Memories: Music in Japan Expo 2024
With its wide variety of artists, Japan Expo's musical program is a real festival within the festival! Let's take a look back at all the concerts you could attend during Japan Expo 22nd Impact!
Some thirty musical artists performed at Japan Expo this year on the Ichigo, Yuzu, Tsubamé, Sakura, Kamo and Sky stages! With so much variety, there was something for everyone, from J-Pop to EDM, rap and many idol groups!
Our musical guest of honor Vicke Blanka was greeted by a frenzied audience! On the Ichigo stage, he made his entrance with Sôten no Vampire, one of the tracks featured on his best-of album SUPERVILLAIN, selected by his fans. After a mix session, he shared his love of French culture and performed his single Ca Va? - which he wrote following a trip to France. And all weekend long you sang along to Black Rover and Black Catcher, the two theme songs he composed for the Black Clover anime!
On Saturday, star YOSHIKI gave a concert on the Yuzu stage. Classic songs, including his latest single Requiem, drum solo and even a song with the boy band XY, a group he produces.
If you'd like to read more about this phenomenal concert, click here!
The idol group Sakurazaka46 gave their first international concert on the Ichigo stage! A total of 17 members of the group turned up for this premiere, performing several tracks from their album As you know? such as Masatsukeisu and BAN, and for the first time live, their latest single Start Over! released just two weeks earlier. The crowd was in raptures as they performed a series of highly choreographed routines. Several members of the band had even taken intensive French lessons so as to be able to address the audience directly.
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You can also go behind the scenes of Sakurazaka46's appearance on the band's YouTube channel!
Mika Kobayashi was back this year to the delight of fans! She performed her original songs Endless Corridor and In the Town of Snow, as well as songs from the game Honkai Impact 3rd and the anime The Promised Neverland, Attack on Titans and Guilty Crown.
Straight from the island of Kyushu, the BATTEN GIRLS shared the atmosphere of their region through their music and their personalities. You cheered them on with Kamehameha as they sang the Dragon Ball Super ending, Yoka Yoka Dance! You also had the opportunity to discover their collaborations with cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality, on the BATTEN GIRLS stand.
The duo BPM15Q fused EDM and the aesthetics of Harajuku and Akihabara, resulting in a style they define as kawaii electro. All weekend long, you could enjoy their mixes and meet them at signing sessions and Meet & Greet!
There was something for everyone, with a wide variety of idol groups in all different styles. The Banzai Japan, each member of which represents a prefecture of Japan, were back with us. The group MUSÉ, whose leader, Juri, had come to Japan Expo in 2014 and 2015 with her former group Orange Port, came to share the beauty of Shizuoka prefecture with the world. Wings of Artemis, whose members represent Greek deities, enchanted you during their live performances. U&Pia charmed you with their dance steps and music combining the best of J-Pop and K-Pop. The idols of *ChocoLate Bomb!! came to blow you away with their choreography and music!
You could discover the artists of our musical springboard:
- Emiko Yamamoto, former member of one of Japan's best-known theater troupes, the Gekidan Shiki, whose music blends the worlds of pop and musical comedy.
- MION was with us after taking part in Japan Expo Centre and Japan Expo Sud. She was on stage to perform covers of anime credits and her own original songs!
- Sera Amagi took you to faraway lands with her ethnic-fantasy music, reminiscent of fantasy J-RPG soundtracks.
- Yukka took to the stage with his guitar and his lilting, catchy voice to share his repertoire of rock songs with you.
On the Ichigo and Sakura stages, you could find many artists linked to traditional Japanese arts. Taiko, Shamisen and other traditional instruments, used alone or mixed with contemporary techniques:
- AKARA, a rock band using traditional Japanese instruments.
- Ai Hisano, J-Rock singer.
- Kaguramusou, metal band using traditional Japanese instruments.
- Kuni-Ken, duo playing rock on the Shamisen.
- Noriko Tadano, Shamisen player.
- Paris Sanshin Club and London Okinawa Sanshinkai, collectives performing traditional Okinawan music and dance.
- Tsunagari Taiko Center, an energetic group of Taiko players.
- WACCHA, offering beatboxing shows with sword choreography.
- Wako Rising SUN, a group of Taiko players (traditional Japanese drums).
- Yu Mashiko, violinist with Taiko accompaniment.
- Yuzu Natsumi, Shamisen player.
Jean-Paul Césari took to the stage to sing the theme songs from the cartoons of our childhood: Sasuga no Sarutobi, Bionic 6, Detective Conan and, of course, City Hunter! On Thursday, the director of Nicky Larson et le Parfum de Cupidon, Philippe Lacheau, joined him on stage to sing the Nicky Larson theme song - a true moment of anthology!
The STARRYSKY band took to the stage to play music from their latest album, TIMESHIFT, “the album you listen to upside down”. On Sunday, they gave a special HoYoverse concert, featuring emblematic music from the studio's games!
Shao Dow awaits you for a pure demonstration of flow. Masterful punchlines and martial arts fused in rap concerts with a unique flow.