SEGA and ATLUS have detailed their Anime Expo 2026 lineup, with Sonic the Hedgehog set to play a major role in the companies’ booth activations, live programming, giveaways, and panel schedule.
Anime Expo 2026 will take place from July 2 through July 5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with SEGA and ATLUS located at South Hall Booth #1300.
For Sonic fans, one of the main booth experiences is the Sonic 35th Anniversary activation, described as a way for attendees to discover their inner Sonic hero. Visitors will answer a short quiz, watch a Chaos Emerald power up, reveal their ultimate hero, and pose for a personalized digital photo. Sonic himself will also appear at the booth for photo opportunities and fan moments throughout the event.
The Sonic mascot appearance schedule currently includes Friday, July 3 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM, Saturday, July 4 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM, and Sunday, July 5 from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. The schedule is subject to change.
SEGA will also offer daily giveaways at the booth, including postcards, pins, and posters while supplies last. As part of the Sonic 35th anniversary celebration, the Sonic team will release a different exclusive giveaway poster each day of Anime Expo 2026. One of the featured items is an Anime Expo exclusive Sonic Racing manga cover poster.
The previously announced Sonic animation panel has also received additional details. “SEGA presents Sonic the Hedgehog Animated Shorts: A Frame-by-Frame Retrospective” will take place on Friday, July 3 from 3:00 PM to 3:50 PM at Petree Hall. The panel will look back at SEGA’s short-form Sonic animation work as part of the franchise’s 35th anniversary.
Sonic Creative Officer Takashi Iizuka will join Austin Keys and Jasmin Hernandez for the panel, alongside special guests Tyson Hesse, Evan Stanley, and Alan Wan. Aaron Webber will moderate the discussion, which will focus on the creative process behind Sonic’s animated shorts. Attendees will receive a Sonic 35th anniversary collage poster on a first-come, first-served basis. The poster was created by Iizuka’s art team and features characters from both classic and modern eras of the franchise.
Iizuka will also take part in a Guest of Honor autograph session on Friday, July 3 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the JW Gold Ballroom. He is also scheduled for an AX Lite interview on Friday, July 3 from 1:45 PM to 2:15 PM at AXL – LACC 518.
SEGA’s wider booth lineup will include several other activations and stage events. Fans will be able to try Metaphor: ReFantazio on Nintendo Switch 2, visit Persona5: The Phantom X and Persona 4 Revival themed areas, play maimai DX for free, watch a live drawing session with ATLUS artist Shigenori Soejima, and attend SEGA MUSIC GAMES DJ LIVE sets by Oguni Kanon from the SEGA Sound Team.
Oguni Kanon’s appearance may also be of interest to Sonic fans, as the SEGA sound creator has worked on arcade rhythm games such as maimai DX, CHUNITHM, and ONGEKI, and more recently contributed as a composer and music producer for Sonic Frontiers and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
SEGA and ATLUS will also offer official Anime Expo merchandise featuring franchises such as Sonic, Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Like a Dragon, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set, Hatsune Miku, Stranger Than Heaven, and more. Items will include apparel, plush, accessories, collectibles, and limited-edition goods while supplies last.
Outside the convention center, SEGA will run a month-long Little Akihabara pop-up shop at Little Tokyo Mall in Downtown Los Angeles from June 19 through July 19. The shop will carry a curated selection of SEGA merchandise, including exclusive weekly T-shirt drops and a punch card campaign in partnership with local Little Tokyo businesses.
With booth experiences, guest appearances, exclusive posters, merchandise, music performances, and a Sonic animated shorts retrospective all planned, Anime Expo 2026 is shaping up to be one of SEGA’s biggest anniversary stops for Sonic fans this year.
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