Bernard Minet Revitalizes 80s Nostalgia at Geek Life Festival
A multi-generational wave of fandom is converging this weekend at the Le Mans exhibition center as singer Bernard Minet, a voice synonymous with iconic Japanese anime of the 1980s, prepares to take the stage at the 7th edition of the Geek Life Festival.
The celebrated artist appeared as a guest on ICI Maine on Thursday, January 15th, ahead of the festival, which promises a vibrant celebration of video games, manga, and fantasy universes. Minet’s presence is expected to draw both longtime fans and a surprising new audience, fueled by a resurgence of interest online.
A Voice of a Generation
For many French viewers, Minet is the sound of their childhood. He lent his voice to the French-language versions of beloved anime series including Goldorak, Les chevaliers du Zodiaque (Saint Seiya), Dragon Ball, and Bioman. “The public sings my songs at the top of their lungs,” Minet shared, “and there’s been a transmission between generations, which has surprised me a lot. It’s thanks to the internet and parents.”
This intergenerational appeal is a key element of the festival’s draw. Parents, nostalgic for the music that soundtracked their youth, are eager to share the experience with their children. But Minet’s renewed popularity isn’t solely reliant on reminiscence.
The YouTube Effect & a New Fanbase
A new wave of fans is discovering Minet’s work through platforms like YouTube. “There are young people who discovered me on YouTube, teenagers aged 15 to 16 who sometimes talked to me about lyrics from ‘Des musclés’ [NDLR group of music of which Bernard Minet was one of the members] from ‘Son petit chat’, and they tell me they knew me thanks to the YouTuber ‘Joueur du grenier’,” Minet explained.
This digital rediscovery highlights the power of online communities in preserving and propagating cultural touchstones. The artist will perform his songs on Saturday, starting at 3:00 PM at the Le Mans exhibition center, followed by a meet-and-greet and autograph session until 6:00 PM.
Here’s a clip of Bernard Minet performing the Dragon Ball theme song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOUR_DRAGON_BALL_CLIP_URL
A Celebration of Geek Culture
Minet expressed his deep respect for the geek community and the passion of video game enthusiasts who will be attending the festival in large numbers. “The geek community is wonderful, the cosplayers do a fantastic job, and I was surprised from the beginning of the first conventions around video games because there are people, and everyone sings,” he described, recalling his first major gaming convention appearance at the “Toulouse Games Show” in 2007.
This enthusiasm is rooted, in part, in the fond memories many hold of Club Dorothée, a popular television program where Minet began his career as a drummer. “These are people who watched the show when they were children, and childhood is important for life,” Minet emphasized, encouraging families to attend.
Here’s a clip of Bernard Minet performing the theme song for Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOUR_SAINT_SEIYA_CLIP_URL
The “Geek Life Festival” remains open through Sunday, with various ticket options available. Minet’s appearance underscores the enduring power of nostalgia and the vibrant, evolving nature of geek culture, proving that the songs and characters of the past continue to resonate with audiences today.
