The Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival kicked off on Friday at the Nangang Exhibition Center. This is the 11th anniversary of the festival, which was temporarily suspended during the pandemic.
The festival will continue for five days and the theme this year is “creative metaverse.” Estimates say that over 450,000 people may attend the exhibition, indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels.
Lawmaker Lai Pin-yu (賴品妤) attended the festival with other government officials and said the event showcases Taiwan’s entertainment sector and soft power. She also said she hopes events like these can help businesses continue to grow in the comics and animation industries.
This year’s festival includes almost 100 manufacturers and 520 different booths. Crowds began lining up for the exhibition as early as 4 a.m. on Friday morning. Activities include meet and greets with famous authors, voice actors, illustrators, and more.