Attack on Titan Creator Hajime Isayama to Make First US Appearance at Anime NYC

Big news for anime fans in the big city! It was announced yesterday that Hajime Isayama, the creator behind the hugely popular Attack on Titan franchise, will make his first ever US appearance at Anime NYC in November.

The announcement comes courtesy of Anime NYC, which is powered by Crunchyroll, and Kodansha USA Publishing, the US distributor of the Attack on Titan manga. One of the most popular manga series of all time, Attack on Titan has spawned a $500 million media empire that includes manga, anime, live-action movies, stage plays, video games, and merchandise. The manga launched in 2009 and concluded in 2021 after 34 volumes, with over 100 million copies in print. The final final season of the anime (they mean it this time, I’m sure) will air sometime in early 2023.

“This is it—Hajime Isayama in his first U.S. appearance, and it’s going to be at Anime NYC,” said Alvin Lu, President & CEO of Kodansha USA Publishing. “After more than ten years of publishing Attack on Titan, we are very, very excited to help host Isayama-sensei and to see him meet the fans that have loved and supported this amazing pop-culture phenomenon throughout the years. This will be an Anime NYC to remember.”

“Attack on Titan changed the world,” said Anime NYC Event Director Peter Tatara. “It told a startling story unlike anything else in Japanese or American entertainment and led to a new generation falling in love with Japanese comics and dedicating their hearts to Isayama’s incredible characters. We’re now absolutely honored to play host to Hajime Isayama and give his American fans their very first opportunity to meet the legendary creator.”

Attendees of Anime NYC will get a real treat as Isayama conducts a rare signing on Friday November 18 and holds a panel on the Main Stage on Saturday November 19. Details on how to obtain tickets for both the signing and the panel will be released in early November.

Anime NYC is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, running from November 18-20 at New York City’s Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. In addition to Isayama, the convention will host other Japanese guests of honor including Shuko Murase (Director, Gundam Hathaway), Setsuo Ito(Voice Actor, Mob Psycho 100), and Yoko Shimomura (Composer, FINAL FANTASY XV). 

Kodansha will host a booth on the show floor for all three days of the convention, featuring a special Attack on Titan activation. Their manga gallery at last year’s event was phenomenal and one of the highlights of the weekend for me. Other major Japanese entertainment companies like Aniplex, Bandai, Crunchyroll, GKIDS, HIDIVE, VIZ Media, and Yen Press will also have a presence on the show floor.

Limited Anime NYC badges are still available on the official website.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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