With each passing year Anime Festival Asia has become a grander celebration of Japan’s popular culture and this year the event is still held at Suntec City but it starts off with a very special date 1 1Nov 2011 (11.11.11).

The press preview for this year AFA took place this morning and we were treated to the awesome star-studded cast of celebrity cosplayers, idols, awesome vocalist and rock bands that will definitely get everyone rocking during the “I LOVE ANISONG” concerts.

Cosplayer Kaname has returned to Singapore again with a new cosplaying comrade Usagi and both of them look so gorgeous on stage cosplaying as Kaito and Luka from Vocaloids. We were also introduced to each of the stars that will be performing at this year’s  “I LOVE ANISONG” concerts. I sure hope you have bought your tickets to see them since its a rare chance to see them perform in Singapore.

Day 2 Performers:

•  Sea☆A
• LiSA
• Ichirou Mizuki
• FLOW

Day 3 Performers:

• Itou Kanako
• Milky Holmes
• angela
• Kalafina
• May’n

The organisers have certainly put in a lot of effort to bring all these amazing stars down so I do hope that everyone show your fullest support during the concert ^^

Of course, the “I LOVE ANISONG” is just one of the many fun-filled segment for AFA’11. There are other exciting events such as the Regional Cosplay Championship, special live dubbing session by seiyuu Chiwa Saitou, talk by the staff behind the anime series Anohana, MMK Meido Cafe & AR Butler Cafe, and not forgetting my Figurine Photography Workshop. You can check out the full list of events happening at AFA’11 with the event guide.

I’m certainly looking forward to kicking off AFA with tonights’ Hatsune Miku Live Party in Singapore 2011. Hope to see everyone there ^^

I’m sure everyone is looking forward to Anime Festival Asia, the largest annual anime event in Singapore that is scheduled to take place from 11-13 Nov 2011. We are less than 3 days from the start of the event and to celebrate the countdown, alafista.com will be having a special “Countdown to AFA’11 – Concert Tickets Giveaway”.

For this giveaway, the prize is a pair of Day 2 VIP Tickets to the “I LOVE ANISONG” concert on 12 Nov 2011. The performing artists for that night include FLOW, Ichiro Mizuki, LiSA and Sea☆A.

Contest Instructions:

• Head over to alafista.com Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/alafistadotcom
• Click on the “like” button if you had not done so before
• Tag yourself in the photo of the giveaway contest
• The contest will close on 10 Nov 2011, 2359 hours (GMT+8) or when the tagging limit is reach (whichever first)
• The winner will be randomly chosen by myself and announced in the same post
• I will contact the winner via Facebook message with instructions on how to collect the prize

Contest Rules:

• The contest is open to everyone
• If the winner is uncontactable by 11 Nov 2011, 2359 Hours, I will select another winner
• For ticketing information, please visit http://www.animefestival.asia/ticketing.html
• Collection of the prize will be done in Singapore outside the AFA11 event halls
• My decision is final

Fans of Anisong rejoice because for this year’s Anime Festival Asia 2011, there will be three straight days of concerts! The theme will be rock and everyone would be screaming until their voices go hoarse.

During today’s media preview of the Anime Festival Asia 2011, the organisers have confirmed the preliminary list of artistes that include May’N, Ichirou Mizuki, FLOW and LiSA. Past attendees of AFA would be familiar with Buchou (May’N nickname) and Aniki (Ichirou Mizuki’s nickname), so I will first talk about FLOW and LiSA.

FLOW

Most anime otaku would be familiar with FLOW since they have sung many awesome theme songs for popular anime series, including “Colors” (OP for Code Geass), and “GO!!” and “RE:member” (Naruto). This year, they released a rocking cover of SIAM SHADE’s “1/3 の純情 な感” (ED for Rurouni Kenshin), following by their latest single release “Hey!!”.

If you think their songs sounds good on CD, then you should listen and see them perform live!! The band of five had visited Singapore earlier this year for the JPlex concert which I had attended and their performance were mind-blowing and full of energy. Hence, I’m really glad that they are returning to Singapore for AFA 2011, and I definitely would love to see them perform again.

Here’s a youtube clip of FLOW performing Re:member, one of my most favorite songs from them.

LiSA

Fans of the anime series Angel Beats! would definitely be thrilled to know that LiSA, the singing voice of Yui, of the fictional band “Girls Dead Monster” will be performing live at I LOVE ANISONG.

Many of the singles and albums released under Girls Dead Monster garnered a lot of success on the Oricon charts. In the spring of 2011, LiSA released her own solo mini-album, ‘Letters to U”. In support of the album’s release, she toured Japan to perform to sell-out crowds nationwide.

Image Credit: ©Aniplex ©Sony Music Artistes. Inc.

Here’s a youtube clip of LiSA performing “Crow Song” at Animelo 2010. I hope she will perform that song at I LOVE ANISONG too!!

May’N

May’N is surely no stranger to Singapore. Not only this is the 4th year May’N is performing at AFA, she also recently held her solo concert and Screen Singapore movie debut here in June.

Buchou is definitely one of the top rising stars amongst anisong singers and I’m amazed that her vocals seemed to be getting better with each passing year. Her great vocals allows her to perform a wide range of music from pop rock, soul to R&B and grand ballad.

Image Credit: May’n

Personally I think “Iteza Kuji (射手座午後九時) Don’t Be Late” is one of her most brilliant songs:

Ichirou Mizuki

Few can be as charismatic on stage as Aniki when it comes to performing Anisongs on stage. Along with May’N, this is the 4th year that Ichirou Mizuki is returning to Singapore to perform.

With an amazing repertoire of more than 1,200 songs, its quite impossible for you to get bored of his songs. Last year, when he performed on stage with JAM PROJECT was the most amazing concert I’ve ever attended.

Image Credit: ©Ichirou Mizuki / yellow bird 

Definitely look forward to singing along to my favorite song “Mazinger Z”.

Meanwhile, the AFA 2011 organisers are still finalizing the full line-up and will share more closer to date. So expect more artistes to be perfoming at this year’s I LOVE ANISONG concert. I’m quite certain I will be gathering my friends to attend all three days of concert this year ^^

While the commercial features the lovely Kinoshita Yukina 木下優樹菜, the song used for the CM was sung by our favorite aniki – Ichirou Mizuki (水木 一郎). Is it me or any songs that he sings just seems to have this awesome GAR element? ^^

AKB48

Ichirou Mizuki and JAM Project

SCANDAL

May’N

angela

Alodia, Aira and Kaname

Milky Holmes

Just a reminder that AFAX – Anime Festival Asia 2010 will be taking place this Saturday and Sunday at Hall 401 & 402 of the Suntec Convention Center. I’d definitely be there roaming the event hall for the two full days from dawn till dusk, so hope to catch you there too!! ^^

Sales for the VIP concert passes will commence this Thursday on 23 Sep 2010, while the Standing Passes will start later next week on 30 Sep 2010. The tickets can be bought via Gatecrash.

Here’s a layout map of the concert hall for those who can’t decide between the VIP or Standing passes. Apart from the online sales, there will also subsequently be on-site tickets sales at the designated ticketing counter at the exhibition halls.

I’ve already decided to get the VIP passes for Day 1 so that I can be as close to the stage as possible to see my favorite JAM project and Aniki jamming their awesome songs. Now I just need to recruit some comrades to accompany me to the concert. So anyone interested in joining me? ^^

If you are having a hard time decided on which concert to attend, you can check out my earlier article that introduces the five different band/artistes. You can also check out what the individual singer and bands have to say to their fans. These videos were shown earlier at the press conference and have been uploaded to AFA youtube channel.

First up is Ichirou Mizuki and JAM Project, who will be performing on Side A, the first day of the concert. Aniki is always so funny and I love his gestures XD

SCANDAL, angela and May’N will be performing for Side B, the second day.

You can see that the two days are denoted by different colors. BLACK is the color for Day 1 whereby Ichirou Mizuki will lead JAM Project (Japan Animationsong Makers) to bring down the stage with their rocking hits.

JAM Project was founded by Aniki and comprises of many vocal artists that have sung famous songs for anime, tokusatsu and video games. The group includes the following members:

• Hironobu Kageyama 影山 ヒロノブ – Mr Dragonball Z because he sung many songs for the series
• Masaaki Endoh 遠藤 正明 - Opening themes for The King of Braves GaoGaiGar, Daigunder, and Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger
• Hiroshi Kitadani きただに ひろし - First opening theme of One Piece, first ending of Kamen Rider Ryuki and third ending of Ryuki “Revolution”
• Masami Okui 奥井 雅美 - Sung many theme songs, including Tales of Eternia The Animation, Slayers, Sorcerer Hunters, Di Gi Charat, Ray the Animation, He Is My Master and Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
• Yoshiki Fukuyama 福山 芳樹 - famous for his singing voice for Basara Nekki in Macross 7

I was really excited to find out that JAM Project was finally coming to perform in Singapore. I still remember back in 2008 when Aniki first performed on the stage of AFA, and everyone was shouting at the end of the concert for him to bring JAM Project. I think anyone around my age range would really appreciate their nostalgic songs and I would recommend Day 1 concert to anyone who is a fan of old school anime, tokusatsu and video games. So prepare to shout Motto! Motto!

Day 2 of I LOVE ANISONG concert seems to be geared more towards the younger otaku crowd. But it still features quite an amazing line-up. Fans can expect more jamming action from the popular schoolgirls band SCANDAL, energetic duo of angela and female vocalist May’N.

SCANDAL is a Japanese pop and rock group, and comprises of four high school girls from Osaka: Haruna Ono, Tomomi Ogawa, Mami Sasazaki, and Rina Suzuki. They are very popular amongst the otaku crowd and since they are fans of anime/manga themselves, the girls have chose to be represented in animated form, turning each member into an animated character. Here’s a clip of them performing “Don’t Say Lazy” from K-On!.

angela is a Japanese pop band that have sung a number of great hits, including “Asu e no Brilliant Road” for the anime series Stellvia no Universe and “Shangri La” for Sokyuu no Fafner. The duo comprises of vocalist atsuko and instrumentalist KATSU. I wouldn’t mind paying just to see them perform Shangri La, which is one of my all time favorite songs.

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I’m sure many fans of Macross Frontier would be familiar with May’N who provided the singing voice of Sheryl Nome. She is not a stranger to Singapore since she has performed at the previous two AFA concerts as well. Since she has not release any new songs this year, I wondering how her concert will differ from last year. ^^

Despite the fact that fans will need to pay to be admitted into the free standing or seated concert area, I think this year lineup is a worthy investment. Hence I would recommend those who can afford it to start saving up and prepare for a great experience in November.  I’m already pumped up to enjoy anisongs that JAM Project will be pumping out. So anyone wanna join me?  もっと!! もっと!!

So any of you naughty boys and girls took some photos for your personal collection?

The guests were invited to leave their signature on AFA-kun. Mamoru Hosoda left a very lovely signature on the left leg of AFA-kun. Not really sure but I think he drew Natsuki Shinohara from Summer Wars. And here’s Mizuki-san adding his final touches to AFA-kun.

So how many of you are heading to the event tomorrow? If you are looking to have a quick chat with me, just drop me an email using the contact form in the header. Alternatively you can try spotting me whereby I would be wearing a black project miku t-shirt and carrying my 5D Mark II ^^