Taipei, Feb. 6 (CNA) Thousands of manga and comic fans flocked to Nangang International Exhibition Center on Thursday morning for the opening of the annual comics fair, which is expect to generate record-high revenues this year.
Hours before the official opening at 10 a.m. of the Taipei International Comics and Animation Festival, fans had queued up outside the center in chilly and rainy weather, hoping to get some of the limited edition products and lucky bags on offer at the fair.
The five-day comics fair, featuring more than 100 exhibitors, is expected to draw a total of 480,000 visitors and generate a record NT$250 million (US$7.96 million) in revenue, according to Su Wei-chuan (蘇偉銓), head of the Chinese Animation and Comic Publishers Association, which organized the event.
For the third consecutive year, the comics fair will be accepting Culture Points digital vouchers, issued by the Ministry of Culture (MOC), as a form of payment, Su said at the opening ceremony.
Furthermore, more than half of the exhibitors at this year's festival are offering special discounts to buyers paying with the MOC digital vouchers, he said.
Meanwhile, prominent celebrities in the comics world are expected to attend the event, including Japanese actress Noriko Hidaka, the voice of the character Satsuki Kusakabe in the 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film "My Neighbor Totoro."
She will be visiting Taiwan for the first time in 12 years to promote a 2024 anime adaptation of the classic Japanese manga series "Ranma ½," in which she reprises her role as the voice Akane Tendo.
The highly popular manga series, first launched in 1989, features a character who magically transforms into a girl whenever he touches cold water. It is written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi.
The celebrity guest list at the 2025 Taipei comics fair also includes Shion Wakayama, the voice of Momo Ayase in the anime "Dandadan." Aired last year and returning for a second season, the fantasy anime centers on schoolmates Momo and Ken Takakura and their battles against demons.
Wakayama and Hidaka will be holding autograph sessions on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, respectively, at the festival, which is now in its 13th edition.
Last year, the Taipei comics festival attracted 470,000 attendees over five days and generated NT$200 million in revenue.
