Celebrating its 5 year! The "Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival 2018" is just round the corner!

2018.11.05

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A festival full of eye-catching attractions! Find-out more about the program and stalls that are scheduled to be set-up!

The "Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival 2018 (KPF)" is nearly here! This huge annual festival is a fantastic celebration of pop culture! Attractions connected to the anime "Sword Art Online - Alicization -," which hit TV screens in October, are sure to generate a lot of interest among visitors! A special talk with Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (who plays Kirito) and Ai Kayano (the actor that voices Alice, a new character in the series) will be taking place during the event (further details available >> HERE)! Visitors will also get a chance to play the PlayStation® 4 game "Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet COMPLETE EDITION" before it its official release date (17th January 2019)! The event will be full of all kinds of fun, exciting attractions!

松岡禎丞 (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka)

茅野愛衣 (Ai Kayano)

Celebrate the enduring appeal of Kitakyushu! Check-out some of the awesome collaborations that have been organized!

■ Theatrical Version of "CITY HUNTER"
The hugely popular title "CITY HUNTER," which was created by Kitakyushu native and manga artist Tsukasa Hojo, has finally returned as a feature-length animation for the first time in almost 20 years! Fans at the venue will have the chance to see the protagonist Ryo Saeba's favorite car, the MINI COOPER!

■ Legends Akira Kamiya & Toshio Furukawa ga YATTEKURU!!! (a talk)
Akira Kamiya (famous for roles such as Ryo Saeba in "CITY HUNTER") and Toshio Furukawa (known for characters such as Ataru Moroboshi in "Urusei Yatsura") will be participate in a talk featuring "voice artist industry legends" on the main stage! Find-out more >> HERE!)

■ Anime "MECHA-UDE -Mechanical Arms-"
Kitakyushu is known as a "movie city!" Motifs and landmarks from the area also regularly appear in anime! Kitakyushu City is the setting for the anime "MECHA-UDE - Mechanical Arms -," which will be screened inside the KPF venue on Saturday 10th November! This will be the first time that the work has been screened in Kyushu! Voice artist Romi Park (who plays the role of Jun Kagami in the anime), supervising producer Hiroshi Matsuyama (who also serves as president of CyberConnect2), director Okamoto, and official supporter Mafia Kajita will feature in a special talk during the festival! (More information is available >> HERE!)

(From left) Romi Park, Hiroshi Matsuyama, Okamoto, and Mafia Kajita

■「BULLBUSTER」

"BULLBUSTER" is original project that has been created by video director Hiroyuki Nakao and manga artist Eisaku Kubonouchi. The story is set in "龍眼島 (Ryugan-jima)," which is modeled on Kitakyushu City! The heroine of the piece, Arumi Nikaido (二階堂アル美), has been featured in the KPF promotional campaign!

The organizers have put together a fantastic line-up of performers, events, attractions, and exhibitions for this year's KPF! There will also be a great selection of merchandise on sale! Here is a little taster of what to expect... The "WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT 2019 Kyushu Qualifying Round2019" and "趣味本ガレージセール in 北九州 (World Ignorable Book Fair in Kitakyushu)" will both be staged during the festival! The "BONES 20th Anniversary Art Exhibition in KPF2018" will also be held to celebrate the anime production company's output over the years! You can only see this BONES exhibition either in Tokyo or Kitekyushu this year!! The "HYPNOSIS MICROPHONE - Division Rap Battle - First Time in Kitakyushu Fair!? will be taking place and almost certainly trending all over social media!

This year's attractions are sure to deliver! There is no way that visitors will be disappointed by what's on offer! The organizers are posting information about what to expect from the event on the official website and Twitter account! Make sure to check-out! Lots of people from outside the prefecture are expected to participate! There is a lot to do in Fukuoka, so be sure to make the most of it, even if you are only planning on visiting the area to attend KPF! Why not check-out the "Kaigai Manga Festa (Tokyo International Comic Festival) in Kitakyushu," (>> Detail) which is being held at the same venue? If you have time, you could also stop-by the Kitakyushu Manga Museum and take a look at "FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST EXHIBITION!" (>> Detail) (Editorial Dept.: Gon)

PICK UP! Check-out our awesome special feature on KPF2017! The event proved to be a huge hit with visitors!

Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival 2018

- Dates: Saturday 10th November - Sunday 11th November 2018
- Venue: West Japan General Exhibition Center Annex. (3-8-1 Asano, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka-ken, JAPAN)
*Please note: Some events will be taking place at other locations.
- Organizer: Kitakyushu City
- Co-Organizer: Aruaru City and KPF2018 Executive Committee

(Partially charged, with events with entry restrictions)

- Fee: Free (*charges and entrance regulation do apply for some attractions)
*Please note: Some attractions will require a fee
- Official website: http://www.ktqpopfes.jp/
- Twitter: @ktqpopfes

◎ Event on Saturday 10th November at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Kokura! Free admission! (*This event is only in Japanese.)