Western fandom has become an undeniable driving force in today's global pop culture scene. Fans' boundless enthusiasm, exceptional fan-made creations, and fearless creativity continue to shape entertainment communities across genres. That vibrant passion was on full display at Anime Expo 2026, one of the world's largest celebrations of anime and Japanese pop culture held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 2 through 5, where fans from across the globe gathered for four days of unforgettable excitement.
Anime Expo is widely regarded as one of the largest anime events in the world, bringing together a wide range of anime IPs to connect directly with fans. Solo Leveling: KARMA, a new roguelite title based on the globally popular Korean IP Solo Leveling, also took part in this year's event. Amid the many events held throughout the expo, a panel session introducing the latest updates on Netmarble's upcoming action title Solo Leveling: KARMA was held on the morning of July 4 (local time).
Panel and Audience Group Photo
Panelists included Kim June Sung, Executive Producer of Netmarble Neo and the lead developer behind Solo Leveling: KARMA, as well as Aleks Le, the English voice of protagonist Sung Jinwoo. Together, they shared exciting new details with fans who packed the venue. Here's a look back at the excitement and energy from the unforgettable event.
Antares, the King of Dragons, Voice Actor Revealed!
Solo Leveling: KARMA is a roguelite action RPG currently in development by Netmarble Neo. The game made its first public appearance at Anime Expo 2025 before giving attendees a hands-on demo at G-Star 2025, Korea's largest gaming exhibition, later that November.
The game is played from an isometric perspective and features strategic gameplay built around five weapon types and a wide variety of trait combinations, including satisfying hack-and-slash action of mowing down hordes of enemies with flashy combat. Solo Leveling: KARMA will reveal the story behind the Monarch War, an event that has never been explored in detail in either the original webtoon or its various multimedia adaptations.
Countless fans showed a wave of enthusiasm for the IP and excitement for the game.
Exactly one year after its first unveiling at Anime Expo, Solo Leveling: KARMA returned to the very same stage, and the event was held on a grand scale. A legion of attendees lined up outside the JW Marriott Diamond Ballroom well before the scheduled start time, and by the time the event began, the venue was filled to capacity with barely an empty seat in sight. For reference, the JW Marriott Diamond Ballroom is a large event space spanning approximately 2,300 square meters and can accommodate up to 1,800 attendees.
(From left) CM Prizm, voice actor Aleks Le, Executive Producer Kim June Sung, and host Jacki Jing
The panel featured Executive Producer Kim June Sung, voice actor Aleks Le, Community Manager Prizm, and host Jacki Jing. Among them, Aleks Le, the English voice of Sung Jinwoo, commanded the stage by delivering the character's iconic line, "Arise." That moment instantly electrified the crowd. A brand-new trailer was unveiled shortly after, further fueling the audience's excitement. In particular, the moment the voice of Antares, the King of Dragons, the most powerful and fearsome of the Monarchs who stand against Sung Jinwoo, echoed through the ballroom, gasps and cheers erupted throughout the venue. It was the unmistakable voice of a renowned voice actor, one that anyone who enjoys anime or video games would recognize instantly.
Troy Baker, who voices Antares, the King of Dragons, delivered a special video message to fans.
The voice behind the character was none other than Troy Baker. Renowned for his performances in acclaimed titles such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, and the Batman: Arkham series, Baker is a familiar name not only among English-speaking audiences but also to gamers in Korea. This time, he takes on the role of Antares, the King of Dragons. Although he was unable to attend the event in person, he greeted fans through a video message. "I'm known for never having played a villain before, but this project gave me the chance to portray Antares, the King of Dragons," he said. "As someone who has truly loved this work, I'm genuinely thrilled to take on this role."
It tells the story of the Monarch War, an event never explained in detail in the original webtoon and its various multimedia adaptations.
The game's story also drew significant attention from attendees. The Monarch War refers to the 27-year battle Sung Jinwoo fought out of dissatisfaction with the outcome of his final battle, despite his victory. He used the Cup of Reincarnation to turn back time and entered the Dimensional Gap in a desperate effort to save those who had been lost. Solo Leveling: KARMA will be the first to fully reveal the details of this epic chapter. Featuring an original story that explores the 27-year Monarch War left untold in the original webtoon, the game also benefits from the direct supervision of the original author, further enriching the world of Solo Leveling
Aleks Le and Executive Producer Kim June Sung discuss Solo Leveling: KARMA
Executive Producer Kim June Sung explained that when the Cup of Reincarnation turned back time, the Monarchs who Sung Jinwoo previously defeated were also revived with their memories intact. Through their schemes, Sung Jinwoo loses much of the power he once possessed. To further break his spirit, the Monarchs create clones of his comrades, friends, and even family members, forcing him to fight those closest to him. As a result, the trials awaiting Sung Jinwoo appear even more brutal than those depicted in the original webtoon. Kim added that these seemingly insurmountable challenges can also become opportunities, adding that fans will have to play the game to find out more.
Aleks Le live dubs a scene from the game
The panel also unveiled new gameplay footage, revealing that players will be able to directly control the Army of Shadows. A new key visual was also unveiled for the first time. The event also featured a live dubbing performance by Aleks Le, who performed scenes from the game in real time, a Q&A session based on pre-submitted questions, and a quiz event where attendees who correctly answered questions about Solo Leveling: KARMA received posters signed by Aleks Le and Troy Baker.
The Solo Leveling: KARMA stage event ran for approximately 50 minutes. The audience's enthusiastic response made the time fly by, and before anyone knew it, the event reached its finale. To close the panel, host Jacki Jing teased the attendees, revealing that exciting news about Solo Leveling: KARMA will be revealed in Japan this September. Anticipation is already building for what exciting news will be unveiled. If you don't want to miss the latest updates, be sure to follow the official Solo Leveling: KARMA accounts and be among the first to hear the latest updates.
