Azuki Labs, Inc. has confirmed its participation at Anime Expo 2025 with a featured panel titled Community-Driven Anime Production, promising a behind-the-scenes look at how fans and creators are working side by side to shape the future of anime.
The panel will take place on Thursday, 3 July 2025, from 4:45 PM to 5:35 PM PDT in Room 511ABC at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Among those set to speak are anime industry veteran Goro Taniguchi and Azuki Labs CEO Alex Xu, who will delve into how co-creation models are redefining what it means to be a part of an anime’s development.
Taniguchi will offer professional insights from his long-standing career, while also giving attendees a behind-the-scenes look at Enter The Garden Episode 3, which is directed by Tatsuyuki Tanaka (a.k.a. CANNABIS). Meanwhile, Xu will speak on how Azuki has integrated fan contributions – from design feedback to lore-building and even funding – into its storytelling approach.
Attendees can also expect a showcase of fan-created visuals including cosplay, music, and memes, demonstrating how community engagement has played a tangible role in shaping the Azuki universe. The session will also look toward the future, exploring how fan collaboration might accelerate IP creation and enable more experimental storytelling across the industry.
In sharing this news, Alex Xu, CEO of Azuki Labs shared:
This panel is about opening the doors of anime production wider than ever before. From concept to execution, we believe that fans are not just an audience, but co-creators. With legendary talent like Taniguchi-san and Tanaka-san joining the project, we hope to show what’s possible when creators and communities build together.
