XXIV Barcelona Manga Fair

Barcelona's enormous Manga Fair is back again at the Fira de Montjuïc, from November 1 to 4. Due to the number of manga fans in the city, the organisers didn't want to hang the 'sold out' sign before the show even starts again, so they're completely taking over six Palaus in the Fira, as well as Plaça Univers, which once again hosts the big covered stage. That stage is exactly where you'll want to be Friday for the Cosplay ECG, Saturday for the World Cosplay Summit, and Sunday for Clara Cow's Cosplay Cup and the EuroCosplay. Activities and events are ramped up this year in all areas including the big stage, the various halls, workshops, exhibitions, and play areas, with a continuous programme over the fair's four days. A biggie is the macro exhibition 'Language, Objects and Beasts', which you can see for the first time outside Japan, and which includes some 130 manga originals as well as video pieces and audiovisual installations.

The fair has invited some renowned folks in the manga world, among them the master of animation Masaki Satô, director and key animator of both 'Dragon Ball' and 'Dragon Ball Z' and designer of 'Slam Dunk' characters; romantic comedy illustrator Daisuke Hagiwara, author of popular titles such as 'Horimiya; Akira Himekawa, pseudonym for the authors of the videogame adaptation of the popular 'Legend of Zelda' saga; author of 'Beastars' Paru Itagaki; and Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaouia, authors of 'Love Stage!!'.