The largest event dedicated to Eastern pop culture in Latin America, Anime Friends 2023 celebrated its 20th anniversary, bringing together 120,000 people over four days of festivities at the Anhembi District in São Paulo . According to the event organizers, the program featured over 50 acts, including national and international artists, who delighted the audience with plenty of music, dance, and unforgettable performances. And best of all, the 2024 edition of Anime Friends has already been confirmed for July 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st of next year .
Anime Friends 2023 – The event brought together 120,000 people to celebrate its 20th anniversary
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At the opening ceremony of the event, on Thursday (13), the mayor of the city of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes, was present; councilor João Jorge; the consul-general of the Consulate of Japan in São Paulo, Ryosuke Kuwana; in addition to the CEO of Maru Division , Juliano Aniteli; and the director of the event, Diego Ragonha.
Repeating the action initiated in 2022, thanks to the support of the São Paulo City Tourism Secretariat, on the first day of the event (13), free tickets were offered, with the aim of bringing the São Paulo public closer to this great celebration of oriental pop culture. Around five thousand students from public schools were able to enjoy the attractions for free. As well as some buses also provided free transportation for the public from the Portuguesa-Tietê Station to Anhembi.
“It was four days of a great celebration. For us, it was a joy to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this festival, which is so special for fans of Eastern pop culture and also for São Paulo. Anime Friends is now one of the biggest events on the city's official calendar,” says Juliano Aniteli, CEO of Maru Division.
A major artist on the main stage
Therefore, on the Main Stage, among the international highlights, the Japanese band Flow thrilled the Anime Friends audience with a powerful show celebrating their 20-year career. The band Scandal, known for anime such as Bleach, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and the movie "Pokémon: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction," also left the audience ecstatic at the Anhembi District.
Singer Nano, who has lent her voice to more than 20 games and anime, and violinist Yurika, famous for her internet covers, also came to Brazil for the first time and charmed the audience. However, other highlights included the band Burnout Syndromes and Survive Said the Prophet, responsible for iconic anime soundtracks such as Banana Fish and Vinland Saga.
Fans of tokusatsu series – live-action superhero shows with special effects that have always been a hit in Brazil – also celebrated. Mai Oishi, Change Phoenix from the series Changeman; Makoto Sumikawa, Lady Diana from Spielvan; and Kiyomi Tsukada, the eternal Anrí from Jaspion, came to the country for the first time. They shared experiences about their careers, behind-the-scenes stories, and answered questions from the audience.
Thus, Japanese actors Takumi Tsutsui , the unforgettable ninja Jiraiya, Takumi Hashimoto, who played the character Manabu in the same series; and Hiroshi Watari were also once again at the event, celebrating two decades of success.
About the event arena
At the 20th anniversary of the Anime Friends Arena, artists talked and shared experiences with the audience. And on the Anime Stage, various discussions about characters, music, and anime also featured in the program.
Finally, to celebrate the passion for otaku culture, the audience prepared to shine in individual and group performances. The Cosplay contest, a trademark of Anime Friends since 2003, was one of the highlights of the event with creative interpretations and costumes identical to the original works. Furthermore, in the K-Pop Arena, in addition to professional performances, event visitors put on a show in the lively dance and singing contests, which thrilled those present.
Source: Anime Friends
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