Yesterday the 24th of July 2010, SM City North EDSA Annex’s Cyberzone Activity Center played host to the Grand Finals of the 2010 J-Pop Anime Singing Contest. The contest was organized by the Japan Information and Culture Center of the Embassy of Japan, in cooperation with The Japan Foundation. Eight finalists from Luzon, one from Visayas, and one from Mindanao went all out to win this year’s top prize.
Ten bands and song and dance groups took to the stage to impress judges from The Japan Embassy, The Japan Foundation, Toei Animation Philippines, Hero TV, and many others. The competition kicked off at 1PM on the dot, and featured the following performances (in order): Saigo no Tsuchi, Morning Star, A.J.A., XOR, Anibeat Rocks!, The 4th Edition Family Band, Himitsu, Seigen no Ihan, Nandarou Etto, and Project M.
Our three favorite performances for the day came from Davao leg winner Morning Star — who also represented Mindanao in the previous year’s competition. When comparing last year’s and this year’s performances, you can tell that the band has matured technically and personally. Their musicality has improved and their confidence levels are through the roof. A.J.A on the other hand give a polished and spirited performance, with practice-perfect choreography and confident singing.
The entire show was stolen though by betting pool front-runners Himitsu, with powerful vocals by lead singer Jhona ringing clear and through across the length and breadth of Cyberzone. Himitsu — also known as Himitsu Heiki, fielded an altered line-up instead of their original six members, but the changes did not seem to negatively affect the group as they gave one of their best performances to date.
There were plenty of goodies to go around as groups from seventh place onwards went home with prizes. Seventh Place The 4th Edition Family Band took home dining vouchers from The Heritage Hotel. Sixth Place Morning Star were awarded Sony Walkman units. Fifth Place AJA went home with Sony IC Voice Recorders. Fourth Place Project M received Toshiba DVD Players. Third Place XOR took home the much sought-after Sony PSPs. Second Place Anibeat Rocks! were the new owners of Canon Digital P&S Cameras.
But the big winner of the afternoon was Himitsu, who swept all the major prizes and took home First Place, the Toei’s Choice Award, and the Hero’s Choice Award. The band walked away with Panasonic Mini Component Systems, a scholarship at The Nihongo Center Foundation, a scholarship at The Center for Pop Music, and a certificate from The Japan Embassy. Congratulations to Jhona, Dawn, Julius, Kenneth, and Pedro!
The 2010 J-Pop Anime Singing Contest has also been brought to us by TOEI Philippines, Nihongo Center Foundation, Center for Pop Music, Yoshinoya, Animation International Licensing Philippines, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc., Ajinomoto, Canon, Heritage Hotel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and Yakult. HERO TV and MAX FM 103.5 are on board as media partners.
Thank you very much to the JICC and the Japan Foundation for the invitation.
JPOP Manila 
Congratulations to all the winners! 🙂
Himitsu, you rock! 😀
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congratulations to all the participants and to the organizers! 😀
Himitsu – First place, Toei’s favorite and Hero’s Choice!
Anibeat Rocks! -Second place
and
XOR (from Cebu) – Third place
^_^
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WOW!! Himitsu really brought down the house! They must’ve fried a speaker with that kind of a performance. ^^ Well deserved win–and I’m doubly happy because my acquaintances in Anibeat romped off with the silver! Great event, Miss Rochelle!
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hi monique! all the credit goes to the JICC team, so congratulations to them!
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Hi Dawn here! First of all I would like to thank the following, JICC team, Japan Embassy, Japan Foundation, Nihongo Center Foundation, Hero Tv, Toei Animation, and the other sponsors as well!
The event is really fun, it was well organized and complete. The organizers were enjoying themselves at the same time they accommodated the bands with such enthusiasm. The sound system and technicians were great, that event should be the benchmark for other similar upcoming events. Sponsors were so generous (bag full of toys, mags, stuff to eat, what else would you ask for? right?) when was the last time that the bands went home holding looty bags and another bag of newly made friends?
speaking of, The bands were so competitive, they really gave their best even during the early sound check!
I met some bands backstage and they were so kind and friendly. For me, It is the event of the year!
Thanks to Sig who was super kind to all the bands from the submission up to the end of the event.
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congratulations again, dawn and good luck with your future gigs! 😀
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Overall ang galing lahat ng groups. Gusto ko yung 4th Edition sana bumalik sila, rare kasi na makakita ng band na kasama ang parents. Yung mga groups na hindi nakapasok sa top 3, sumali ulit sila next year. Dapat try and try lang, para mas lalong ma improve yung skills. Plus baka next year mas maganda pa lalo yung premyo. Sana sa susunod, mas madaming sponsors para madagdagan yung mga kasali sa finals, maganda kasi kung at least 2 form Visayas and 2 from Mindanao ang kukunin then 8 pa din sa manila.
Sa Himitsu naman, mga mandirigma kayo. Singing contest ang sinalihan ninyo hindi Tokyo Dome concert. Para na kayong nag concert sa SM sa performance nyo. Astig! Hahaha!
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Super galing talaga ng Himitsu! Na meet and greet ko finally si ate Jhona my idol.. dream come true! hahah..
ate Jhona I worship you.. hahah..
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@papee yeah, same here — i’d like to see more contestants from vismin 😀
@machii congratulations for bagging second place! 🙂
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May sinabi ba yung Hero TV kung ipapalabas nila itong event?
Baka kasi ma miss out ko. 😦
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i’m not sure if HERO will be showing the entire event. they only sent a mobile news crew so probably they will be only airing a few minutes.
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We couldn’t thank you enough, Ms. Rochelle, for the continued support you have extended us in promoting this event. Thank you to all the groups who performed with much enthusiasm and energy. You all deserve to be in the top ten!
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than you also to the you and the rest of the JICC for the hard word sig, and see you again next year!
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Overall ang galing lahat ng groups. Gusto ko yung 4th Edition sana bumalik sila, rare kasi na makakita ng band na kasama ang parents. Yung mga groups na hindi nakapasok sa top 3, sumali ulit sila next year. Dapat try and try lang, para mas lalong ma improve yung skills. Plus baka next year mas maganda pa lalo yung premyo. Sana sa susunod, mas madaming sponsors para madagdagan yung mga kasali sa finals, maganda kasi kung at least 2 form Visayas and 2 from Mindanao ang kukunin then 8 pa din sa manila.
Sa Himitsu naman, mga mandirigma kayo. Singing contest ang sinalihan ninyo hindi Tokyo Dome concert. Para na kayong nag concert sa SM sa performance nyo. Astig! Hahaha!
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@ papee : thank you for appreciating what we just did. I’m happy to hear that.
Tochi from 4th edition band
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this event totally rocked! i had so much fun. i was really impressed by all of the bands…i was totally shocked by their talent…himitsu really deserved to win. =D they did an amazing job. ang wish ko lang sana ay marealize din ang galing ng mga jpop bands dito sa pinas…kakaaliw ang dad sa 4th edition band. =D haha…i really liked it when the no plan band started singing golden time lover. =P
sana next yr, mas maraming mga booths that would be included…the toei demonstrations were fun.
btw, does anyone know the name of the two hosts? i was really impressed by them. they really knew their japanese and anime stuff. hehe.
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watch out for the 2011 J-pop Anime Singing Contest announcement coming soon. 🙂
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looking forward to that, sig! 😀
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Thanks, Ms. Rochelle!
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There will be some changes in the mechanics but I think that a lot of interested participants would find it favorable. 🙂
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Hi again, Ms. Rochelle. Although a bit late, the announcement for this year’s Singing Contest is out. Kindly check the Embassy of Japan’s website. 🙂
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thanks for the heads-up, sig 🙂hi sig — i’ve been to the website, and there appears to be no new posts about the upcoming contest. care to provide a link? thanks!
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