Interest
Kyoto Animation Draws Minori Chihara for Her 20th Anniversary Concert
posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Twenty years ago on April 1, the world was graced with one of the more interesting martial arts series: Tenjo Tenge. Voicing the heroine was none other than a debuting Minori Chihara. Today, she is likely more fondly remembered for playing the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise's Yuki Nagato or Sound! Euphonium's Kaori Nakaseko. Chihara is now celebrating her 20th anniversary as a voice actor and singer with a two-day concert. And in a surprise to her fans, one of the concert's key visuals was made by an animation studio with which she has deep ties, Kyoto Animation.
Chihara revealed the collaboration key visual for her concert on her X (formerly Twitter) account on July 8. Her staff's X/Twitter account then gave more details on its creation by Kyoto Animation:
茅原実里×京都アニメーション
— 茅原実里 (@minori_contact) July 8, 2024
コラボキービジュアル解禁🕊️
茅原実里 20th Anniversary Live “Historical Parade”#ヒストリカルパレードhttps://t.co/GxdOLCqzEY pic.twitter.com/9BZYbTYk2S
Minori Chihara x Kyoto Animation
collaboration key visual unveiled🕊️
Minori Chihara 20th Anniversary Live "Historical Parade"
”#ヒストリカルパレードminorichihara.com/pages/historic…
京都アニメーション×茅原実里
— 茅原実里スタッフ (@minori_staff) July 8, 2024
20周年ライブ #ヒストリカルパレード のコラボキービジュアルが解禁🕊️ なんと京都アニメーションさんがイラストを制作！
左が1stキービジュアル、右が2ndキービジュアル（コラボキービジュアル）です。… pic.twitter.com/Zm248gts8V
Kyoto Animation x Minori Chihara
The collaboration key visual for the 20th anniversary live #ヒストリカルパレード [Historical Parade] has been released.🕊️
The illustration was created by Kyoto Animation!
On the left is the 1st key visual and on the right is the 2nd key visual (collaboration key visual).
It has been about seven months since the idea first came to mind. From the very beginning, we have been working carefully with many staff members to create the second key visual 🤝
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at Kyoto Animation and all the staff who were involved.
There are 26 days left until my 20th anniversary concert. See you at Kawaguchiko Stellar Theater!
It's not a total surprise that Kyoto Animation collaborated with Chihara for her 20th anniversary concert, since she has appeared in three franchises animated by the studio: the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise as Yuki Nagato, Lucky Star as Minami Iwasaki, and the Sound! Euphonium franchise as Kaori Nakaseko. Hopefully, this won't be the last time the animation studio and Chihara work together, especially since Sound! Euphonium 3 has concluded.
The reveal of the key visual of the Minori Chihara 20th Anniversary Live Historical Parade also comes on the heels of the announcement of another 20th anniversary anime and manga franchise the voice actor has been a part of. This is of course the Minami-ke franchise, of which Chihara has portrayed the character Chiaki Minami. Unfortunately, it appears Minami-ke's author, Koharu Sakuraba, will not provide any art for Chihara's 20th anniversary concert or celebrations. It's a shame, as Chihara's voice as Chiaki Minami is a wonderful foil as the straight man to Marina Inoue's boke performance as Kana Minami.
The Minori Chihara 20th Anniversary Live Historical Parade is Minori Chihara's slated for August 3 and 4. Tickets are 3,300 yen for B seats, 5,500 yen for A seats, 16,500 yen for S seats, 55,000 yen for SS seats, and 8,250 yen for wheelchair seats (about US$20, US$34, US$102, US$341, and US$51 respectively). Unfortunately, the SS seats are sold out. For those living in Japan, tickets are available through Ticket Pia, e+, and LAWSON Ticket. Wheelchair tickets are only available through LAWSON Ticket. Those living outside of Japan can purchase tickets through the Minori Chihara website's English portal.
Sources: Minori Chihara's X/Twitter account, Minori Chihara Staff's X/Twitter account via Otakomu, Minori Chihara's website (link 2)
