Riyadh’s Anime Town showcases compelling Japanese pop culture

RIYADH: The Japan zone at Boulevard World here has the largest Anime Town of its kind in the world, offering 40 activities including adaptations of shows such as “Demon Slayer” and “Attack on Titan.”

Statues of famous anime figures can be found in the alleyways, allowing visitors to recall their favorite childhood shows.

There are several stores selling traditional Japanese products in the Asakusa area, where visitors can purchase sculptures from famous artists.

In AnimeVerse Street, visitors can watch live shows at Shibuya Crossing which offers the experience of living in the streets of Tokyo amid the crowds and the sounds of Japanese songs. And they can watch live performances by a Taiko band and graffiti artist Taki.

In the Matsuri Marine area, there is the famous Tokyo Tower and the Tori gate, and roaming Kamui performances.

Samurai artist Tetsuro Shimaguchi spoke to Arab News after the show. “Kamui is a very old Japanese language. Kengishu kamui (samurai sword artist) is our original word, and we actually started our activities with this original word by mixing martial arts with performing art.”

“Our show includes flashy performances, but the most important thing is that we firmly inherit the past and pass it on to the future and express such samurai spirit even today.”

The artist rose to fame after acting in “Kill Bill” and choreographing the movie’s martial arts scenes, after which he began touring the world to showcase his work.

“Saudi Arabia’s people love Japanese culture including both pop culture and traditional culture, and we performers are happy about it, and Japan itself is paying a lot of attention to Saudi Arabia. So, I hope we can continue good cultural exchanges,” he said.

Boulevard World is one of the 15 entertainment zones of Riyadh Season. Open until Jan. 22, it showcases several world cultures, including from Morocco, China, Italy, France, India, Spain, the US, Japan, Greece and Mexico.