Review: OSAKA COMIC CON 2025 - HIGHLIGHTS FROM JAPAN’S STAR-STUDDED POP CULTURE FESTIVAL
Nicolas Cage, Mackenyu, Bill Skarsgård and more joined tens of thousands of fans for an unforgettable weekend
By: Ayaka Ozaki May. 15, 2025
OSAKA COMIC CON 2025: Held annually during Japan’s Golden Week since 2023, OSAKA COMIC CON is the Osaka counterpart to TOKYO COMIC CON, which began in 2016. This major celebration of American comics, movies, and pop culture welcomed its third edition this year. A star-studded lineup of ten celebrities appeared, including Nicolas Cage (“Ghost Rider”), Mackenyu (“One Piece”), Edward Furlong (“Terminator 2”), Emily Rudd (“One Piece”), Sung Kang (“Fast & Furious” series), Mads Mikkelsen (“Mufasa: The Lion King”), Hugh Dancy (“Hannibal”), Daniel Logan (“Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”), Christina Ricci (“The Addams Family” series), and Bill Skarsgård (“IT” series). Through stage events, autograph sessions, and photo ops, fans had the chance to interact with their favorite stars. The event’s PR ambassador was NMB48, and the main hosts were Yuichi Nakamaru and IMALU. Here's a digest of the three-day Main Stage highlights.
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Contents
Ⅰ. Opening Ceremony
Ⅱ. Nicolas Cage (Celebrity Stage)
Ⅲ. “One Piece”: Mackenyu & Emily Rudd (Celebrity Stage)
Ⅳ. Grand Finale
Ⅴ. Tokyo Comic Con 2025 Announced
Ⅰ. Opening Ceremony
On May 2, Osaka Comic Con 2025 kicked off with a grand Opening Ceremony at INTEX Osaka. As fans flooded the venue in anticipation of seeing celebrities share the same stage, the energy was palpable.
The event opened with hosts Yuichi Nakamaru and IMALU stepping on stage. Making his first public appearance since his return to the spotlight, Yuichi mentioned, “A close friend of mine has attended every Tokyo Comic Con since the beginning,” showing his personal connection to the event.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: the arrival of the celebrities. First up was Daniel Logan, who declared in Japanese, “Daisuki, Osaka! Comic Con kaisai shimasu! (I love you, Osaka! Let the Comic Con begin!),” marking the official start of the event.
Edward Furlong blew kisses to the crowd, shouting, “What’s up, Osaka! How’s going?” Emily Rudd greeted the audience sweetly and fluently in Japanese, saying, “Konnichiwa, Emily desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (Hello, I’m Emily. Pleasure to meet you).”
Christina Ricci exclaimed, “Hi, Osaka! Can’t wait for the fun weekend.” Sung Kang followed with, “It’s great to be in Japan again.” Bill Skarsgård offered a deep bow as he said, “Konnichiwa, Osaka!” Thanks for having me here.”
Hugh Dancy added, “I’m so excited to come back to Japan. Looking forward to a wonderful weekend.” Lastly, Mads Mikkelsen made a charismatic entrance with a big wave and air kiss, saying in Japanese, “Konnichiwa! I recognize all of you!”
Following the introductions, the ceremony featured a traditional sake barrel breaking and a surprise launch of autographed T-shirts into the crowd, igniting excitement from start to finish.
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Ⅱ. Nicolas Cage (Celebrity Stage)
The second day featured the highly anticipated appearance of legendary actor Nicolas Cage. An Academy Award winner for “Leaving Las Vegas,” and known for films such as “Face/Off,” the “National Treasure” series, and even comic-based titles like “Ghost Rider,” he is an internationally acclaimed actor with both widespread popularity and a distinguished career.
The session was hosted by voice actor Akio Otsuka, who has dubbed Nicolas’s voice in many Japanese releases. Upon Akio’s entrance, the crowd erupted in cheers. Moments later, Nicolas took the stage with high energy, greeting the audience in Japanese with “Ohayou gozaimasu (Good morning) !” He returned their applause with a warm smile and a respectful “Arigato gozaimasu (Thank you very much).”
He kicked off with an impromptu “Udon Noodle Song” he composed himself, drawing laughter from the audience. When asked why he chose to attend a Japanese Comic Con for the first time, he replied, “My wife is Japanese, and I fell in love in this country. Directors like Takashi Miike, Hirokazu Koreeda and some of the best actors like Koji Yakusho are in Japan. As someone who feels happy being in a beautiful country, it was nice of you to invite me.”
Speaking about his past roles, Nicolas said “Face/Off” remains one of his personal favorites and hinted at ongoing discussions for a sequel. He also teased the possibility of a script arriving soon for “National Treasure 3.”
Renowned for his versatility as an actor, he was asked about his criteria for selecting roles and stated, “Most important factor for me is if I can access my life experiences and apply it
The other factor is the director; if they could find something new in me.”
He also revealed that his stage name was inspired by Marvel Comics’ Luke Cage. Regarding “Ghost Rider,” he shared, “When they wanted to make a Ghost Rider slot machine for Las Vegas, I said ‘no’ and completely shut it down. Because the power of the Ghost Rider who is using dark forces, actually wants to do something good.”
On the topic of his upcoming project “Spider-Man Noir,” he shared, “I’m not allowed to talk about it much but I think it’s going to be good” and added that he had a great time filming it.
Despite it being his first time at a Japanese pop culture event, Nicolas appeared completely at ease and warmly engaged with fans. His authenticity and star quality left a lasting impression on all who attended.
Ⅲ. “One Piece”: Mackenyu & Emily Rudd (Celebrity Stage)
On the final day, the first main event was a cross-talk session with “One Piece” live-action stars Mackenyu aka Zoro and Emily Rudd aka Nami. The venue buzzed with excitement, especially during a Guinness World Record attempt for “Largest gathering of people wearing straw hats.”
Emily expressed her gratitude: “I know One Piece is so important to Japanese people. It’s been very important in my life, and to be able to share this with you all is absolutely dream.”
Complimented on her Japanese, she responded fluently, “Mada mada desu. Benkyou-chuu desu, ganbarimasu (I’m still learning. I’m working on it).”
Mackenyu humorously spoke about Japanese manners: “People in Japan are so polite and composed. Nobody’s trying to rip off my shirt or anything like that,” drawing laughter from the crowd.
Known for portraying beloved characters in adaptations, Mackenyu shared, “I try not to let ‘Mackenyu’ show too much. I aim to respect the character above all.” He admitted, “Sometimes I wonder, what if fans don’t accept me?” But added, “All I can do is bring the best version of the character forward and hope people like it.” Despite facing immense pressure, he demonstrated a sincere commitment to each role he takes on.
Then came a surprise guest: Jacob Romero, who plays Usopp. Invited personally by both Mackenyu and Emily, Jacob delighted the audience, saying, “Thanks for letting me surprise you.” The strong bond between the cast members was evident and deeply moved the fans.
As the session ended, Emily said, “I wish I had more time to talk,” while Jacob warmly declared, “We’re all friends now,” capping off a heartwarming tribute to the Straw Hat Crew spirit.
Ⅳ. Grand Finale
The three-day celebration concluded with a star-studded Grand Finale on the main stage. All the featured celebrities returned to express their gratitude, closing the event on the highest of notes.
First-time hosts Yuichi and IMALU thanked the audience, noting, “The cosplayers were amazing.” NMB48, who served as PR ambassadors, reflected, “These past three days, we were completely immersed in the world of Comic Con. We’re so grateful to have been part of such a thrilling event.”
As the celebrities reappeared on stage, the energy reached a peak. Daniel Logan bid farewell in Japanese: “Osaka Comic Con, arigato (Thank you)! Aimashou (See you in) Tokyo Comic Con!”
Edward Furlong blew a kiss and said, “You guys are being awesome! I had a wonderful time. Arigato.”
Emily Rudd addressed the crowd in perfect Japanese: “Osaka, zenbu arigato gozaimashita! Meccha tanoshikatta! (Thank you for everything, Osaka! I had a blast!) Arigato!” Mackenyu added in English, “Osaka, thank you very much!” Then, switching to Japanese, he said, “I feel undeserving to stand among these stars. I’ll do my best to come back next year.”
Christina Ricci said, “Osaka, Arigato. It’s been so amazing to meet all of you.” Hugh Dancy politely shared, “It’s amazing to be back in Japan. Domo arigato gozaimashita.”
Mads Mikkelsen, with a warm smile, pledged to return, saying, “We love to see, we love Comic Con, we love the people, and the food. Hopefully we’ll be back very soon.” Closing the ceremony was Nicolas Cage, who addressed the audience entirely in Japanese with, “Konbanwa! Otsukaresama desu, arigato gozaimasu. Sayonara, mata aimashou! (Good afternoon! Thank you for visiting us. Good bye, see you again!)” eliciting thunderous cheers from the crowd.
As the grand finale reached its peak, Comic Con’s new signature event—the autographed T-shirt launcher time—returned once again, with celebrities launching T-shirts into the audience, sending excitement soaring throughout the venue.
At the very end, co-hosts Yuichi and IMALU bid farewell with a heartfelt “See you next time!” as golden streamers rained down over the venue. With this dazzling conclusion, Osaka Comic Con 2025 came to a triumphant close after three unforgettable days.
Ⅴ. “Tokyo Comic Con 2025” Officially Announced
with their Comic Con special medley
On the final evening, a special performance by dance group “avantgardey” and a live concert by PR ambassadors NMB48 added to the excitement. Marking three days of pure exhilaration, Osaka Comic Con 2025 wrapped up in spectacular fashion. As Osaka, already buzzing with the energy of the ongoing Expo 2025, was further electrified by the power of pop culture and entertainment, the event undoubtedly left a lasting impression on fans from Japan and around the world.
With the next chapter—Tokyo Comic Con 2025, scheduled for December 5–7, 2025—already on the horizon, anticipation continues to grow.
Photo Credit :[Ayaka Ozaki]
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