Japan Society Welcomes Cowboy Bebop and Lazarus Anime Creator Shinichiro Watanabe for the LeSean Thomas-curated Foreign Exchange 2025 Film & Discussion Series

Watanabe and Thomas to Appear in NYC with Special Guests, including Star Wars: Visions Producer Justin Leach

Co-presented by 

The Japan Foundation, New York and The Imagination Project Inc.

New York, NY (October 30, 2025) – Japan Society proudly announces Foreign Exchange 2025: Cross-Cultural Conversations with Anime Visionaries, a film and discussion series founded and curated by award-nominated creator and director LeSean Thomas (Yasuke, Cannon Busters) taking place November 17-22, 2025. Japan Society is a 118-year-old nonprofit organization in New York City with the mission of bringing the U.S. and Japan closer together, and it is honored to present this special event focused on the cross-cultural dialogue between Japan and the U.S. through the popular arts. 

Founded and curated at the historic Japan Society in New York City by LeSean Thomas in 2024, Foreign Exchange—a cross-cultural craft salon—returns in 2025 with an expanded edition. This year, Thomas extends the salon's mission from the singular, creator dialogue in 2024 to creator-to-creator conversations that reveals how U.S. and Japanese artists build anime across borders, moving beyond last year's personal spotlight to convene with peers and pioneers such as Shinichiro Watanabe (creator of Adult Swim's recent hit Lazarus and the landmark Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo) and Justin Leach (producer of Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Visions and Netflix's Leviathan), with Thomas—creator of Netflix's NAACP Image Award–nominated Yasuke—acting as host. Across a week of rare conversations, screenings, and classroom visits, the program gives students, professionals, and fans an inside view of the craft, collaboration, and business of global anime while elevating the makers who are broadening global anime production.

Foreign Exchange 2025 will begin Nov 17-19 with a series of classroom visits by Thomas and Leach to schools including New York University, Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, Fordham University, and the School of Visual Arts where they will conduct in-depth talks with aspiring art, animation, and film students to help equip the next generation of animators, directors and creators. 

Then, from Nov 20-22, Thomas, Leach and Watanabe will present three days of events at the historic Japan Society, located at 333 East 47th St, just one block from the United Nations. At Japan Society, the three will appear on a free moderated talk for students and educators to discuss the skills needed to work in U.S. and Japanese animation; three public talks about animation production and inspiration; and introduce four public screenings including both Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, sharing personal perspectives on the works before each event.

In addition, Japan Society will host a limited-time pop-up exhibit showcasing production art from Adult Swim's Lazarus personally selected by Watanabe. It will further have a limited number of copies of Foreign Exchange: The TV Anime Creations of LeSean Thomas Vol. 1 - Yasuke, a 260+ page companion art book with never-before-released production art along with personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of Thomas's Yasuke, available for purchase. Rounding out the week, NYC's Rough Trade Records will host an autograph signing for Shinichiro Watanabe, with more details below.

Films and Public Talks: $20 Public / $18 Students & Seniors / $16 Japan Society Members

Series Pass: $100 Public / $90 Students & Seniors / $80 Japan Society Members

All Nov 17-19 classroom events are free for students at their respective schools. The Nov 20 student talk at Japan Society is free with RSVP and for students and educators across NYC. Through a partnership with The Imagination Project Inc. (501c3), a NYC based not-for-profit focused on providing career technical education for underserved marginalized youth, there is a focus on inviting schools and organizations that serve BIPOC youth and diverse students to hear from Thomas, Leach and Watanabe.

Tickets are available now at japansociety.org/film.

All Nov 20-22 talks and screenings will take place at Japan Society's landmarked headquarters at 333 East 47th St, New York, NY 10017, one block from the United Nations and minutes from Grand Central Terminal.

Series Speakers

LeSean Thomas — Creator, Yasuke & Cannon Busters; Founder, Curator & Host, Foreign Exchange Bronx-born LeSean Thomas is among the distinguished few Black Americans making their mark in the TV anime industry and is currently the only Black American to successfully create, produce and direct original TV anime series in Japan. His journey began with notable projects such as The Boondocks, Black Dynamite: The Animated Series and The Legend of Korra. These foundational experiences paved the way for his move to Japan, where he created and directed works such as Crunchyroll's Children of Ether and Netflix's Cannon Busters. LeSean's most recent triumph is the critically-acclaimed and NAACP Image Award-nominated Netflix series Yasuke. Building on his cross-cultural career, Thomas founded, curates and hosts Foreign Exchange, a platform for dialogue between U.S. and Japanese anime creators.

Shinichiro Watanabe — Creator, Lazarus & Cowboy Bebop

Born in 1965 in Kyoto, Japan, Shinichiro Watanabe is an anime director, screenwriter and music producer. He made his directorial debut as co-director of Macross Plus and has since directed numerous series titles such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Kids on the Slope, Space Dandy, Terror in Resonance and Carole & Tuesday  as well as shorts for The Animatrix - Kid's Story, A Detective Story and Blade Runner – Black Out 2022. His latest series is Adult Swim's Lazarus.

Justin Leach — Producer, Star Wars: Visions & Leviathan

Justin Leach is the founder of Qubic Pictures, a Tokyo-New York-based studio. With over 25 years in animation across the U.S. and Japan, he's worked at Blue Sky Studios, Production I.G and Lucasfilm. He produced the first crowdfunded anime Kick-Heart, Under the Dog and Adventure Time: Food Chain. His recent works include Netflix's Eden and Leviathan. Justin now serves as Co-Executive Producer on Star Wars: Visions, bringing new voices to the Star Wars galaxy through the groundbreaking anime.

Talk Events

Animation is Inspiration: The Next Generation of Anime Makers

Thursday, November 20, 1:00 PM

Free Talk for High School and College Students and Educators. Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach, and LeSean Thomas have each followed a very different path to make anime, yet despite these different roads, all have created unique anime projects with cross-cultural storytelling and global collaborators. All three come together at Japan Society to discuss their paths in the animation world, working across cultures and the tools, training and education needed for the next generation of animators, directors and producers. This free event looks to both inspire students and educators in New York City about careers in animation as well as provide them with rare advice from three legends gathered together in New York City.

Making of Lazarus: Story, Action, and Global Collaboration

Thursday, November 20, 6:00 PM

A behind-the-scenes conversation with Shinichiro Watanabe on the making of his new Adult Swim anime Lazarus, exploring its action, world-building and groundbreaking score. This in-depth creator-to-creator dialogue will feature Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Lazarus (MAPPA) fame onstage with LeSean Thomas, together exploring the creative DNA of Lazarus—from its kinetic action choreography and intricate world-building to its score by Kamasi Washington and Bonobo. With Thomas's own experience creating and directing his original anime Yasuke (MAPPA), the two will explore how Lazarus came to life. They'll examine Watanabe's process and the challenges of crafting an auteur-driven series in Japan. Hear how tone, pacing and production design all influenced Lazarus's world, discover how collaborating with musical luminaries Kamasi Washington, Floating Points and Bonobo contributed to the shape of Lazarus, and delve into directorial vision, freedom and trust. 

Star Wars: Visions & The Future of Global Animation

Friday, November 21, 6:00 PM

Join Justin Leach, CEO of Qubic Pictures and Co-Executive Producer of Star Wars: Visions, for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the acclaimed anthology series. This session explores how Lucasfilm embraced a truly global production model— partnering with legendary anime studios including Production I.G, WIT Studio, Studio Trigger, David Production, Kamikaze Douga, Polygon Pictures, and Kinema Citrus to create Star Wars: Visions Volume 3.  Justin Leach will appear in conversation with moderator LeSean Thomas to discuss the evolution of Qubic's work with Lucasfilm, and the panel will include how Qubic Pictures helped build a bridge with Japanese studios, the power of creative trust and cultural sensitivity in global productions, how Qubic shapes new models for producing internationally-driven animated content, what makes Visions a unique production and how the animation industry can learn from its success. This is a must-see for students and professionals.

Black Musical Traditions and the Anime of Shinchiro Watanabe

Saturday, November 22, 6:00 PM

In the city that became a global epicenter for jazz and the birthplace of hip-hop, anime legend Shinichiro Watanabe reflects on the influence of Black American musical traditions across his Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Lazarus, and how sound and style shape his most iconic worlds. This cultural conversation between Shinichiro Watanabe and LeSean Thomas (creator of Netflix's Yasuke) explores the influence of Black American music traditions across Watanabe's body of work—from the jazz-infused noir of Cowboy Bebop to the hip-hop samurai swagger of Samurai Champloo and now the futuristic pulse of Lazarus. The panel will discuss how Watanabe has consistently woven elements of Black American music traditions into his series, collaborating with leading figures in contemporary jazz, soul and experimental music to define the rhythm, emotional identity and cultural texture of his worlds. Drawing from Thomas's own cross-cultural work with global music icons (including Yasuke's Flying Lotus and Thundercat), the discussion will trace how sound becomes a narrative engine, a cultural bridge and a statement of creative intent in anime. The two creators will discuss the role of Black music in shaping anime tone and identity across Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Lazarus, cross-cultural collaboration as an artistic act, the intersection of music, rhythm and pacing in visual storytelling and how Watanabe's musical choices build emotionally resonant anime for a global audience. This event is a one-of-a-kind discussion to hear about seldom explored but deeply resonate touchstones vital to Shinichiro Watanabe's works.

Film Screenings

Lazarus, Baby Blue & A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot

Thursday, November 20, 8:00 PM

Introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe. Creator Shinichiro Watanabe hosts an evening of three special screenings as part of the Foreign Exchange. Beginning with the first episode of Adult Swim's Lazarus, his latest anime series, it continues with two short films personally selected by Watanabe rarely seen in the U.S.

Lazarus - Episode 1 - Goodbye Cruel World

Dir. Shinichiro Watanabe, 2025, 24 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Mamoru Miyano, Makoto Furukawa, Maaya Uchida.

Marking Watanabe's return to the sci-fi genre, Lazarus is a pulse-pounding thriller about a miracle drug, Hapna, that presumably frees anyone who takes it from all pain. However, it is revealed that Hapna has a fatal consequence: all who have taken the drug will die. With only 30 days to save humanity, a group of agents must find a vaccine before all is lost. Lazarus features action sequences designed by director Chad Stahelski (John Wick) and a captivating score by renowned jazz and electronic artists including jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington (West Coast Get Down); producer, DJ, and musician Floating Points (Floating Points Ensemble); and producer, DJ and musician Bonobo.

Baby Blue

Dir. Shinichiro Watanabe, 2007, 15 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Rinko Kikuchi, Yuya Yagira.

Part of the Studio 4°C anthology project Genius Party that brought together creators including Shinichiro Watanabe, Masaaki Yuasa, Shoji Kawamori and Mahiro Maeda. Baby Blue follows two childhood friends who skip school for a chaotic adventure involving a street gang and stolen grenades. Amid the frenzy, they confront their unspoken feelings for each other.

A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot

Dir. Shinichiro Watanabe, 2022, 20 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Misaki Kuno, Koichi Yamadera, Yuma Uchida.

Part of the anthology project Edge of Time, a Chinese production telling four animated tales by directors from Japan, China and U.S. A girl and a robot without memories wander the ruins of the world that once was, where the remnants of automated technology continue to function despite their human masters being gone. The two travel into a city, where they meet a brave youth living a feral existence, and together they try to discover their forgotten pasts.

Star Wars: Visions—Producer's Cut

Friday, November 21, 8:00 PM

Introduction by Justin Leach. Star Wars: Visions is an anthology series featuring unique Star Wars storytelling from animation talents all across the world. Inviting global animators to reimagine the galaxy far, far away, it showcases incredible animation, perspectives and cultures all through the mythos of Star Wars. Across three seasons, Star Wars: Visions has welcomed animators from Chile, France, Japan, India, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, the UK and the U.S. to tell their own Star Wars tales, and tonight Visions Co-Executive Producer Justin Leach presents a curated selection of the Visions shorts most personally meaningful to him.

Macross Plus: Movie Edition

Saturday, November 22, 1:00 PM

Dir. Shoji Kawamori & Shinichiro Watanabe, 1995, 115 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Takumi Yamazaki, Unshou Ishizuka, Rica Fukami.

Introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe. From the minds of “vision creator” Shoji Kawamori and co-director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) and featuring music from acclaimed composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne), Macross Plus is an all-star production that remains one of the finest examples of anime as an artform 30 years after its creation. Former childhood friends Isamu Dyson and Guld Bowman find themselves rival test pilots in a grueling competition to decide the next generation of transformable fighter planes. Old wounds open as their mutual love interest, Myung Fang Lone, reappears as the manager of Sharon Apple, the AI pop star and the galaxy's biggest singing sensation. When Sharon's artificial intelligence gains consciousness, a prescient AI menace only more terrifying today, Isamu, Myung and Guld must confront their past traumas and join together to save the whole of humanity. 

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Saturday, November 22, 8:00 PM

Dir. Shinichiro Watanabe, 2001, 115 min., 35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Aoi Tada. Music by Yoko Kanno.

Introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe. Cowboy Bebop, one of the most influential anime series of the past 30 years, culminates in a big screen adventure following bounty hunters Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed. Set in a lawless future heavily drawn from a multitude of inspirations—from cyberpunk and American science fiction to noir and westerns—the Cowboy Bebop saga is praised for its seamless blend of genre, music and storytelling. In Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, with just days before a potential terrorist attack, Spike and his team must unravel military conspiracies and hunt down an old soldier before he releases a biological weapon that could destroy all life on Mars.

Autograph Signing

Shinichiro Watanabe Vinyl Signing

Saturday, November 22, 3:00 PM

Japan Society, in partnership with Milan Records and Rough Trade NYC, will host a special autograph signing event with acclaimed anime director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Lazarus) on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Rough Trade at Rockefeller Center. This exclusive ticketed event offers fans a rare opportunity to meet one of Japan's most influential anime creators and receive a signed vinyl album from a curated selection of titles from Cowboy Bebop and Lazarus, released by Milan Records. Tickets, available through roughtrade.com and the DICE ticketing platform, include entry to the event and one vinyl product of choice. Capacity is limited, entry will be by album purchase only, and Rough Trade Below will be closed to the general public for the duration of the event. To ensure a comfortable experience for both guests and the artist, photography and outside items for signing will not be permitted.

About Japan Society

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world. At Japan Society, we are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna (絆)–forging deep connections to bind people together. We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond. In over 100 years of work, we've inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S. We strive to convene important conversations on topics that bind our two countries together, champion the next generation of innovative creators, promote mutual understanding, and serve as a trusted guide for people everywhere who seek to more fully appreciate the rich complexities and abundance of Japan. From our New York headquarters, a landmark building designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura that opened to the public in 1971, we look forward to the years ahead, which will be defined by our digital and ideational impact through the kizuna that we build. Our future can only be enhanced by learning from our peers and engaging with our audiences, both near and afar.

Co-organized with the Japan Foundation, New York and the Imagination Project Inc. Foreign Exchange promotional support is provided by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.

Japan Society's Japanese Literature Series is generously supported by a grant from the Toshiba International Foundation, and All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., the official airline partner of the series.

Film programs are generously supported by Anime NYC, ORIX Corporation USA, and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by Jono Abrams and Elizabeth Linn, Ayumi Arafune, Darin Arita and Kanako Arita, Mike Audet, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Catanzaro, The Globus Family, George P. Hirose, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, David Toberisky, Joseph Rajaratnam and Dharshini Iolanthe Sivakumaran, Japan Society Film Council, and other Film supporters.

Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film Program.

Support for cultural programs is provided by the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund; Jean Fan Colson and Daniel Colson; and Faith L. Taylor. 

Japan Society arts and culture programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Japan Society's 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).