Otaku, get ready! Anime Friends 2025 has already been scheduled and promises to be historic. From July 3 to 6, the Anhembi District will host the 21st edition of the largest Asian pop culture festival in Latin America, and tickets are already on sale!
This time, the event will feature six stages, various themed areas and international and national attractions. So, if you’re a fan of anime and manga, check out everything that’s going to happen there.
Anime Friends returns to São Paulo with big news
In 2024, Anime Friends broke its attendance record, bringing together 140,000 visitors over four days. The edition featured more than 50 attractions, including famous bands, interactive panels, themed areas, anime screenings and cosplay contests.
Now, in 2025, the event promises to exceed all expectations with exciting new features for fans. That’s because the organizers have already announced some of the international attractions that will be present at this edition.
For example, the Japanese quartet Scandal, famous for their songs in anime such as Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Pokémon, will be returning to Brazil for a special concert.
For tokusatsu fans, the iconic Takumi Tsutsui and Takumi Hashimoto, who played Ninja Jiraiya and Manabu in the classic 80s series, are also confirmed.
In addition, the legendary Visual Kei and J-Rock quintet Nightmare will be making their debut in Brazil. The band is known for hits such as The World and Alumina from the anime Death Note, as well as Raison d’être from Claymore.
Another big announcement was the K-pop group Big Ocean, made up of hearing-impaired idols, who have been winning over fans with their messages of inclusion through music.
What’s new in the event structure
Anime Friends 2025 will bring significant changes to the structure of the event. For example, the Tamashii Stage will debut this year with activities such as gymkhanas, karaoke and concerts by national bands.
The AF Festival will become the main stage, expanding the audience’s experience with special performances and presentations.
According to Juliano Aniteli, CEO of Anime Friends, the 2025 edition will be historic:
With each edition, Anime Friends consolidates its position as the largest and most anticipated gathering of Asian pop culture in Latin America. With the arrival of the Omelete group, this will be the biggest edition ever and a real milestone for the event.”
