As I reported in the SSMB forums some months ago, an event know only as ‘Art Image Night 2005’ was to take place in Japan. Because of the location of the event (Japan) very little was known about it, all information on the event was presented in Japanese, but using the crudest of translation resources (Google translation) ‘Sonic News’ aims to bring you, what it considers to be, a vital piece of SEGA gaming news.
The event has now passed, and ‘Sonic News’ has been able to establish that ‘Art Image Night 2005’ was in fact a live concert to celebrate the 15th anniversary of HMV in Japan, which it would seem has a far greater role in the Japanese music scene than it does in any other territory.
Down to perform at the event were none other than m-flo, the popular Japanese band that spearheaded the ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ promotional campaign in Japan. Just why SEGA invested so much time in the promotion may be due to the ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ franchises strong western orientation, whatever the reason it’s clear that SEGA and m-flo have created one of the Sonic franchises largest promotions, nothing that big had been attempted since Sonics inception, and the partnership that formed with ‘Dreams come True’.
With this in mind, and m-flo playing the gig, SEGA were clearly going to be backing it. In fact ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ was down as one of the events official sponsors, with Sonic Channel even providing a link the official ‘Art Image Night 2005’ site.
The event was held as a promotion in all Japanese HMV stores. From what I can decipher customers could pick up an ‘Art Image Night 2005’ flyer (perhaps when they spent a certain amount in store). The flyer contained information which would need to be transmitted via a text. The information on the card, along with name and address, was to be sent to:
http://hmv15th.com/artimage/
The applicant would then register themselves; and then tickets would be given out randomly to a number of those applicants.
The event took place in Tokyo at new wooden place STUDIO COST on the 15th of December. The concert opened at 6pm but didn’t start until 7pm, just enough time to make a show from the audience’s entrance. Among the artist to perform were:
• m-flo
• Lisa
• DOUBLE
• SOUL’d OUT
• Heartsdales
• Three NATION
• faith
• GTS
• ENBULL
• Retro-G-Style
• MIC BANDITZ
As you can see Shadow was at the event to welcome people.
Extract taken from the Google translation of Game Goo.
December 15th of 2005, the music event in ” ARTIMAGE NIGHT which at Tokyo * new wooden place ” STUDIO COAST ” is held (the アーティマージュナイト) the PS2/XBOX/GC ‘ shadow * the * hedgehog ‘ the shadow appeared 2005 “.
” ARTIMAGE NIGHT 2005 ” the Japanese advance 15th anniversary commemoration present of the HMV turns with the chestnut, the production is the スペシャルコラボレイションライブ ” of ARTIMAGE ” which continues to offer leading music always with the dance music scene and ” the HMV “. The artists of ARTIMAGE post collected the m-flo in the head.
In that meeting place how shadow 颯 爽 with appearance! It shakes hands one by one politely with the entrance, it appeals that ” ARTIMAGE NIGHT 2005 ” is pushed. As for beginning the customer who has been surprised, the tea eye looking at the shadow, when it has receiving warmly, forcing.
The PS2/XBOX/GC ‘ shadow * the * hedgehog ‘ being piled up with sale day, the meeting place rose to the late!