You’ve heard about the upcoming AFA-X. Now let us looks what is in store for us there!
I LOVE ANISONG Presents
The Ultimate Anime Mega Concert From Japan!
5 Artists – 6 Hours – Over 2 Days!
If you thought last year’s concerts were amazing, wait till you experience Anime Festival Asia 2010 (AFA X)! We’re back, this time only bigger, better and louder! AFA X presents three new electrifying artistes to the line-up. JAM Project, SCANDAL and angela will make their debut for the first time ever in Southeast Asia! And to the delight of our loyal fans, both Ichirou Mizuki and May’n are returning for their third consecutive AFA performance. Get ready to be entertained by five artistes for a total of six hours over two days!
The AFA Regional Cosplay Championship is Back!
AFA X will once again host its wildly anticipated Regional Cosplay Championship. The top cosplay team from each participating South East Asian country will be sponsored by AFA X to compete in the Regional Cosplay Championship during the two-day anime festival where they will perform and be judged by a panel of distinguished guests from Japan and around the region, which includes internationally renowned cosplayer KANAME.
It’s Showtime at AFA’s Anime Blockbusters!
Direct from Japan and for the first time ever in Southeast Asia, be the first to catch two of the most highly anticipated anime theatrical releases, even before its DVD or Blu-ray release! All you Gundam fans can begin to rejoice because you’ll be catching the sequel movie of the hit series Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer. And not forgetting our loyal Haruhi fans, we’ll also be screening The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi right at the AFA X main stage! Stay tuned for more details.
Meet your favourite Moe Moe Kyun Maid, and don’t be late for class!
Your cosy companions from Moe Moe Kyun Maid Café are back to melt your troubles away. And this year at AFA X, we’ve got a sweet surprise for you. Our lovely maids will raise your heartbeat with a special theme – School Days! Dressed in school uniforms, these kawaii kouhais of yours will be serving you delicious finger foods and scrumptious desserts, tantalising your taste buds while delighting your senses with the warmest hospitality. Come to Moe Moe Kyun Maid Café and experience the best day in school ever.
Let Atelier Royale Café’s charming butlers pamper you with a royal treatment.
Not forgetting all the lovely ladies in the house, and by popular request, Atelier Royale Café will be making its debut at AFA X this year. Atelier Royale is a butler café (執事喫茶 shitsuji kissa), a themed restaurant with well-dressed male employees in waiter’s uniform or even a tuxedo. And we have specially selected a team of highly dedicated butlers to wait on you and serve a host of delectable light treats and refreshments at your fancy. Come with your friends and be spoilt like a princess for a day or two by our league of gentlemen, only at AFA X.
Exclusive Merchandise and so much more!
Bringing a slice of Akihabara to Singapore, AFA’s AKIBA TOWN is packed with exclusive merchandise goodies from a large selection of brands from over 30 exhibitors. Our exhibitors have goodies lined up for our attendees, including items exclusively meant for events outside of Japan or even before release in Japan! From Gunpla to figurines, and so much more, AKIBA TOWN is truly a merchandise heaven for fans with all sorts of different tastes!
Experience the coolest innovations from Japan!
Showcasing the latest and coolest innovations from Japan, this experience zone is set up for attendees to not only see, but also immerse themselves into this exclusively created experience by some of the tops brands of Japan.
Endless excitement right in the heart of AFA X!
Located in the middle of the festival grounds, the Mini-stage is packed with fun and exciting activities throughout the day! More details coming soon!
May’n returns for another stellar AFA performance!
Every single audience who has witnessed her live performance is immediately transported into another world by her mesmerising and powerful vocals that pierce deep into the heart. Despite her young age, May’n is already rising towards her dream of being Japan’s top female rock vocalist with sold out concerts at the acclaimed Budokan and all over Asia.
While she may seem like a carefree and cheerful 20-year-old, watch her transform as she picks up the microphone. Commanding a wide range of singing styles from pop rock, soul to R&B and grand ballad, May’n unleashes her high notes with absolute precision and ease, captivating fans throughout her entire magical performance.
Since her debut, May’n’s album and singles have graced the Oricon Chart’s top spots. Her phenomenal success has also earned her the support of leading producers who have worked with Ayumi Hamasaki, Porno Grafitti, Ikimonogakari, Chemistry and Misia.
Anisong master, the legendary Aniki is back!
With an amazing repertoire of over 1,200 anisongs, Ichirou Mizuki is riding the peak of his fame as the undisputed anisong legend. More affectionately known by fans as Aniki, meaning “big brother”, his Wikipedia entry was also translated into 92 different languages, proving his position as an internationally acclaimed Japanese pop-icon and one of the world’s most famous Japanese personality.
As an anisong pioneer, he debuted in 1968 with the theme song for Genshi Shouken Ryuu, Mazinger Z, Captain Harlock, as well as the big TV hit, Kamen Rider, from its initial series right up till now. In 1999, Aniki even made history by singing 1000 songs within 24 hours! He also collaborated with French DJ Dimitri in 2003 while being ordained the “Anime Song Ambassador” in Paris in 2007. Recently, Aniki performed at the 2010 Shanghai International Exhibition’s CoFesta.
For over 40 years, Aniki has been raising the dreams and hopes of children with his charismatic singing. Today, he continues to pass on the magic of anisongs with his amazing passion and live performances all over the world.
SCANDAL will rock you at their AFA debut!
Don’t let their sweet schoolgirl image fool you. Wait till they’re armed with their instruments. Proclaiming themselves as “the most powerful Japanese girlie pop rock”, Haruna (lead vocals and guitar), Mami (guitar), Tomomi (bass) and Rina (drums) are SCANDAL! Aged between 19 to 22 years old, these sizzling hot rockers from Osaka first met in a music school and formed their band in August 2006. They began as street performers at the Osaka Castle park, and quickly rose to fame in 2008 when they performed at Sakura-Con in Seattle, followed by a tour in 6 other American cities. In the same year, they also rocked a crowd of 10,000 at the Japan Expo of France and another 8,000 at the Anicomi Festival in Hongkong, attracting
great international fandom.
Their single Shoujo S was featured as the opening theme for the hit anime Bleach, peaking at the 6th position on the Oricon Chart in 2009. Released in the same year, their first debut album BEST★ SCANDAL also ranked 5th on the chart, marking an amazing achievement. The last all-girl band’s album to do so made their mark 7 years ago. They even went on to receive the Best Newcomer Award in 2009’s 51st Daikagayaku! In 2010, they made yet another Oricon Chart appearance in 7th place with their single Shunkan Sentimental, the ending theme of Fullmetal Alchemist.
Presenting anisongs’ most dynamic duo, angela!
angela is the brilliant creation of atsuko on vocals and KATSU on guitar. Their signature upbeat tunes and rich arrangements is a dazzling mix of electronica, dance, rock, swing jazz and ska. angela’s energetic stage presence and stunning performance brings together atsuko’s versatile vocals and KATSU’s multi-instrumental skills, instantly winning the hearts of audiences in big scale international events like Otakon and Sakura-Con.
Both originally from Okayama, they first met in Tokyo while attending music school and formed angela in 1993 as a street band. Everything changed in 2003, when they shot straight to fame with their hit opening theme for the anime Stellvia no Universe called Asu e no Brilliant Road. No stranger to the Oricon Chart, they’ve enjoyed great success with a string of hits for countless anime titles such as Shangri La for Sokyuu no Fafner and Aoi Haru for Seitokai Yakuindomo.
Be blown away by JAM Project’s electrifying performance!
JAM (short for Japan Animationsong Makers) Project is a super group that unites the best talents of the anisong world. The main line up consists of Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki Endo, Hiroshi Kitadani, Masami Okui and Yoshiki Fukuyama.
JAM Project is a movement that’s inspired by the power and spirit of anime. Broadcasted not only in Japan but all over the world today, anime is the most advanced form of animation. And JAM Project’s aim is to produce songs that are good enough to match the calibre of anime. The only way to achieve this is to bring together the masters of anisong who feel and express the soul of anime from their hearts. The magic that separates these passionate anisong warriors from other artists is the high-spirited power within their vocals that flows into the hearts of fans.
Already having more than 100 songs, JAM Project members also write some of their own songs and are working towards producing their own albums. In 2008, they also toured 8 countries and 10 cities to spread the magic of anisong and anime to fans across the globe. Their next stop, performing as a group for the first time in Southeast Asia, is Singapore at AFA X!
Kana Hanazawa’s angelic voice will melt your heart!
She has a vocal range that has left many fans both in tears and in sorrow. Kana Hanazawa is one of the biggest rising stars in the anime voice industry today and is set to grow even more popular in the years to come. Even at her level of stardom, AFA will be the first overseas event that she will be gracing!
Kana Hanazawa astonishingly made her professional debut at a tender age of fourteen in the classic anime Last Exile as Holy Madosein. She landed her first lead role in 2006 as Ryoko Kaminagi in Zegapain, at an age when most of her peers can only dream to do the same.
In the past years, she has played lead roles in no less than five different hit animes – Kobato, Darker than Black: Ryusei no Gemini, Bakemonogatari, Angel Beats and Durarara!!! Look out for her in the fall of 2010, as she takes on roles in Otome Youkai Zakuro, Umitsukihime, Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawai Wake ga Na and Motto To Love Ru.
Tokyo Stormtrooper Danny Choo is back!
Blogger extraordinaire, web 2.0 genius, TV host, internet pop-icon and worldwide otaku hero – Danny Choo, is making a comeback at this year’s AFA. Residing in Tokyo, he writes about his life in Japan and Japanese pop culture, which includes anime, figurines, dolls, cosplay, games and everything else that comes under the genre. You’ll find it all on his blog dannychoo.com that’s regularly featured all over the web, print and broadcast media such as CNN, BBC, NHK and G4TV. He also recently started to host a TV show called culture:Japan on Animax.
Originally from the UK and son of renowned fashion designer Jimmy Choo, Danny has been working in Japan since 1999, serving as Computer Engineer at Japan Airlines, Website Manager at Amazon Japan and CGM Product Manager at Microsoft. He now runs an Internet strategy firm in the heart of Tokyo called Mirai Inc where he also works on TV and anime production.
As an expert on subjects like Otaku-ism (obsessive love for all things anime and manga) and Consumer Generated Media, Danny is regularly invited to speak at conferences around the world. Joining us as global content and marketing partner, he will also be hosting some of AFA X’s most exciting stage segments
COSPA is one of the top manufacturers of character apparel, goods and costumes from anime, manga and games in Japan. They own several brands: COSPA, Nijigen COSPA, Resinya!, COSPATIO and Trantrip. Each has a unique brand concept. They were established in 1995 and have created the character goods market for those adults who love character apparel, goods and costumes. Their goal is to share and maximize fun by creating new trends for character apparel as communication tools. Their policy is to produce only approved and properly licensed merchandise that brings original creators’ passions.
COSPA Japan is proud to present the Kadokawa World Tour and Evangelion Store!
Merchandise from the Kadokawa World Tour and Evangelion Store are premium items, available only at overseas fairs. All the product designs are fresh and produced exclusively for international markets only.
The hit anime titles featured at the Kadokawa World Tour are Spice and Wolf, Summer Wars, Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Sora no Otoshimono and Shakugan no Shana. And not forgetting the Rebuild of Evangelion items at the Evangelion Store!
Catch these fantastic merchandise FIRST in SE Asia at AFA X! Get them fast before they run out!
Catch Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer and the exclusive SE Asian premiere of The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi! Exclusively at AFA X Main Stage!
Direct from Japan and for the first time ever in Southeast Asia, be the first to catch two of the most highly anticipated anime theatrical releases, even before its DVD or Blu-ray release! All you Gundam fans can begin to rejoice because you’ll be catching the sequel movie of the hit series Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer. And not forgetting our loyal Haruhi fans, we’ll also be screening The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi exclusively at the AFA X main stage!
Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer
Premiering in Singapore on the 18th September 2010!
AFA X is also proud to support the same day premiere of Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer in Singapore! For the first time ever in Singapore’s history, you will be able to catch the same time screening of an Anime movie on the same day as Japan!
For those who can’t wait to watch the movie, tickets are also available from SISTIC starting from the 14th of September 2010. Tickets start from S$12 each.
You can check out the ticket prices here