LOS ANGELES, CA – June 30, 2025 – Azuki Labs, Inc. is thrilled to announce its featured panel, “Community-Driven Anime Production,” at Anime Expo 2025, bringing together visionary creators and fans to explore how anime is evolving through co-creation. This session offers attendees an exclusive chance to hear directly from anime director Goro Taniguchi and Azuki CEO Alex Xu on how fan communities can help shape the future of anime.
The panel will be held on Thursday, July 3, 2025, from 4:45 PM to 5:35 PM PDT in Room 511ABC at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Attendees of the “Community-Driven Anime Production” panel can look forward to:
- In-Depth Industry Insights: Goro Taniguchi shares his experience working on past projects, highlighting the challenges and untapped potential of original anime.
- Behind-the-Scenes on “Enter The Garden”: Goro Taniguchi offers a glimpse into the creative process behind Episode 3 of Enter The Garden directed by Tatsuyuki Tanaka (a.k.a. CANNABIS).
- Fan Power in Action: Azuki CEO Alex Xu discusses how fans influence production, from lore to design to funding models, and shares real-world examples of community contributions becoming canon.
- Interactive Visuals & Highlights: See fan art, cosplay, memes, and music that have helped shape Azuki’s storytelling world.
- Future Vision: Learn how community-driven approaches can lead to faster development of original IPs and more creative risk-taking in the anime industry.
- Special Event Announcement: Exclusive details about Azuki’s Anime Expo Afterparty, featuring DJs, games, anime cocktails, and merch giveaways.
“This panel is about opening the doors of anime production wider than ever before,” said Alex Xu, CEO of Azuki Labs. “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.”
Enter the Garden Episode 3 Poster
Panel Information
Title: Community-Driven Anime Production
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 4:45 PM – 5:35 PM PDT
Location: Room 511ABC, Los Angeles Convention Center
Anime Expo 2025 takes place July 3–6, 2025 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. For more information and to purchase a badge, visit the official website at https://www.anime-expo.org/.
About Azuki
Azuki is a brand born at the intersection of art, technology, and internet culture. What started as a web3 project has evolved into a global community of artists and builders shaping original characters, stories, and experiences together. From digital collectibles to fashion and real-world events, Azuki is building a universe for digital natives drawn to what’s next. Learn more at www.azuki.com.
![Azuki, COMISMA, and Xenotoon to Establish “Studio Azuki,” a U.S.-Based Anime Studio [PRESS RELEASE]](https://www.sakuraindex.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Studio-Azuki-Banner.png){kind=small}