Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2025 (#AFASG25) is gearing up for its return from 28 – 30 November 2025 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The organisers, SOZO, have revealed the first wave of artistes who will perform at the I Love Anisong Music Festival — one of the biggest highlights of the annual event.

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Familiar Faces Returning

• SPYAIR – Known for iconic anime themes across BLEACH, Gintama, Haikyuu!!, and Gundam, the band returns with their updated line-up.
• May’n – Celebrating her 20th year as a performing artist, May’n will bring both nostalgia and fresh energy to the stage.
• Wednesday Campanella – Returning with their trademark experimental sound and visually creative performances.

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First-Time Singapore Performances

• asmi – A rising J-pop voice behind multiple anime theme songs, with tracks that went viral across social media.
• HIMEHINA – Virtual idols with a reputation for polished music videos and large-scale online performances.
• Isekaijoucho – A multi-talented creator whose music blends dark, emotional tones with visual storytelling.
• NOMELON NOLEMON – A newer band already attached to anime projects like Rurouni Kenshin and Mobile Suit Gundam.
• Shouta Aoi – Recognised as both a voice actor and singer, bringing versatility and strong live vocals.

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More Than Concerts

AFASG25 remains more than just music. Visitors can explore:
🎮 Akiba Town – Exhibition hall with showcases, games, and exclusive merchandise.
📺 Day Stage – Featuring talk shows, live discussions, and anime-related content.
🤝 Meet & Greet Sessions – Limited opportunities for autographs, Q&A, and photos with special guests.
🎨 Creators Hub – A curated space featuring international and regional fan creators.
👾 Cosplay Hub – Hosting top cosplayers from across Asia, including several debuting in Singapore.

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Ticket Details

• Cat 3 (SGD 158/day) – Entry-level concert seats plus Day Stage & Exhibition access.
• Cat 2 & Cat 1 (SGD 178–198/day) – Closer seating with ballot chances for signed posters.
• 3-Day VIP Cat 1 (SGD 588) – Best available seats, VIP pack, autograph ballot, and priority access.

🎟 Ticket sales begin 20 August 2025, 2 PM (SGT) at Anime Festival Asia’s ticketing page.

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Anime Festival Asia has always been the regional hub for anime, cosplay, and gaming culture — and this year’s line-up suggests another strong mix of returning favourites and first-time acts. For fans of anisong, J-pop, or anyone curious about the crossover of music and gaming culture, AFASG25 looks set to close the year on a high note.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) has made esports history. At this year’s Esports World Cup (EWC 25), the game’s Mid Season Cup (MSC) drew over 3 million peak concurrent viewers, making it the most-watched tournament in EWC history, according to Esports Charts.

Riding this momentum, MOONTON Games has announced details for the upcoming M7 World Championship (M7) — including a new format and slot allocations.

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M7: A Return to Indonesia

The M Series makes its way back to Jakarta, Indonesia in January 2026. Considered the spiritual home of MLBB esports, Indonesia will host the largest M Series to date:

• 22 teams in total
• USD 1 million prize pool
• New Wild Card format — 8 teams compete for 2 Main Stage slots
• Japan’s return to the M Series after a long absence

This change opens opportunities for newer regions while showcasing Indonesia’s role as the heart of MLBB esports.

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Why Indonesia Matters

Indonesia has consistently been MLBB’s strongest market — from packed stadiums during MPL Indonesia to record-breaking viewership numbers. At EWC 25, over 45% of MSC’s hours watched came from Indonesian language broadcasts, proving how central the region is to MLBB’s global success.

Government support is also evident. Indonesia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo, recently highlighted the energy at MPL Indonesia Season 15, where fans filled arenas and outdoor watch zones — comparable to the country’s biggest sports finals.

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Esports Charts on MLBB’s Growth

Esports Charts CEO Artyom Odintsov noted:

“MSC not only set a new record for the EWC series, but was one of the most-watched events in MLBB history. With this in mind, MLBB could be the new face of the EWC.”

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Looking Ahead to M7

For Indonesian teams, M7 carries extra weight. The country last lifted the M Series trophy in 2019, and competing on home ground adds pressure — and pride. For global fans, M7 represents both competition and culture, with Jakarta set to become a stage for MLBB’s worldwide community.

With MLBB now holding the crown as the most-watched title in EWC history, all eyes will be on Jakarta next January.

In a spectacular celebration of anime’s global influence, Solo Leveling has officially been crowned Anime of the Year at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, held in Tokyo. With a record-breaking 51 million votes cast worldwide, fans came together to honor the top creators, performers, and productions that have shaped anime into the pop culture juggernaut it is today.

Singapore fans, part of the ever-growing Southeast Asian anime community, were among the millions who participated in the vote — a testament to anime’s surging popularity across the region.

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Solo Leveling

 Dominates the Night

The Korean webtoon-turned-anime juggernaut Solo Leveling didn’t just win Anime of the Year — it swept the awards with a total of six accolades, including:

• Best New Series
• Best Action
• Best Ending Sequence (“request” by krage)
• Best Main Character (Sung Jinwoo)
• Best Score (Hiroyuki Sawano)
• Best English Voice Artist Performance (Aleks Le)

Sung Jinwoo’s dark, intense journey from weak hunter to world-shaking shadow monarch clearly resonated with fans around the world — especially with those who love high-stakes, beautifully animated power fantasies.

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Attack on Titan

 Honored with First-Ever Global Impact Award

While Solo Leveling won big, Attack on Titan was celebrated for its cultural legacy. The long-running series received the inaugural Global Impact Award, recognizing its monumental contribution to anime history. Director Yuichiro Hayashi of MAPPA accepted the award on behalf of the entire creative team, following the release of Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK, which brought the epic saga to its gripping conclusion in late 2024.

🌟 Star-Studded Celebration in Tokyo

Hosted once again by beloved voice actress Sally Amaki and veteran presenter Jon Kabira, the ceremony at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo was a true fusion of East meets West.

Presenters included an eclectic mix of global celebrities and anime superfans like Kacey Musgraves, Finn Wolfhard, J Balvin, Rina Sawayama, and Chloe Kim — showing just how far anime’s cultural reach has extended beyond Japan.

Fans were also treated to high-energy performances by Creepy Nuts (performing Mashle’s “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”), FLOW (with the nostalgic “DAYS” from Eureka Seven), and LiSA, who brought the house down with a medley that included Demon Slayer’s iconic “Gurenge.”

🎉 Other Major Winners at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards

• Film of the Year – Look Back
• Best Continuing Series – Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc
• Best Drama – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Best Romance – Blue Box
• Best Isekai Anime – Re:Zero Season 3
• Best Comedy – Mashle: The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
• Best Anime Song – “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts (Dan Da Dan)

Frieren and Dan Da Dan also had strong showings, with Frieren taking home awards for Best Drama, Best Background Art, Best Director, and Best Supporting Character (Fern). Meanwhile, Dan Da Dan won for Best Opening Sequence, Best Character Design, and Best Anime Song.

🌍 Anime is Global — and Getting Bigger

Crunchyroll revealed that fans from across the globe cast their votes, with high participation from countries like Brazil, India, Mexico, and the UK. For the first time, Canada and Chile entered the top 10 most engaged regions.

“Anime isn’t just entertainment — it’s identity,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “These works of art are part of our lives, and this year’s 51 million votes prove just how connected global fans are to this medium.”

🎥 Missed the Show?

Fans in Singapore can catch the full Anime Awards show on demand soon via Crunchyroll’s YouTube and Twitch, Sony Pictures Core, and Sony’s global platforms.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a long-time anime fan or new to the genre, the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards showed just how vast and diverse the anime community has become. From powerhouses like Solo Leveling and Attack on Titan to emotional epics like Frieren, anime continues to evolve and resonate on a global scale.

For Singapore-based fans, the message is clear: Anime is no longer a niche — it’s a movement.

Stay tuned to GameTrader.SG for more anime reviews, fan features, and event coverage.

More information on the winners at Crunchyroll