Japan Society has announced that it will be hosting a week-long film and discussion series called Foreign Exchange 2025: Cross-Cultural Conversations with Anime Visionaries in New York City during the month of November. The event series will feature discussions by creator and director LeSean Thomas (Yasuke, Cannon Busters), anime director Shinichiro Watanabe, and producer Justin Leach.
According to the press release, the Foreign Exchange 2025 discussion series will feature “creator-to-creator conversations” that reveal how “U.S. and Japanese artists build anime across borders” through a week of conversations, screenings, and classroom visits.
Foreign Exchange 2025 will begin from November 17, 2025 to November 19, 2025 with a series of classroom visits and in-depth talks by Thomas and Leach to various schools including New York University, Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, Fordham University, and the School of Visual Arts.
Then, from November 20, 2025 to November 22, 2025, Thomas, Leach, and Watanabe will participate in three days of events at the Japan Society headquarters, which will include moderated talks and four public screenings.
Announcing “Foreign Exchange” with Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach & LeSean Thomas from Nov. 20–22! Join us for a weekend of exclusive talks and screenings with the visionary creators behind COWBOY BEBOP, STAR WARS: VISIONS and YASUKE.
Full lineup: https://t.co/rEJ0KjdlfN pic.twitter.com/L6wRE0Ex64
— Japan Society (@japansociety) October 30, 2025
In addition, Japan Society will host a limited-time pop-up exhibit showcasing production art from Adult Swim’s Lazarus that have been personally selected by Watanabe. A limited number of copies of Foreign Exchange: The TV Anime Creations of LeSean Thomas Vol. 1 – Yasuke will also be available for purchase. It is a 260+ page companion art book with never-before-released production art, along with personal anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of Thomas’s Yasuke anime series.
At the end of the week, New York City-based Rough Trade Records will host an autograph signing for Shinichiro Watanabe.
More details on the talk events and screenings are listed as follows:
Talk Events
Animation is Inspiration: The Next Generation of Anime Makers **
Thursday, November 20, 2025 — 1:00 PM
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. This free event looks to both inspire students and educators in New York City about careers in animation.
** All November 17-19 classroom events are free for students at their respective schools. The November 20 student talk at Japan Society is free with RSVP and for students and educators across New York City.
Making of Lazarus: Story, Action, and Global Collaboration
Thursday, November 20, 2025 — 6:00 PM
A behind-the-scenes conversation with Shinichiro Watanabe and LeSean Thomas on the making of his new Adult Swim anime Lazarus, exploring its action, world-building, and groundbreaking score. They’ll examine Watanabe’s process and the challenges of crafting an auteur-driven series in Japan.
Star Wars: Visions & The Future of Global Animation
Friday, November 21, 2025 — 6:00 PM
Justin Leach, CEO of Qubic Pictures and co-executive producer of Star Wars: Visions, will appear in conversation with moderator LeSean Thomas to discuss the evolution of Qubic’s work with Lucasfilm. The panel will include how Qubic Pictures helped build a bridge with Japanese studios, the power of creative trust and cultural sensitivity in global productions, how Qubic shapes new models for producing internationally-driven animated content, what makes Visions a unique production, and how the animation industry can learn from its success.
Black Musical Traditions and the Anime of Shinichiro Watanabe
Saturday, November 22, 2025 — 6:00 PM
Shinichiro Watanabe and LeSean Thomas reflect on the influence of Black American musical traditions across Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Lazarus, and how sound and style shape his most iconic worlds. This conversation explores the influence of Black American music traditions across Watanabe’s body of work.
The panel will discuss how Watanabe has consistently woven elements of Black American music traditions into his series, collaborating with leading figures in contemporary jazz, soul, and experimental music to define the rhythm, emotional identity, and cultural texture of his worlds.
The two creators will also discuss the role of Black music in shaping anime tone and identity across Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Lazarus, cross-cultural collaboration as an artistic act, the intersection of music, rhythm and pacing in visual storytelling, and how Watanabe’s musical choices build emotionally resonant anime for a global audience.
Film Screenings
We're excited to announce “Foreign Exchange” with Shinichiro Watanabe, Justin Leach & LeSean Thomas—feat. screenings of iconic anime works, including COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (35mm), MACROSS PLUS, LAZARUS & STAR WARS: VISIONS!
Running 11/20-22: https://t.co/AP4FqF5eQz pic.twitter.com/ER0XOcaYEH
— Japan Society Film (@js_film_nyc) October 30, 2025
Lazarus, Baby Blue & A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot
Thursday, November 20, 2025 — 8:00 PM
Shinichiro Watanabe hosts an evening of three special screenings as part of the Foreign Exchange 2025 program. Beginning with the first episode of his most recent work Lazarus, it continues with two short films personally selected by Watanabe.
The screening will include the following:
- • Lazarus — Episode 1 — “Goodbye Cruel World”
- • Baby Blue (from the 2007 Genius Party anime anthology film)
- • A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot (from the Chinese animated Edge of Time anthology film)
Star Wars: Visions — Producer’s Cut
Friday, November 21, 2025 — 8:00 PM
Justin Leach presents an introduction and curated selection of the Visions shorts most personally meaningful to him.
Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Saturday, November 22, 2025 — 1:00 PM
Includes an introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Saturday, November 22, 2025 — 8:00 PM
Includes an introduction by Shinichiro Watanabe.
Autograph Signing
Shinichiro Watanabe Vinyl Signing
Saturday, November 22, 2025 — 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Japan Society, in partnership with Milan Records and Rough Trade NYC, will host a special autograph signing event with Shinichiro Watanabe at Rough Trade, a record store located at Rockefeller Center. Tickets for this exclusive event will be available through Rough Trade’s official website and the DICE ticketing platform. It will include entry to the event and one vinyl product of choice for Watanabe to sign.
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. Photography and outside items for signing will not be permitted.
All prices for individual film screenings and public talk events are listed as follows:
- • Public: US$20.00
- • Students and Seniors: US$18.00
- • Japan Society Members: US$16.00
Prices for pass access to the whole Foreign Exchange 2025 series are listed below:
- • Public: US$100.00
- • Students and Seniors: US$90.00
- • Japan Society Members: US$80.00
Tickets are now available for purchase at the Japan Society’s official website.
Source: press release