RIYADH: The Anime Expo in Riyadh 鈥�  part of Riyadh Season 鈥� already had regional fans excited, being the largest such event to be held so far in the Middle East. But even better news emerged at Thursday鈥檚 press conference to launch the event.

萝莉视频 and Japan have signed an agreement to bring 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa,鈥� created by Yoichi Takahashi, back to the small screen. The cartoon, known as 鈥淐aptain Majid鈥� in the Arab world, is an old-school favorite in the Middle East. The anime is expected to air on Dec. 1 on MBC, the CEO of 萝莉视频鈥檚 General Entertainment Authority, Faisal Bafarat, announced.

Riyadh Season is holding the largest Anime Expo in the Middle East, bringing together collaborations between GEA and Captain Tsubasa creator, Yoichi Takahashi, musical collaborations between both Arab and Japanese giants, and more.

Japan鈥檚 Ambassador to 萝莉视频, Tsukasa Uemura, told Arab News: 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see good energy among the young people, ladies and gentlemen of 萝莉视频.鈥� Uemura was struck by how deep the relationship between Japan and 萝莉视频 was, thanks to anime from the 60s and 70s.

鈥淭his relation is now coming to fruition, and I hope that the young Saudi generation won鈥檛 only observe but also create, from now, starting a new industry in 萝莉视频 鈥� I see a lot of potential here.鈥�

Arab News met three musical acts who will perform together for the first time on Saturday at the event鈥檚 closing ceremony: Lebanese singer Sammy Clark, who performed Arabic versions of anime favorites including 鈥淕rendizer鈥� and 鈥淭reasure Island鈥� (Takarajima), and Japanese voice actors and singers Isao Sasaki and Ichiro Mizuki.

Clark was excited to meet the two men he dubbed his 鈥渢win brothers,鈥� 鈥� the original voices behind the animations he has worked on. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored to be here with them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 only traveled to Japan once, in 1987. It鈥檚 a beautiful country and their people are some of the kindest in the world.鈥�

Clark explained that he and Sasaki were supposed to sing together at Comic Con in Dubai five years ago, 鈥渂ut it didn鈥檛 work out.鈥�

鈥淭oday, I鈥檓 ecstatic to say that I won鈥檛 sing with Sasaki alone but also with Ichiro Mizuki, who sings the original opening song for 鈥楳azinger.鈥� We鈥檒l be performing five songs for fans, and one of the surprises we鈥檝e prepared is that I鈥檒l sing something in Japanese and they鈥檒l sing in Arabic,鈥� Clark said.

He added that he never imagined the theme songs would be so successful and resonate with people for so long. 鈥淕enerations of fathers have played these songs to their kids, and they all enjoy it so much. We鈥檝e managed to touch thousands through an anime song,鈥� he said.

Mizuki told Arab News that his first time in 萝莉视频 has been amazing so far. 鈥淏eing in the industry for 50 years, I鈥檝e traveled all over the world, but I consider my first performance in 萝莉视频 to be a big deal, especially as an officially orchestrated event. I feel honored to be here,鈥� he said.

Sasaki echoed his words: 鈥淏eing a first generation anime singer, I鈥檓 not getting any younger, but I didn鈥檛 want to miss an opportunity to perform here in 萝莉视频,鈥� he said.