ANIPLEX Shanghai, a subsidiary of Sony Group, recently took part in the Bilibili World 2023 event held in Shanghai, China. The three-day event, which ran from July 21st to 23rd, showcased popular animation IPs from ANIPLEX, including “Ghost Slayer: Blade,” “Lonely Rock!,” “Fate/Grand Order,” and “Sword Art Online.” The ANIPLEX booth also featured various peripheral products, with the new products from “Lonely Rock!” being sold offline for the first time.
At the event, voice actors from “Demon Slayer: Blade” and “Lonely Rock!” engaged in a special talk segment and interacted enthusiastically with the audience on the “Dimensional Stage” of Hall 1.1. Additionally, both anime series were also featured in a special exhibition area of the event. The cosplay performance of Goto Doku, the protagonist of “Lonely Rock!,” grabbed the attention of numerous fans visiting the ANIPLEX booth.
This year marked ANIPLEX and Sony Electronics’ first joint booth at the Bilibili World event. ANIPLEX has been participating in Bilibili World since the establishment of its Shanghai branch, Aniple (Shanghai) Culture and Art Co., Ltd.
Bilibili World is an annual offline carnival event organized by Bilibili, attracting young people who love ACG (animation, comics, games) culture. It saw the participation of over 200 animation, comics, games, and electronic brands, along with more than 600 guests. ANIPLEX, being one of the leading companies in the animation industry, has maintained a long-term cooperative relationship with Bilibili.
Among the highlights of ANIPLEX’s exhibit were “Demon Slayer: Blade” and “Lonely Rock!,” both serving as key exhibits. The voice actors Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro Kamado from “Demon Slayer: Blade”), Yoshino Aoyama (Goto Doku from “Lonely Rock!”), and Mizuno Saku (Ryo Yamada from “Lonely Rock!”) made appearances at the “Dimension Stage” of Hall 1.1H, interacting with fans and sharing insights into the creative process.
The popularity of “Lonely Rock!” was also evident through the cosplay performances at the ANIPLEX booth and the numerous spontaneous cosplays seen during offline activities. ANIPLEX sees “Lonely Rock!” as one of its standout and highly regarded works.
Furthermore, the joint booth of ANIPLEX and Sony Electronics showcased the Sony x “Lonely Rock!” collaboration. Fans had the opportunity to experience Coser performances using the Vlog mirrorless camera ZV-E10 and try out Sony’s advanced electronic products, including the noise-canceling headphones WH-1000X M5 and the comfortable in-ear noise-canceling headphones LinkBuds S. Additionally, a “Sony x Lonely Rock!” joint pop-up store was launched simultaneously at nine Sony directly-operated stores across the country.
Koto Hirayama, the general manager of Aniple (Shanghai) Culture and Art Co., Ltd., expressed his gratitude for participating in the Bilibili World ACG event. He also highlighted Sony’s vision for development in China, which focuses on inspiring inspiration and enthusiasm and creating emotional experiences for dreamers. As a member of the Sony Group, ANIPLEX aims to collaborate with local companies, including Station B, and integrate Sony Electronics, music, film, and game businesses to bring a unique moving experience to creators and fans in the animation industry.