[Exclusive] Anime Festival Asia Invades Malaysia

After years of waiting, Malaysian anime fans finally got the opportunity to join one of the biggest anime festivals in Asia! Anime Festival Asia was held from June 9th to June 10th in the Putra World Trade Centre, Malaysia and was attended by thousands of anime lovers from various countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia and more. Many famous people in the anime community attended the event, including cosplayer KANAME and J-Rock band FLOW.

A huge crowd had been queuing up at the ticket counter as early as 8am to get themselves ticket for the events. Many cosplayers were in attendance, dressing up in elaborate outfits. The crowd was allowed to enter the exhibition hall at 9am. Several booths were spotted in the hall, displaying all sorts of anime-themed items such as shirts, cups, accessories, anime figures, games and more. There were two mini cafes too which were run by “Moe Moe Kyun Maid Café” and “Atelier Royale Butler Café”, which served delicious finger foods and scrumptious desserts. Many patrons were unable to get into the cafe due to the large number of people wanting to be serviced.

Several events were held throughout the two days. Among the main attraction was the cosplay competition which was judged by internationally renowned cosplayers KANAME and SPCATS (Tasha and Miyuko). The winner will be representing Malaysia to compete in the Regional Cosplay Championship in this coming November. There were talk shows by special guests such as Danny Choo and Tomohiko Ishii as well as idol cosplayers, Kaname and SPcats which was held at the main stage too.

The "Super Anisong Genki Live!!" concert was held on both day during the night, which was attended by thousands of anime lovers. Among the artists lined up on the first day were Maon Kurosaki, Kalafina and Aimi while FLOW, Kotoko and SEA*A performed on the second day. All the artists showcased a very powerful performance and sang an average of 5 to 7 songs which include songs from anime themes as well as from their albums. The crowd never failed to show their strong support for all the artists on both days. They waved their lightsticks and sang along with the artists throughout their performances.

For many of the artists, this was their first time visiting Malaysia. They check out many of the beautiful locations Kuala Lumpur has to offer and tasted many local delicacies the night before.

The convention was a huge hit, bringing together fans for tons of fun. Even though AFA is over, you can relive the experience by checking out our exclusive photographs taken during the event on our official facebook page.