (Sakuno), “Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 3: Rebellion” (Nagisa/Bebe), “Sword Art Online” (Sachi), “Miraculous Ladybug: Shanghai” (Fei Wu), “Delicious in Dungeon” (Inutade), “In the Land of Leadale” (Cayna), and “Cells at Work” (Platelet).

Otakon 2026 takes place July 31 to August 3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Otakon 2025: Manga Mavericks Books Announces Two New Manga Series

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Manga Mavericks, a new manga publisher serving North America, announced two newly licensed titles during its panel at Otakon that will be added to its print and digital catalog in early 2026.

FISHGOD, VOLUME 1

by Chlona
Print SRP: $12.99 / Digital SRP: $5.99
132 pages
ISBN: 9781968054274
For Readers 13+
Available January 2026 (Digital), May 2026 (Print)  

The world is infested by Kaigyo: fish that walk on land, eat concrete, and destroy buildings.

Their typical behavior is bizarre enough, but ten years ago, Jaytle Nish witnessed these pests become murderers while under the command of a mystery person clad in black and eat his parents whole. He takes on a job exterminating the fish while looking for leads but instead finds a strange woman eating poisonous kaigyo flesh.

From deadly fish to mysterious cultists, the odd duo will take on it all in this pop art-inspired revenge action series!

FISHGOD is an ongoing indie series that is currently 3 volumes in Japan, each of which will be released at A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size by Manga Mavericks Books.

FISHGOD, VOLUME 1

BALLET HERO FANTASY: DAN’S ADVENTURE FEAT. STEVEN MCRAE, VOLUME 1

by Takafumi Adachi
Print SRP: $14.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99
160 pages
ISBN: 9781968054250
For Readers All-Ages
Available February 2026   

A pirouette is power.

Dan’s dream is to be a dancer. He has plenty of heart, but his ability doesn’t quite live up to his passion. Despite this, he looks up to his upperclassman Steven McRae, who is worlds beyond him…literally. Using a magic mirror, Steven travels to a fantastical world, where he acts as a Ballet Hero! When Dan accidentally ends up following him, Steven quickly realizes that Dan being here is no coincidence.

This action-adventure manga combines ballet, tokusatsu, and the amazing art of veteran artist Takafumi Adachi! Dance to the stars with Ballet Hero Fantasy!

BALLET HERO FANTASY: DAN’S ADVENTURE FEAT. STEVEN MCRAE is a complete series collected into 2 volumes in Japan, each of which will be released at A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size by Manga Mavericks Books.

BALLET HERO FANTASY: DAN’S ADVENTURE FEAT. STEVEN MCRAE, VOLUME 1
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