We are incredibly excited to announce that renowned Mechanical Designer, Illustrator and Game Creator Mika Akitaka will appear as a Guest of Honor at Anime Expo 2022!
As we look back on and celebrate over 30 years of Anime Expo history, fans may remember that Akitaka-san previously attended the convention as a Guest of Honor way back in 1999! And, moreover, he will forever hold a very special place in Anime Expo history as the original creator of our iconic mascot MAX, who has been gracing the cover of the annual program guide since 2012.
Commercially, Mika Akitaka is best known for his work as a mechanical designer for Sunrise, where he was involved in beloved projects such as Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory and City Hunter. Akitaka-san also illustrated the MS Girl series for Model Graphix Magazine.
In addition to attending Anime Expo as a Guest of Honor, we’ve partnered with Akitaka-san to create an exclusive merch item that will be available at the convention! Attendees will also be able to meet Akitaka-san during scheduled autograph sessions. Please stay tuned for additional information on both opportunities in the coming weeks.
If you’re interested in attending Anime Expo 2022 and meeting Akitaka-san, be sure to grab your badge now! As a friendly reminder, the last day to finalize your address and qualify for badge mailing is June 13, 2022.
Press applications are also now open for members of the media interested in attending and covering the event.
We look forward to seeing all of you in-person at the Los Angeles Convention Center this July!
Anime Expo 2022 will run from July 1 through July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
For more information about attending AX, check out our How to Attend guide.