Taiwan to hold exhibitions in Japan to showcase local manga artists

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) The Ministry of Culture will showcase prominent Taiwanese comics using different mediums at two locations in Japan later this month to widen their exposure among Japanese audiences.

Works from 10 Taiwanese manga series that have won the Japan International Manga Award will be displayed at the Kadokawa Culture Museum in Saitama Prefecture, along with works from 40 Taiwanese manga series that have been adapted into live-action TV dramas, radio dramas, or computer or tabletop games, the ministry said.

Six Taiwanese manga artists have also been commissioned to draw paintings for the exhibition that will also be showcased at the venue.

The paintings feature distinctly Taiwanese elements, such as Taipei 101, the Alishan Forest Railway train, a typical Taiwanese home, and xiaolongbao, and were done by Chang Sheng (常勝), Gao Yan (高妍), AKRU, Monday Recover, Jian Jia-cheng (簡嘉誠) and Rimui (韋籬若明).

Rimui also drew the poster for the exhibition featuring flowers commonly seen in the alleys of Taiwan.

Meanwhile, 13 important manga series centered on gay and lesbian romance will be featured in Tokyo at the Ikebukuro flagship store of Animate, Japan's largest anime and manga merchandise retail chain, the ministry said.

The two exhibitions will run from Oct. 11 to Oct. 27.

In addition, fans of "BL" (boys' love) will not want to miss out on a forum at the store on the evening of Oct. 18 featuring Taiwanese manga artist MAE and Japanese manga artist Tamekou, who are expected to share their experiences as creators in the genre, it said.

At a news conference to promote the events, Japan's Representative to Taiwan Kazuyuki Katayama underscored the importance of comics and anime, calling them an important source of a country's "soft power" and essential to promoting mutual understanding.