AFA 2011 - Anime Festival Asia 2011

ANIME FESTIVAL ASIA - LET'S GO!

Running for 4 years in a row, Anime Festival Asia is to us more than just a convention.

It really is at the heart - an experiential platform. Countless time, energy and huge investments have been put in to plan and craft the experience of every single attendee who will be walking through the doors of the festival. To us, every bit of interaction with every part of the exclusive content we have for our attendees is really the result of months of careful planning by the committee. For AFA 11, we are again looking to create great value by providing the ultimate J-POP Culture experience for our attendees.

Shawn Chin
Festival Director
Anime Festival Asia

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Anime Festival Key Highlights:

Excerpts from 26.09.11 Press Release:

Anime Festival Asia 2011 to Bring a New Multi-dimensional Experience to Anime and Japanese Popular Culture Fans

• Exclusive platforms and experts to give fans a rare insight of the various aspects of today's most successful anime and Japanese popular culture content
• I Love Anisong concert marathons to showcase the largest pool of A-List anisong artistes outside of Japan

Singapore, 26 September 2011 – Local and regional fans of anime and Japanese popular culture can look forward to seeing the latest and most popular content with fresh eyes this Anime Festival Asia. The festival takes on a multi-dimensional approach with open discussion sessions with top character designers and behind-the-scene industry experts held throughout the weekend. Anime song concert marathons will be held with one of the largest groups of top-tier anisong artists ever to perform in an event outside of Japan. Popular favourites such as the merchandise areas and the highly successful maids and butler cafes will return to offer visitors a shopping and dining experience to remember. Organisers of Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2011 shared these as they gave an update on the upcoming festival, to be held between 11 to 13 November at Suntec City Convention Centre.

On the business front, AFA 2011 will see a list of high-profile speakers from various industries, sharing their experiences with businesses that are keen to collaborate or explore Japanese content.

• Reinventing a highly successful regional festival – AFA to bring a whole new experience to fans and newbies alike

  The festival, which expects to draw at least 85,000 visitors this year, will see an integrated approach to present the various dimensions of today's top anime and J-pop content in greater depth. Organisers announced strategic partnerships with major content providers, including Aniplex, to showcase talents involved in various creative stages of anime production. Visitors will gain first-hand insights into how the most current and successful Japanese animation titles are conceived.

  Highly regarded character designers, invited to AFA and Singapore for the first time, will join a pool of top producers, voice actors and script writers of highly popular titles to discuss and share their experiences with visitors. Exclusive platforms such as panel discussions and talks will be held on stage in conjunction with screening sessions to give visitors a rare insight and better appreciate the work that goes behind anime legends and current successes.

• 3 Days of I Love Anisong concert marathons presents 3D Live Hologram performance and Largest Gathering of Anisong Artists Outside of Japan

  This year's AFA will see one of the largest gatherings of anisong artists ever to participate in an event outside Japan. Organisers announced a concert marathon format, with three nights worth of power-packed entertainment. The concerts will be held from 11 to 13 November 2011.

  On 11 November, the concerts kick off with the Asian premiere of a "live" Hatsune Miku concert – a 3D live hologram performance accompanied by musicians on stage. Fans will be able to see a holographic 3D female character, Hatsune Miku, dance and sing on stage, just like a real-life artist. Hatsune Miku started out as computer music software developed by Crypton Future Media in Sapporo and powered by YAMAHA's VOCALOID (Vocal + Android) technology in 2007. It has since seen over 30,000 songs and movies created, and a series of fan-related activities and events.

  Fans are set to also be wowed by top quality music performances from a wide repertoire of top-tier anisong artists – including iconic masters, highly popular and established artistes, and rising stars. Some of these artistes will be making their South-east Asian debut in AFA 2011.

  Concert tickets sales through SISTIC will begin from 1 October 2011. Fans who want to gain premium viewing seats and exclusive fan treats can purchase a 1-Day I Love Anisong VIP Concert ticket at S$148, or a three-day ticket at S$366. For more casual concert goers, 1-Day I Love Anisong Standing concert tickets are available at S$48 each. Single day tickets are inclusive of day stage and festival access for the day, while the three-day ticket includes day stage and festival access for all days.

• Cool Japan Forum to focus on Music, Novels, Anime and Digitial Content

  The Cool Japan Forum returns with speakers and panellists from Japan's entertainment industries. In addition to renowned novelist Hirano Keiichirō, confirmed speakers include President of Bushiroad Inc Mr Takaaki Kidani, legendary character designer Mr Haruhiko Mikimoto, Sony Music Artists' Senior Vice-President Sampei Yamaguchi. Topics will focus on the areas of music, novels, anime and digital content. Tickets for the forum are priced at S$85 per delegate. Ticketing details will be available on the official Anime Festival website (www.animefestival.asia).

• From the Latest Titles to Familiar Favourites – Something for Everyone in AFA

  Other key highlights of AFA 2011 include:

  • Stage activities and Premium Movie Screenings
    Movie and anime buffs here can look forward to watching 'Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn 4: At the Bottom of the Gravity Well' on the same day as Japan during the festival in the main stage area. A dedicated movie screening area will feature 2011's top Anime movies including Naruto Shippuden: Blood Prison and Full Metal Alchemist: The Star of Milos.

    Other stage activities featuring top anime titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero and more will include 'live' dubbing sessions with anime voice actors and meet-and-greet sessions with cosplayers and special guests.

  • Merchandise galore
    For the 4th year in a row, AFA's popular Akiba Town returns with an even wider selection of toys and merchandise from top Japan brands and anime titles, spanning almost two halls of the exhibition grounds. Exclusive anime and event branded merchandise designed just for the festival, as well as concert-related merchandise, will also be sold.

  • Maids and Butler Cafes return with fresh faces and a new look
    The Moe Moe Kyun Maids Café (MMK) will seek to strengthen its branding this year as the events-based mobile café continues to be the premium maids' café in Singapore. Maids will be decked out in unique MMK branding uniforms and the café will be styled likewise. Atelier Royale, the butler café, will transform itself with a "Wonderland" theme. Diners can look forward to a dining experience to remember as they interact with the specially trained maids and butlers.

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Chiwa Saitou 斎藤 千和

- Voice Actress (Seiyuu)

Chiwa Saitou is one of the most accomplished seiyuus in the industry today. Her wide vocal range has allowed her to play roles such as the young, energetic girls (Rebecca Miyamoto from Pani Poni Dash), cool, stoic girls (Hitagi Senjougahara from Bakemonogatari) and even deep, baritone voices (Kemoko from Kemeko Deluxe). Her performance as the mysterious, emotional Akemi Homura in Puella Magi Madoka Magica touched audiences around the world.

Go Nakanishi 中西 豪

- Acclaimed Producer

Mr Nakanishi graduated with a degree from Waseda University's Faculty of Letter's, Arts and Sciences. Starting his career with King Records in 1997, he has been instrumental in developing popular artistes and anime hits such as Sokyuu no Fafner, Inukami and Negima!? He is also the producer of the hit Japanese pop band, angela. His latest works include Mardock Scramble 2 and Sokyuu no Fafner – HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Atsuhiro Iwakami 岩上 敦宏

- Acclaimed Producer

If you are an anime fan, chances are you would have seen one of Astushiro's Iwakami's work in the past two years. He is responsible for putting together shows such as My Little Sister Cannot be This Cute, Kara no Kyouka, Bakemonogatari and Kannagi. This year he helped to bring two shows that will be featured at AFA11, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero.

Tatsuyuki Nagai 長井 龍雪

- Director

Tatsuyuki Nagai is the man who helmed Anohana and brought it to audiences on the TV screen. His past works includes Honey and Clover II, Tora Dora! and Toaru Kagaku no Railgun.

Mari Okada 岡田 麿里

- Scriptwriter

Mari Okada is the scriptwriter of Anohana, as well as the person behind the series composition. She has previously penned shows such as Gosick, Hanasaku Iroha and Hourou Musuko.

Masayoshi Tanaka 田中 将賀

- Character Designer

Masayoshi Tanaka brought to life the characters of Anohana, as the show's character designer and animation director. Some shows that have received his magical touch are High School of the Dead, Hitman Reborn! and Tora Dora!.

KANAME☆

- Celebrity Cosplayer

Celebrity cosplayer KANAME☆ will welcome his wave of fans and visitors alike with his amazing cosplays. From Cloud of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children to Ichigo of Bleach and Portgas D.Ace of One Piece, KANAME☆ continues to wow with his high level of quality and realism in his cosplays.

USAGI 兎娑妓

- Celebrity Cosplayer

Lively cosplayer USAGI will surprise everyone with her wide genre of characters, from anime to game and even original adaptations such as Sheryl Nome from Macross Frontier, Leona from King of Fighters and Super Sonico! Catch her maiden appearance here in AFA11!

Danny Choo

- AFA11 Main Stage Host

Danny Choo is one of the most well-known and respected bloggers of Japanese pop-culture in the world. In addition to his blogs, he runs MIRAI Inc, an Internet solutions provider, and produces and hosts Culture Japan, a weekly program on Japanese culture on Tokyo MX. He will be the official host of AFA11 for many of our main stage segments.