International Spotlight Shines on Manga

Reuters news service has distributed an article detailing the International Comic Festival, which began last Thursday in Angouleme, France. Called the comic equivalent of the Cannes Films festival, this year’s festival, with attendance numbering around 200,000 people, evidently placed a heavy focus on anime and manga, particularly the growing influence and role of female artists, comics for women and shoujo manga. Manga accounts for around one quarter of the world’s comic book market, leading to the festival’s acknowledgement of the art form. Festival president Florence Cestac stated, “Manga attracts the whole audience spectrum from children — who love to buy the small, inexpensive comic books for themselves — to adults, who see it as a cultural reference tool.”

Source: Anime News Network