Anyone who has watched Grid claw his way up from level -1 can now try his trade in person. Crunchyroll is bringing the voice actor, director and executive producer of Overgeared to Anime Festival Asia (AFA) Singapore 2026 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The guests appear on Saturday, 28 November 2026.
The part to plan around is the meet-and-greet. Its tickets are handed out at the Crunchyroll booth (J01) on a first-come, first-served basis. A forging challenge runs at the same booth across all three festival days, from 27 to 29 November, so fans who miss the guests can still hammer out a weapon and leave with something.
The Show Behind the Forge
Overgeared is adapted from a Korean web novel and webtoon. It follows Grid, a gamer who lands a legendary blacksmith class that drops him to level -1 and forces him to earn his power by crafting gear rather than swinging a sword. In most game-world anime, the hero has a cheat skill from day one. In Overgeared, his edge comes from the forge.
The Suntec panel is the chance to hear from the people behind the show in person.
Meet the Guests
Tatsumaru Tachibana voices Grid in Japanese. He started out as a stage and musical theatre performer before his voice acting debut in Case File nº221: Kabukicho. Since then, he has played Eisaku Ohtomo in Aoashi, Basen in The Apothecary Diaries and Gregory Violet in Black Butler: Public School Arc. Aoashi‘s second season is also on Crunchyroll’s fall slate.
Ayako Kono directs the series. She directed the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- films, Aria of a Starless Night and Scherzo of Deep Night. Crunchyroll says she was an episode director on Love Live! at studio Sunrise and an assistant director on After the Rain at WIT STUDIO, and that Overgeared is her debut as a TV anime director.
Nobuhiro Osawa serves as the executive producer and President of EGG FIRM Inc., where he oversees anime from planning and financing through to production. His chief producer credits include Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Sword Art Online and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
What Happens on Saturday
The guests’ panel runs from 1pm to 1.45pm at the NEXT Stage. Crunchyroll says fans will get an inside look at how Overgeared was made, plus a special live reading that will offer a fresh way to experience the characters. AFA’s ticketing page lists the NEXT Stage as part of what a festival ticket covers, so a valid ticket for that day should get you into the panel without a separate pass.
The meet-and-greet follows from 3.30pm to 4.30pm in Meeting Room 332. Entry is by ticket only, and the tickets are redeemed at the Crunchyroll booth (J01) on a first-come, first-served basis.
So on Saturday, head to J01 as soon as you’re through the doors at Suntec, sort out your meet-and-greet ticket, and only then wander the halls before the 1pm panel.
Grid’s Forge at Booth J01
The booth activation is called Grid’s Forge, and it’s built around a larger-than-life puzzle wall inspired by Grid’s craftsmanship. Fans assemble weapons on the wall, then pose at a 3D photo installation of Grid himself.
Finish the challenge and you’ll receive a specially designed Pagma’s Rare Book notebook, while stocks last. Crunchyroll hasn’t said how many notebooks are available. Since the forge opens on Friday, a visit on 27 November is your best bet if you want one without the Saturday crowd that turns up for the guests.
Crunchyroll’s Fourth Year at AFA
Crunchyroll says this is its fourth consecutive year at the festival. In 2023 the big draw was a Jujutsu Kaisen Experience Dome (Anime Festival Asia 2023 highlights). In 2024 it was a Solo Leveling Experience Dome (AFA 2024 recap).
Last year Crunchyroll spread its booth across Fire Force Season 3, Lord of Mysteries and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It brought voice actor Yusuke Kobayashi, who plays Arthur Boyle, together with Lord of Mysteries director and producer Ke Xiong and chief screenwriter Liu Xing (AFA 2025 highlights).
The 2026 plan narrows the focus to one show and a small group from its production team, which suits fans who prefer behind-the-scenes talk to a big immersive dome. Music fans have their own reasons to go: AFA’s announced performers include Yuki Kajiura, KAF, Isekaijoucho, CHiCO and the HoneyWorks Vocal All Stars.
Getting In
Tickets are sold through the official AFA Singapore 2026 site, with general sale tickets also listed on Ticketmaster Singapore.
If Overgeared is the main reason you’re going, a festival ticket covers the panel, but the meet-and-greet needs a separate ticket redeemed at booth J01, first-come, first-served. Add Friday only if the notebook matters to you or you plan to make a full weekend of AFA.
🗓️ Date: 27 to 29 November 2026 (Overgeared guests on Saturday, 28 November)
⏰ Time: Guest panel 1pm to 1.45pm; meet-and-greet 3.30pm to 4.30pm
📍 Location: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre (NEXT Stage, Meeting Room 332 and Crunchyroll booth J01)
🎟️ Tickets: Meet-and-greet tickets redeemed at booth J01, first-come, first-served
🔗 Details: AFA Singapore 2026
Few anime fans ever get to ask a director about her work, or hear the voice in their headphones read a line live a few metres away. On 28 November at Suntec, Overgeared fans get both, plus a weapon to forge and a notebook to collect. Grab your tickets on the Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2026 website, put Saturday in your calendar, and get to booth J01 early.
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