Anime has never lived in a vacuum. Its influence runs through sport, music, world-building and performance, shaping how a generation of Black creatives imagine heroism, vulnerability and spectacle.

This panel asks why anime has become such a powerful cultural language, and how Black performers, athletes, artists and fans are helping redefine the future of global fandom. Moderated by award-winning multimedia journalist Raquel Harris (formerly TheWrap and Forbes), the conversation brings together Crunchyroll Brand Manager and The Anime Effect co-host LeAlec Murray — a 15-year veteran of the anime and gaming world — with Kyle Walker-Peters, West Ham United and England footballer and lifelong fan raised on Naruto and One Piece. Together they explore fandom, creative identity and the storytelling traditions shaping culture today.