GUESTS
Every year we bring a captivating mix of local and international guests for you to anticipate meeting – from renowned creators to passionate cosplayers. Don’t miss the chance to connect with incredible talent from the industry!
yuji koi
cosplay artist
With over 13 years of cosplay experience, Yuji Koi can look back on a long time in the scene, in which she has specialised more and more in make-up, wig styling, crafting, 3D printing, self-photoshooting, and photo editing over time. She has worked with gaming giants such as Riot Games, HoYoVerse, Tencent, and Sharkmob, as well as other well-known companies such as Razer and Porsche. She has also been invited to over 20 countries as a cosplay guest, cosplay judge, and cosplay influencer.
Known for her perfect blend of creativity and professionalism, her portfolio shows a wide range of successful projects, of which many have gone viral. With Yuji Koi, clients have access to a cosplayer who brings characters to life with her own touch and has a proven track record with top brands in the industry.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session
Day: Sunday
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Location: Yuji Koi’s booth
Mit Photography
cosplay photographer
Mit is a concept art photographer based in Japan who captures the unwritten past and future of stories in single images. mit personally oversees every aspect of the creative process — from casting and costume design to composition and photography — creating unique interpretations that invite viewers into deeper dialogue. mit’s work has been exhibited worldwide and extends beyond galleries through workshops, talks, and judging panels, inspiring others to explore concept art photography.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Day: Sunday
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Location: mit Photography’s booth
ladybeard
performer & wrestler
Pro wrestler, metal screamer, actor, voice actor, stuntman, kawaii idol, and speaker of 5 languages. As the founder of BABYBEARD, Ladybeard has taken Japan and the world by storm with explosive energy, heavy screams, muscles, chaos, and unstoppable kawaii power.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Performance
Day: Saturday only
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Autograph Session
Day/Time: Saturday, after Ladybeard’s performance (Sunday TBC)
Location: Ladybeard’s Booth
Autograph Policy: Purchase any official Ladybeard / BABYBEARD item from Ladybeard’s booth to receive an autograph. Ladybeard will sign official products only. Requests to sign personal items may be declined if deemed inappropriate.
rin sakura
performer
Rin Sakura is a Japanese singer based in Australia, known for performing anime songs and J-POP dressed in traditional Japanese kimono. Since starting her career in 2024, she has performed across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia, and Overload 2026 will mark her first appearance in New Zealand. With over 350,000 followers across social media, she has built a passionate fanbase throughout Asia and beyond. Her performances offer a one-of-a-kind experience where the beauty of kimono meets the energy of anime music.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE
Performance
Day: Saturday only
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
memoh.
local artist
memoh. is an award-winning digital artist and comiker based in Auckland, New Zealand. A professional graphic designer by day, she has crafted visual identities for numerous national and international brands. By night, her high fantasy comic “Dominion” explores the battles caused by trauma, bias, and the seductive desire for control.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session
Day: Saturday
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
chelsey furedi
local artist
Chelsey Furedi is an artist based in Auckland, New Zealand. She found her start in webcomics with her online hit ROCK AND RIOT before making her publishing debut with her Graphic Novel PROJECT NOUGHT. Now, she is a full-time freelance artist creating art for Youtubers and Twitch Streamers.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session
Day: Saturday
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Location: Chelsey’s Table
doyak
local artist
DOYAK is a Korean New Zealander webtoon artist and writer. Born in South Korea, she moved to New Zealand with her family at sixteen. Her debut webtoon, Wet Sand, follows three men caught in a tangled web of love, power, and crime — a mature-rated BL drama now being published in English by Inklore.
AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Location: Autograph Booth
Purchase any volume of Wet Sand (Vols. 1–3) via online ticket pre-sale or at the Autograph Token Stand to receive an autograph token. Each token entitles you to one autograph — on your purchased book, or a personal copy you’ve brought.
orka
webtoon artist
ORKA is a South Korean webtoon artist and illustrator. She studied Cartooning and Comic Arts at Korea Animation High School in South Korea and went on to major in Manga and Animation at Nihon Kogakuin in Japan. After working as an illustrator in the gaming and novel industries, she made her webtoon debut in 2019 with A Stepmother’s Marchen (어떤 계모님의 메르헨). The series is currently serialized on KakaoPage and has been published and translated globally across multiple regions, including the English-speaking market, Japan, China, Taiwan, and Germany.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session
Day: Sunday
Time: TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Time: TBC
Location: Autograph Booth
Kugane Maruyama
novelist
A Japanese light novel author. Kugane Maruyama (丸山くがね) made his commercial debut in 2012 with Overlord, published by KADOKAWA (Enterbrain), which had been serialised on the novel submission sites “Arcadia” and “Shōsetsuka ni Narō.” Overlord was adapted into a TV anime series in 2015. The series has aired up to its fourth season, and a new feature film was also released in 2024.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session*
Day/Time: Saturday, time TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
*Kugane Maruyama will appear on stage for a special Q&A panel with KADOKAWA Editor Akiko Fujita, and animation producer Kazufumi Kikushima.
Location: Autograph Booth
Akiko Fujita
kadokawa editor
Akiko Fujita joined Enterbrain (now KADOKAWA) in 2010. Since joining, she has worked as an editor for light novels and manga. Her major titles include Overlord, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Log Horizon, and Reiwa no Dara-san.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE
Q&A Session*
Day/Time: Saturday, time TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
*Akiko Fujita will appear on stage for a special Q&A panel with Overlord novelist Kugane Maruyama and animation producer Kazufumi Kikushima.
Kazufumi Kikushima
animation producer
Kazufumi Kikushima is a major Animation Producer from KADOKAWA with a prolific career spanning over 30 titles. He is the creative producer behind the massive hit Delicious in Dungeon as well as iconic isekai blockbusters like Overlord, The Eminence in Shadow, and Saga of Tanya the Evil. He is greatly looking forward to visiting New Zealand and meeting anime fans at Overload.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE
Q&A Session*
Day/Time: Saturday, time TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
*Kazufumi Kikushima will appear on stage for a special Q&A panel with Overlord novelist Kugane Maruyama and KADOKAWA Editor Akiko Fujita.
Hyuganatsu (uririn)
novelist
A resident of Fukuoka Prefecture, Hyuganatsu debuted in 2012 as the creator of The Apothecary Diaries. Other light novel series include The Son of the Immortal King and King of Tonelico (both published under the Hero Bunko imprint), Kurimiko Ayakashi Yobanashi, Nazotoki Iseki Hakkutsubu, Requirements for a Crack Detective, The Failure at God School, and You Can’t Bluff the Sharp-Eyed Sister, among others.
ATTENDANCE SCHEDULE & AUTOGRAPH AQUISITION
Q&A Session*
Date/Time: Sunday only, time TBC
Location: Overload Stage (Te Wharau Gallery, NZICC)
Date/Time: Sunday only, time TBC
Location: Autograph Booth
Limit: Maximum 2 copies per person.
Please note: as all copies are signed ahead of time, this session is for event-purchased books only — personal copies brought from home cannot be signed.