The second day at Anisong World Matsuri at Anime NYC 2018 started off with a bang, as JAM Project members Hironobu Kageyama and Hiroshi Kitadani rushed the stage and opened up with GO!!! (Naruto).
“Hello, New York! We’re super-pumped to be here tonight!” -Hironobu Kageyama
“You can call us ‘Kage-chan’ and ‘DANI’!” -Kageyama & Kitadani
Kitadani stayed onstage and kicked off his set with Revolution (any Kamen Rider Ryuki fans in the house?). After that, we were treated to a trio of gems from One Piece, with We Can!, We Go!, and We Are! He also treated the audience to a solo performance of JAM Project’s Divine Love (Saint Beast).
“Divine Love, …featuring me! …DANI!” -Hiroshi Kitadani
“I recorded this song (We Can!) with KISHIDAN. But tonight, I’ll try the ‘one singer’ version!” -Hiroshi Kitadani
Shoko Nakagawa was next up. She opened with the cheerful Dori Dori (Pokemon X & Y). She followed with the classic happily ever after (Gurren Lagann), then brought us back to the Big Bang! era with pretty please chocolate on top. Nakagawa shifted gears again with her newest single, blue moon (Zoids Wild).
“This is my first time in New York! I’m so happy!” -Shoko Nakagawa
The audience went wild, as she began to sing the first few notes of A Cruel Angel’s Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion). The anime finished it’s initial run in 1996 but, twenty-two years later, the single’s back at #1.
It’s such an iconic song, and a great performance to see live.
Nakagawa closed her set with her classic Sorairo Days (Gurren Lagann). After it finished, Hiroshi Kitadani joined her onstage for a performance of Pegasus Gensou ver. Omega(Saint Seiya Omega). The song was lovely, but the real treat was seeing the two different styles mesh.
At this point, Morning Musume。’18 took over the stage. We were given a glimpse of the group’s music over the course of different eras, as they performed Jiyuu na Kuni Dakara, Are You Happy?, Furari Ginza, One and Only, Renai Revolution (updated), One•Two•Three, and What is LOVE?. Additionally, the choreography was fantastic.
I should note that this was the final overseas performance for sub-leader Haruna Iikubo, as she will soon be graduating from the group.
Kageyama returned to the stage and joined Morning Musume。’18 for a medley of Morning Musume’s Love Machine and Kageyama’s CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA (Dragon Ball Z). That’s the kind of creativity you just can’t find anywhere else.
“I can’t dance!” -Hironobu Kageyama
Dragon Ball Z had more love to give, as Kageyama performed WE GOTTA POWER and Bokutachi wa Tenshidatta. We were in for a surprise, though, as Kageyama picked up an acoustic guitar and invited Shoko Nagakawa to join him onstage.
“We’re going back to my very first anisong, back to 1986. It’s very, very old, but very, very beautiful.” -Hironobu Kageyama
Together, they treated us to a unique performance of Yume Kounen (Uchuusen Sagittarius). Nakagawa’s presence gave the song a greater depth of feeling, and I’d love to see them record a version together (however unlikely that may be). The rendition proved to be a tremendously emotional moment, for both the crowd and the performers.
Kageyama continued with an absolute classic, The Real Folk Blues (Cowboy Bebop), followed by the high-energy HEATS (Getter Robo Armageddon). He finished his set with Saint Shinwa ~Soldier Dream~ (Saint Seiya).
I’ll never understand why that show wasn’t more popular here.
All of the performers returned to the stage. The crowd was quite excited for the final collaboration. They roared, when the first notes of One-Punch Man theme song THE HERO!! ~Ikareru Ken ni Honō o Tsukeru~ rang out. It was a rocking end to a great show.
“I’ll be BACK… in New York!” -Hiroshi Kitadani
Anisong World Matsuri at Anime NYC 2018
Day 2 – 11/17/2018 – Set List
Hironobu Kageyama x Hiroshi Kitadani
1. GO!!! (Naruto)
Hiroshi Kitadani
2. Revolution
3. We Can! (One Piece)
4. Divine Love (Saint Beast)
5. We Go! (One Piece)
6. We Are! (One Piece)
Shoko Nakagawa
7. Dori Dori (Pokemon XY)
8. happily ever after (Gurren Lagann)
9. pretty please chocolate on top
10. blue moon (Zoids Wild)
11. A Cruel Angel’s Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
12. Sorairo Days (Gurren Lagann)
Shoko Nakagawa x Hiroshi Kitadani
13. Pegasus Gensou ver. Omega (Saint Seiya Omega)
Morning Musume。’18
14. Jiyuu na Kuni Dakara
15. Are You Happy?
16. Furari Ginza
17. One and Only
18. Renai Revolution (updated)
19. One•Two•Three
20. What is LOVE?
Morning Musume。’18 x Hironobu Kageyama
21. Medley: Love Machine / CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA (Dragon Ball Z)
Hironobu Kageyama
22. WE GOTTA POWER (Dragon Ball Z)
23. Bokutachi wa Tenshidatta (Dragon Ball Z)
24. Yume Kounen (Uchuusen Sagittarius) – special collaboration with Shoko Nakagawa
25. The Real Folk Blues (Cowboy Bepop)
26. HEATS (Getter Robo Armageddon)
27. Saint Shinwa ~Soldier Dream~ (Saint Seiya)
Hironobu Kageyama, Hiroshi Kitadani, Shoko Nakagawa, Morning Musume。’18
28. THE HERO!! ~Ikareru Ken ni Honō o Tsukeru~ (One Punch Man)
Header Image Credit: Anisong World Matsuri
