The Malaysian state of Penang will be hosting Penang Anime Matsuri 2017 – Summer Wonderland (PAM17) on 1 and 2 July 2017. This is third installment of Penang Anime Matsuri, and the event will be moving to a new venue at Setia Spice Convention Center, Level 2, Arena.

PAM17 is a family-friendly festival (Matsuri) focusing on Anime, Cosplay, Games (ACG) and Japanese pop culture.

Biggest Anisong Dance Party – I love Anisong X AniBeats vol.3

Last year, Penang Anime Matsuri was dubbed the largest outdoor anisong event in South East Asia. Anisong is a genre of J-Pop music which centers on the theme songs from Japanese Animations (anime).

This year, PAM17 will bring the biggest anisong dance party to Malaysia, “I love Anisong X ANiBEATS vol.3”.

This year’s featured artistes are: DJ Kazu, kradness, kz(livetune), May’n, and nano. Fans can expect a full concert experience by rocking it out with live bands and grooving to exciting DJ sets.

Cosplayers and illustrators take the stage

Cosplay is an activity where the participants get to act out their favorite characters from an anime, comics, a game (ACG) or even an original character invented based on their creativity.

Celebrity cosplayers who are guesting at PAM17 are: Angie (Malaysia), Baozi & Hana (China), Shine (Malaysia) and Ying Tze (Malaysia), with more to come! Cosplayers will be conducting a workshop to help amateur cosplayers with their crafts.

Guest illustrator FeiGiap from Malaysia will also be on stage for illustration panels.

There will also be a cosplay competition where local cosplayers can show-off their best-dressed and stand a chance to take home cash prizes.

First ever anime latte-art artist showcase

Popular Japanese latte-art artist, Yuichi Ito will visit PAM17 for the first time! Famous for creating intricate portraits of anime characters on lattes, he has over 59,000 fans on his twitter (@BELCORNO).

Exhibitions and movie screenings

Fans can also watch popular anime moving screenings on the main stage and also shop for their favourite anime merchandise. More than 40 exhibition booths will be at PAM17, including Creators Hub, a fan-made merchandise section, opening entrepreneurship opportunities in the anime industry.

Stage programs will feature workshops, meet-and-greet sessions and anime screenings.

Tickets

Indoor exhibition halls + stage – RM15 per day
Concert + Exhibition + Stage – RM118 per day or RM220 for 2 days

Ticket sale for the concert will be via the official website www.pamsummer.asia. Attendees can also purchase tickets on the event day. Stay updated on the latest event news via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/penanganimematsuri.

About Penang Anime Matsuri

Penang Anime Matsuri is the brainchild of SOZO, the company behind the Anime Festival Asia, and Penang Global Tourism, Penang’s tourism bureau. The festival aims to unite lovers of Japanese pop culture around the South East Asia region. It is supported by Anime Festival Asia, the state of Penang and the Consulate-General of Japan in Penang.

About Penang Global Tourism

Set up to promote, market and generate tourism to Penang state in Malaysia, Penang Global Tourism is a state tourism bureau that works with key tourism players locally and internationally. Also serving as the focal point for the coordination of all tourism activities, PGT as it is affectionately known, works with airlines and Tourism Malaysia offices worldwide in hosting media groups to Penang through FAM or familiarisation trips. PGT participates in overseas sales missions in world-renowned trade shows and the exposure has also contributed to Penang’s popularity as a destination, investment and habitat choices for many from around the world.

On the home front, PGT conceptualised and jointly organises George Town Literary Festival which started in 2011, and supports annual events such as George Town Festival and Penang Island Jazz Festival. Tourism services provided by PGT include various maps distributed for free, a Tourist Information Centre right in town where tourists can walk in to obtain all sorts of information on Penang such as what’s happening around town. Besides that, PGT gathers and monitors data pertaining to tourism, and also provides information leaflets and booklets on Penang. All these efforts undeniably highlight Penang as Asia’s choice destination.

For more info on Penang log on to: mypenang.gov.my

About SOZO

Tapping on Japan’s diverse wealth of entertainment content, SOZO has positioned itself to be the ‘bridge’, connecting Japan to SE Asia – by showcasing quality concerts, engaging retail experiences and creating meaningful online engagement to audiences and businesses across South East Asia.

Established in 2009, SOZO entertainment platforms include Anime Festival Asia, I Love Anisong, J- LIVE ASIA, Japan Music Festival and many more. In 2014, SOZO moved forward with a capital alliance with one of Japan’s largest talent management company Horipro. In 2015, SOZO also formed a capital alliance with Sony Music Entertainment (Japan).