Our Guests

Over the past decade, Alex has voiced characters in over fifty shows. Favorites include Aizawa (Eraserhead) in My Hero Academia, Decim in Death Parade, Makishima in Psycho Pass, and Kaku in One Piece. Alex is also an accomplished stage actor and director, spending the past ten years as a member of the Resident Acting Company at the Dallas Theater Center. Alex currently stars as the English voice of Loid Forger (Twilight) in Spy x Family.

Best known as 'Beerus the Destroyer' from the DRAGON BALL franchise, ‘Krieg the Psycho’ BORDERLANDS 2 & 3, and ‘Tobin’ on THE WALKING DEAD, Jason Douglas has performed in hundreds of iconic titles in his 25+ year career. Recent anime roles include ‘Kishibe’ in CHAINSAW MAN, ‘Heiter’ in FRIEREN: BEYOND JOURNEY’S END, and fan-favorites ‘Gildarts Clive’ in FAIRY TAIL and ‘Aokiji Kuzan’ in ONE PIECE. Other notable voice roles include: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Major Miles), Black Butler 2 (Claude Faustus), RWBY (Jacques Schnee), Grimoire of Zero/Dawn of the Witch (Mercenary), and Dr. Stone (Kokuyo). Jason’s prolific on-screen career has included recurring appearances on AMC’s Preacher, The Breaking Bad, and Revolution. Feature films include Sin City, A Scanner Darkly, Machete, and the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men.

Marching in from Michigan, ChiRi Girls is the kaigai idol duo aiming to put a pep in your step! Since their debut in 2017, Chi and Rori have done multiple performances across the United States with the goal of spreading cheer to everyone they meet. Make sure to cheer as loudly as you can and set your penlights to pink and yellow. Are you ready to join the pep squad?

Casey Mongillo is a voice actor best known as the English voice of Shinji Ikari in the 2019 dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Angel Devil in Chainsaw Man, Chilchuck Tims in Delicious in Dungeon, and Emporio in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. Other popular anime & dubbing credits include Pokémon Journeys (Scorbunny, Raboot, Cinderace, Raichu & Chrysa), Mob Psycho 100 (Sho Suzuki), 86 (Theo), Tribe Nine (Haru), Tokyo Revengers (young Mikey & young Takemichi), Gundam SEED (Nicol), Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War (Giselle), Miraculous Ladybug (Sandboy), Pokemon Twilight Wings (Allister & Haunter) and Komi Can’t Communicate (Onemine). Video game credits include Shin Megami Tensei V (Nahobino), Arknights (Aak), Bugsnax (Floofty), NIKKE: Goddess of Victory (Mustang), Rune Factory 3 Special (Micah/Protagonist), Fire Emblem Heroes (Limstella), Monster Prom (Zoe, Hex & Milo), The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails (Nayuta) and a merc voice option in Unicorn Overlord. Casey has also provided voices for game franchises such as Red Dead Redemption, Starfield, Elder Scrolls, Fortnite, Final Fantasy, Honkai Star Rail, Shenmue, Star Trek Online, and Octopath Traveler. When not voice acting, Casey can often be found playing video games, riding their skateboard, or streaming on Twitch as their South Park alter ego.

Jeremy Inman has been a staple in the anime industry since 2000, when he first brought Android 16 to life in Dragon Ball Z. Since then, he has voiced characters in a wide range of beloved series including Yu Yu Hakusho, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, One Piece, Fairy Tail, Yuri on Ice, My Hero Academia, Ranking of Kings, Fire Force, and many more. Fans especially know him as Android 16 in Dragon Ball Z, Captain Obi in Fire Force, Taurus in Fairy Tail, JJ in Yuri on Ice, and Magellan, Avalo Pizarro, and Kingbaum in One Piece. In addition to his voice acting work, Jeremy is also a full-time Director at Crunchyroll, where he has led production on standout titles such as Wind Breaker, Trigun Stampede, Fire Force, and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation. Whether behind the mic or behind the scenes, Jeremy continues to bring unforgettable stories and characters to anime fans around the world.

TOXINESIS is a post-apocalyptic themed performance duo based in Michigan. They travel all over the Midwest to provide quirky, immersive concert experiences. Combining elements from idol culture and campy Vegas shows, they hope to provide a unique way for kpop, jpop, and idol fans to engage with their favorite music. Online, they produce dance covers and in-universe music videos.

One of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park's talented horticulturists, Ted Bentley is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the beauty of the Japanese Garden, blending artistry, tradition, and horticultural expertise. In 2020, Ted transitioned from a long career in the cycling industry to pursue a deep passion for bonsai, undertaking intensive training with renowned bonsai master Bjorn Bjorholm. Prior to this career shift, Ted spent over two decades traveling the world alongside professional racers, immersing himself in the global cycling community. Now fully rooted in the world of horticulture, Ted continues to refine the craft of bonsai while inspiring visitors and enthusiasts alike.

Located in West Michigan, the Swordsmanship Academy offers classes, events, and fascinating programs to educate and inspire visitors to gain a deeper understanding of human culture using the natural curiosity about swords and other martial weapons as a facilitator. Swords many have been tools of war and combat, but now act as an educator to unify all people.

The Party Table is back for another year of wild and wacky fun. Are you ready to party with the Party Gods? Get set for their exhilarating game show, Are You a Great Senpai!?! and for several rousing rounds of JAFAX Pictionary. Make sure to attend our Closing Ceremonies on Sunday to catch — and participate in — all the Party Table fun with our customary convention closer, Door Busters! Prepare to party!

I’m Kevin Barnes, a solo indie developer with 30+ years of programming experience and a lifelong background in art and design. Since 2020 I’ve been building games under Birdtek Games—handling code, animation, pixel art, audio, and everything in between. My work blends retro arcade vibes with modern polish. On the video game side, I build in Unity with Spine, Illustrator, Photoshop, Aseprite, and Studio One. I’m also a board & card game designer—including The Shopping Dead card game—covering rule design, layout, iconography, and production. Whether it’s on PC and consoles or at the tabletop, my goal is the same: fast, flavorful gameplay that respects your time and makes you smile.