Featured Guests
CINDY YAMAUCHI
Featured Guest, Animator
Cindy H. Yamauchi is a Japanese-American animator, character designer, and animation director based in Tokyo. She began her career in Japan as an in-between artist and later became a freelance animator. After nearly a decade away from the industry while living in the United States, she returned to animation with Madhouse’s Gungrave in 2003. Since then, she has worked on numerous anime productions in roles including key animator, animation supervisor, chief animation supervisor, and character designer. Her recent credits include Character Designer for Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to be a Kamen Rider, Animation Director for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and Character Designer & Animation Director for Akudama Drive. In addition to her professional animation work, Cindy is currently producing Boys Be Heroes!, an original independent anime music video project inspired by Japanese tokusatsu heroes and local community culture.
Jun Watanabe
Featured Guest, Director
Jun Watanabe is a Japanese Action Director, Director, and Actor with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He is currently serving as the Action Director for Kamen Rider Zeztz, one of the latest installments in Japan’s iconic Kamen Rider franchise. Throughout his career, Jun has worked across multiple disciplines including action direction, stunt performance, suit acting, and directing. His ability to combine practical action, character-driven performance, and cinematic storytelling has made him a respected figure within the Japanese action industry. His Action Director credits include Kamen Rider Zero-One, Kamen Rider Saber, Kamen Rider Revice, Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger, and Kamen Rider Zeztz. As a Director, he has helmed episodes of Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger and Kamen Rider Zeztz, bringing together action design and visual storytelling. As a performer and suit actor, Jun has portrayed numerous heroes and characters throughout the Kamen Rider and Super Sentai franchises, including Kamen Rider Eternal, Kamen Rider Mach, Kamen Rider Todoroki, Go-on Gold, and GekiChopper, among many others. Internationally, he served as Second Unit Director on Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, further expanding his experience in global productions and international collaboration. Jun’s action philosophy emphasizes practical stunt work, wire action, high falls, actor-driven performance, and cinematic action storytelling. He believes that action is a universal language capable of connecting people across cultures and borders. His mission is to continue bringing the spirit of Japanese action and tokusatsu entertainment to audiences around the world through both creative collaboration and innovation.
Aoi Matsuyama
Featured Guest, Music
Aoi Matsuyama is a Japanese singer-songwriter, entertainer, and multimedia creator known for her uniquely self-produced approach to idol entertainment. With nearly 240,000 followers on TikTok and more than 73,000 subscribers on YouTube, Aoi has built a dedicated audience through her music, creative projects, and energetic personality. Unlike many performers, she is deeply involved in every aspect of her work, including songwriting, composition, costume design, merchandise production, video content, and animation projects. Aoi is the creator of the original television anime series Matsuyama Aoi Monogatari, serving as its writer, character designer, director, voice actress, and theme song performer. The series has aired multiple season on TV Saitama. She also hosted her own television program, Matsuyama Aoi no Kimagure, further establishing herself as a multifaceted entertainer. Her music career includes contributions to Konami rhythm game franchises such as Pop’n Music and Gitadora, where she performed and wrote songs featured in the games. She has also provided theme songs for film and television projects and appeared on numerous Japanese television programs. Career highlights include performances at Tokyo Idol Festival, Vivala Pop at Saitama Super Arena, the Kaohsiung International Animation Festival in Taiwan, and solo concerts at major venues including KT Zepp Yokohama, Zepp Shinjuku, and Shibuya WWW. Blending music, anime, creativity, and positive energy, Aoi continues to inspire audiences of all through her unique vision of entertainment.
Cosplay Judges
AkaneSaotome
Cosplay Judge
AkaneSaotome is a 24-year cosplay veteran from the East Coast and a recognized figure in the cosplay community. Known for her award-winning craftsmanship and performance work, she has competed in and judged numerous competitions, including at World Cosplay Summit, MegaCon, Anime Boston, and Otakon. Her work has been featured across websites, podcasts, magazines, and convention programming, and she was selected by Viz Media to appear as the official Sailor Mercury at Otakon as well as participate in the inaugural Iron Wig competition hosted by Arda Wigs. Outside of cosplay, she continues to pursue her passion for crafting by creating handmade pieces and running her own shop on Etsy, where she shares her work with fans and fellow makers.
Heizl
Cosplay Judge
Heizl is a master level cosplayer that focuses on the concepts of slow sewing, and prioritizes embellishing pieces by hand. He has been recognized for his craftsmanship, attention to detail, and stage presence through best overall and master’s division awards. He loves covering garments in beads, creating intricate goldwork designs with delicate wires and has even experimented with basket weaving. Furthermore, sharing the techniques he has discovered through research and trial & error with other like-minded artists is what he loves the most about conventions.
Nian
Cosplay Judge
Nian is a NY based cosplayer who has been cosplaying for 14 years. A lover of Studio Ghibli, her favorite hobbies include playing video games (currently Pokopia), singing, dancing and storytelling through movement. Since she was little, she has performed Polynesian dances all over the tri-state area. Nian has also been a recipient of multiple cosplay masquerade awards mainly for her creative skit performances. Two of those awards include Anime NJ++ Best in Show for Performance last year and Best Intermediate Performance in 2024.
Cosplay Content Creators
jessidoesstuff
Cosplay Content Creator
Jessi is a Northern New Jersey-based cosplayer, artist, and performer who brings a lifetime of stage experience to the crafting table. Her cosplay and dance philosophy is that cosplay and dance are both for anybody with any body. She specializes in strong, commanding characters, blending her craftsmanship with dynamic stage presence to bring her favorites to life. Ever the “crafty witch,” she creates her costumes with comfort in mind first, modifying to fit her own needs. She pours her heart and soul (and blood, sweat, and tears) into each costume, prop, and wig she touches. Jessi is a prominent force in the performance community when she isn’t racing towards a con-crunch deadline. She is the director, producer, and founding member of CoDanCo (Cosplay Dance Company), the producer of Arcana Fusion Belly Dance, and a certified Level 1 ITS (Improve Team Sync) Instructor. Alongside her creative partner and “dance wife for life,” she tours the East Coast performing dangerously fun, high-energy routines as one half of the fusion duo The Gerudo Vagrants. Jessi is very vocal for her fellow spoonies and cosplayers navigating invisible illnesses, pushing for a culture of accessibility support in the con space. By day, she leads a team of audio and web engineers. At night, you can usually find her drawing on her iPad, slaying demons in Devil May Cry, or complaining about matchmaking in Overwatch.
ryokocos
Cosplay Content Creator
For over 10 years, I’ve been bringing my favorite characters to life through cosplay and celebrating the incredible creativity of this community. As a proud Blasian cosplayer, I’m passionate about embracing representation, and encouraging everyone to take up space in the hobby. I can’t wait to meet everyone, share our love of cosplay, and celebrate together! Come say hi!
nanaakaonasis
Cosplay Content Creator
Living by the motto “stay positive,” Nana Agyemang is a content creator and cosplayer who brings pure joy to everything he does, from epic cosplays to fitness content that’ll make you want to hit the gym in full costume. He’s all about spreading happiness, embracing your authentic self, and proving that being uniquely you is the ultimate superpower. Nana is dedicated to inspiring people to embrace their own authenticity and uniqueness. Through his vibrant interactions and energetic content, he encourages a positive and active lifestyle. His enthusiasm and dedication make him a standout creator in the cosplay community.
