Crunchyroll @ Anime Expo 2017: Guests!

Continuing our countdown to Anime Expo 2017, today’s announcement is all about guests!

 

And since we can’t contain our excitement any longer, we’re going to kick things off with the co-creators of Yuri!!! On ICE, Mitsurou Kubo and Sayo Yamamoto.

 

Mitsurou Kubo debuted in 1996 with a piece titled Shiawase 5-han, which ran in a manga magazine targeted towards women. In 2001, she serialized her series 3.3.7 Byooshi!! for the Weekly Shōnen Magazine and published 10 books. For the same publication in 2004, she published Tokkyuu!!, releasing 20 books. Her most popular manga include Moteki (also known as Love Strikes!) in 2008, which had both a drama and a movie adaptation, and Again!! in 2011, which also had a drama adaptation.

 

In 2016, together with director Sayo Yamamoto, she co-created the incredibly popular ice skating anime series, Yuri!!! on ICE, and contributed original character designs and storyboards. Beyond the worlds of Manga and Anime, Ms. Kubo is also active on radio and television. Read more about Ms. Kubo's list of works on Anime News Network, My Anime List, and AniDB.

 

 

Sayo Yamamoto is prolific in both storyboarding and directing. Since her credits include several episodes of Shinichiro Watanabe's Samurai Champloo (storyboards and episode director), Ergo Proxy (storyboards and episode director), Psalm's of Planets: Eureka Seven (storyboards and episode director), High School of the Dead (storyboard), and Space Dandy (storyboard and episode director), just to name a few..

Her full directorial debut came in 2008, with the adventurous Michiko and Hatchin television series, and in 2012, she directed her second television series which was titled Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Then in 2016, she directed the incredibly popular ice skating anime, Yuri!!! on ICE --  to which she is also credited with creating the original concept and the series composition. Read more about Sayo Yamamoto's list of works on Anime News Network, My Anime List, and AniDB.

 

We’re also thrilled to announce that George Wada, the President of WIT STUDIO, and Norihiro Naganuma, the director of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, will be joining us for Anime Expo this year!

 

 

Born in 1978, George Wada is the president of and producer at WIT STUDIO. After joining the animation company Production IG, he was involved in various hit series such as Real Drive, Guilty Crown, PSYCHO-PASS, and more. In 2012, he founded WIT STUDIO, and produced the mega-hit Attack on Titan anime in 2013, which has since become a worldwide phenomenon.

 

 

Norihiro Naganuma has previously worked as an Assistant Director on anime series such as the classic romance Kimi ni Todoke - From Me To You, and the bitingly sarcastic comedy Hozuki's Coolheadedness. The Ancient Magus’ Bride TV anime will be the first series that he is directing.

 

And finally, several members of the creative team behind the all-new series, Classroom of the Elite, will be making an appearance!

 

 

Hiroyuki Hashimoto was born in Kyoto Prefecture. He is an animation director. Having worked on various shows as both key animation and director, he made his debut as a director with Is the order a rabbit? and made it a huge hit. His main directed work includes Is the order a rabbit? and Magical Girl Raising Project, etc.

 

 

Yuji Higa was born in Saitama Prefecture. He is an animation producer at Studio Hibari and had worked on various kinds of shows. Lerche was formed within Studio Hibari as an animation production team. At Lerche, Higa had produced Assassination Classroom, Danganronpa: The Animation, and Scum's Wish, etc.

 

 

Seiji Kishi was born in Shiga Prefecture. He is an animation director, working on many popular shows including both adaptations and originals at TEAM TillDawn. Previous works that he directed are Angel Beats!, Persona4 the ANIMATION, Arpeggio of Blue Steel, and Assassination Classroom, etc.

 

Sho Tanaka is an animation producer. He was involved in various hit series including Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, No Game, No Life, Overlord, and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, etc.

 

Curious about where and when you’ll be able to see these incredible guests? Then stay tuned for tomorrow’s announcement cause we’re rolling out our full panels, premieres, and events schedule!