Latest news with #Hibana
Pink Villa
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9: Arthur Ventures Into The Nether—Recap, Release Date, Where To Stream And More
In ' Holy Mother of Darkness,' Hibana confronts Sister Sumire about the Spontaneous Human Combustion at St. Raffles. Sumire confesses she fed Adolla bugs to the sisters for doppelganger experiments. Hibana learns doppelgangers are Adolla versions of individuals, and combustion occurs when they merge. Sumire reveals the Great Cataclysm aims to merge Adolla with the real world. During battle, Sumire's Adolla Link with Amaterasu lets Hibana's group escape. Sumire is revealed as the seventh Pillar. Meanwhile, Arthur misunderstands Vulcan's clue and heads to the Nether. Expected plot in Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9 Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9 will follow Arthur Boyle's mistaken journey into the Nether, where he believes he'll find metal to forge a new Excalibur. While exploring the underground, Arthur will likely encounter mysterious figures. The episode may introduce new characters tied to Arthur's past, offering insight into his development. Elsewhere, Shinra Kusakabe might form an Adolla Link with a familiar person, pushing the story toward its next confrontation. Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9: Release date and where to stream According to the anime's official website, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9 is titled 'Holy Sword, Resurrected' and will be released on May 31, 2025, at 1:53 am JST. Due to time zone differences, many international viewers will be able to watch it on May 30. In Japan, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 9 will air on networks such as MBS, TBS, CBC, BS-TBS, and NBC and will also stream on Netflix. Outside of Japan and select Asian regions, the episode will be available on Crunchyroll with a subscription. For more updates from the third season of the Fire Force anime, keep up with Pinkvilla.
AsiaOne
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Ado concert review: Singer without a face ignites fans while in cage with only silhouette visible, Entertainment News
Intimacy is one of the key allures of a concert, where you're just metres away from your favourite artiste — you would be forgiven for thinking you had a personal connection with them, even if just for a moment. But could you experience that intimacy if she appears in a cage on stage, obscured, with only her silhouette visible? Ado's Crunchyroll-powered Hibana world tour concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Wednesday (May 21) proved you certainly could, and perhaps far more than a casual listener might expect. Kicking off the show with her debut single Ussewa (2020), Ado ignited the crowd with her iconic, powerful vocals packed with raw emotions. In the confines of her cage, her silhouette danced, tumbled and thrashed, making the most of the small space she had. But the visuals were far from lacklustre — the laser lightshow more than made up for it, with beams of light spinning and overlapping, reminiscent of a rave. On the ground, the audience reciprocated with that same energy, waving their lightsticks and moving to the beat as the beams brushed over them. Ado's cage — purely physical — could do nothing to restrict the auditory delight that is her signature raspy-yet-tuneful screams as she belted out hit after hit. Each stood in stark contrast to the mellowed whispers that interspersed her songs, causing the audience to erupt in passionate cheers. Ado sang fan-favourite from One Piece Film: Red such as Fleeting Lullaby (2022) and Spy X Family season two's Kura Kura (2023), also powering through newer songs like Rockstar (2025) and Elf (2025). An impactful rendition of Sia's Chandelier (2014) was also delivered in the encore, which she closed with the rousing and hopeful New Genesis (2022) from One Piece Film: Red. 'Beyond language, beyond borders' During her encore, Ado also thanked fans present for their support. "These days, so many people know who I am... across oceans, around the world," she began. "No matter how much I think about it, it still feels surreal. I don't quite feel like myself, because at the beginning, I was completely alone." Recalling her past, Ado revealed that she used to sing alone in her closet at home, the only light in her room from her computer screen. "I sang and sang every single day," she reminisced, laughing as she shared how her mum used to yell at her to "turn it down" because she was too loud. There were people who criticised her voice or the way she sang, days when she felt very much alone and days where she felt like giving up on her dream of being a singer, Ado said. "Now, look at this," she said, her silhouette gesturing at the audience before her. "So many of you are right here in front of me. There are people all over the world who say they love my music. "I still can't believe it. This view feels like a dream, and I'm just... truly, deeply happy." Ado also wondered if there were people in the audience who were feeling the loneliness that she felt before. She empathised: "It's okay to be alone. It's okay to dream. Loneliness isn't something to be ashamed of. Even if you have insecurities, even if you feel like you're all alone — You're still allowed to dream. "No matter how lonely you are, you can still sing. That's the message I want to share — beyond language, beyond borders — with the world." Perhaps that's the secret behind Ado's popularity despite the impersonality of never showing her face — she isn't just a mysterious singer or an artiste to her fans, but more of a concept. In that concept is a silhouette — an outline which fans can fit themselves within, for them to find catharsis among other likeminded individuals and keep their own dreams alive. [[nid:716529]] bingchenghu@ khooyihang@
Pink Villa
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Fire Force Season 3 Episode 8: Sumire's True Allegiance Revealed—Recap, Release Date, Where To Stream And More
In 'Sleeping Truth,' Benimaru Shinmon arrives at Fuchu Prison, ordering Company 8 to grab the Matoi. Joker burns the Infernal Bugs on Akitaru Obi's body, rescuing him. Obi carries the exhausted Shinra, and Benimaru uses his flames to repel the White-Clad while retreating to Asakusa. Haumea declares the start of the Great Cataclysm. Meanwhile, Company 8 is excommunicated and blamed for Captain Burns's death. At St. Raffles' ruins, Hibana discovers a hidden room and concludes the convent was used to feed Infernal bugs to orphans. Fire Force Season 3 Episode 8 will continue Hibana's investigation into the ruins of St. Raffles Convent. Sister Sumire will confront Hibana, Karim, and Huo Yan, revealing her involvement in the mass spontaneous combustion incident at the convent. The episode will likely cover Chapter 200 of the manga, revealing Sumire's deep ties to the White-Clad and her role in orchestrating events involving doppelgangers and Infernals. Hibana and her allies will demand answers from Sumire regarding the experiments at the orphanage as well. As stated on the official website, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 8 will be titled 'Holy Mother of Darkness' and will air in Japan on May 24, 2025, at 1:53 am JST. Due to time zone differences, international viewers may be able to watch it as early as May 23. In Japan, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 8 will be broadcast on TBS and MBS and also available for streaming on Netflix. Outside of select Asian regions, international fans can stream the episode on Crunchyroll, provided they have an active subscription to access the platform's content. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on the third season of the Fire Force anime.
CNA
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Ado concert in Singapore: The mysterious Japanese singer shows off powerhouse vocals in one-of-a-kind experience
How hyped can you be from watching someone perform in a box? That was the question I had ahead of Japanese singer Ado's inaugural Singapore concert – titled Hibana – on Wednesday night (May 21). In the five years since the 22-year-old made her official debut, Ado has become one of the biggest Japanese music acts the world has heard. That's right: Heard. Because, ladies and gentlemen, despite a bevy of platinum-selling records and sold-out concerts worldwide to her name, no one has actually seen what Ado looks like. But it's not like fans are listening to a Spotify recording during her shows. Ado is indeed performing live on stage during her concerts, with choreography to boot. What sets her apart from other artistes is that she's usually belting out her hits in a box that lets only her silhouette be visible to audiences. In a past interview with British publication The Guardian, Ado explained her decision to conceal her identity, citing a desire for fans to focus on her artistry. 'When I perform live, it's about what can be expressed purely through the songs, the lighting and my silhouette…I hope audiences overseas can enjoy this new kind of culture.' Which brings us to Wednesday's concert. As a casual listener of Ado (who thinks her cover of Unravel is one of the best aural experiences in modern history), I already knew that she would slay in the vocals department. And I was right. Fan favourite songs like Usseewa, New Genesis and Kura Kura showed off her masterful range and impactful voice. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was just how fun and visually stimulating Ado's concert would be. Sure, she's performing in a box, but having witnessed it for myself firsthand, I can safely say now that the set-up augments the experience, rather than taking away from it. For 75 minutes straight, Ado sang, serenaded and screamed her heart out – barely pausing between songs. The giant LED screen behind her served as a carousel of punchy graphics which, coupled with the dazzling laser display, made me feel like I was in an anime music video. It was truly unlike any other concert experience I had. Another aspect of Ado's concert that deserves praise is her fans. In recent days, much has been said about how 'dead' Singaporean audiences can be at concerts. Well, that wasn't the case on Wednesday night. Thanks to the show's no-phone policy, everyone was in the moment, and the cheers were significantly louder than your average Singapore concert. Deafening screams of 'Ado' amidst a sea of lightsticks moving in surprising synchronisation only served to amplify the electric atmosphere.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Concert review: Mysterious J-pop star Ado anchors sold-out Singapore show with stunning voice
The mysterious J-pop singer Ado performed while obscured in a box onstage for her sold-out show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, on May 21. PHOTO: TOMOKAZU TAZAWA/VANISHOCK Ado World Tour 2025 Hibana Singapore Indoor Stadium May 21 A girl in a box, with a stunning voice. That is, in essence, the short version of what went down at J-pop singer Ado's first concert in Singapore. The long version is that the mysterious 22-year-old star's sold-out gig at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 21 was one of the most unique shows this reviewer has seen. Aside from her age and gender, little is known about Ado. Despite being one of the biggest Japanese music artistes of the moment - she is the first female soloist to play Japan's National Stadium with two sold-out shows in 2024 that saw over 140,000 attendees - she has never revealed her face. Only her silhouette is seen when she performs live, while obscured within a translucent cube. It was also how she appeared at her Singapore show, which was sponsored by anime-centric streamer Crunchyroll. And while she may be physically constricted, her voice knows no bounds. Ado kicked off the two-hour show with her debut number Usseewa (2020), an angst-ridden teenage rant against what is deemed to be 'proper' adult behaviour and 'social mores', which served as a jaw-dropping display of her vocals. While she is a J-pop idol, her style of singing more closely resembles heavy metal rockers, and she punctuated Usseewa with explosive shrieks and angry screams. Her vocals were excellent throughout - working as an instrument and performer on its own merit. She switched between whispers and clean high notes effortlessly and with control, taking only a few brief breaks between songs. Her voice conveyed the emotions of her repertoire well too, desperate and crazed on songs like Aishite Aishite Aishite (2023), and rousing and anthemic on the banger Rockstar (2025). She also covered the hit song Chandelier (2014), no doubt a way of paying respect to Australian singer-songwriter Sia, who was also known for obscuring her face. And although only an outline of her could be seen, Ado was a very active performer, flipping her high ponytail around, dancing and belting her heart out. Props must also be given to the set design. With its star literally trapped in a cage, the show relied heavily on its lighting, which framed the stage, and digital screen visuals to create immersive scenes for the audience. The National Stadium next door might have played host to a dance party that was the third night of American pop star Lady Gaga's Mayhem concerts, but Ado brought a rave to her equally adoring fans. With laser beams and rotating lights, her show alternated between what felt like immersive video game scenes and psychedelic dreamscapes. It was disorienting - in a good way. Towards the finale, Ado lamented that she had yet to see the Merlion or swim in the infinity pool atop Marina Bay Sands, drawing some laughs from the crowd. She then launched into an earnest speech about how glad she was to stand onstage in front of overseas audiences, when she used to be just a little girl singing so loudly in her closet that she annoyed her mother. Her final song was one of her most famous hits and an anime favourite. New Genesis is the theme song for the anime movie One Piece Film: Red (2022), and the first Japanese song to top the Global 100 playlist on Apple Music. Ado has come a long way since singing alone in her room, proving that her powerful hard rock and metal-inspired vocal stylings can win over legions of young pop music fans. While she may not be to everyone's tastes, one cannot deny the impressive voice, technique and stage presence she possesses. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
