The largest event dedicated to Asian pop culture in Latin America, Anime Friends 2023, celebrated its 20th anniversary, bringing together 120,000 people over four days of festivities in São Paulo's Anhembi District . According to the event's official schedule, the program featured over 50 acts, including national and international artists, who delighted the audience with music, dance, and unforgettable performances. And best of all, the 2024 edition of Anime Friends has already been confirmed for July 18, 19, 20, and 21 of next year .
Anime Friends 2023 – Event brought together 120,000 people to celebrate 20 years
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At the opening ceremony of the event, on Thursday (13), the mayor of the city of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes; councilor João Jorge; the consul general of the Consulate of Japan in São Paulo, Ryosuke Kuwana; as well as the CEO of Maru Division , Juliano Aniteli; and the director of the event, Diego Ragonha, were present.
Reprising the initiative initiated in 2022, thanks to the support of the São Paulo City Tourism Department, free tickets were offered on the first day of the event (13), with the aim of bringing the São Paulo public closer to this great celebration of Asian pop culture. Approximately five thousand public school students were able to enjoy the attractions for free. Some buses also provided free transportation from Portuguesa-Tietê Station to Anhembi.
"It was four days of great celebration. For us, it was a joy to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this festival, which is so special to fans of Asian pop culture and also to São Paulo. Anime Friends is now one of the biggest events on the city's official calendar," says Maru Division CEO Juliano Aniteli.
Major artist on the Main Stage
On the Main Stage, among the international highlights, the Japanese band Flow thrilled the Anime Friends crowd with a powerful performance celebrating its 20th anniversary. Scandal, the band behind anime like Bleach, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and the film "Pokemon: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction," also wowed the audience in the Anhembi District.
Singer Nano, who has lent her voice to over 20 games and anime, and violinist Yurika, famous for her online covers, also came to Brazil for the first time and wowed the audience. Other highlights included the band Burnout Syndromes and Survive Said the Prophet, responsible for iconic soundtracks for anime like Banana Fish and Vinland Saga.
Fans of tokusatsu series—live-action superhero series with special effects that have always been popular in Brazil—also celebrated. Mai Oishi, Change Phoenix from the series "Esquadrão Relâmpago Changeman"; Makoto Sumikawa, Lady Diana from Spielvan; and Kiyomi Tsukada, the eternal Anrí from "O Fantástico 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.
Therefore, Japanese actors Takumi Tsutsui , the unforgettable ninja Jiraiya, Takumi Hashimoto, who played the character Manabu in the same series; and Hiroshi Watari were also at the event once again, celebrating two decades of success.
About the Event Arena
At the Anime Friends 20th Anniversary Arena, artists chatted and shared their experiences with the audience. And on the Anime Stage, various discussions about characters, music, and anime also took place.
Finally, to celebrate their passion for otaku culture, the audience prepared to shine with individual and group performances. The Cosplay contest, a trademark of Anime Friends since 2003, was one of the event's highlights, with creative interpretations and costumes identical to the original works. In addition to professional performances, event attendees at the K-Pop Arena also put on a show in lively dance and singing competitions, which thrilled the audience.
Source: Anime Friends
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