TOKYO ANIME NEXT, a curtain-raising event ahead of a major new anime awards ceremony planned for 2027, ran for four days from October 30 to November 2 in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district. The programme included film screenings, talk shows, creator-focused sessions, and children’s workshops — all designed to celebrate the appeal and history of Japanese animation from multiple angles.
This report covers the main event held on the final day, November 2, at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia HALL, which brought together an anime-packed talk stage, a full-orchestra live performance, and the landmark announcement of the Nippon Anime Awards.
Itakura, Nakagawa Shoko, and Amagi Sally on “The Anime That Changed My Life”
The first segment featured comedian Itakura Toshiyuki (Impulse), Nakagawa Shoko, and Amagi Sally (22/7) sharing personal stories about the anime and songs that shaped them.
Nakagawa spoke passionately about encountering Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon as a child, saying the first anime you fall in love with “doesn’t just change your life — it supports it.” Itakura recalled being glued to the television with his two brothers watching Hokuto no Ken. Amagi, who grew up in the United States, revealed that discovering Gintama in middle school was a turning point: during a period when she struggled to fit in at school, looking forward to the show motivated her to keep attending.
The conversation turned to memorable anime songs. Itakura picked “Get Wild” by TM NETWORK — the ending theme of City Hunter — recounting how he used a cassette recorder to tape it off the television and had to ask his family to stay quiet so the recording would come out clean. Nakagawa cited the opening theme of Akuma-kun as one of the songs that ignited her love of anime music, describing 1980s anime songs as something she could “listen to hundreds of times and still want more,” calling them “a time machine and a jewellery box.”
Amagi shared that at an anime convention karaoke contest in America, most contestants sang Nakagawa’s signature song “Sorairo Days” — entirely in Japanese — demonstrating the song’s international reach. She also confessed that she sang the same song at her 22/7 audition, visibly moving Nakagawa. The trio closed the segment by expressing excitement for hearing beloved anime songs performed by a full orchestra.
Orchestra Premium Stage: Three Iconic Anime, One Philharmonic
The second half featured the Orchestra Premium Stage performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kurita Hirofumi with orchestral arrangements by Miyake Kazunori. The programme brought together iconic scenes and music from Kimetsu no Yaiba, Shingeki no Kyojin, and Meitantei Conan on a theatrical scale.
Landmark scenes from each series played on a large screen while the full orchestra provided a rich, nuanced accompaniment — sharp and tense during action sequences, deeply emotional during character-driven moments — offering even seasoned fans a fresh way to experience these stories.
- Kimetsu no Yaiba — Nakagawa Nami performed “Kamado Tanjiro no Uta.”
- Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season Part 2 — Higuchi Ai delivered the ending theme “Akuma no Ko,” her performance perfectly matched to the series’ epic scale.
- Meitantei Conan — Kuraki Mai, a longtime musical collaborator of the Conan franchise, gave a heartfelt rendition of “Secret of my heart.”
The fusion of anime visuals, full-orchestra sound, and live vocals drew thunderous applause and underscored how inseparable music has been from the greatness of Japanese animation.
Nippon Anime Awards Officially Announced
Toward the end of the event, Ishikawa Kazuko, Director General of the Association of Japanese Animations (一般社団法人 日本動画協会), took the stage to announce the launch of the Nippon Anime Awards (日本アニメアワード). Built around the concept “Move a single frame. Move a heart. Move the world,” the awards will mark a new milestone for the industry.
The announcement of the name was met with a wave of applause. It was also revealed that the inaugural ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2027, at SGC HALL ARIAKE in Tokyo’s Ariake district.
Ishikawa expressed her vision: “We want to expand the appeal and possibilities of anime further out into the world, and we hope to build that future together with all of you.” The announcement raised expectations for a new era in which Japanese anime culture is celebrated and shared on a truly global stage.
Nippon Anime Awards — Event Details
- Date: Sunday, November 21, 2027
- Venue: SGC HALL ARIAKE, Ariake, Tokyo
- Organiser: Association of Japanese Animations (一般社団法人 日本動画協会)
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