The 2015 Comic Exhibition in Taipei will feature personal appearances by 50 graphic artists, authors, voice actors and animation producers from Taiwan and Japan when it opens on 6 August.
The artists will hold 34 book signings and other events at the fair, Roger Kao, secretary-general of the event’s main organizer, the Taipei-based Chinese Animation and Comic Publishers Association, revealed on Monday.
Among the attendees are Japanese authors Chise Ogawa, known for her work Heaven of School Caste, and Ryo Takagi, author of the popular Japanese manga Getsuren – Konohana sakuya.
Taiwanese light novelists Yanghane, Yu Wo and Mao Luo will also meet fans at the fair, organizers said.
A Japanese pavilion will be set up at the exhibition for the first time and showcase performances by Japanese idol groups and anime singers and exhibitions of popular Japanese cartoon and anime figures such as Hello Kitty.
There will also be anime singers, including Japanese idol girl group Tokyo Girls’ Style, electropop producer Hachioji P and idol group Notall, Kao said.
Over 70 publishers will set up 610 booths at the annual fair. Last year, the fair attracted 601,000 visitors and generated around NT$260 million (US$8.2 million) in sales, Kao said.
Now in its 16th year, the fair will run until 11 August at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1.