ANIME USA NEWSLETTER 2025 – ISSUE 4
10 Days until Showtime!
Going forward up until convention, new email newsletters will be coming out every Monday featuring different themes and parts of the convention that we have planned for 2025. We are extremely excited to be able to put this together and our teams have been working diligently to make this a great year.
Programming at Anime USA
With nearly 300 hours of panels, workshops, gameshows, tutorials, videos and more, Anime USA is packed with opportunities to discover a show, try a dance, make a craft, learn a skill, win a game or pick up a hobby. We know you’ll need to make some tough choices perusing our schedule and figuring out what to attend. Perhaps you’re even going to be teaching a workshop or sharing your hot take as one of our panelists. Check out a few of the highlights below:
Meet the Shiba
Our favorite canine ambassadors return to Anime USA. Meet several Shiba’s from DC Shiba Inu Rescue and learn about this iconic Japanese breed and why they have enduring appeal!
Super Art Fight
Come see The Greatest Live Art Competition in the Known Universe both Friday and Saturday at Anime USA! We’re thrilled to have them back and know you’re excited to see them compete. In addition, Super Art Fight will be bringing their new and exciting card game Cute Animals On Fire for you to try.
Do you like Gameshows?
We love them! You’ll have the opportunity to beat your friends in more than 10 gameshows offered over the course of the weekend. If you think you’re an expert on anime music, plots, characters or various 18+ topics, then grab your friends and put a team together.
Voice Actors!
Each of our voice actors will be doing 4 panels over the course of the weekend so you’ll get a chance to meet them and awkwardly ask that question you’ve always wanted to know the answer to but won’t remember at all because the experience was so overwhelming you’ve blanked it out. Each guest will be doing a Q and A with panel so you can get to know them, as well as various specific panels touching on shows they’ve worked on or aspects of their career for a deeper dive.
Art Way Alliance
We love partnering with The Art Way Alliance, who will be bringing their team of amazing artists to con to teach new skills and help you bring your stories to life. Look for them in our panel rooms as well as Community Row and make sure to pack your art supplies.
The Live Charity Auction returns on Sunday to support our charity of choice — The Create Arts Center of Silver Spring, MD. All items up for auction were donated by the artists and dealers throughout the convention, as well as limited edition signed merchandise from guests. Our Auction crew organizes them over the weekend and presents them on Sunday as both a silent and loud auction. All proceeds go directly to the Create Arts Center to support local arts education for all through group classes, after school programs in DC, and art therapy for both children and adults.
For more information on the charity, visit createartscenter.org.
Anime USA will be hosting its first stamp rally, held throughout the convention! Stamp rallies are a common feature in Japanese tourism, often seen in shrines, train stations, airports, and castles. We’re bringing that feature to Anime USA’s landscape this year, tucking multiple stamps around the convention associated with rooms, organizations, and specific events. Find any eight and report to our merchandise booth for a prize (while supplies last) and you’ll be entered for a chance to win two regular admission tickets to Anime USA 2026!
Joe Hernandez is a veteran voice actor most recognized by his work as Daruk and Yunobo in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Boucheron in Fire Emblem: Engage, Pesci in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures, Wuk Evu in Final Fantasy XIV, and Masashi Okaito in My Happy Marriage. Other diverse titles he’s lent his talents to include Unicorn Overlord, Sakamoto Days, Eden’s Zero, The Seven Deadly Sins, Sword Art Online, Kengan Ashura, Forest of Piano, Berserk, and Nagi-Asu: a Lull in the Sea.
Kayleigh McKee is an actress from rural Illinois where there wasn’t much else to do but entertain herself… Then she got good at it!
Known for using her full range as a trans gal to voice women, men, and beyond, she is known from her work as Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen, Scarab from Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, O-Kiku in One Piece, and more. Kayleigh can be heard all over in games, movies, anime, and cartoons- and even online!”
Kyle McCarley is an American voice actor with over 200 VO credits in anime, American animation, and video games. Best known for his work on Nier: Automata as 9S, you can also hear his talents in English dubs as Shigeo Kageyama (Mob) from Mob Psycho 100, Alm and Soren from Fire Emblem Heroes, Aoba Kuronuma from DuRaRaRa!, Shinji Mato from Fate/Stay Night, and Mikazuki Augus from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans.
A graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Theater, Kyle can be spotted in other roles on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Disney, including JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Star Wars: Visions, Violet Evergarden, The Seven Deadly Sins, Blame, One Punch Man, Bungo Stray Dogs, Demon Slayer (video games), Lego Monkie Kid, Infinity Train, Komi Can’t Communicate, Cyborg 009: Call of Justice, Cookie Run Kingdom, Disgaea 5, and Your Lie in April, among others.
When not behind the studio microphone, you can also find him rolling dice and causing mayhem with friends on “The Board and Barrel,” a tabletop gaming stream that goes live on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Pacific time.
The hotel room block is now open, offering a special rate for Anime USA members. The Hyatt Regency Crystal City is located at 2799 Richmond Highway, in Arlington, Virginia.
Staying at the convention hotel means you’ll be just steps away from all the excitement, panels, and events. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to immerse yourself in the full convention experience while enjoying the perks of a special rate. Book your room now and get ready for an unforgettable Anime USA 2025! Book your room now!
Don’t miss out—register now for Anime USA 2025! Secure your spot at this year’s convention by visiting this link. Join us for an unforgettable weekend filled with anime, cosplay, panels, and more. We can’t wait to see you there!