C3AFASG 2018 – Celebrating 10 years of Anime Festival Asia
This year marked the 10th Anniversary of Anime Festival Asia (AFA), the Premier Anime Event this side of Asia which started back in 2008. The event was announced early in 2018 and we were really excited so much so that when they announced the date, we immediately made plans and booked our accommodations – 8 months ahead.
We kept a close watch on the social media sites, hunger for any news of this event. As the date got closer, we were not disappointed. Top notch Anisong Artists, latest showcase and Cosplayers, etc. filled the lineup for the 3 day celebrations and to top it off, a Red Carpet event (something we have not seen before) made us super excited.
We got in early on Friday before opening time and already a super huge crowd of fans lined up to get in. On a regular C3AFASG event, Friday usually isn’t as packed as Saturday but this time the numbers were beyond my imagination. How packed? Well, we had to wait one floor down as we couldn’t go upstairs (packed) and while we were waiting, we had to move on 3 occasions to make way for people to line up! I guessed the limited special merchandise were too tempting for fans to wait till Saturday to purchase.
As the doors opened, fans ran in every direction to the merchandise booth to get their treasures before it’s sold out. Once in, we were like children in a toy shop – interesting booths everywhere coupled with stage events packed with schedules. We were having a hard time deciding which way to go or what to see first. It will be an eventful 3 days! Happy 10th Anniversary AFA!
May’n INTERVIEW DURING C3AFASG 2018 – AFA 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Interview with May’n was conducted on the 3rd Day of C3AFASG 2018. Different groups of media attended and the overall interview are as below:
Q : CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING ASIA TOUR CONCERT ‘KICK IT UP!!’.
May’n : When I do my tours every year, I would like to visit the venue halls and check out the acoustics in each of the venue, to bring up the tension, the heat to make it exciting. That’s the concept for the new tour. Korea is confirmed. As for the other venues outside of Japan, you will have to wait n see.
Q : NEXT YEAR, YOU’LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE MACROSS CROSS OVER LIFE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
May’n : It’s been awhile since I did a LIVE Macross concert. I’m delighted to be part of it and hoped that everyone will come over to see it. It’s been awhile since I have performed with Megumi Chan.
Q : RECENTLY YOU ADOPTED A CAT. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US THAT STORY…..
May’n : Oh! You know about it? Mu Chan. Well, it started with when I was doing the musical (IKIRU), it was a challenging time and after work I met a stray cat and it followed me home and it was injured too. And I was like…ohh it’s so cute and the rest is history.
Q : IS THERE ANYTHING FROM NAGOYA (May'n HOMETOWN) THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO US?
May’n : There is a Doll called Nana Chan and they would dress her up according to occasions and recently they have a collaboration with IDOL MASTER 2. I love this doll very much and whenever I have a chance I would always take a selfie with her. So, it’s a must see item in Nagoya. In Shibuya there is a dog named Hachiko where people will usually meet, it’s the same at Nagoya except that Nana Chan is 10 meters tall! It’s an Iconic spot!
Q : HOW DO YOU FEEL, UNITED AGAIN WITH MEGUMI NAKAJIMA SAN AND YOKO KANNO SAN AFTER 10 YEARS, FOR THE SONG & MV ‘GOOD JOB’?
May’n : As you all know it’s been awhile since I was able to work with Megumi Nakajima san. Even though we had never had a prior meeting before hand, but when I put up my hand, I would find that Megumi Chan also has done the same and that we both seems to work so seamlessly and naturally together and I can be Sheryl Nome because Megumi Chan was next to me. Even though I have worked with many artist over the years, but in terms of a partner, I can only think of Megumi Nakajima san.
LET’S HOPE WE GET TO SEE MORE SONGS!
May’n : Oooh! I hope so too!
Q : CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE, WORKING IN A RECENT THEATRE PLAY LIKE ‘IKIRU’
May’n : I always like passionate about musicals and this time where acting is incorporated, I took it as a challenge. This is like a new thing for me. In my concerts, I was always at the center of the stage and in my concerts I have the freedom to go where I want to and my dancers and staff will support me, but now I’m sometimes on the left and then on the right and I have to remember not just the song but the dialog as well as the position on stage and where I had to go. The theatre staff gave me a lot of support.
Q : YOU HAVE COME TO SINGAPORE MANY TIMES, SO WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD AND WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING IN SINGAPORE?
May’n : Awww…that’s a bit hard. Hmmm I would have to say Roti Prata but last year I tried ‘Bak Kut Teh’ again and this is really good! I liked to see the Christmas decorations every year and this year is Disney themed.
Q : HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE PERFORMING AT 'Walkure Wa Uraginarai' AT YOKOHAMA ARENA EARLY THIS YEAR?
May’n : I was a special guest at the Walkure concert and when I sang the songs from Frontier which was ten years ago, I was surprised that Sheryl Nome was still a very much loved character in the Macross universe and that made me felt really happy. If you have seen the Walkure concert, you would have seen the stage actually moved. Ten years ago you don’t have this kind of technology. Each year we are getting closer and closer to the world/environment of the Macross Universe. In a video, you can see Sheryl Nome changing costumes LIVE and I hope someday it will come true!
Q : CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST SONG FOR LORD OF VERMILLION – TENSHI YO KOKYO WO KIKE
May’n : The concept for the song is for a person to know more about one self and to do that one has to see his/her reflection, the first thing that come to mind is a mirror so you can see in the MV and the cover there are mirrors.
Q : IN THE MV, YOU SPOT TWO DIFFERENT LOOKS, ONE IS A BAD GIRL LOOK. TELLS US A BIT ABOUT THAT ONE.
May’n : It’s like knowing yourself and breaking out of yourself. If you noticed in the MV, the TV and the car is not like the latest model. The concept is to break that and when it comes to breaking it.
Q : IN YOUR LIVE SHOWS, YOUR PERFORMANCE IS VERY PHISYCAL. HOW DO YOU TRAIN FOR IT?
May’n : Kick Boxing! At home I have something like and Aero Bike and I work out on when I’m watching TV. For food I try not to eat too much and if I think I eat too much I would exercise more and sleep.
Q : WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE THING AT AFA FOR 10 YEARS?
May’n : Ehhh…a difficult one! There’s so much that I did over the years. But the first time overseas and performed overseas, I was worried and had concerns but everyone was so warm and welcoming and that allowed me to be more confident to try performing in other countries and going to world tours too.
Q : RECENTLY YOU HAVE DONE THE OPENING SONG FOR A MOBILE GAME – ‘STARRING’. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?
May’n : The game has not launched yet and at the pre order stage. The story is about a girl living under the stars. Her destiny has already been predetermined, so how do you go against that and get the life that you want. When I wrote it, I incorporated those feelings into it.
Q : WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR OVERSEAS CONCERT AND WHAT SONGS EXCITE YOUR FANS MORE. ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONCERTS IN JAPAN AND THOSE OVERSEAS.
May’n : Ahh…another hard question. Hmm…when I performed in Japan or overseas, song from Macross Frontier, 10 years ago – LION, Northern Cross and Diamond Crevasse fans will go wild and it makes me happy. Also another thing that makes me happy is that internet and social media is very strong now and when I sing any latest songs or anime, fans around the world would know about it. Every year when I performed I can see there’s really no difference between Japan and overseas.
Q : WHAT SURPRISE YOU THE MOST WHEN PERFORMING IN SINGAPORE?
May’n : Hmmmm…..Every year I come to perform in Singapore, the thing that excites me the most was like everyone shouting May’n! May’n! Encore! Encore! (everyone laughed) and waiting for me to get on stage, shouting and anticipating for me, makes me happy.
That’s all the time we have for the Interview. We wish to thank SOZO Pte Ltd, members of Asia PR Werkz and of course May’n for taking time to talk to us.
RED CARPET Event
As this was the 10th Anniversary AFA, a special RED CARPET event was held at the entrance of SUNTEC Convention & Exhibition Center at 4pm. May’n walked down the Red Carpet accompanied by the Managing Director of SOZO Pte Ltd. Mr Shawn Chin. She was honored as she has become the ‘Face’ of AFA and included in the event was the Ambassador of Japan to Singapore. The ceremony can be viewed at :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzEH8H59mbM
Other guest honored were artistes performing at tonight’s concert, Cosplay contest finalist, Mascots, Guest Artists and Celebrity Cosplayers.
I LOVE ANISONG Concert Day 3 (2nd December 2018) – AFA 10th Annivesary – May’n
This was the last day for the Concert. It started at 7pm and 1st up was ‘MILI’ singing the OP (Rightfully) for one of this season’s top anime – Goblin Slayer. Next was Angela, which consist of Atsuko (vocal) and Katsu (composer) whom entertained us by pretending to be another group – Fripside (Satoshi (composer) and Nao (vocal) and even sang a few bars from Fripside’s popular song – Only My Rail Gun.
GARNiDELiA came next, well known for their colorful stylish wardrobe and popular anime songs. Nano gave us a special treat just for AFA’s 10th Anniversary - she sang Star Light, Star Bright. A song Nano has never done LIVE before.
As always, the last Artist to appear on stage every year (since 2008), she continued to WOW the crowd for the past 10 years with her top notch performance. As for AFA’s 10th Anniversary concert, she prepared a special list of songs to commemorate the event.
After a short set up, the band began to play, lights were still dimmed when May’n (flank by 2 dancers) came on stage. She was wearing a stylish black fabric piece. There was a 3 piece band in the back (lead guitar, bass guitar and drummer) and straight off was the song ‘Welcome to my Fan Club’s Night’ – from Macross Frontier. The music was rather loud but her high pitched voice managed to pierce through to be heard by the crowd.
The next song was another Macross Frontier song that I have not heard her performed for 8 years at AFASG – What ‘bout my star? But certainly the audience has not forgotten this song as they began to sing along with her.
The 3rd song that evening was the hard rocking ‘Belief’ the OP for TABOO TATTOO. The audience followed her every movement and jumped to the heavy beat.
Song number 4 – Tenshi Yo Furusato O Kike is one of the new songs released this year and it was the OP for the anime Lord of Vermillion - King of Crimson.
The next song needed no introduction. Fans know it by heart. A song that is synonymous with the Macross series and one of the top favorite songs for karaoke in Japan – LION. The crowd immediately ‘roared’ in approval. Many sang along as they waved their light sticks in unison with the song. The audience clapped long and loud after the song ended to show that they enjoyed it.
The 6th song – ‘YOU’ 2nd OP from the Ancient Magus’s Bride – has a lot of meaning and May’n wished to convey to her fans that everything (whether it is hope, dreams, career etc) starts with yourself and overcome your doubts like in the lyrics ‘ONLY YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF’. By doing so, other people will support you and bring success, something which is true in her career & hoped that it will too for her fans.
A short break as she shared her thoughts with her fans. ‘This song is very precious to me. When I first came here (Singapore) in 2008, I was thinking – Who would know me? Who could have heard my songs? But when I sang this song and everyone sang along with me, I was so surprised and so happy! Thank you Singapore! ……Diamond Crevasse’.
The crowd cheered with excitement as this was the song that caught the interest of the fans and catapulted May’n to the world stage and beyond. The fans began to sing along and towards the second lyrics, you noticed a slight (one second) off key in her voice. That’s when we noticed that her eyes were watery, she must have been trying to suppress her emotions swelling inside her. I guessed this scenario reminded her of when she first started as an unknown guest artist at the first AFA, plus the tremendous support given to her by fans over the years. A lesser artist might have apologized and stopped the concert to wiped away the tears and emotions. (It’s hard to find words to describe the feeling but the closes I could think of was accidentally taking too much wasabi or mustard – that overwhelming sensation where you could hardly breath or talk) But May’n is a PRO, she waited till she finished all her vocals before quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. Once the song ended, the crowd cheered loudly (as they really enjoyed that song) they felt some of that emotion as well and began chanting May’n! May’n! May’n!
Even as I was writing this days later, I had to pause a few times as I still got swept away by the emotions from that night. It was a concert to remember for all of us whom have gone on a journey with her.
Once everyone has settled back to Earth, it’s time for the last song for the night. Suddenly, a band member handed her a guitar and she strapped it around her shoulders (In her BLOG, there was a mention that she was taking guitar lessons) and now she’s showing us her skills – we reckoned the first time outside of Japan! ‘This is a song I wrote when I first came to this region - No matter what’s your Religion, Race or where you come from, we all lived under the same sky. I believed MUSIC can save the World! …… Phonic Nation’.
There were fans and attendees from many different countries (Malaysians, Indonesians, Thais, Chinese, Japanese, Singaporeans and others attending the concert) as they wave their light sticks and hands in unison, we became one people.
Once the song ended, everyone clapped and May’n introduced her team of dancers and musicians. And as a regular thing, they would all line up in a single row holding hands and express their appreciations. The crowd was still clapping and cheering and time was running long. With the help of her dancers, they put their fingers in front of their lips – to quiet down the audience. As usual someone would shout out ‘May’n!’ at the last moment and it would be ‘shhhh’ again. May’n shouted at the top of her voice – Arigato Gozaimasuta Singapore! Followed by a bow and a jump. The crowd just burst into claps and cheers as the band and May’n left the stage.
With that, the official 10th Anniversary celebration of AFA ended.
May’n Song List
1. Welcome to My Fan’s Club Night – May’n ver.
2. What ‘bout my star?
3. Belief (OP for Taboo Tattoo)
4. Tenshi Yo Furusato O Kike – (OP for Lord of Vermillion, King of Crimson)
5. You (The Ancient Magus’s Bride 2nd OP)
6. LION
7. Diamond Crevasse
8. Phonic Nation.
