Kodansha House Debuts in LA With Anime Expo Tie-In

Kodansha is bringing its Kodansha House concept to Los Angeles from July 2 to 12, in partnership with Anime Expo. The activation will run alongside Anime Expo LA 2026, one of the largest anime conventions in North America, with 1000 hours of programming planned.

The Anime Expo Kodansha House will be the first iteration of the company’s “immersive pop-up fan event.” Kodansha House will be located in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood with separate panels, guest appearances, and signing events,

The Los Angeles edition follows earlier iterations of Kodansha House in Tokyo, where the publisher experimented with physical spaces to showcase manga, host creator events, and engage directly with audiences. Kodansha House at Anime Expo 2026 will feature creators from popular anime Blue Lock and Witch Hat Atelier.

Blue Lock creator Muneyuki Kaneshiro and artist Yusuke Nomura, along with Witch Hat Atelier creator Kamome Shirahama, will also attend Anime Expo as official guests. Additionally, Kodansha announced a second Kodansha House in New York during the fall, along with San Diego Comic Con in July and Anime NYC in August.

Kodansha House at Anime Expo Signals Global Engagement Strategy

Kodansha House’s LA debut underscores how publishers are rethinking global engagement beyond licensing and distribution. Physical activations allow companies to test audience response, spread brand identity, and directly engage consumers in markets where retail manga sales alone may not capture full demand.

The Kodansha House programming will also include anime screenings, manga gallery, library, cafe, and lounge, as a cross-format activation to cater to a wider audience. Kinokuniya USA will join the company as the official Kodansha House partner for the pop-up event in LA.

The partnership with Anime Expo also provides scaling opportunities for the company. Anime Expo LA and San Diego Comic-Con are two of the most prominent anime conventions worldwide, featuring numerous activations and announcements. Kodansha’s Los Angeles expansion shows how Japanese publishers are trying to capture global attention and drive engagement.