A popularity which does not cease climbing!
It seemed that the public had eyes only for mangas, at least that's what the long queue in front of the tent of "Manga City" let predict. Even better, the Angoulême comic book festival is going through a difficult period economically and can therefore hold its head high thanks to the influx of visitors caused by Japanese culture. After the cancellation in 2021 and a drop in attendance in 2022 due to an unusual date, the city of Angoulême seems to have regained its level of attendance of 200,000 visitors annually thanks, in part, to Japan. Long live manga!
The festival of Angoulême?
Before continuing this article, a little contextualization is necessary. The International Comics Festival of Angoulême is an annual event historically dedicated to comics and which is regaining popularity in recent years thanks to the manga culture. This festival in the city of Charente brings together thousands of comic book fans, as well as authors, illustrators and publishers from around the world. This event is not just a festival, as it offers exhibitions, debates, screenings, conferences and signing sessions, as well as competitions for young talents and the best albums. It is one of the biggest events dedicated to comics in Europe and attracts thousands of visitors every year, keeping the mentality of exchange and sharing in a benevolent atmosphere.
Manga stars present
Among the list of guests of honor, a name has made ink flow and turn heads: Hajime Isayama, the creator of the best-seller "Attack of the Titans". The public had the chance to discover 170 original drawings of the artist, in black and white, on paper, the old way. Even if he remains very humble in relation to his popularity, the public worshipped his arrival as a real rock star, cheering relentlessly during his appearances. This is a great success for the International Comics Festival, because Hajime Isayama does not run after this kind of events, as explained by the artistic director in charge of the Asian program, Fausto Fausulo: "He travels very little outside Japan. He has had two exhibitions in Tokyo, one of which went to Singapore. He was at New York Comic Con in the fall. And now, in Angoulême..."
Another great appointment not to be missed: the exhibition of Ryōichi Ikegami, author of Sanctuary and Trillion Game among others... the exhibition presents more than 200 original plates, including about thirty in color. The first part concentrates on his drawing, showing his evolution, his composition, his work on the bodies and the expressiveness of the faces
Means to match the craze
In 10 years, the demand for manga in France has increased considerably and is now the 2nd largest in the world, just after Japan. In 2022, the value of the manga market in France reached 381 million euros. Angoulême, a city of 42,000, hopes to capitalize on this enthusiasm by focusing on the cultural and creative industry, which provides 4,300 jobs and is attended by nearly 1,800 students in the image industry, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Charente. It is for these reasons that the Festival is betting so big on manga, like "Manga City", an ephemeral complex of 3,000m2 that takes on the look of a Japanese city, built especially for the event.
Maybe you will have a crush on a universe or the characters of one of these series, in which case there is nothing better than taking a comic book/manga drawing class to learn how to draw it and share your interests. Apolline offers courses in Lausanne, Morges, Montreux, Bienne and Delémont. And to deepen your knowledge even more intensely, you can participate in the comic/manga drawing vacation camps that take place all over French-speaking Switzerland during the school vacations!
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