Three Japanese bands have been announced as guests for Anime Weekend Atlanta, which is being held September 19-21. The bands are The Captains, The Emeralds, and TsuShiMaMiRe.

More information about the convention can be found at the official website.

Singer Nanase Aikawa is putting out her first new single in two years. She is forming a temporary unit called Crimson-FANG to release the song "Circle of Life," which is being used as the theme for the movie "Kamen Rider Kiva: Makaijo no Ou." The song goes on sale August 6, three days before the film opens in theaters.

Although the members of Crimson-FANG have not been announced, Aikawa is said to be working with a foreign musician. Because the movie is themed around the past and present, the song will have two versions, one labeled as "1986ver." and the other as "2008ver."

Aikawa gave birth to her second child in September 2007. While she has performed in concert multiple times since then, she has not had any new CD releases since "EVERYBODY GOES" in 2006. In addition to this new song, Aikawa plans to put out her next solo album in the fall.

Popular musician Avril Lavigne has already worked together with pop duo Puffy, and now she will be teaming up with singer Ai Otsuka as well. When Avril returns to Japan for a concert at the Tokyo Dome on September 16, both Puffy and Ai Otsuka will be making guest appearances on stage.

Avril remarked that she wanted her show to be like a "rock party." Puffy was a natural choice as a guest, as she and producer Butch Walker previously worked with the duo on the song "All Because of You," released this past May. Ai Otsuka is said to have been chosen due to her status as a symbol of the "girls rock" scene.