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Love Live! Sunshine's Aqours, Steins;Gate's Kanako Ito to Perform at Anime Expo
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official website for the Anime Expo convention announced on Thursday that Love Live! Sunshine!!'s Aqours group will perform at The Novo venue in downtown Los Angeles on July 5 and 6. The group will perform without Arisa Komiya due to the performer suffering from a hives outbreak.
The group previously performed in last year's Anime Expo in the group's first full-length solo concert in the United States.
The Love Live! Sunshine!! project was first announced in February 2015. The project's three key phrases are "Reader Participation," "Inspired by μ's," and "Seaside Town Setting." Fans chose the group's name Aqours by popular vote.
The first Love Live! Sunshine!! television anime premiered in July 2016. The second season ran from October to December 2017. The Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie Over the Rainbow film opened in Japan on January 4, and has earned more than 1 billion yen (about US$9.03 million) at the box office in Japan as of February 22.
In addition, Funimation announced on Thursday that it will hold the "Steins;Gate Crash" event at Anime Expo's Lounge 21 space within the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will include a concert by Kanako Ito, who performed many of theme songs for the Steins;Gate franchise. The event will also host a presentation by franchise marketing publicist Rintaro Murata, and a karaoke contest judged by Ito. A convention badge is required to attend the event. Funimation is offering a separate priority attendance ticket, that is also available bundled with its upcoming Blu-ray Disc release of the Steins;Gate 0 anime.
This year's Anime Expo will take place from July 4 to July 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will also hold an audition for an English-speaking role in one episode of the upcoming Shikizakura television anime, and it will host actor Ryō Kitamura and manga creator Bisco Hatori.
Sources: Anime Expo, Funimation
