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Anime Expo Hosts Studio Trigger's Sushio, Mai Yoneyama

Anime Expo announced on Friday that it will host Studio Trigger staff SUSHIO and Mai Yoneyama. Both staff members will participate in a panel and autograph sessions.

Yoneyama debuted as a Gainax animator for Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and worked as an animation director for Black Rock Shooter, Sword Art Online, and Kill la Kill. She also served as the character designer and lead animation director for Kiznaiver.

SUSHIO worked for Gainax before working at Studio Trigger. At Gainax, he served as a key animator for Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, among other titles. At Trigger, he served as the character designer and chief animation director for Kill la Kill, and the lead animator for Kiznaiver.

Anime Expo also announced on Friday that the main English voice cast for Cowboy Bebop will participate in the "Cowboy Bebop Jazz Cat Experience" event featuring music, storytelling, and visual performances. The voice cast participating include: Steve Blum (Spike Spiegel), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Julia), Melissa Fahn (Ed), Wendee Lee (Faye Valentine), and Beau Billingslea (Jet Black). Voice actor Tony Oliver will MC a panel with the cast on July 4. The convention also posted a video on Saturday of the 10-piece jazz ensemble Alice Underground performing the show's opening theme song "Tank!"

The convention additionally revealed on Saturday that fashion doll developer and "Culture Japan" director Danny Choo will return to the convention to MC the welcome ceremony and the fashion show.

Anime Expo will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year from July 1 to July 4 in Los Angeles. The convention will also host:

• Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano
• Mega Man co-creator and comcept founder Keiji Inafune
• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night designer Koji Igarashi
• Director Makoto Shinkai
• My Hero Academia director Kenji Nagasaki, and English dub actors Justin Briner and Chris Sabat
• Visual novel scenario writer Kōtarō Uchikoshi
• Blue Exorcist creator Kazue Kato
• Your Lie in April manga creator Naoshi Arakawa
• Monster Musume creator OKAYADO
• Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto creator Nami Sano
• Voice actress Chika Anzai
• Voice actor Junichi Suwabe
• Voice actor Tetsuya Kakihara
• Anju Inami, Rikako Aida, Nanaka Suwa, Arisa Komiya, Kanako Takatsuki, and Ai Furihata from the Love Live! Sunshine!! idol group Aqours
• FLCL 2 guests Kazuya Tsurumaki and Mayumi Shintani
• One-Punch Man anime director Shingo Natsume, voice actor Makoto Furukawa (Saitama) and opening theme song performers JAM Project
• Producer Reo Kurosu
• BONES studio president Masahiko Minami
• Macross creator Shoji Kawamori
• P.A. Works CEO, founder, and producer Kenji Horikawa
• Maki Terashima-Furuta from Production I.G, joined by producer Ari Arad
• Musician TeddyLoid
• Singer Michi
• minori producer nbkz (Nobukazu Sakai)
• CLOCKUP illustrator Shigeo Hamashima
• Touhou Project creator ZUN
• Touhou Genso Rondo: Bullet Ballet director Yuro Kyoya
• Touhou Genso Wanderer director JYUNYA
• Yomawari: Night Alone director and lead designer Yu Mizokami
• Staff of Square Enix's Star Ocean 5: Integrity and Faithlessness game including Akira Yasuda, Hiroshi Ogawa, and Shūichi Kobayashi

Other musical guests include Eir Aoi, Luna Haruna, Minami, Sphere, T.M. Revolution, Yoko Ishida, DJ Kazu, FLOW, OLDCODEX, and Dancing Dolls.

The convention will also host a P.A. Works 15th Anniversary Exhibit in the Entertainment Hall, presented by Horikawa. Additionally Anime Expo will host a "Cowboy Bebop Jazz Cat Experience" performance event, the world premiere of Shinkai's newest film your name. (Kimi no Na wa.), the premiere of the first English-dubbed episode of the One-Punch Man anime, the premiere of the English dub of Erased, and the U.S. premiere of the first two episodes of Kuromukuro.