Sony taps Crunchyroll to draw anime fans to its entertainment empire
"Anime has over 1 billion fans and is loved worldwide," Sony Group President and CEO Hiroki Totoki said at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 held Sunday. "It has drawn even more fans just in the past year."
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"The Rising of the Shield Hero" First Live Event: Voice Actors and Theme Song Artists Gather!
The anime series "The Rising of the Shield Hero" began its fourth season on July 9, 2025, airing on Crunchyroll, and other channels. Recently, on Sunday, June 15, the series' first live event, "Shield Fest ~The Rising Excitement of Shield Hero: The LIVE of the Shield Hero~," was held at the Sakura Hall in Shibuya Ward's Cultural Center Owada. The event featured voice actors Kaito Ishikawa (Naofumi Iwatani), Asami Seto (Raphtalia), Rina Hidaka (Filo), Natsuko Hara (Rishia), Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Ren Amaki), and Makoto Takahashi (Motoyasu Kitamura). Additionally, theme song performers MADKID and Chiai Fujikawa were in attendance. As this was the anime series' first live event, the voice cast and artists took the audience on a journey through seasons 1-3, reminiscing about key moments through talks and musical performances. The event also featured a dramatic reading of an original story written by the light novel's author, Aneko Yusagi, making it a truly special experience for long-time fans of the series. The event provided a delightful opportunity for supporters who have been following the series to come together and celebrate their beloved show. Through a combination of engaging discussions and captivating musical performances, attendees were able to relive the most memorable aspects of "The Rising of the Shield Hero" in a unique and interactive way. This article presents a report on this event. Additional Animation for Ishikawa's Performance During Recording As the start time approached, Filo appeared in costume, adorably greeting the audience. Before the show began, fans enjoyed taking photos of Filo dancing to the music. With the venue buzzing with excitement, Ishikawa led the cast onto the stage. The opening talk touched on this being the first live event for the series and explained that the show would revisit seasons 1-3 through music and discussion. Seto and Hidaka mentioned they had been talking about doing an event like this on their radio show for a while, and even contributed ideas for the event merchandise sold at the venue. Matsuoka, Takahashi, and Hara were asked to reflect on their experiences. They revealed that the Four Cardinal Heroes cast had done a live broadcast before, but this was their first time meeting fans face-to-face. With Ishikawa hyping up the crowd even more, the musical performances began. MADKID performed "RISE" and "FAITH," the opening themes from the first and second cours of Season 1, respectively. Chiai Fujikawa sang "Kimi no Namae" (Your Name), which served as the ending theme for the first cour and episode 25, as well as "Atashi ga Tonari ni Iru Uchi ni" (While I'm By Your Side), the ending theme for the second cour. After the live performance segment, the voice actors reappeared on stage. The members of MADKID, who had just finished singing, shared their thoughts. They commented that both "RISE" and "FAITH" feature upbeat melodies and sharp dance performances that really get the audience excited. The members expressed their joy at seeing fans singing along and cheering them on. Each member was then asked by Ishikawa to share their favorite scene from Season 1, which they discussed in detail. The talk segment continued with a look back at memorable scenes from Season 1, based on a survey conducted with the cast members. Seto, who went first, chose a scene from Episode 8, "The Curse Shield," where Raphtalia embraces Naofumi and brings him back to his senses. Seto noted that this scene left a strong impression, showing Raphtalia's devotion and marking the moment when Naofumi, who had become distrustful of people, finally looked Raphtalia in the eye. It felt like they had become each other's safe haven. Hidaka selected a scene from Episode 17, "A Promise Made," featuring Filo's one-on-one battle with Fitoria. She explained that she liked seeing Filo, who is usually cute and comforting, working hard to become stronger for her companions. Hidaka also mentioned enjoying Filo's frustrated expression and her dislike of the ahoge (cowlick) that appeared after gaining the right of succession. Lastly, Ishikawa chose a scene from Episode 21, "Naofumi's Triumphant Return." This iconic moment features the brilliant voice acting of Bridcutt Sarah Emi as Malty S Melromarc, and the scene where Naofumi interrupts just before Malty and Aultcray Melromarc XXXII are about to be beheaded. Naofumi then renames Malty as "Bitch" and Aultcray as "Trash." Ishikawa shared a behind-the-scenes story about this scene. During a pre-recording test, he delivered the line "It's Bitch!" in a more casual tone. The staff liked it and asked him to keep that style, which led to additional animation being added for the final broadcast. Myne's Overwhelming Presence Leaves Matsuoka Speechless After concluding the Season 1 segment, the event transitioned back to the live performance section. This time, they revisited Seasons 2 and 3. MADKID performed "Bring Back" and "SIN," while Fujikawa sang "Yuzurenai" and "Suki ni Natte wa Ikenai Riyuu." Following the performances, Fujikawa shared her thoughts on the live event. During her comments, Fujikawa expressed her deep love for music, dogs, and Filo. It was also revealed that Seto and Hidaka had attended Fujikawa's live performances after she appeared as a guest on their radio show. Hidaka, in particular, was so enthusiastic that he even attended concerts alone, passionately praising the appeal of Fujikawa's songs. When discussing singing the show's songs in front of fans for the first time since the Season 1 screening event, Fujikawa shared how comforting and reassuring the audience's warm applause was. The talk segment highlighted memorable scenes from Seasons 2 and 3. Hara chose Rishia's confrontation with Kyo=Ethnina from Season 2, Episode 6, "Pursuit." He noted how Rishia's journey with Naofumi and the others had strengthened her, allowing her to perceive Kyo's weaknesses. Matsuoka selected the scene from Season 3, Episode 6, "The Direction of Strength," where Ren falls into darkness after being deceived by Myne. Matsuoka expressed sympathy for Ren and pondered how many lives Myne had ruined. Takahashi chose the scene from Season 3, Episode 4, "Spear Hero Capture Operation," where Motoyasu finds guidance through Filo's song. Before screening this scene, the voice actors were given light sticks to cheer along with the audience. The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic, with "Filo!" chants echoing throughout the venue. Takahashi described this scene as a new beginning, suggesting that everything up to this point was merely a prologue. It leaves fans wondering about Motoyasu's future role. Matsuoka added that he had watched this scene in real-time at home and found it moving and inspiring. After the talk segment concluded, a dramatic reading featuring all six cast members' characters was presented. This reading was based on an original story outline written by the series' creator, Aneko Yusagi. The story was set in a timeline just before the Bow Hero, Itsuki Kawasumi, joined the group towards the end of Season 3. The reading showcased a slice of everyday life, both comical and peaceful. In one scene, Motoyasu chased after Filo, only to be kicked into the stars. Another highlighted Naofumi's culinary skills as he prepared a stew using a rare ingredient called Golden Usapil, which he had acquired by chance. Just when it seemed the event was coming to a close, an encore began. MADKID performed "Resolution" and Chiai Fujikawa sang "Eien ni Ikkai no" - the opening and ending themes for the upcoming Season 4, set to air in July. The audience's excitement reached its peak! Amidst this enthusiasm, the voice actors returned to the stage to reveal the latest information about the series. This included a preview video featuring Fujikawa's newly performed song, the latest key visual, broadcast details, and information about the anime "Isekai Quartet" Season 3, in which characters from "The Rising of the Shield Hero" also appear. To conclude the event, Kaito Ishikawa, speaking on behalf of the cast, expressed gratitude to the fans. He hinted at new bonds and storylines with fresh characters in the upcoming Season 4, building anticipation for what lies ahead in the series. The event wrapped up with a commemorative photo session, including Filo who had greeted fans before the show. In a surprise twist, a cake was brought out to celebrate the birthdays of Asami Hidaka and YOU-TA, MADKID's leader, which coincided with the event date. The entire venue joined in the celebration. About the Anime Synopsis As the Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, prepares for the impending battle against the soon-to-be-revived "Phoenix" of the Four Guardian Beasts, he confronts and reconciles with the other three Cardinal Heroes, aiming to unite their powers despite their previous conflicts. However, Raphtalia is mistakenly perceived as having intentions to inherit the throne, leading to assassination attempts by agents from the nation of Q'ten Lo. To resolve this misunderstanding, Naofumi decides to visit Siltvelt, the demi-human country that maintains the only active ferry service to Q'ten Lo. While warmly welcomed by the demi-humans who revere the Shield Hero, Naofumi's group discovers that Siltvelt is not entirely unified, with some factions opposing their presence. Meanwhile, Q'ten Lo faces its own political instability, with Raphtalia being unwittingly elevated as a symbol of revolution. Amidst this complex and turbulent situation, can Naofumi become the guiding light for his companions? Cast Naofumi Iwatani: Kaito Ishikawa Raphtalia: Asami Seto Filo: Rina Hidaka Fohl: Kouhei Amasaki Atla: Konomi Kohara Sadeena: Ami Koshimizu Ren Amaki: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka Itsuki Kawasumi: Yoshio Yamaya Motoyasu Kitamura: Makoto Takahashi Melty: Maaya Uchida Lecia: Natsuko Hara Éclair: Ruriko Aoki Sein: Maria Naganawa Mirellia: Kikuko Inoue Aultcray: Yutaka Nakano Welner: Takeo Otsuka Jaralis: Jiro Saito (C)AnekoYusagi_Seira Minami/KADOKAWA/Shield Hero S4 Project ※Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
