The 2022 Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival officially opened on Thursday, featuring a special exhibit showcasing Taiwan’s gratitude towards Japan for the latter’s COVID-19 vaccine donations last year.
The 2022 expo, which is the 10th edition of the festival and features 520 booths, attracted approximately 82,000 visitors on its first day. It will end on Monday, Feb. 14.
Unlike previous years, the 2022 festival is regulating foot traffic, with attendees asked to wait outside whenever maximum capacity is reached inside.
The event’s special gallery, called the Taiwan-Japan Friendship Autographed Illustration Exhibition, features 100 autographed illustrations drawn by 100 local manga and comic artists.
The pieces are meant to thank Japan for the nation’s vaccine donations last year.
The exhibit was organized by the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Japan’s de facto embassy in Taiwan, and the Chinese Animation & Comic Publishers Association, the organizer of the festival.
During a speech to celebrate the opening of the exhibit, one of the Japanese association’s deputy representatives, Akira Yokochi, expressed his appreciation.
According to Yokochi, the relationship between Taiwan and Japan will continue to thrive, as reflected in the support provided by Taiwan to Japan during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and Taiwan’s mask donations during the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
He also added that the Taiwan art pieces were a response to the works drawn by 100 Japanese artists to thank Taiwan for its assistance, which were exhibited at last year’s festival, and that both nations shared a mutual fondness and love for one another.
One of the staff at the exhibit told CNA that a lot of people at the festival came especially for the exhibit. However, in observation of COVID-19 regulations, only 80 people are allowed into the exhibit at a time.
Kao Shih-chuang (???), secretary-general of the Chinese Animation & Comic Publishers Association, revealed that the morning crowd on the opening day was relatively smaller compared to previous years.
He said that the decrease was likely due to some merchandise being available online, which, in hindsight, was a blessing as it helped the association manage the amount of participants.
Attendees and staff alike are also asked to observe proper COVID-19 regulations by wearing facemasks at all times despite the elaborate costumes donned by a number of pop-culture fans at the event.
The guest of honor at the opening of the festival was Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lai Pin-yu (???), a well-known pop-culture geek.
Unlike her usual cosplayer costumes when attending past pop-culture activities, Lai attended the event dressed up in trendy Lolita fashion to show support.
During an interview, Lai said that besides her dress, everything she used to create her getup was made in Taiwan.
In line with Lai’s support of “made in Taiwan” products, the festival’s organizer said that while most participants attend the festival as fans of their favorite Japanese or American comics or shows, the Chinese Animation & Comic Publishers Association aims to promote works created by domestic artists.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel