Aniplex Online Fest 2022 (AOF2022) has disclosed the full info on the program and line-up ahead of the event. AOF2022 will stream live via YouTube internationally, starting at noon in Japan on September 24, 2022 (or 11 PM EST on September 23, 2022).
The real event will take place at the PACIFICO Yokohama National Convention Hall, in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
With the event approaching at a rapid pace, the organizers have finally unveiled a full line-up.
Amaki Sarī (member of the voice-acting idol group 22/7) and Hisanori Yoshida (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny’s Yob Fon Alaphus) will host the event.
The seiyuu who will grace the event are (listed in alphabetical order):
- Chika Anzai (Lycoris Recoil)
- Daiki Yamashita (All Saints Street) pre-recorded
- Hina Suguta (My Dress-Up Darling)
- Kaito Ishikawa (Tomo-chan Is a Girl!, All Saints Street)
- Lynn (Engage Kiss)
- Masakazu Morita (BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War)
- Rie Takahashi (Tomo-chan Is a Girl!)
- Rumi Ōkubo (Engage Kiss)
- Saku Mizuno (Raven of the Inner Palace)
- Saya Aizawa (Engage Kiss)
- Shōya Ishige (My Dress-Up Darling)
- Sōma Saitō (Engage Kiss)
- Tomori Kusunoki (The Misfit of Demon King Academy)
- Yoshino Aoyama (Bocchi the Rock!)
- Yūko Natsuyoshi (The Misfit of Demon King Academy)
As for performers, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Orchestra Concert, which is the opening act.
Additional performers include Eir Aoi, Masayuki Suzuki feat. Airi Suzuki & Suu, Aimer, halca, Sawano Hiroyuki [a.k.a. nzk], Reona, and DJ Kazu.
What is AOF2022?
Aniplex Online Fest (AOF) was established in 2020. Originally planned as Aniplex Fest, the event suddenly went virtual due to the COVID-19 onset. Having proved a tremendous success, AOF2020 set a precedent for all future Aniplex Online Fests to come.
AOF2020 and AOF2021 took place in July of each respective year. This is the first AOF to take place in September and is the biggest one so far.
AOF has been gaining popularity over time, as well. Scilicet, AOF2020 attracted more than 800,000 international viewers. AOF2021 broke that record, attracting an international audience of more than 850,000 anime fans.
AOF2022 is projected to attract even more people, which is reflected in the impressive line-up. Of late, many Japanese industries have been riding on manga’s and anime’s coattails. Due to the enormous popularity that Japanese pop culture has been enjoying in the past couple of years, even theater groups have turned to manga to win new audiences.
With more and more Japanese publishers planning international expansion — even going so far as to schedule ambitious simultaneous English releases of the latest manga chapters — it’s no wonder that AOF2022 is garnering quite a lot of attention.
Since the event is just around the corner, we’ll soon discover how fast its popularity is expanding!
* Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Orchestra Concert – Kimetsu No Kanade was originally released on Aug 25, 2021.