The cultural festival was held on June 25 and 26, presenting various activities to promote pop culture in Panama and local artists, in support of post-pandemic multicultural eventsIn view of the high interest in multicultural events, the Anime Concert Fest Panama was born, as an audiovisual platform that began in 2018 with the aim of providing a unique concert in an orchestral format.His first concept show, called 'Kenshin vs Inuyasha' at the time, was the platform's appetizer, which led to its second edition in 2019 with the same format, but presenting 'Naruto vs.Dragon Ball'."These shows were based on the openings of the aforementioned animes and the musical struggle between their soundtracks," event organizer and producer Jeissa Pitti told La Estrella de Panamá.In 2020, given the restrictions due to the pandemic, the festival migrated to virtuality, presenting its first live show through social networks.However, in 2021 the festival resumed its face-to-face format, providing attendees with activities alluding to the geek community of Panama City, including: cosplay contests, concerts by local bands, craft markets, art exhibitions, video game competitions, youth workshops, among others.Now, its new 2022 edition crystallized, which took place on June 25 and 26 at the Vasco Núñez de Balboa Convention Center of the Hotel el Panamá, and had the participation of more than five local bands and professional cosplayers.Among the bands that were part are: Dinnick the 3rd, Night Walkers, Animedley, Dvrso, and Bang (as an international guest band), among others.“We believe that the festival gives way to a greater coexistence of the entire community that consumes anime, cosplays or plays video games, providing them with a space to enjoy music, buy accessories, eat, play, visit workshops and meet new people”, Pitti commented, "we also empower artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, creators, influencers and more to make themselves known in the community and be part of it in a harmonious way in our country."For Pitti, the main goal was for the Anime Concert Fest to become the "first largest post-pandemic event in all of geek culture" this year, emphasizing the promotion of pop culture and music.In 2018, the festival gathered approximately 550 attendees while in 2021 there were approximately 2,200 people per day.One of the challenges that Pitti emphasized within the organization has been "achieving the human capital to be able to hold a high-profile event", given that mastery of the necessary technology and anime, as well as the configuration of stations for competitions of video games, is scarce in the country."Responsibility, time, commitment, organization, ethics and much more are essential elements that we believe are needed to carry out the festival in the best possible way for artists and attendees," he pointed out.Likewise, another challenge that Pitti indicated has been to unite all parts of the cosplay community, video games, anime, artists, manga, music, comics and many more into "one", as a way to expand their recognition in society and the importance that they support in the recreation of Panamanian youth.In addition to this, music is the basis around which the sphere of Anime Concert Fest revolves.For its essence, Pitti expressed that it is in the memory of "when we were children and we came home after school and the first thing we did when we arrived was turn on the television, listen to the opening of our favorite anime, and watch it when eating " ."We know that many must feel identified with this, and even more so when over time you return to listen to the songs that transport you to that time and the feelings that emerged from those series and anime", Pitti pointed out, "from this feeling Anime Concert tour, with which we focus on bringing people to a warm stage of nostalgia and childhood remembrance that we must preserve, while singing our hearts out all together.”This year's program highlighted: the Cosplay contest -where the participants demonstrated their 360° cosplayer skills, a winner was chosen who will participate in the Kamen Cosplay Cup in July as a Panamanian selected within the Empire Anime (@imperioanime) event. of Costa Rica—, the Shiganshina Market, where more than 40 stores and enterprises participated with exhibitions, sale of articles, art, technology, gaming and others.There was also a space for Virtual Reality thanks to Gaming Park 2.0, tournaments, consoles and Arcades Challengers.For food tastings, the Sakura Maid Café opened, celebrating the culture of classic anime.“We believe that after the pandemic the access and consumption of Japanese has multiplied due to its global presence in mobile applications, films released in international cinemas, and a high production of premium content, so it is the best time for all people who are not familiar with this medium and their community can get involved and recognize it as a central art form in Latin America”, concluded Pitti.C/ Alejandro A. Duque G. - Apartado 0815-00507, Zone 4Cover of the form of June 26, 2022Subscribe to our newsletter Receive daily news directly in your email