RIYADH: Artist and creator Yoichi Takahashi walked onto the stage at the Anime Expo to warm cheers on Friday as fans welcomed Thursday鈥檚 announcement of the upcoming 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa鈥� remake.
鈥淗appy to be here with this large crowd. Maybe it鈥檚 too short a time, but I hope we鈥檒l all enjoy it together,鈥� he told his Saudi fans.
Takahashi鈥檚 football-focused anime 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa鈥� is held in high regard in the Middle East, especially in 萝莉视频.
Three quarters of Arabs surveyed in a recent Arab News / YouGov poll said it was their favorite anime.
Anime Expo marks the manga artist鈥檚 first visit to 萝莉视频. 鈥淚 heard there are many fans here 鈥� I鈥檓 truly happy to be here,鈥� he said.
Takahashi revealed that he was initially working on a different story while watching the FIFA World Cup, which inspired him to focus instead on 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa.鈥�
The remake will air on MBC on Dec. 1 under an agreement signed between Takahashi and the General Entertainment Authority.
鈥淚n Japan, the remake aired last year. I鈥檓 honored to see it will air so soon in 萝莉视频,鈥� he said.
The message behind 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa鈥� is about making dreams a reality, he added, 鈥渁nd I hope we all make our dreams come true.鈥�
Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the anime鈥檚 creation, but Takahashi is by no means finished with the franchise. 鈥淭subasa+,鈥� a smartphone game, will be released in 2020.
鈥淕lobally, people will be able to play and enjoy 鈥楥aptain Tsubasa,鈥� not just watch it,鈥� he said.
Ending his talk with a bang, Takahashi announced that he was giving five signed illustrations of 鈥淐aptain Tsubasa鈥� to lucky winners.
He played 鈥渞ock, paper, scissors鈥� with the crowd to pick the winners: Four young men and a woman.