Anime Expo and Kodansha 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 can also unlock special benefits at Kodansha House with their AX badges—more details forthcoming. 

Once again Kodansha will partner with Kinokuniya USA as its official Kodansha House partner for 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 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.