The staff of Animazement anime convention announced on Sunday that it will host anime director Shinichirō Watanabe during its event on May 22-24. 

Watanabe directed such notable anime productions as Cowboy Bebop, Macross Plus, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy, Carole & Tuesday, and Terror in Resonance. He also directed the "Blade Runner: Black Out 2022" anime short. Watanabe's short film "A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot" screened at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada in July 2022.

Watanabe also directed Lazarus, the new original 13-episode anime that premiered on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block in April 2025. The anime's opening theme song "Vortex" by Kamasi Washington was nominated for "Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music" at the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

The Animazement convention will also host the following guests from Japan:

Voice Actors:

Industry Guests:

The Animazement convention will be held at Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina from May 22-24. 

Source: Animazement's Bluesky account and website