Fan Expo Chicago 2023 is already preparing for its second-annual show following the rebranded return to Chicago in 2022. Priding itself as being four fun-filled days of fan culture, Fan Expo Chicago 2023 has already set out to excite conventiongoers by sharing a look at which voice-acting and gaming guests fans can expect to see at the upcoming event. The term "comic con" is merely a suggestion of who or what entertainment expos appeal to, and since their inception, have taken cues from the shifting media landscape to touch every reach of fandom. Comics are still an important foundational element to conventions, but showrunners such as Fan Expo have understood that there's a demand for interactive experiences with media personalities across varying forms of pop culture.
Fan Expo Chicago 2023 looks to double down on the expectations set by their debut convention in Chicago, and with them, bring along incredibly popular names in their respected industries. Voice acting has become greatly appreciated from a transmedial point of view. It's noted as a key necessity for any work of animated media to be successful. Strong voice-acting performances have the ability to resonate with an audience. That's why Fan Expo has rounded up top talent in video gaming and anime to attend Fan Expo Chicago.
The Mario franchise has been exceedingly popular since its debut, and with 49 games in the franchise, has garnered an incredible following. Fan Expo Chicago welcomes Mario Universe voice actors Charles Martinet (Mario), Samantha Kelly (Princess Peach), and Kenny James (Bowser) as featured video game voice-acting guests at the convention. Joining them from the video game industry are David Hayter (Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid), Kellen Goff (Five Nights at Freddy's, My Hero Academia, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure), and Xander Mobus (Persona game series). Fan Expo Chicago 2023 promises to include guests from multi-genre animated work, with names such as Tara Strong (Teen Titans, The Power Puff Girls, The Fairly Odd Parents, and more), Richard Horvitz (Invader Zim, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Shameik Moore (Miles Morales, Spider-Verse franchise), Dante Basco, (Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender), Jodi Benson (Ariel, The Little Mermaid), and Katheleen Herles (Dora the Explorer).
Anime has become increasingly prominent in Western culture and has since well-established its place at pop culture conventions. There's a notable overlap between the anime fandom and other sectors of entertainment, and convention hosts like Fan Expo have done their best to incorporate anime into their programming. Justin Briner (My Hero Academia), Clifford Chapin (My Hero Academia), David Matranga (My Hero Academia), Colleen Clinkbeard (My Hero Academia), and Luci Christian (My Hero Academia) are all set to appear at Fan Expo Chicago while representing the series. Joining them as anime guests are Zach Aguilar (Demon Slayer, Genshin Impact), Aleks Le (Demon Slayer, Final Fantasy VII), and Ryan Colt Levy (Chainsaw Man).
Ticket sales for Fan Expo Chicago 2023 are officially live. Fan Expo Chicago will return from August 10 to August 13, 2023, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. More information about Fan Expo Chicago 2023 will be shared through an official newsletter that can be subscribed to here, and new updates about the convention are accessible through their official Facebook Page.