The third Taipei International Comics and Animation Festival is to open on Feb. 10, with event organizers saying that it aims to showcase the soft power of the animation, comic and game industry with a boisterous six-day celebration.
No longer a mere addition to the annual Taipei International Book Exhibition, the festival has grown a fan base all of its own.
This year, the festival aims to spark attention among fans and market the industry’s culture and products, event organizers said.
The theme for this year is “Light up your passion,” they added.
More than 30 local and international artists, voice actors, caricaturists and cosplay models are to showcase their work.
Voice actors — perceived by fans as the soul behind animated characters — are to make an appearance at the festival, event organizers said, adding that much-sought-after autographed copies of work produced by two big-time Japanese voice actresses — Marina Inoue and Chie Nakamura — will be put on sale.
The lineup of authors is set to provide more sensation at the festival, event-organizers said, adding that renowned novelist Chen Wen-hsuan (陳玟瑄), who writes under the pseudonym Yu Wo (御我), will be another focus.
Chen is dubbed the “J.K. Rowling of Taiwan” for her fantasy novels, which have sold more than 1 million copies.
The festival also features cosplay artists, they said, including Neneko (肉感少女), a Taiwanese cosplay artist whose increasing popularity has earned her 200,000 followers.
Neneko is to hold an autograph signing session at the event to promote cosplay culture.
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