Memories of Japan Expo Marseille 2025

Japan Expo Marseille celebrated its 15th anniversary in style!
For this special edition, everything was set up to deliver an unforgettable program.

Manga, anime, video games, e-sports, Japanese culture, traditions, streaming, the web, cosplay, sports, and music, this 15th edition brought together all passions and lit up Parc Chanot for three vibrant days, leaving behind some truly sweet memories.

Here’s a look back at some of the highlights from this unmissable event!

One standout moment took place just outside Parc Chanot.
One of the most memorable highlights was the exceptional meeting between the 2025 Guest of Honor, Yôichi Takahashi, creator of the legendary manga Captain Tsubasa (Olive & Tom in French), and Jean-Pierre Papin, former Olympique de Marseille striker, 1991 Ballon d’Or winner, and a true icon of French football.
This unforgettable meeting took place in an equally legendary venue: the Vélodrome Stadium.

The champion of sports manga took the field, right on Ichigo’s stage and didn’t hold back!

He teamed up with host Ed Le Fou for not one, but two standout appearances:

• Saturday, February 22, from 4:15 PM to 5:00 PM – during a panel that gave us a fresh and unexpected glimpse into the mangaka's personality.
• Sunday, February 23, from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – fans were treated to a live drawing session, watching the artist in action as he created brand-new shikishi, handed out on the spot!

Voice acting took center stage this year, and the invited actresses smashed all records!
The spotlight goes to Adeline CHETAIL, who received over 3,360 applications for signing sessions through the Japan Expo app.

The voice acting workshop with Adeline CHETAIL, Brigitte LECORDIER, and Sora was also a big hit, with three lucky audience members getting the chance to join them on stage!

Talented artists also had their moment in the spotlight:
Dorian COULON, a French animator working remotely from Japan, took the stage to talk about his career in Japanese animation and his recent work, the trailer for INSTINCT.

Meanwhile, South American mangaka Paula ANDRADE introduced her latest work, set against a backdrop that French-speaking fans know well: the Louvre Museum!

Whether it was on a revamped Ichigo stage, Sakura, or Kamo, Japan Expo Marseille was bursting with live music!

Banzai Japan, UK, KANG MINSU, All In, Cookiesan, RE:Z Team, HDK, and Misaki Mori all delivered high-energy performances and won over new fans along the way.

The dancers of HDK and RE:Z Team, who lit up the Kamo stage throughout the event, gave it their all during a spectacular grand finale, the Kpop Amazing Show, joined by all the other guest artists!

For All In and UK, the fangirls' cheers could be heard all the way in Hall 2!
Cookiesan debuted a brand-new song just for the occasion and shared what he called his best concert experience ever, even though he lost a rock-paper-scissors match against his fan counterpart, Mini-Cookiekun!

He even performed a private concert during his Meet & Greet, where he began filming his next music video!
Exclusive footage coming soon!

Red Carpet for Cosplay at Japan Expo Marseille!
Two major competitions brought excitement and spectacle to this 15th edition, with breathtaking performances and stunning costumes.

First up, after a fierce contest, the winners of the French qualifiers for the World Cosplay Summit 2025 were crowned:
A talented duo of cosplayers portraying witches from the manga Witch Hat Atelier will proudly represent France in Nagoya, Japan next summer!

On Sunday, it was time for the local cosplay competition, where Viktor (Arcane) took first place, followed by Mettaton (Undertale) in second.

Both contests kicked off on the Ichigo stage with special performances by Eventshella:

• A dramatic Resident Evil show that left a strong impression on the audience.
• A magical, all-singing Disney parade!

Alongside the competitions, fans had the chance to attend an exclusive panel with the World Cosplay Summit 2025 jury, made up of internationally acclaimed cosplayers:

• Clood
• Yuegene Fay
• SayoChuu
• Tsupo

This panel was a unique opportunity to dive into their journeys, cosplay techniques, and insights into the selection process for international competitions.

And of course, a huge shoutout to all the visitors who came in cosplay!
Their creativity and passion brought the festival to life in every corner of the venue.

They were also invited to join the Open Runway shows on the grand Ichigo stage alongside cosplay stars, and take part in daily Cosplay Gatherings to celebrate their favorite universes together.

The Gaming & Esports Area Leveled Up This Year!
The heart of the action was in Hall 2, where the 2 Lives booth hosted versus fighting tournaments and offered a wide catalog of games in free play.

Just across the wall, Nazel IRL brought back waves of nostalgia, with retro titles ranging from the Dreamcast era all the way to the delightfully quirky Link: The Faces of Evil on CD-i!

Meanwhile, Azur Games delivered the full experience of Japanese rhythm games, much to the delight of music game fans.

This year, Japan Expo Marseille also shined a light on the broader impact of video games, highlighting topics such as career opportunities in the industry and support for senior citizens through gaming.

On the Budo tatami mats, visitors had the chance to try out traditional Japanese martial arts.
Right next door, the Tigers Pro Wrestling ring drew crowds with its high-energy shows — a spectacle that keeps gaining more and more fans every year!

Japan Expo: A Moment of Connection Between Creators and Fans!
Once again, the event gave many content creators the chance to meet their communities face to face.

Among them, SORA and the duo Fils de la Chance / 2sDoubleA brought the same energy and good vibes that made them successful online, especially during their standout appearance at the Japan Expo Game Show.