The Comic Exhibition, featuring more than 1,200 booths from 120 exhibitors, today opened at the Taipei World Trade Center's Exhibition Hall 1, drawing thousands of anime and manga fans within the first hour.
After the doors opened at 10am, large crowds of visitors who had been lining up outside poured into the venue, eager to catch a glimpse of their idols or buy merchandise. By 10:30am, the hall was filled with thousands of visitors.
At the opening ceremony, four Japanese voice actors from the anime series Pretty Derby took to the stage to dance with the expo's mascot, Manbo, sending the audience into a frenzy.
Photo: CNA
Su Wei-chuan (蘇偉銓), head of the Taiwan-based Chinese Animation and Comic Publishers Association, said at the opening ceremony that the expo would feature about 100 events and performances over five days, including signing and meet-and-greet sessions, as well as e-sports-related activities.
Event organizers forecast that the exhibition would attract more than 650,000 visitors, generating revenue of more than NT$300 million (US$10.2 million), Su said.
The expo is not only an occasion for anime fans to celebrate, but also one that promotes international exchanges, Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hwi (李靜慧) said.
For example, she was pleased to see many of the Taiwanese comics that won prizes at Japan's International Manga Award being displayed at the expo's Japan Pavilion, Lee said.
"One of the most moving and uplifting aspects of international exhibitions is that they showcase the energy of Taiwanese artists and anime fans, and allow great works to gain international exposure," Lee said.
Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama agreed.
"Many friends in Taiwan learn about Japan through anime and manga. This motivates them to learn Japanese and visit Japan, and, in turn, causes them to find Japan endearing," Katayama said.
"Therefore, the Comic Exhibition, which has been held in Taiwan for many years, not only offers friends in Taiwan an opportunity to support Japan's content industry, but is also significant in promoting Japan-Taiwan exchanges," he said.
Launched in 1995, the Comic Exhibition is Taiwan's largest anime and manga exhibition, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
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