Foreign Exchange: Cross-Cultural Conversations with Anime Visionaries
FOREIGN EXCHANGE:
CROSS-CULTURAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ANIME VISIONARIES
Foreign Exchange explores the cross-cultural dialogue between Japan and the U.S. through the popular arts. It spotlights creators blending borders and recognizes the art of Japan’s popular arts in unique creator-to-creator conversations. Join us for a weekend of talks and screenings with trailblazing anime visionaries Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach and LeSean Thomas.
Co-organized with the Japan Foundation, New York and the Imagination Project Inc.
Admission Information
Tickets to All Talks and Screenings:
$20 General Admission / $18 Students & Seniors / $16 Japan Society Members
All-Access Pass – LIMITED AVAILABILITY:
Get tickets for all public talks and screenings at a discounted price. Please note this bundle does not include the Student-Only Talk. $100 General Admission / $90 Students & Seniors / $80 Japan Society Members.
Student-Only Talk:
Free with RSVP. Only for high school and college students and educators.
Prices are inclusive of fees, where applicable. All events will take place in Japan Society’s auditorium, located at 333 E. 47th Street in New York, NY.
Full Lineup
Making of Lazarus: Story, Action, and Global Collaboration
A behind-the-scenes conversation between Shinichiro Watanabe and LeSean Thomas on the making of the new Adult Swim anime Lazarus, exploring its action, world-building, and groundbreaking score.
Lazarus, Baby Blue & A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot
Shinichiro Watanabe introduces the first episode of Lazarus together with two of his rarely seen short anime projects.
Star Wars: Visions & The Future of Global Animation
Join Justin Leach in conversation with LeSean Thomas for an exclusive look at the making of the acclaimed anthology series Star Wars: Visions and discussion on the past, present and future of global anime co-productions.
Star Wars: Visions – Producer’s Cut
Justin Leach introduces a selection of his favorite shorts from across the
Star Wars: Visions anthology series.
Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Shinichiro Watanabe made his directorial debut with Macross Plus, and he now takes the stage at Japan Society to introduce this special screening. A groundbreaking tour de force, Macross Plus blends white knuckle aerial dogfights with aching emotional revelations and a show-stopping soundtrack by the legendary Yoko Kanno.
Black Musical Traditions And the Anime of Shinichiro Watanabe
In the city that created jazz and hip-hop, Shinichiro Watanabe reflects on the influence of Black musical traditions across his Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Lazarus in a cultural conversation with LeSean Thomas.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
November 22, 8 PM – 35mm Screening
Cowboy Bebop, one of the most influential anime series of the past 30 years, culminates in a big screen adventure following bounty hunter Spike Spiegel in a race to save all life on Mars. See it on the big screen with a live introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe.
Student-Only Event
Animation is Inspiration: The Next Generation of Anime Makers
November 20, 1 PM – Student Talk
Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach and LeSean Thomas discuss their paths in the animation world, working across cultures and the tools, training and education needed for the next generation of animators, directors and producers
Free talk for high school students and educators.
Featuring
Born in 1965 in Kyoto, Japan, Shinichiro Watanabe is an anime director, screenwriter and music producer. He made his directorial debut as co-director of Macross Plus and has since directed numerous series titles such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Kids on the Slope, Space Dandy, Terror in Resonance and Carole & Tuesday as well as shorts for The Animatrix – Kid’s Story, A Detective Story and Blade Runner – Black Out 2022. His latest series is Adult Swim’s Lazarus.
Justin Leach is the founder of Qubic Pictures, a Tokyo-New York-based studio. With over 25 years in animation across the U.S. and Japan, he’s worked at Blue Sky Studios, Production I.G and Lucasfilm. He produced the first crowdfunded anime Kick-Heart, Under the Dog and Adventure Time: Food Chain. His recent works include Netflix’s Eden and Leviathan. Justin now serves as Co-Executive Producer on Star Wars: Visions, bringing new voices to the Star Wars galaxy through the groundbreaking anime.
Bronx-born LeSean Thomas is among the distinguished few Black Americans making their mark in the TV anime industry and is currently the only Black American to successfully create, produce and direct original TV anime series in Japan. His journey began with notable projects such as The Boondocks, Black Dynamite: The Animated Series and The Legend of Korra. These foundational experiences paved the way for his move to Japan, where he created and directed works such as Crunchyroll’s Children of Ether and Netflix’s Cannon Busters. LeSean’s most recent triumph is the critically-acclaimed and NAACP Image Award-nominated Netflix series Yasuke. Building on his cross-cultural career, Thomas founded, curates and hosts Foreign Exchange, a platform for dialogue between U.S. and Japanese anime creators.
Offsite Event
Japan Society, in partnership with Milan Records and Rough Trade NYC, will host a special autograph signing event with acclaimed anime director Shinichiro Watanabe on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Rough Trade at Rockefeller Center.
This exclusive ticketed event offers fans a rare opportunity to meet one of Japan’s most influential anime creators and receive a signed vinyl album from a curated selection of titles from Cowboy Bebop and Lazarus, released by Milan Records. Tickets, available through roughtrade.com and the DICE ticketing platform, include entry to the event and one vinyl product of choice. Capacity is limited, entry will be by album purchase only, and Rough Trade Below will be closed to the general public for the duration of the event. To ensure a comfortable experience for both guests and the artist, photography and outside items for signing will not be permitted.
Co-organized with the Japan Foundation, New York and the Imagination Project Inc. Foreign Exchange promotional support is provided by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.
Japan Society’s Japanese Literature Series is generously supported by a grant from the Toshiba International Foundation, and All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., the official airline partner of the series.
Film programs are generously supported by Anime NYC, ORIX Corporation USA, and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by Jono Abrams and Elizabeth Linn, Ayumi Arafune, Darin Arita and Kanako Arita, Mike Audet, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Catanzaro, The Globus Family, George P. Hirose, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, David Toberisky, Joseph Rajaratnam and Dharshini Iolanthe Sivakumaran, Japan Society Film Council, and other Film supporters.
Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film Program.
Support for cultural programs is provided by the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund; Jean Fan Colson and Daniel Colson; and Faith L. Taylor.
Japan Society arts and culture programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).
