Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2014, drew to a close with resounding success. Over 90,000 local and overseas visitors, up from around 85,000 in 2013, thronged the 12,000 square metre festival grounds at Suntec City Convention Centre, the largest since the festival started in 2008.
With 6 halls consisting of exhibition booths, stage activities and concerts, fans were spoilt for choice over the three days. Anchor events included the I Love Anisong Mega Anime Festival, with tickets sold out for Saturday and Sunday’s concerts and almost sold out for Friday’s concert, as 13 anisong artiste and artiste groups performed to 7,800 music and anime enthusiasts.
The AFA Regional Cosplay Championships saw Indonesia’s Mohamad Yusuf Kurnlawan (27 years old), and Ingga Puji Salria (30 years old) beat contestants from Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines.
New festival highlights included the inaugural niconico KUNIKAGI (Japanese Internet Culture Festival) held outside Japan. Auditions and results of the first Asia Anisong-singer Audition were announced, with “Usagi”, 18 from Singapore and “RINRIN”, 19 from China emerging victorious among 202 contestants to secure a contract as an anisong artiste with a major Japanese record label.
Anime Festival Asia will hold a satellite event in Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) from 31st April to 3rd May 2015, in collaboration with BEC-Tero TrueVision (BTTV). Details of its 2015 line-up of overseas satellite events, as well as the dates for its annual flagship event in Singapore will be announced closer to the date.
For more information and updates on Anime Festival Asia, check out www.animefestival.asia and www.facebook.com/animefestivalasia.