Four Artists Including angela Hold a Heated Anime Song Live at BOAT RACE TODA! "BOATRACE TODA ANISON FES Vol.3" Official Report

On Sunday, June 21, 2026, "BOATRACE TODA ANISON FES Vol.3" was held at the Event Hall of BOAT RACE TODA. BOAT RACE TODA aims to evolve into a venue that disseminates various cultures and content, not just a racecourse. This, the third anime song festival held here, featured four artists with diverse careers and performance styles. Each artist showcased their unique talents, delivering one spectacular performance after another to an audience that loves anime and anime songs.

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BOAT RACE TODA

Official Website: https://www.boatrace-toda.jp/

Official X: https://x.com/boatracetoda?_fsi=1suLF4Pg

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boatrace_toda/?_fsi=1suLF4Pg

Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoLCf3aVRMSukwetHfn1p1A

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Powerful and Fresh! Two Artists Who Heated Up the First Half

As soon as the doors opened, anime song fans began to fill the hall. With ample time allotted for each artist and a highly diverse lineup, the anticipation was palpable even before the show began.

Amidst this rising excitement, the first performer was Shiina Nishizawa. As the intro to her first song, "Break your fate," played, she called for claps and powerfully belted out her vocals while fiercely strumming her guitar, immediately filling the venue with energy through her singing and performance. Her next song, "Reason To Scream," further amplified the heat and unity as the audience raised their fists in response to Nishizawa's call. In "LOVE MEN HOLIC," which incorporated wordplay in its lyrics, she added a spirited, untamed quality to her voice, singing with a bouncy feel that matched the rhythm.

During her MC after performing these three songs, she mentioned that she was born in Toda City and that her parents were in the audience. "I want to do my best to make this the best Father's Day present!" she declared. She then proceeded to sing two consecutive ballads. First was "Kikan" from the movie "Kantai Collection," a song fitting for this venue, inspired by "water" and "ships." Nishizawa delivered a ballad with a completely different atmosphere from her previous songs, imbuing each word with deep emotion. She transformed the underlying strength of her voice into a grand scale that filled the venue, drawing the audience into her musical world. She followed this with her latest ballad, "Senya ni Saku." Continuing to depict emotional fluctuations with rich vocal expression, she slightly increased the power in her voice during the chorus, making it resonate more deeply with the listeners and immersing them in the song's world.

After her performance, Nishizawa spoke about the organizers' passion for anime songs and boat racing, revealing that she had been asked to perform a cover song to make the event special. For this, she chose "GO!!!" by FLOW, the theme song from "NARUTO," her first favorite anime and manga series, a surefire crowd-pleaser. While this song is an energetic anime anthem, Nishizawa's rendition added an element of freshness to its power, creating a truly unique and special moment for the occasion.

Sensing the audience's heightened excitement, Nishizawa launched into her signature songs for the finale. She first unleashed a voice filled with both passion and sharpness in "Brand-new World," stirring up more energy, and then, with a shout of "Come at me, Toda!" transitioned into "The Asterisk War." Her vocals and guitar playing grew even more powerful, creating a dynamic where she and the audience fueled each other's energy. Her final song and the climax of her set was her debut song, "Fubuki." From the opening chorus, a massive sing-along erupted in response to Nishizawa's cue, and the song was passionately built up with calls and responses. Nishizawa's voice at the forefront of this excitement was as fresh as it was when she debuted, yet strengthened through countless live performances. She concluded her set by bringing "Fubuki," a song that can only be heard "right now," to her hometown with her powerful voice.

Next to appear were the Luminous Witches, with Ami Aimoto (as Lyudmila Andreyevna Ruslanova), Ryo Miyamiya (as Aila Payvikki Linnamaa), Misaki Yuuki (as Manaiia Matawauri Hato), and Rino Kithata (as Sylvie Cariello) performing. They opened with "WONDERFUL WORLD," the opening theme of the anime "The United States Army Air Force Magic Music Band Luminous Witches," in which they were the main cast. While all their voices were fresh, they each displayed their individuality, with Miyamiya having a slightly more mature tone, and Aimoto and Yuuki being a bit cuter. In "Over sky," they delivered an energetic performance, jumping high from the start, just as the lyrics suggested. The D-melody section highlighted Kithata's clear voice and Aimoto's soaring vocals, which were particularly impressive.

After their initial four-person performance, they introduced themselves and then performed two consecutive duet songs. First, "Masshiro Ribbon," a pop-midtempo number by Miyamiya and Kithata, featured synchronized choreography throughout, which was a highlight. During their solo parts, they lined up vertically, with the singing member stepping forward, showcasing excellent teamwork. They concluded the song by forming a large heart together. Then, as the intro to "Yumeiro Contrail" began, Aimoto and Yuuki took the stage. The song started with Yuuki holding Aimoto's hand and running around the stage, and both performed with infectious smiles and abundant energy. Furthermore, they delivered technically impressive performances with sharp dance moves at key points, including their individual solo dance sections.

Following this, they returned to a four-person stage with "Taisetsu na Anata e." In the intro, Yuuki, who was not singing, moved to the far right of the stage to interact with the audience. In the first chorus, Kithata also waved happily at fans while singing. In the second chorus, the four members gathered closely in the center of the stage, creating a warm atmosphere that matched the song, which they had all participated in writing for the first time.

After this song, Ami Aimoto announced, "Next, we will cover two songs by our seniors!" followed by "STRIKE WITCHES ~Watashi ni Dekiru Koto~." While maintaining a fresh unison, they infused their individual personalities into the solo parts, showing respect through their own unique interpretations. For "Yakusoku no Sora e ~Watashi no Ita Basho~," they switched to a performance that matched the song's exhilarating tempo. Through their sharper, more dynamic dance moves, they showcased a different kind of charm. Their final song, "Road to Miracle," featured dance moves that emphasized precise timing, sometimes perfectly synchronized and other times intentionally offset. They also incorporated interactions that conveyed the members' camaraderie on stage, and transitioned through various members taking center stage during the D-melody section, delivering a full-energy, smiling performance until the very end.

At this point, the live performance took a break for the "Let's All Guess! Funabiki Prediction" segment, where the artists tried their hand at predicting race outcomes. This session began with a boat race lecture for the artists and attendees, who were beginners, given by MC Yuka Matsumura, followed by each person presenting their predictions. For the first half, the prediction session for Race 6 featured angela, Shiina Nishizawa, and Saki Yamakita. Here, KATSU from angela, who mentioned wanting to become a boat racer in elementary school, made a serious prediction considering the day's wind and the racers' weights, and it proved to be correct! In the latter half, Yuuki from Luminous Witches also correctly predicted Race 7, eliciting a triumphant fist pump.

Heated Performances Until the End, Including Arrangements Inspired by the Venue

Now, the second half of the live show began. Saki Yamakita burst onto the stage to thunderous applause with "Make it!," one of the popular songs by her group i☆Ris. Dressed like a princess with a tiara, she delivered a dazzling performance while interacting with the audience. She flawlessly executed key moves like a spin before the bridge, instantly heating up the venue as the first act of the second half. Her next song, "Papparaparadise," entertained with its chorus and intro featuring Para Para-style dancing, and showcased her excellent vocal delivery, as expected from a solo artist's signature song.

During her MC after the songs, she praised the event, saying, "With long performance times, a 100-yen entrance fee, and the chance to enjoy boat racing, this is the best event!" to which she received cheers of agreement. She then performed her "special move" "Pui!" (a pose with fists at the chin) and sang "Pui Shika Katan!" In this song, she infused her vocals with cuteness and humor, and engaged in "Pui-calling" instead of call-and-response, showcasing her unique charm and building a rich "Saki Yamakita" world. This was followed by a character song segment featuring characters she voices. In "Suki na Wake Lychee" from "Nyarko-san: Another Crawling Chaos W," she handled the very high-pitched chorus and skillfully engaged the audience with her gaze. For "Zettai Seimei final show女" from "PriPara," she delivered a performance full of the stylishness befitting Shion Todo, a character she plays. Her vocals were in a relatively low range, and her sharp, powerful dance moves, including a kick just before the chorus, created a cool stage.

To bring further excitement to the venue, which was buzzing from the two character songs, she covered "Seikan Hikou" from "Macross Frontier." This song, which she had previously covered on the anime song cover mini-album "Kaba☆Ris," was a perfect match for Yamakita's voice when directed towards a cute style. She captured the audience's hearts with her adorable dance moves. Yamakita then kicked off the final leg of her performance with "Ultimate☆MAGIC," another popular song by i☆Ris. This staple song, often used to climax i☆Ris concerts, created another surge of excitement for the final sprint. She visibly enjoyed the audience's cheers during the interlude's spoken part. In her original song "#Sakisama Kawaii," she was showered with "Kawaii!" calls from the beginning. In the first verse's A-melody, she incorporated a call-and-response tailored to her hairstyle: "Jellyfish hair too? (Yamakita)" "So cute! (Audience)" She performed with a beaming smile. At the end, she ran across the stage, again receiving "Kawaii!" calls. Then, she announced, "We have time for one more!" and performed "Pui Shika Katan!" again! Responding to the audience's enthusiasm, she shortened her MC and performed this song on the spot, embodying her words from the MC, "I live by improvisation." As she left the stage, she struck the "Pui!" pose one last time, delivering a packed performance right up to the moment she left.

While the afterglow remained, angela took the stage with a thrilling and majestic opening SE. With atsuko (Vo.)'s declaration, "angela, here we go!" they started with "Otome no Route wa Hitotsu Janai!" In the intro, she borrowed Yamakita's "Pui!" (with her permission) and used it as a baton to kick off the performance, delivering bright and pop vocals. After the second chorus, during the interlude's call-and-response section, she involved the audience before launching into KATSU's (Gt.) guitar solo. She immediately showcased skillful stage presence, drawing the audience's hearts "to the two of them."

After the song, during the MC, atsuko gave the festival's customary "impersonation" greeting, "We are angela Witches!" Following this, KATSU passionately discussed his serious prediction for Race 10, which was approaching. This led to a moment where KATSU extended the MC. Perhaps the raw excitement of live racing truly moves people.

For their second song, their debut song "Asu e no brilliant road," they followed a brief choreography lesson before performing. From the opening chorus, they united the audience through the choreography, delivering resonant vocals and engaging the entire venue with calls and eye contact, then transitioned into "Boku Janai." Their vocals became even more powerful, and atsuko's performance gained strength and impact with each movement. Led by atsuko, headbanging occurred during the interlude, and sing-alongs erupted during the second chorus and grand chorus. Maintaining this sense of unity, they then launched into the fun and pop "Zenryoku☆Summer!" Large calls echoed from the intro. The chorus, which began with atsuko's spin and KATSU's guitar twirl, saw countless towels waving throughout the venue.

The audience's coordination was evident in "KINGS" as well. The customary wave beautifully flowed back and forth across the audience, adding to the live performance. In this song, atsuko's physical strength was once again impressive, as she delivered powerful vocals from the start while bending low at the waist. Despite this, the two performers on stage looked like they were having immense fun. This is something they can only achieve because they possess the mindset to enjoy and entertain, supported by their foundational performance skills. They then covered "JUST COMMUNICATION," which is also included on the TWO-MIX tribute album. In the A and B verses, they incorporated expressions and gestures that linked to the lyrics, delivering a performance that revealed more depth the closer one looked.

As if in response, a hard rhythm began, and with atsuko's words, "All hands, salute!" "Sidonia" commenced. From the beginning, atsuko unleashed long, sustained notes, engulfing the venue with her powerful vocals. After the first chorus, she taunted the "Knights of BOAT RACE TODA" by asking, "Is that all you've got?!" and performed the song powerfully until the end.

Then, with the call-and-response of "This is our Shangri? (atsuko)" "La! (Audience)," their final song "Shangri-La" began. During the intro, atsuko held up a towel, and without any words, a sea of towels formed among the audience. Facing this, angela delivered a powerful performance until the end, eliciting the biggest sing-along of the day from the audience during the bridge. Following this, the sea of towels that reappeared during the outro created an emotional scene, marking the end of angela's performance. Their MC had them cracking jokes with various topics, and then they delivered a stage that was impossible to take your eyes off of, truly a performance befitting the closing act of the festival.

Challenging the Image of Public Sports Facilities, Expectations for the Future of BOAT RACE TODA!

This festival truly became a "special" event, as intended by the organizers, featuring not only the artists' original songs but also anime song covers included in every performer's setlist and Saki Yamakita's solo performances of i☆Ris songs. BOAT RACE TODA is considering holding anime song festivals continuously. What kind of festival will they create with what lineup next time? We sincerely hope that "BOATRACE TODA ANISON FES" will establish itself as a unique entity, offering both live performances that can only be seen here and the appeal of boat racing that can be experienced through live races.

(Text: Kenji Sunaga / Photos: Yuya Sugiura)

"BOATRACE TODA ANISON FES Vol.3" SET LIST

☆ Shiina Nishizawa

M01. Break your fate

M02. Reason To Scream

M03. LOVE MEN HOLIC

M04. Kikan

M05. Senya ni Saku

M06. GO!!!

M07. Brand-new World

M08. The Asterisk War

M09. Fubuki

☆ Luminous Witches

M01. WONDERFUL WORLD

M02. Over sky

M03. Masshiro Ribbon (Ryo Miyamiya, Rino Kithata)

M04. Yumeiro Contrail (Ami Aimoto, Misaki Yuuki)

M05. Taisetsu na Anata e

M06. STRIKE WITCHES ~Watashi ni Dekiru Koto~

M07. Yakusoku no Sora e ~Watashi no Ita Basho~

M08. Road to Miracle

☆ Saki Yamakita (i☆Ris)

M01. Make it! / i☆Ris

M02. Papparaparadise / Saki Yamakita

M03. Pui Shika Katan! / Saki Yamakita

M04. Suki na Wake Lychee / Tsuruko (CV: Saki Yamakita)

M05. Zettai Seimei final show女 / Shion Todo (CV. Saki Yamakita)

M06. Seikan Hikou (*Cover)

M07. Ultimate☆MAGIC / i☆Ris

M08. #Sakisama Kawaii / Saki Yamakita

M09. Pui Shika Katan! / Saki Yamakita

☆ angela

M01. Otome no Route wa Hitotsu Janai!

M02. Asu e no brilliant road

M03. Boku Janai

M04. Zenryoku☆Summer!

M05. KINGS

M06. JUST COMMUNICATION

M07. Sidonia

M08. Shangri-La