During the press conference held on June 23, the Italian convention Lucca Comics & Games announced its first lineup of guests. The Japanese guests confirmed for the event are manga artists Toru Fujisawa and Go Nagai, composer Yoko Kanno, video game creators Yoshinari Kitase and Hideki Kamiya, and comic book artist Peach Momoko.
Emanuele Vietina, the festival’s director, opened the ceremony by announcing the first meta-poster of Lucca Comics & Games, which celebrates the convention’s 60th anniversary. The presentation was followed by the confirmation of the first set of guests for the festival, grouped in four areas: comics, video games, music, and collectibles.
The audience couldn’t hide its excitement, as the announced guests are major figures in their respective fields and are visiting Italy (and in some cases, Europe) for the first time. Let’s review the careers of the Japanese guests featured at the conference.
Toru Fujisawa
Known for the irreverent and satirical Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), Toru Fujisawa left his mark on the history of manga by using humor to deliver a sharp social commentary on the Japanese education system. His GTO universe included other works, such as GTO: The Early Years, Bad Company, GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, GT-R: Great Transporter Ryuji, GTO Paradise Lost, and GTU: Ikari no Death Yamada.
Thanks to a collaboration with Italian publisher Dynit Manga, Fujisawa-sensei will visit Lucca and Italy for the first time from October 28-31.
Go Nagai
Manga artist Go Nagai is one of the most influential creators in the industry, as many of his works were pioneers in their own genres. With a legacy that is hard to summarize, his most popular manga include Cutie Honey, Devilman, Violence Jack, Harenchi Gakuen, Grendizer, and Mazinger Z. Nagai-sensei even went as far as to adapt into manga Dante Alighieri’s epic poem The Divine Comedy.
In July 2025, the author was awarded the Pegaso for Culture, the highest honor of the
region of Tuscany (Italy), at Expo Osaka. This year Go Nagai will visit Lucca Comics & Games from October 28-30 thanks to a collaboration with Italian publisher J-Pop Manga.
Yoko Kanno
Yoko Kanno is celebrated worldwide for composing and performing the soundtrack for the cult anime Cowboy Bebop alongside her ensemble band, SEATBELTS. The musician has also composed the scores for anime such as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Macross, Darker than Black and Genesis of Aquarion.
She will perform in Italy for the first time at Lucca Comics & Games from October 28 to November 1. The artist will also hold a concert at Teatro Nazionale in Milan on November 3. In her Milan debut, Yoko Kanno will showcase “Piano Me,” a solo project that combines live piano and images. You can find the tickets for her Milan show here.
Yoshinari Kitase
Moving to the video game industry, the festival confirmed Yoshinari Kitase, the creator and director of memorable Square Enix games such as Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X. He also worked as a producer of the acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake series.
As a special guest of this year’s edition of the festival, Yoshinari Kitase will be inducted into the Lucca Walk of Fame during his stay.
Hideki Kamiya
Video game designer and director Hideki Kamiya is one of the key figures in the industry as the creator of Resident Evil 2, Viewtiful Joe, Ōkami, The Wonderful 101, Bayonetta, and the franchise Devil May Cry, which recently received a Netflix anime adaptation.
After his time at Capcom, Clover Studio, and PlatinumGames, the creator is now the head of studio CLOVERS, from which he’s working on the sequel to Okami in collaboration with Capcom. You will find Hideki Kamiya at Lucca Comics & Games from October 29 to 30.
Peach Momoko
Comic book artist Peach Momoko has conquered overseas audiences through her “Momoko-verse”:
her reinterpretation of the Marvel universe through the lens of Japanese folk legends, culture, and artistic vision. Beyond the comic industry, the artist has collaborated with music bands TOOL, Linkin Park, and BABYMETAL, and has created pieces for the One Piece Trading Card Game.
Thanks to the festival’s organization and publisher Panini Comics, you will find Peach Momoko at Lucca Comics & Games from October 28 to November 1. She will also be involved in a special project to be revealed soon.
If you want to be part of Lucca Comics & Games’ 60th anniversary, you can get early bird tickets on Friday, July 24, from 1:00 pm to midnight (capped at 80,000 tickets). The regular sale will open on September 1.
Source: Press Release
Disclaimer: Anime Corner is a media partner for Lucca Comics & Games.
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