2009 Comic Exhibition, Taipei

Although comparing Japan and Taiwan over the past 45 years may not yield much more than historical references to Japan’s colonial rule over the small island nation Southeast of Mainland China, the two nations share something in common that many Westerners may not know about: a love for asian animation comics, known as “anime.” I recently voyaged to Taiwan for a week to visit some friends and family and was able to stop by the 10th annual Comic Exhibition 2009 in Taipei City to experience one of Asia’s top animation conferences – it was worth the trip!

The 10th annual Comic Exhibition 2009 in Taipei is essentially a die-hard anime lover’s haven, which has been moving fans to tears since 1995: everything from material swag from Asia’s hottest comic series (including manga comic books, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, plush animals, accessories and even clothing emblazoned with comic figures and story lines) to artist and author appearances (and live drawings / writing sessions) to publishers trying to push new series debuts on fans and media buyers alike can be found at the convention. Young people are the main demographic that the exhibition caters to, predominantly those between the ages of 12 and 25, although I noticed fans as young as five or six years old clamoring for a glimpse at their favorite anime authors, actors or giveaways. Because up to 500,000 people visited the weeklong exposition, show organizers charge a small fee to enter (approximately $3 USD) to cover security and maintenance/cleaning costs.

The dominance and importance of Japanese animation series’ in Taiwan and in Asia alike cannot be understated: loyal fans often follow characters’ life stories and even try to shape their lives around their often noble and wise characteristics. Naruto for example, the longest-running and largest-followed animation series featured at Comic Exhibition 2009, features a noble and powerfully aspiring ninja who inspires followers to chase their dreams, no matter how great.

The future of the exhibition is thankfully secure, just in case you are tempted to visit in 2010: booth exhibitors have actually been turned away for the past several years due to a lack of exhibition floor space. The event rakes in over $34 million USD annually, speaking to the high importance and popularity of the exposition. The animation industry is so important to the Taiwanese economy that annual animation competitions and shows are funded by the government, fueling the industry. As an American, it was a sight for virgin eyes.