Crunchyroll’s Let’s Play Panel Discusses Anime Production’s Cultural Exchange – All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2025

The first episode of the anime adaptation of popular web comics let’s Play Enter the JW Marriott Hotel on the first day Animation Expo. I admit that this isn’t the densely populated panel I attended that weekend, but it’s really a pre-sale for all parties. I arrived at the group about twenty minutes in advance and saw in time the huge balloons were thrown into the air, and the group owner was full of enthusiasm, which made people feel a little forced.

let’s Playcreator Mongie shared the stage with those involved in the production and direction of the show. She briefly discusses the origin story of how she was inspired by her love for her Youtube let’s PlayBack to 2016. She watched her watch one’s first indie game, which brought Mongie’s understanding side. “Let our players make a very harsh comment at the end of the video,” Monkey said. “I feel bad about the developers, and I think to myself, what happens if these two meet each other, ‘Hey, I’m the one who made this game for you.” I imagined this interaction, and then I added romance, and that’s how I came up with it let’s Play.

The real meat of the panel is while discussing how to translate American web comics let’s Play International audiences will receive Japanese anime. Specifically, it is the director daiki tomiyasu Who said he thought let’s PlayHis modern theme, he realized all let’s PlayThe character is introverted.

“When I first came to this, I was naive and didn’t quite understand American culture,” Tomiyasu said. “I only understand the stereotype version, and everyone just speaks their thoughts, their muscles and everything. let’s Playit opened my eyes because our protagonist is very introverted and doesn’t speak too directly. She was a little cautious when she expressed herself and was aware of how she felt. Even if this is a story that takes place in the United States, Japanese audiences can understand and explain certain sensitivities. ”

crunchyroll Producer Heather Horn I added two cents to this topic. “[Let’s Play] Heather said: “It’s a story, you can look at the consumption of Japanese culture and Japanese culture. It inspired me, it inspired readers, it inspired the subject. There are references for video games, references for anime, and now there’s a story that reflects us with the Japanese gaze on us, which is not easy and a little crazy, but I find it appealing.”

Incorporating the real-life American environment of the story into Japanese anime has also proven to be the main focus. Tomiyasu discusses how his staff searched for locations in Los Angeles so that they could copy them in the anime aesthetic while still being the authenticity of their American roots. It is also worth noting that since the show’s catalyst comes in the form of hospitalizations for the protagonist’s hospital, the team also felt it was necessary to visit the real hospital to see the various nuances and differences between Japanese and American hospitals. “This anime is made of blood, sweat and tears.” crunchyroll Producer Heather Horn Say proudly.

Then, they showed off the first episode premiere, which I think is good enough. I’ve never read the original web comics, so I can’t make changes to the anime (if any) about the story or web comics. That being said, the episode goes through some very simple action: MC Sam’s passion for playing and creating video games is introduced, her workday stress and awkward when her friend is nearly fired, and finally, an angry commentator brings bad comments to her indie game. The plot hasn’t attracted me yet, but it’s pretty enough to make the first episode good. The animation and design are great, although the show has orange filters in every scene I find distracted. We’ll see how the rest of the anime disappears when it finally airs crunchyroll October 2025.