[Anime Expo 2025] Warner Bros. Japan Panel Event Report

From Thursday, July 3rd to Sunday, July 6th (local time), Anime Expo 2025 was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the United States. Drawing attention from fans all over the world, the event was filled with a wide range of stage programs featuring many creators and cast members from Japan.
This article brings you a report from the Warner Bros. Japan Panel held on Thursday, July 4th. The stage was packed with major announcements of highly anticipated titles such as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Record of Ragnarok III, and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, as well as notable original works—setting the venue abuzz with energy and excitement.

The event opened with a special animation reel showcasing past anime titles produced by Warner Bros. Japan, including popular hits such as Food Wars! :Shokugeki no Soma, TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You, and the A Certain Scientific Railgun series. Cheers erupted from the audience as familiar scenes lit up the screen.
The first major announcement of the panel was the long-awaited return of Fist of the North Star to animation after more than a decade. Producers Mikihiro Miyashita and Sachiko Inamoto from Coamix Inc., the original publisher of the manga, took the stage.
“I used to mimic the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken moves when I was a kid,” Miyashita recalled with a smile, explaining, “We are respecting the story of the original manga and listening to the author's opinions as we proceed with the production.” He also touched on Hara-sensei’s distinctive artwork, noting, “We’re aiming to faithfully recreate his evolving style through animation.”
When asked by the MC why Fist of the North Star is being reanimated now, Miyashita responded, “Our goal is to stay true to the original manga. The TV series during its serialization included many original episodes, so we want to deliver the original work’s appeal afresh.” A teaser PV followed, prompting cheers at each character reveal.
The cast announcement brought even more excitement: Shunsuke Takeuchi as Kenshiro, Daiki Yamashita as Bat, and M・A・O as Rin. Producer Inamoto added, “There are many more compelling characters to come. I look forward to seeing the venue filled with Fist of the North Star cosplayers at next year’s Anime Expo.” Miyashita appealed to the audience, “Kenshiro’s movement through cel-look CGI brings something we’ve never seen before—please look forward to it!”

Next came BLADE & BASTARD, a brand-new anime written by Goblin Slayer original author Kumo Kagyu. Marking his first appearance at Anime Expo in seven years, Kagyu-sensei commented, “The foundation of this story comes from the Wizardry games I’ve played for years,” and added, “Unlike recent stories where the protagonist wins quickly, I focused on maintaining the tension of battle, like in Wizardry.”
In the new character reveal PV, a star-studded cast was unveiled, including Makoto Furukawa as Iarumas, along with Tomori Kusunoki, Daiki Yamashita, Saori Hayami, and Shion Wakayama. “I honestly wish I could’ve watched this PV from the audience side!” Kagyu-sensei admitted with a laugh.

The next announcement was the anime adaptation of ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, a popular title that was also adapted into a Hollywood film. Producer Noriko Dohi, who appeared on stage, explained, “Many may be surprised by the different visuals compared to the original work, but this version features vivid colors and is told from Rita’s point of view as a new interpretation.”
Original author Hiroshi Sakurazaka gave full approval for the project. A video message from Natsuki Hanae, who voices Keiji, was also played: “It’s a challenging role with a lot of personality, but the animation quality is amazing and this version offers a fresh take unlike any other adaptation.”

The venue’s excitement surged again with the announcement of STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The producer Doi returned to introduce the title, saying, “The staff who supported the JoJo series until now have reunited for this,” although she had to apologize: “Production has been really, really tough, and we weren’t able to show any new footage today…”
However, she continued, “We’re planning to release something on September 23rd—the same date as the in-story STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure press conference,” to which the crowd responded with applause.
Other announcements included Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, which started streaming in North America on July 3rd, the 10th anniversaries of Food Wars! : Shokugeki no Soma and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, as well as updates on new works in development such as A Certain Scientific Railgun and A Certain Item of Dark Side. Each title were met with renewed support from the audience.

Closing out the panel was Record of Ragnarok III with its latest updates. It was revealed that battles from Round 7 through Round 9 of the "God vs. Mankind Final Battle (Ragnarok)" will be featured. The introduction of new characters like Nikola Tesla and Apollo drew huge cheers.
In a surprise appearance, two members of the North American voice cast—Cory (voice of Qin Shi Huang) and Micheal (voice of Hades)—took the stage. “We read the original work thoroughly to prepare for the roles and meet your expectations,” they shared. Then, to the audience’s delight, they performed a live dubbing session on stage, bringing the excitement to its peak.
At the end of the panel, fans had the chance to take commemorative photos with the North American casts. With loud cheers and anticipation in the air, the panel concluded on a high note. The stage was packed with upcoming anime fans who can’t wait to watch—and it’s clear that Warner Bros. Japan's future developments are worth keeping a close eye on!

Text by Saki Ota / Photos by Editorial Team

Warner Bros. Japan Anime Official X (Twitter)
https://x.com/wb_anime

Fist of the North Star Official Website
hokuto-anime.com/

Blade & Bastard Special Website
https://drecom-media.jp/drenovels/series/blade

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL Official Website
https://aynk-anime.com/

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Portal Site
https://jojo-portal.com

Record of Ragnarok III Official Site
https://ragnarok-official.com/