STAR WARS: VISIONS and More Anime Expo Lite Programming Revealed

Anime Expo Lite 2021 is right around the corner. The convention is being conducted via livestream on July 3-4, and there is a ton of content for fans to get excited about. You can register for the event now for $5 (plus any processing fees) with all proceeds going to Hate Is a Virus commUNITY Action Fund.

The first bit of news is that the J-Novel Club will be hosting a panel during the livestream. The J-Novel Club offers officially licensed and translated light novel and manga titles for its online community of readers and will be making announcements and then answering some questions for fans.

Next, there will be a special creator panel for Trese that will be available as VOD programming between July 5-16. The panel will include the creators of the graphic novel from ABLAZE, Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo as well as Rich Young, the co-founder of ABLAZE, and Jay Oliva who serves as Director, Executive Producer, and Showrunner for Netflix’s adaptation of Trese.

A love letter to the traditions, heritage, and culture of the Philippines, TRESE follows detective Alexandra Trese as she confronts a criminal underworld composed of malevolent supernatural beings. The series is set in Manila where the mythical creatures of Philippine folklore live in hiding amongst humans.

Studio Trigger, the team behind Promare and Kill la Kill, will also be holding a panel during the July 3-4 window of Anime Expo Lite. The Doodle with Studio Trigger stream will feature Lead Designer Shigeto Koyama and Character Designer Sushio answering questions, fulfilling requests, and just chilling. There may even be some sneak peeks of what they’re currently working on.

VTubers appear to be making quite the splash in the West and now, 6 of them will be hosting the VShojo VTuber panel at Anime Expo Lite. Vtubers Ironmouse, Projekt Melody, Nyanners, Silvervale, Zentreya, and Froot will be hosting the panel that “aims to create and foster content that pushes the boundaries of VTubing and talent freedom, while maintaining deep respect for the people and companies that helped paved the way.”

• Ironmouse

  • A demon queen who proclaims to be Satan. Friendly, fun loving demon who ran from her duties in hell to make new friends, learn new things, and live life to the fullest. She has an obsession with internet, music, lewd, nerdy and all things cute. She wears bells on her body to contain and control her power to better blend into the human world.

• Projekt Melody

  • A sentient AI from a cyber dystopian future with a deep interest in anime and internet subculture. An adorable airhead. Melody is often a clueless AI, which leads to adorable misunderstandings. Melody has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of doujin, anime subculture, and random facts. Loves making friends and sharing her knowledge.

• Nyanners

  • Ancient evil creature that exists as a pink-haired catgirl. Tries her best to be pure hearteed, dreams of becoming an idol and world domination.

• Silvervale

  • A cherry blossom/Japanese Wolf Spirit who loves to make new friends. She sees herself as a delicate blend between lewd, wholesome, and gamer. Energetic, affectionate, and optimistic. Laughter and cozy vibes is what she loves to spread, along with a childlike sense of wonderment.

• Zentreya

  • Half human/half red dragon rockstar. Very headstrong and tends to yell at everyone around her. Loves to make friends, meme, and prank. She has aspirations of ruling humanity but is too much of an airhead to accomplish it.

• Apricot (aka Froot)

  • A bittersweet Lich who spends her days in her underworld castle drawing art. She sees streaming as a method of harvesting human souls through Twitch subscriptions. She is a hopeless necromantic and expects that you will watch her for all eternity.

Speaking of VTubers, CYBIRD, the publisher of the Ikémen Series apps will be hosting Sora’s Senpai Club featuring VTuber Aimu Sora with special guest and voice actor Show Hayami (Bleach). CYBIRD will also be presenting CYBIRD TV with producer Hiroto Kuramasu with special guest, voice actor Yuki Ono to give a special announcement and the latest news.

The biggest news yet though in my opinion is the announcement that Lucasfilm will be in attendance providing a preview of the upcoming animated shorts anthology series Star Wars: Visions. The series is set to premiere later this year on Disney+, but this is your chance to get an early look. This panel will happen at 3 PM PST on July 3.

Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Visions is an upcoming anthology of animated shorts celebrating Star Wars through the lens of the world’s best anime creators and storytellers. Tune in for a sneak peek that will leave you excited for this all-new vision of the galaxy far, far away

Join host and pop culture maven Chastity Vicencio and Lucasfilm’s Jacqui Lopez (Executive Producer), James Waugh (Executive Producer), Josh Rimes (Executive Producer), and Qubic Pictures’ Justin Leach (Co-Executive Producer) and Kanako Shirasaki (Producer) for an inside look at Star Wars: Visions before the series debuts on Disney+ later this year.