Taiwan comics make inroads in Japan

2024/10/09

The Ministry of Culture is making final preparations for the exhibition of a show at two locations in Japan to showcase the talent and interdisciplinary achievements of Taiwan’s artists.

“Blossom” will be displayed at Kadokawa Culture Museum in Saitama prefecture and Japanese manga and anime chain Animate’s Ikebukuro flagship in Tokyo. At a news conference Oct. 7 at Taiwan Comic Base in Taipei City, Culture Minister Li Yuan described a subsidy project begun in 2018 that has enabled such international outreach as it funds development in the country’s comics industry.

Li cited the planned use of Taiwan comic creations in a projection mapping display for the upcoming National Day celebrations as evidence for the government’s support, adding that 2025 will see a whole year of comic art shows at the Presidential Office.

Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association also spoke at the news event, saying that many manga from Taiwan have taken prestigious Japanese prizes in recent years. He asserted that manga and animation are vital sources of soft power that facilitate international exchange and mutual understanding.

Ten recipients of the Japan International Manga Award are set to be featured Oct. 14-27 at Kadokawa Culture Museum’s EJ Anime Museum space alongside 40 works that have been adapted into other media, the MOC said. The display at Animate opens Oct. 11 and will focus on 13 iconic stories in the romantic genres of boys’ love and girls’ love. 


Source:  Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)