Your time has come!  Sakura-Con panel applications are now OPEN!  From game shows to contests to cultural events to cosplay, we want to hear from you! Apply today! https://sakuracon.org/programming/panels/

Oriana Peron is a dynamic drag performer from Bloomington, IN, who turned her love for cosplay into a captivating stage career. Since 2006, Oriana has combined her passion for anime, video games, and musical artistry into one-of-a-kind drag acts that have dazzled audiences across the country. Known for her quirky and fun performances, she’s been featured in Crunchyroll, Anime News Network, and Watermark magazine. With a mission to create safe, engaging spaces and expand her anime-inspired drag shows internationally, Oriana continues to push the boundaries of performance art while spotlighting other talented nerdy performers.

BLUE ENCOUNT is a 4-piece band hailing from Kumamoto, in southern Japan. They pride themselves on always giving it all they’ve got, delivering thrilling performances that draw in the audience and resonate with a spirit of unity, creating a beautiful kinship.They made their major label debut with the EP “TIMELESS ROOKIE” in September 2014, and since then, they’ve released four full albums: “≒”, “THE END”, “VECTOR”, and “Q.E.D”. They also have several exciting anime theme songs to their credit.In the spring of 2023, bassist Tsujimura began a one-and-a-half-year music study program in New York, honing his craft abroad. Marking their 20th anniversary in 2024-2025, the band kicked off an Asia tour and is currently touring with all four members. BLUE ENCOUNT is an ever-evolving band, and we can’t wait to see what adventures lie ahead for them!

Mallorie Rodak is an American voice actress who has appeared in hundreds of TV series, movies, animation, and video games. She was nominated for Breakthrough Voice Actress of the Year in 2014 by Behind the Voice Actors. Mallorie’s best known anime voices include Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End), Yukino (Fairy Tail), Raphael/Great Sage (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime), Rossweisse (High School DXD), High Elf Archer (Goblin Slayer), Elinalise (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation), Yumi (Senran Kagura), Yuki Mori (Star Blazers), Nia Honjo (Date A Live), Solution Epsilon (Overlord), Olka Gretcher (SPYxFAMILY), Nebra Silva (Black Clover), Tenya’s Mother (My Hero Academia), Gion Momousagi (One Piece), Olka Gretcher (SPYxFAMILY), Woman in Black (Fire Force), Sophia (Ancient Magus Bride), Miyu Takano (Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou), Turquoise (Dr. Stone), Prince of Wales (Azur Lane), Finè (Izetta), Orsola (A Certain Magical Index II), Kyoh Goshoin (Netoge), Enishida (One Piece), and …

Kristen McGuire is a professional voice actor, artist, ADR director and script adapter with  over 350 credits across anime and video games.  She is most well known for her work as the playable character Kachina in the Natlan  region of Genshin Impact, Milim Nava in the anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,  Akane Kurokawa in Oshi No Ko, Young Vash in TRIGUN STAMPEDE. Isabel Magnolia in  Attack on Titan, Ruri in Dr. Stone, Tatami Nakagame in My Hero Academia, Yu in Fire Force,  Senko in The Helpful Fox Senko-san, Hinano Kurahashi in Assassination Classroom, Mukuro in Date A Live, Vueko in Made in Abyss, Alice Lendrott in Duke of Death and His Maid and  many more! She has also provided voices for several video games, including Pirilika in Disgaea 7,  Biscuit and Rouge in Nikke: Goddess of Victory, Thor in Aether Gazer, Flora in Tiny Tina’s  Wonderlands, Aeval in Genshin Impact, Fee in Fire Emblem Heroes, and others. Kristen is also an award-winning anime artist. She draws all of her own autograph prints and offers anime-style caricatures of attendees at conventions. 

Most recognized as the voice of Krillin on the wildly popular, animated TV show Dragonball Z and as an illustrator for, arguably, the most famous, independently published comic book series Elfquest, Sonny Strait has over 20 years of experience in the arts. As a voice actor, Sonny is considered to be one of the most recognized voice actors in the business. Besides Dragonball Z’s Krillin he has worked on many popular animated characters including Maes Hughes from Full Metal Alchemist, Usopp from One Piece, Koro Sensei from Assassination Classroom. Present Mic in My Hero Academia and Cartoon Network’s original laid back, robot host Toonami Tom. He has also worked as a writer and director on several TV series including Dragonball Z, Case Closed and Lupin the Third.

David Matranga is an American voice actor who works primarily for English dubbed anime for Funimation and Sentai Filmworks. Matranga is best known as the voice of Shoto Todoroki from My Hero Academia, Hideki Hinata from Angel Beats, Genjo Sanzo from Saiyuki, Orphen from Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Bertholdt Hoover from the popular Attack on Titan series, Tomoya Okazaki from the Clannad series,Takumi Usui from Maid Sama, Ghost from the Halo Legends movie, Briareos from the Appleseed series, Yu Himura from the EF series, and God Serena from Fairy Tail.

Lisa Reimold is a voice actress known best for her work in anime, including Aira in DANDADAN and Falin in Delicious in Dungeon. She also works on video games such as Fire Emblem: Engage as Framme and voices Ivy Pepper in the upcoming animated series for Lackadaisy!

Hiroshi Nagahama was born in 1970 in Saiki, Ooita, Japan and is an animator and director.  He started his career at Madhouse Studio, where he worked on The Cockpit and Azuki-chan,  After leaving Madhouse Studio, he became a freelancer, working on the conceptual design for Revolutionary Girl Utena.  After that, he worked as the storyboard writer and animation director for Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo! Masaru-san and he was a chief director of Jubei-chan 2: Siberia Yagyuu no Gyakushuu.  As a director, he worked on Mushishi, Detroit Metal City, and The Flowers of Evil.  In 2017, he did his first original anime The Reflection, a collaboration with Stan Lee.  He received the 11th Animation Kobe Individual Award in 2006.  In 2024, Uzumaki was released by Adult Swim.

Brittney Karbowski is a prolific voice actress, who has voiced in a number of series with studios from Texas to California. She is best known for her roles as Wendy Marvel in Fairy Tail, Black Star in Soul Eater, Camie Utsushimi in My Hero Academia, Ryou in Clannad, Yuri in Angel Beats, Pride in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Mikoto Misaka in A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun Series, Nanachi in Made in Abyss, Rimuru in That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime, Migi from Parasyte the Maxim, Kusu is Dragon Ball Super, HisKo in Food Wars, and Hitch in Attack on Titan. Most recently she’s Tirol In Sabukui Bisco; Saori in Tribe Nine, Minoru in Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, Cetia Final Fantasy Brave Exvius; Pookie and Chela in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, and there’s more to come!