Taipei Comic Exhibition opens, featuring 1,200 booths

Taipei, July 23 (CNA) The 25th Comic Exhibition and two concurrent entertainment shows opened Thursday in Taipei, featuring around 120 exhibitors and more than 1,200 booths, according to the organizer.

Organized by the Chinese Animation & Comic Publishers Association (CCPA), the five-day exhibition is being held alongside Taiwan Gamers-Con International and the 10th Taipei Movie & Toys Convention at Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1.

In a news release issued Thursday, the CCPA said it expects the three events, which bring together comics, animation, gaming and other pop-culture attractions, to draw more than 640,000 visitors and generate over NT$300 million (US$9.3 million) in business opportunities.

The exhibition's two main stages will host 36 events featuring three Japanese voice actors, 28 creators from Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, and around 25 Taiwanese and Japanese idol groups, the CCPA said.

Among the featured Japanese manga artists are Yoshiaki, creator of "Rai Rai Rai," and Kouji Miura, creator of "Blue Box," both of whom will hold their first signing events anywhere in the world.

Mia Sorahana, author of "A Love Too Captivating," will make her first visit to Taiwan for a signing event, while "Myther" creator Teki Yatsuda will also meet fans, according to the statement.

The Ichiban Japan pavilion will stage 28 events involving 24 groups of Taiwanese and Japanese guests, including voice actors, manga artists, idols, virtual artists, virtual YouTubers and bands.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Comics Pavilion is working with 39 partners and publishers and four digital comics platforms to display 75 selected works, the CCPA said. More than 200 Taiwanese comics and related products will be available for purchase.

More than 50 vendors will accept Taiwan's government-issued Culture Points for designated purchases, the highest number during the four years the program has been offered at the exhibition.

The concurrent gaming and esports show features companies including Nintendo, Cygames and Taiwan's Gamania group.

Nintendo will offer demonstrations of "Pikmin 4," "Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream" and "Pokémon Pokopia" as part of its Switch 2 showcase, while other attractions include racing simulators and interactive augmented reality and artificial intelligence games, the CCPA said.