Between July 3 and 6, the Anime Friends 2025 brought together more than 150,000 people in the Anhembi district in São Paulo. AnimeNew was present at the event closely following the news. Among them, the special panel promoted by Disney+, which reinforced the growing bet of the platform in original anime and Asian productions.
Presented by Chibi Martins on the Ultra Stage, the panel brought previews, backstage and special appearances, placing Disney+ as one of the great highlights of the event.
Bleach Thousand-Youar Blood War wins tribute on stage
The panel began with a celebration of Bleach's legacy: Thousand-Year Blood War, one of the most popular titles in the catalog. Voice actor Luiza Porto and voice acting director Thiago Keplmair shared with the public the challenges and behind the scenes of voice work in Brazil. They reinforced the importance of national adaptation for the success of the work.
The warm public reception showed that the anime remains up even after more than two years of exhibition.
Twisted-Wonderland: Disney villains come to new life in a magical universe
Following, the highlight was the Twisted-Wonderland anime, based on the famous Japanese mobile game. The plot revolves around a young man who, by crossing a magical mirror, is transported to the world of Twisted Wonderland and enrolled at Night Raven College Magic School. Each school at school is inspired by a classic Disney villain, which gives production a dark and engaging aesthetics.
Bia Menezes, Brazilian Anime voice actor, spoke about the voice acting process and the expectation around the national debut, scheduled for the second half of 2025. The audience reacted enthusiastically, especially fans who have been following the game and have been waiting for the animation for years.
Cat's Eye returns with a new anime on action, espionage and brotherhood
Closing the panel, Disney+ revealed news about the 80's classic Cat's Eye remake. The plot follows three sisters who lead a double life: during the day, they play a coffee; In the evening, they are thiefs that steal works of art belonging to the missing father.
The plot gains extra tension with the involvement of Hitomi, one of the sisters, with Toshio Utsumi, the detective who investigates theft, not knowing that he is dating one of the criminals. The debut is also scheduled for the second half of 2025.
The presence at the event shows the strength of Disney+ in the anime market
Participation in the Anime Friends 2025 has shown that Disney+ is willing to compete in the Asian market with platforms already consolidated in this niche. Alongside titles such as Tokyo Revengers, Tengoku-Daimakyo, Undead Unluck and Sand Land: The Series. The ads reinforce the company's strategy to expand its geek catalog with productions aimed at young and adult audiences.
Anime Friends 2025 panel brought together fans of different age groups and created a direct connection with those who consume anime in Brazil, one of the most important squares for the global streaming market.
With scheduled premieres for the coming months, 2025 promises to be a year of expansion and experimentation for Disney+ in Japan, Korea and Brazil, especially among lovers of anime, fantasy and stories with remarkable visual identity.
