X VORDER RUNWAY Brings VTubers, Game Characters, and Real Artists Together in September
The event marks one of the largest cross-company and cross-media collaborations in Japan, combining VTubers from multiple agencies, classic game characters, and real musicians in a single hybrid fashion show and concert format.
Reporting from 5 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), Denfaminicogamer, KAI-YOU, MoguLive, and 1 more.
Award Inc. announced on June 30 that the fashion show and music live event "X VORDER RUNWAY" will be held on September 27 at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 1-4 in Chiba. The event brings together VTubers, game and anime characters, and real artists to perform together across community and dimensional boundaries. Performers include VTubers Suisei Hoshimachi, HIMEHINA, Karubi Akami, Hinano Tachibana, Sara Hoshikawa, and virtual singer KAF; game characters Chun-Li from Street Fighter 6, Rise Kujikawa from Persona 4 Revival, and Haruka Amami, Chihaya Kisaragi, and Miki Hoshii from The Idolmaster; and real artists Utaha (Wednesday Campanella) and Nanawo Akari, plus VTuber KAWAII CLUB. All costumes are designed by illustrator Mika Pikazo. Five program segments were previewed, including a collaboration between Rise Kujikawa and Sara Hoshikawa on "True Story -Revival-" and a duet between KAF and Suisei Hoshimachi on "Isseifuubuu." The fastest lottery advance sale for on-site tickets began June 30 at 15:00 and runs through July 12. Ticket prices range from 11,000 to 16,500 yen.
The event is organized by Award Inc., which also runs the fashion and music event "GirlsAward." Award President Yuki Hase said the company aims to create content that can be proud of worldwide from the domestic entertainment market. The press release describes the event as a "world-first, largest-scale new-sense entertainment event."
Mika Pikazo, known for character designs in Fire Emblem Engage and VTubers Kaguya Luna and Hakos Baelz, designed all costumes. The designs combine each performer's existing image with fashion, going beyond "just cute" to create a style unique to the event. A newly drawn key visual by Pikazo will be released later.
Several program details go beyond the performer list. "Koishisa to Setsunasa to Kokorozuyosa to 2023" is a self-cover version of Ryoko Shinohara's song, originally used as the theme for the animated film "Street Fighter II: The Movie." The "GO MY WAY!!" segment uses the M@STER VERSION of the Idolmaster song. "True Story -Revival-" features Rise Kujikawa's newly recorded version of her Persona 4 song.
Ticket applications are handled through Ticket Plus. The event also has official YouTube and TikTok accounts. Award stated the event aims to give attendees a chance to encounter characters and artists they normally would not come into contact with, and eventually hopes to cross national borders and expand worldwide as entertainment originating from Japan.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 5 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GAME Watch (Impress) 星街すいせいさんや春麗も！ VTuber、ゲーム・アニメキャラ、アーティストが境界を越え集結する「X VORDER RUNWAY」開催決定
- Denfaminicogamer 星街すいせいやナナヲアカリ、天海春香、春麗たちが共演。VTuberやゲームキャラ、リアルアーティストが集結する、カオスすぎる音楽×ファッションショーイベントが9月27日に開催決定
- KAI-YOU 音楽とファッションの複合イベント「X VORDER RUNWAY」開催 星街すいせい、春麗ら出演
- MoguLive 音楽とファッションが融合するイベント「X VORDER RUNWAY」開催、星街すいせい、天海春香、久慈川りせ、春麗が出演！
- PANORA ファッションショー × 音楽ライブイベント「X VORDER RUNWAY」開催決定 VTuber、ゲーム・アニメキャラクター、リアルアーティストが境界を越え大集結